15 Days | Travel to the cultural and scenic highlights of southern India.
Lush and tropical, southern India is inspiring and delightful. Beneath the green shade of a coastal paradise, meet with locals in their fishing villages and tribal homes. Join them in the bazaars, on buses and boats, or even on pilgrimage in Madurai. From cultural sights like the Maharaja's Palace in Mysore to French-influenced Puducherry and the vast landscape of Periyar, southern India's spirituality, friendly people, and wild animal sanctuaries make it a fascinating part of the country to explore.
Trip overview
- Start
- Kochi, India
- Finish
- Kochi, India
- Theme
- Explorer, Rail
- Destinations
- India
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- HHSS
- Discover the waterfalls, tea plantations and spice markets of South India’s Western Ghats, a jungle-clad mountain range older than the Himalaya and one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.
- Known as the ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’, Kochi is a fascinating blend of Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and English influences, and is best explored by ferry.
- Step back in time among the iridescent hills of the very British ‘Snooty Ooty’ – home of snooker and the charming Nilgiri toy train.
- Search for elusive wildlife, including elephants, sloths, and birds on safari around one of the best places in India to observe nature up close – Periyar National Park.
- Experience a unique way of life with a family homestay and home-cooked meals in the idyllic backwaters of Kerala.
- Soak in India’s changing landscapes on a trip that uses rail travel. By choosing trains to get around, you’ll be giving yourself the best opportunity for local interaction, at a more relaxed pace.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Positive Change for Marine Life. Donations help them to nurture ocean health with community-led conservation initiatives that inspire coastal restoration, sustainable fishing practices and waste-managemen
- This trip is packed full of sights and experiences, including many main highlights of southern India along with plenty of insights into local life. There is an extensive amount of travel and a number of single-night stays to ensure you can fit as much as possible.
- This adventure uses a variety of transport options, including train and bus travel for up to 8 hours. There is also an included overnight sleeper train from Mysore to Mamallapuram, so be sure to have a book, some podcasts, and your best travel games ready.
- Sleeper trains a quintessential Indian experience and a great way to travel long distances while still getting maximum time in each place. With the experience can come some unpredictability – there are occasional delays or even cancellations. Beds are padded berths with sheets, pillow, and blanket provided (although some people prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet). Please note that you may be sharing with locals of the same or opposite gender. See the Transport section of the Essential Trip Information for more detail about train travel in India or this guide for more about train travel around the world: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/overnight-train-travel-around-the-world/
- Up in the Western Ghats, it can be surprisingly cool at night, especially in winter. Check weather reports before you go to help with your packing, and remember too to bring modest clothing (ie. pants or skirts that go below the knees and tops that cover your arms) for our visits to religious sites in particular.
- Part of travelling with Intrepid means respecting local cultures and sensibilities. That way you get the most out of your interactions with local people and environments. You’ll be visiting a few temples throughout your adventure, so please ensure that you’re dressed appropriately with legs and shoulders covered.
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2026
Itinerary
Inclusions
5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 dinners
Auto rickshaw, Boat, Bus, Cycle rickshaw, Ferry, Overnight sleeper train, Private vehicle, Train
Homestay (1 night), Hotel (11 nights), Jungle lodge (1 nights), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
- Kochi - Leader-led Fort Kochi walking tour
- Kochi - Dutch Palace
- Kochi - Kathakali performance
- Ooty - Nilgiri Mountain Railway & Tea Plantation visit
- Bandipur - National Park Safari
- Mysore - Home cooked lunch & family visit
- Mysore - Maharaja's Palace
- Mysore - Leader-led walking tour
- Mysore - Keshava Temple
- Mysore - Chamundi Hill & Temple
- Mamallapuram - Shore Temples guided tour
- Puducherry - Leader-led French Quarter walking tour
- Madurai - Sri Meenakshi Temple
- Periyar - Spice plantation visit
- Periyar - Home cooked meal
- Periyar - National Park
- Periyar - Guided nature walk
- Kerala Backwaters - Pole boat ride
- Kerala Backwaters - Village walk
- Kochi - Jewish Synagogue - INR5
- Ooty - Botanical Gardens - INR50
- Ooty - Boat ride - INR200
- Mysore - Cinema - INR100
- Mysore - Tipu Sultan's Mausoleum - INR500
- Madurai - Gandhi Museum - Free
- Periyar - Boat trip - INR650
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement exclude Day 5 (Jungle Lodge), Day 7 (Sleeper Train) and Day 13 (Homestay) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Please provide your full name exactly as it appears on your passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport. Fees may apply for adding or amending details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases, you will be required to cover the cost of issuing a new ticket.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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