Duration:
10 Days
Destination :
Mumbai – Madurai – Munnar – Kumarakom – Backwaters – Kochi
Price :
Price On Request
Itinerary
Arrive Mumbai
Welcome to India!
Arrive at Mumbai International Airport.
You are met by our Travel representative with traditional and sacred marigold flower garland.
Mumbai, formerly Bombay, is big. It’s full of dreamers and hard-labourers, starlets, stray dogs and exotic birds, artists and servants, fisherfolk and crorepatis (millionaires), and lots and lots of people. It has India’s most prolific film industry, some of Asia’s biggest slums (as well as the world’s most expensive home) and the largest tropical forest in an urban zone. Mumbai is India’s financial powerhouse, fashion epicenter and home to some of Indias most luxurious hotels.
Overnight stay at hotels.
Mumbai
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit the Gateway of India, one of Mumbai’s most famous landmarks. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar in 1911.
Explore the city of Mumbai.
We drive past University of Bombay, High Court of Bombay, and Crawford Market. You will also visit the Hanging Gardens, which are located on the crest of Malabar Hill. The garden is a welcome oasis of green in a city built almost entirely of concrete and cement. Visit the renowned Gandhi Memorial Museum (Mani Bhawan) and Jain Temple. Return to the hotel via Marine drive, popularly known as the Queen’s Necklace which offers a breath-taking view of the Arabian Sea.
Visit the Prince of Wales museum:
Next you will visit the Prince of Wales Museum, which was built between 1904 and was used as a hospital during World War I. The museum houses a priceless collection of art that is considered to be one of the best in all India. (Closed on Mondays only between May to September).
Overnight at Hotel.
Mumbai – Madurai
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning departure transfer to Mumbai airport to board flight to Madurai.
by flight AI 671 – 0900/1235 hrs (operates all days) ,
(1 stop flight with 35 minutes layover in Chennai),
Madurai is the third largest city in Tamil Nadu. Located on the banks of River Vaigai, it has been a major settlement for two millennia and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It is believed that Madurai is the soul of temple architecture in Tamil Nadu. Proceed to the busy and local flower & vegetable market in the outskirt of Madurai. Later walk in the surroundings of the Temple to visit the bustling Tailor market.
After dinner time, at 2000 hrs proceed to Meenakshi temple to witness Aarti ceremony.
Every night during the final prayer of the day, God Shiva, will be symbolically carried in a palanquin from his shrine to his abode for the night, where Goddess Meenakshi awaits him. This divine procession is followed by a peace of music and chanting and singing of devotees brining the entire temple alive.
Overnight at Hotel.
In Madurai
Breakfast at the hotel.
Later proceed for city tour of Madurai.
Visit Thirumalai Nayak: This Palace is a classic fusion of Dravidian and Rajput styles. The building, which can be seen today, was the main Palace, in which the king lived. Tirumalai Nayak Palace at Madurai was considered to be one of the wonders of the South.
Visit Meenakshi Temple.
This is a wonderful example of South Indian Hindu architecture with nine towering gopurams (gates) splashed in colour and stucco images. The temple has a great mythological and historical significance. It is believed that Lord Shiva assumed the form of Sundareswarer (the handsome one) and married Meenakshi (Parvati) at the site where this temple is currently located. A taste of hindu mythology and religion with bare chested priests, the scent of flowers and coconut and some of the most beautiful temple cielings one can find in this part of India. Renowned for its intricate architecture, the Meenakshi temple was also nominated as one of the wonders of the world!
(Temple will be closed from 1200 – 1600 hrs) .
Overnight at Hotel.
Madurai – Munnar (approx. 170 Kms / 5 Hrs drive)
Breakfast at the hotel.
In-time check-out & drive to Munnar.
Munnar This beautiful hill station was once the summer capital of the British Raj in India and a popular colonial retreat. It is also the highest peak in South India. The never ending vast expanse of tea plantations and round the year moderate climate makes it a little haven for visitors.
Visit tea plantation & Tea tasting in a local Tea shop.
Evening walk in the bazaar.
Overnight at Hotel.
Munnar – Kumarakom (approx. 150 Kms / 5 Hrs drive)
Breakfast at the hotel.
The kerala backwaters are a network of interconnected canals, rivers, lakes and inlets – a labyrinth system formed by more than 900 kms of waterways. In the midst of this lush landscape and mangroves there are a number of small fishing villages and towns.
Enjoy your hotel beautifully set and preserved in nature, adapting to the natural environment. Evening is at leisure for you to indulge in Keralas world renowned Ayurveda treatment or simply enjoy your serene location.
Overnight at Hotel.
Kumarakom – Backwater (approx. 40 Kms / 1 hr drive)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Your days in Kumarokam are relatively easy, take the morning at leisure and slip slowly into the natural environment that surrounds you.
Later in the morning board the houseboat.
Spend the night in a houseboat, a reworked version of the Kettuvallams of olden times. Originally used to transport products and spices. Using only natural products, these boats are built with bamboo, thatched roofs and wooden hulls. Sticks and wood of the areca nut tree are used for roofing and cocunt coir for beds. Although a generations old concept, todays houseboats boast of the same comforts as a luxury hotel with beautifully furnished bedrooms, ensuite modern bathrooms and living spaces and large open decks to sit out and enjoy the views while you meander through canals and local fishing villages.
Overnight at Hotel.
Backwater – Kochi (approx. 60 Kms / 1.5 Hrs drive)
Breakfast on the houseboat & dis-embark the House Boat at Alleppey.
Drive to Kochi.
Cochin: A cluster of islands and narrow peninsulas, Cochin or Kochi is known as “Queen of the Arabian Sea”, it reflects the best of all that Kerala has to offer. The Arabs, British, Dutch and Portugese offering a cocktail of cultural experiences have influenced this incredible seaside. A rich past and vibrant present, Kochi gained the status of the cultural hub of the region.
This evening take a walk around Fort Cochin which retains its colonial charm.
End your day with a Kathakali performance.
Kathakali is one of the oldest theatre forms in the world. It originated in the area of Southwestern India, in Kerala itself. Kathakali is a theatrical art form that retells stories from Hindu legend, the make up that could take hours to apply is the slow metamorphosis of mortals into immortal deities and demons.
(seat sharing basis).
Overnight stay at hotel.
In Kochi
Morning sightseeing of Fort Kochi.
Chinese Fishing Net: A very unusual method of fishing, operated from the shore.
Chinese fishing nets are fixed land installations set up on bamboo or teak poles and is operated from the shores. The massive fishing nets that cantilever over the shore are highly identifiable with images of Cochin. These are still in daily use by local fishermen and if you are in the mood you could try the fresh catch from one of the many little food stalls that dot along the waters edge.
St Francis Church: Fort Cochin is believed to be the oldest European Settlement in India and St. Francis Church was the first European Church to be built. The history of this Church reflects the colonial struggle of European powers in India, from the 15th to 20th Centuries.
Dutch Palace: Dutch Palace, Kochi is more popularly known as Mattancherry Palace. The palace was constructed by the Portuguese and presented to the then Rajah of Kochi, Veera Kerala Varma. The Rajahs of Keralas made subsequent renovations of the palace, giving it a Hindu texture. In fact, it has become one of the best testimony of the Hindu Temple Art.The Dutch Palace in Kochi is a two stored building built around a central courtyard. This traditional style of architecture is known as 'nalukettus' in Kerala. Look up and take in the beautiful frescoes! (Closed on Fridays)
Jewish Synagogue: (Closed on Friday afternoons and Saturday full day)
One reminder of Kochi multiculturalism is the Pardesi Synagogue, built in 1568 and also the oldest in the commonwealth countries. The Cochin Jewish community first settled in early 14th to the mid-16th century. The articles of interest in the synagogue are a clock tower, hand painted, willow patterned floor tiles from canton in China, great scrolls of the Old Testament, Hebrew inscriptions on stone slabs, ancient scripts on copper plates in which the grants of privileges made by the former rulers of Cochin were recorded.
Late afternoon walk through the shopping district of Jew Town where you can find old spice warehouses & antiques.
Evening proceed for a Harbor Cruise.
Sunset cruise will take you on the waterways of Kochi Harbour, offering picturesque seaside views of Fort Kochi, Bolgatty Island, Willingdon Island, the Kochi shipyard and the structurally impressive Chinese fishing nets.
Overnight stay at Hotel.
Departure from Kochi
After breakfast, check out & transfer to Kochi International Airport to board flight back home.