Day 1: Bangalore
Arrive Bangalore. Transfer to hotel in Bangalore.
After a relaxing start we have an afternoon sightseeing in the city including such highlights as the garden of Lalbagh, and the Bangalore Palace, built in 1887, an impressive architectural wonder.

Day 2: Bangalore
Full day excursion by coach (approximately 40 miles from Bangalore) to Savandurga with its 16th century fort built by Kempegowda, the founder of Bangalore. The region is famous for medicinal plants and shrub forest. A verdant and serene area and a great place to explore.

Day 3: Hassan
Transfer by road via Sravanbelgola to Hassan for 2 nights. At Sravanbelgola, is the statue of Lord Gomateshwara who is also referred to as Lord Bahubali and is visible from a distance of 15 miles. It is possible to climb the stone-carved stairs step by step (all 600 of them!) to the top and see the smiling face of the statue at the top of the hill.

Day 4: Hassan
Half day excursion to Belur and Halibid by coach. The star shaped temple at Belur is adorned with exquisite carvings of endless varieties of animals, birds, gods and goddesses. The Hoysaleswara temple in Halibid is the finest example of Hosala architecture and fine workmanship.

Afternoon at leisure for independent exploration.

Day 5: Mysore
Morning transfer by coach to Mysore for 2 nights. En route, we visit Sritangapattanam, where on the banks of the river Kaveri lies the historical sojourn of Mysore’s fierce sultans. Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan, the legendary king who lived here. He fought and died while fighting against the British army.

Day 6: Mysore
Morning visit to Chamundi Hills, the oldest temple of Chamundi that dates back to the 13th century. Legend has it that the goddess Chamundi - the consort of Shiva - destroyed the demon Mahishasura atop this hill and brought about peace and tranquillity to the people. The conical temple structure is particularly striking because of the fine carvings all around. Reaching up to the sky is the gold-topped gopuram, with the reflecting sunlight adding magnificence to the temple.

Continue to Mysore Palace the former residence of Wadeyar ruler of Mysore. The Palace is a splendid structure built in Indo-Saracenic style with domes, turrets, arches and colonnades. The Palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings.

Afternoon free to explore and sightsee in Mysore on foot.

Day 7: Ooty
Today, we travel the one hundred miles by coach to Ooty (Ootacamund) for 4 nights’ accommodation. During our afternoon sightseeing in Ooty we visit Dodabetta Peak. At a height of 2623 metres, Dodabetta Peak is the highest point in Southern India. On a clear day, one can see the plains of Coimbatore and the Mysore plateau. At Beeyu Plantation we visit the Tea Factory and have a welcome hot cup of tea.

Day 8: Ooty
On a full day tour, we visit Parsons Valley and the Eucalyptus distillery, walking through the Hungaford Tea Estate.

Day 9: Ooty
Full day visit to Droog, departing for Coonoor by Toy Train. The train journey will take approximately 1¼ hours. We drive to Nonsuch Tea Estate, the famous tea plantation with beautiful tea gardens and silver oak trees all around. Walking through the tea estate for 2 hrs we reach Droog watchtower. This was the ancient out post of the Muslim ruler “Tipu Sultan”. Walking back to the estate takes approximately two hours we then return to our hotel in coach taking approximately one hour.

Day 10: Ooty
Half day visit by road to Glenmorgan Downs, where we walk pathways to Toda Tribal village. Walk through the “Eucalyptus” forest with its invigorating aroma of the eucalyptus leaves. With an afternoon at leisure, you may wish to visit the Botanical Gardens and St. Stephens Church, whose cemetery contains the grave of John Sullivan, the founder of Ooty.

Day 11: Kumarakom
Travel by road from Ooty via Kottayam to Kumarakom for 3 nights. Today will be a long travel day, but frequent stops will be made for refreshments and to stretch your legs.

Day 12: Kumarakom
Morning boat cruise on the backwaters linking the scattered Kerala villages. Afternoon walking around the villages.

Day 13: Kumarakom
Take a morning’s relaxing boat ride on the back waters to the Kumarakom Nature Reserve, where we explore the area on foot.

Day 14: Cochin
Morning transfer by coach to Cochin for 2 nights’ accommodation.

Here we visit Fort Cochin to see the Chinese Nets, the century old Chinese tradition of fishing that still survives in kerala. St. Francis Church, the oldest church in the Indian sub-continent, established by the Portuguese Franciscan friars in 1503. Vasco da Gama was buried in the courtyard of this church. The Mattancherry Palace locally known as the Dutch Palace. The two storey building was actually erected by the Portuguese, as a gift to the Cochin Raja. The murals that adorn some of its rooms are among the finest examples of Kerala's much underrated school of painting, friezes illustrating stories from the Ramayana on the first floor, date from the sixteenth century.

Day 15: Cochin
Take a ferry to Mattancherry for a walk to the Old Town, Synagogue and Jewish town –the abode of Jews for many centuries where the unique life style of one of the world’s oldest communities still lingers

Your morning visit will end in Fort Cochin, where you will have time to walk around the harbour.

After visit, return to the hotel by coach. If any passengers wish to take the ferry back, they can at their own expense.

Evening at leisure – optional visit to Kathkali dance show. Cochin is the only city in the state where you are guaranteed the chance to see live Kathakali, the uniquely Keralan form of ritualised theatre

Day 16: Madras
Morning transfer by coach to Cochin airport for flight to Madras for 1 night’s accommodation.

Day 17: Madras
Morning at leisure, before an afternoon’s tour of Madras, with visits to Fort St. George, the Fort Museum, St. Mary Church, San Thome Basilica, and Kapalishzra Temple.

Dinner and late transfer to Madras Airport for check-in for return flight to London Heathrow.

Day 18: Departure
Depart on your onward journey.