South India

Departure by regular flight to Madras. Night on board.

Arrival at the international airport of Madras (Chennai), capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and one of the four great metropolises of India. Transfer to hotel and rest of the day. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Panoramic visit of Madrasand departure by road to Mahabalipuram, the “city of the seven pagodas”, the most important port of the kingdom of the Pallavas. Visit of the monumental complex of Mahabalipuram: the Shore Temple, the first stone temple located in southern India; the Great Rock, one of the most beautiful places due to its rich decoration that reproduces the mythical descent of the Ganges and the five Rathas, five small monolithic temples consecrated to the god Shiva and that form a group of exceptional beauty for its monolithic stone carvings. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Depart on a full-day excursion to visit the temples of Kanchimpuram. This city is considered one of the most sacred cities in Hinduism in India. Known in ancient times as Kachi, it is located next to the Palar River, and is famous for its temples (it houses more than a thousand) and its silk saris. Among the temples, those of Ekambareswara, from the 9th century, dedicated to Shiva, Vaikunthaperumal, from the 8th century, the paradise of Vishnu, and Kailasanatha, a sanctuary built in granite and sandstone, from the 7th century, dedicated to Shiva, stand out.

After visiting the temples, return to Mahabalipuram and rest of the day at leisure. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Departure by road to Kumbakunam, visiting en route in Chidambaram the Brihadeeshwarar Temple, sanctuary of Shiva Nathraja, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and considered the most perfect of the Dravidian School. Inside, we find one of the most famous dance halls or Sabha of Nataraja, as well as the oldest set of the Karana excavated in stone and representing the 108 Nataraja dance movements. The temple is divided into different pagodas, located in the four cardinal points where we find the different rooms: The Niritta Sabha, the dance hall, the Deva Sabha, the festival hall, the Kanaka Sabha and the Raja Sabha. The latter is by far the most spectacular, with 1000 pillars and where the Pandyas celebrated their victories. Continuation to Gongaykondacholapuram where we will admire the Brahadeeswar stone temple, built by the Chola king in the 10th century. Final journey by road until we reach Kumbakunam. In the afternoon, we will visit the Airawateswara Temple in the nearby town of Darasuram, built by Raja Chola II in the 12th century with noble sculptures that decorate the outline of the temple. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Departure by road to Tanjore, also called Thajavur, one of the oldest cities in India, dating back to the Sangam period and founded by King Mutharayar, although it was in the Chola empire when it had its peak when it became the capital. Surely what draws the most attention from its past and survives to this day is the architectural legacy of temples. In addition, the city is an important center of its own style of painting, known as Tamil Nadu. Visit of the Brihadeswara temple, considered the most perfect temple of Dravidian architecture. Continuation of the road trip to Trichy. In the afternoon, climb to the Rock Fort, with the Passage of the Hundred Columns, crowned by the temple dedicated to the God Vinayaka. On Srirangam island, on the Kaveri river, we will visit the great Ranganathswami templesurrounded by seven concentric walls, with 21 access doors and sanctuaries and rooms, some of them with up to a thousand columns. Accommodation.

Breakfast. We will leave by road towards Maduraivisiting en routeChettinad,where we can see the picturesque constructions of its houses, a true reflection of theflourishing trade of the past in this town. Arrival in Madurai, ancient city of the Pandyas and pilgrimage center. Rest of the day free. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Early in the morning, tour to see the colorful Flower Market, one of the most important in South India, and the Dhobi Ghat. We will visit the Mariamman Teppakhulam Pond, the Tirumalay Kayak Palace and the great Meenakshi Temple, located in the heart of the city. A work that stands out for the multitude of multicolored images, gods and mythological animals that are represented. The Meenakshi temple owes its name to the daughter of a king of Pandia who, according to tradition, was born with three breasts. It occupies an approximate area of about six hectares of land, has up to 4 entrances to the enclosure and 12 towers at different heights, one of them reaching up to 50 meters. Today the temple is a pilgrimage center for thousands of faithful who come to visit it and who, together with tourists, make the activity in the surrounding areas frenetic. The bathing of the pilgrims in the surrounding ponds and the folk music is something common that we can find. Visit of the Dhobi Ghat and the Flower and Vegetable Market, one of the largest in India. It is advisable to attend for the night to the ceremony of closing the doors of the Temple. Accommodation at the hotel.

Breakfast. Depart by road towards Munnar. Located between hills and amidst tea plantations, it is famous for being one of the largest tea producers in South India. Visit a tea factory to learn about the production process, continuing with a visit to the Mattupetty Dam and the city's local market. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Transfer by road to the “Backwaters” region until reaching Kumarakum, located on the shores of Lake Vembanad among a large humid area and a great variety of plants. We will begin the tour of this lake and its hundreds of canals or Backwaters, fed by the basins discharged from the rivers of Kerala. Many of them meander inland connecting small towns on the banks of the canal that live off fishing (you can see numerous Chinese nets in the canals), the production of “coir” (coconut fiber), the creation of boats and also agriculture. , among other things. Furthermore, due to its connection with the sea it has a natural heritage of great ecological importance. Arrival at Kumarakom and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.

Breakfast. In the morning, departure by road to Alleppey where we take a walk through the canals aboard a house boat. Continuation to Cochin, one of the main seaports of the country. Considered the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Cochin was an important spice trading center on the coast of the Arabian Sea since the 14th century. Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, it was the site of the first European colonial settlement in India, remaining the capital of Portuguese India until 1530, when they moved their capital to Goa. The city was later occupied by the Dutch, the Mysores and the British. Successive waves of migration over several millennia have made Cochin a "melting pot of races and cultures." Despite the risk of overdevelopment, the city maintains its colonial heritage and a mix of tradition and modernity. Lunch at a local restaurant. Accommodation.

Breakfast. In the morning, visit Cochin, including the Jewish Synagogue (closed on Saturdays), built about 400 years ago. It has beautiful Belgian crystal chandeliers, and is covered with hand-painted tiles from China. Visit theDutch Palace (closed on Fridays) with its wonderful murals depicting the entire story of Ramayana on its walls. We will end the visit seeing the striking Chinese fishing that extends along the entire coast of Kerala. Rest of the day free. Accommodation.