Bangalore to Kovalam

After breakfast check out and drive to Mysore. On arrival check into HOTEL for 02 nights. Mysore, capital of a former princely state, is a city of palaces, gardens, shady avenues and sacred temples and retains some of the charm of the old world with its many institutions that propagate Carnatic Classical music and dance. The city is famous for its silk, sandalwood and jasmine. Evening proceed for a walking tour through the interesting markets and bazaars of Mysore. Overnight at Hotel.

After breakfast proceed to visit Sreerangapatnam. Visit Summer Palace of Tippu Sultan, Tomb and Fort. Later proceed to visit Mysore Palace and Maharajas museum. Mysore Palace is one of the most visited monuments in India. It is one of the largest palaces in the country and was the residence of the Wodeyar Maharaja's of the Mysore state. The Palace is built in Indo-Saracen style and blends together Hindu, Muslim, Rajput, and Gothic styles of architecture.  It is a three-storied stone structure, with marble domes and a 145 ft five-storied tower. Above the central arch is an impressive sculpture of Gajalakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, good luck, and abundance with her elephants. Designed by the well-known British architect, Henry Irwin, the palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world.  Evening visit Chamundi Temple and Nandi Bull. Chamundeshwari temple is situated on the top of Chamundi hill which is about 3,489 ft. above sea level and located at a distance of 13 km from Mysore. The temple is dedicated to Sri Chamundeshwari, the titular deity of the Mysore Royal Family. It is also described as ‘Mahishasura Mardini’ for having killed the buffalo headed demon Mahishasura. The temple has a very beautiful idol of the goddess wearing a garland of skulls. Depictions of Nandi the bull, Lord Shiva’s vehicle, can be found throughout South India. But the carving here on Chamundi Hill, from 1659, minutes from Mysore, is particularly noteworthy. Nandi sits 15 feet high, 24 feet in width and is carved out of a single piece of rock, thus making it a monolith. After sightseeing return back to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast check out and drive to Kabini. On arrival check into the HOTEL for 02 nights. Kabini is today rated among the top five wildlife sanctuary in the world. It is very close to Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka and is a paradise on the banks of the river Kabini. Kabini is a tributary of the river Cauvery that surrounds the River Lodge. It is located at Karapur near Nagarhole national park. Afternoon proceed for jeep safari (subject to availability). Overnight stay at resort.

Morning proceed to Kabini River to experience the Boat safari (subject to availability). Rest of the day is free to relax. Overnight at resort.

After breakfast check out from the hotel and drive to Ooty which is popularly referred as the ‘Queen of Blue Mountains’. It is located at a height of 2,286 mts and was the first established hill station in India.  The British founded this popular hill station in the early 19th century as the summer capital of the Madras government. On arrival check into the  HOTEL for 02 nights. Rest of the day is free to relax. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast proceed for sightseeing which includes Botanical Garden, Ooty Lake, Doddabetta Peak and drive through the interesting city. Botanical Garden was laid out in 1847 and is spread over 22 hectares ascending the slopes on the hill at an elevation of 2,400 meters above Main Sea Level. An explicit collection of flowering trees, beautiful shrubs, and rare colored lilies are seen. Flourishing green well maintained lawns, rare trees species a 20 million year old fossil tree, a monkey’s puzzle tree – monkeys can’t climb this tree, an Italian - style garden bordering, a immense variety of flowering bushes, flowers, and plants , fern house with a vast range ferns and orchids, a clear pool are some of the highlights of this garden. The famous Ooty Lake stretches, in an irregular 'L' shape, for about 2.75 kms in length and varying distances in width(100m – 140m). For the curious, this lake was artificially formed by John Sullivan, the founder of Ooty, in 1823-25 by damming the mountain streams flowing down Ooty valley. At the far end is the Boat House, where all kinds of boats are available for hire from eight in the morning to six in the evening. The Doddabetta Peak stands at an altitude of 2,623 meters. It is the highest point in the district, making it possibly the best vantage point around Ooty. It is merely 10kms from Ooty so you can simply grab your camera and head straight to the peak and click amazing pictures of the valley below. After the sightseeing return back to the hotel. Overnight at the Hotel.

Morning is free to relax.  By around 1300 proceed to Ooty railway station to fetch the mountain train. Enjoy the train journey to Mettupalayam. This afternoon you will be passing through the neelagiri hills in the mountain train, which is the only cog wheel train available in South India. On arrival at Mettupalam our driver will pick you and drive you to Coimbatore.  On arrival check into HOTEL for 01 night.  Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast check out from the hotel and drive to Cochin which is the commercial capital of Kerala. On arrival check into HOTEL for 02 nights. Cochin – Queen of Arabian sea, is one of the most interesting cities of India and has one of the finest natural harbors in the world. From time immemorial, the Arabs, British, Chinese, Dutch and Portuguese have left indelible marks on the history and development of Cochin. Over the years, Cochin has emerged as the commercial and industrial capital of Kerala and is perhaps the second most important city on the west coast of India (after Mumbai/Bombay).   The ancient Temples, Churches and Synagogues in this district are of special interest to archeologists and historians.  The Chinese fishing nets, the Jewish Synagogue, the Dutch palace and the Bolghatty palace in Kochi enrich the heritage of Kerala. Evening visit the ‘Kathakali’ centre, where you’ll watch the interesting Kathakali costumes followed by performance.  Kathakali is the most well known dance drama from the south Indian state of Kerala.  The word Kathakali literally means "Story-Play".  It is known for its large, elaborate make up and costumes.  The elaborate costumes of Kathakali have become the most recognised icon for Kerala. The Kathakali actors rely very heavily on hand gesture to convey the story.  These hand gestures, known as mudra, are common throughout much of classical Indian dance. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast proceed for half day guided sightseeing which includes the visit to St. Francis church, Mattancherry palace, Jewish Synagogue and Chinese fishing nets. St Francis Xavier's Church at Fort Kochi was the oldest European church in India, which was built in the year 1503, by the Portuguese traders. Today, it stands as the pride of Fort Cochin. It was here that the great explorer Vasco da Gama was buried first in 1562. His mortal remains were taken back to Portugal by his son 16 years later. Even though it is austere in its appearance, the Mattancherry Palace of Cochin has a quaint charm of its own. The credit for building this landmark monument partly goes to the Dutch, who captured Cochin city of Kerala during the pre-British period. The Jewish Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth Nations. Thus, it comprises the topmost slot in the itinerary of the tourists visiting the city. The synagogue has now a fascinating mixture of shops, warehouses and spice auction rooms around.  The Chinese fishing nets make up a very popular tourist attraction since they are fixed land installations, which are used for a very unique and unusual method of fishing. After sightseeing return back to the hotel.   Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast check out from the hotel and drive to Alleppey. On arrival you can embark in a HOUSE BOAT for 01 night to go for a cruise through the world famous backwaters of Kerala. The cruise in a house boat through backwaters is an unforgettable experience and you can enjoy the real Kerala village life. These boats were originally used for carrying goods and there were only limited facilities available in the boats for stay and for food preparations. Today the boats are so luxuriously designed without compromising on the traditional values. The food prepared in the house boats are very special and is very tasty and fresh. During the cruise you will have opportunities to enjoy typical Kettuvallam meal. Overnight on the boat.

After a relaxed breakfast on board, disembark from the house boat and drive to Kovalam, one of Kerala’s most popular beach destination which is situated just 15 kms from Trivandrum. "Kovalam" means a grove of coconut trees and true to its name the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees.   Kovalam offers an excellent diversity with Kovalam beach to suit all desires and occasions. Kovalam was brought to the public eye by the Maharaja of Travancore. Over the past three decades, the place has been well developed, and now figures prominently on the world tourism map. Today Kovalam beach is known as the "Paradise of the South. On arrival check into the HOTEL for 02 nights. Afternoon is free to relax by the beach or swimming pool. Overnight at hotel.

Day free to relax by the beach or for your own activities. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast check out from the hotel and drive to Trivandrum airport to catch your flight after an ever memorable holiday in Kerala.