Your first day of the fortnight-long tour… The chief port city of Southern India, Chennai welcomes you. After experiencing a traditional welcome, check in to your Hotel at Chennai. Soon get ready for a full day metro tour... Drive around the metro-city and get to know some of its famous landmarks. Visit the Fort St. George (the British built fortress, which still retains its colonial charm). Watch the big beach at Marina - regarded as world’s 2nd longest seashore.

In addition to experiencing Chennai’s main assets, let’s go back in time to understand the city’s deep-rooted legacy. Travel to the sacred hillock St. Thomas Mount, located a little outer from the metro area. It was from here that St. Thomas, the apostle of Christ, carried out his missionary activities till he attained ‘martyrdom’ in 72 AD. Observe his deeds through the sculptures and relics at the old European-styled Church on the hilltop. You can find how harmoniously the traditional Tamil culture and modern British culture are blended. Overnight stay at Chennai.

This day, proceed to ‘Mahabalipuram’, a centuries-old port city near Chennai - ideal location to get an insight into the priceless Dravidian culture & heritage. On reaching Mahabalipuram; set out for sightseeing… View some splendid specimens of Dravidian architecture & art forms - testimonies of former Pallava Kings, who were great patrons of arts / crafts - such as, ‘Pancha Rathas’ (‘Five Chariots’ - monolithic structures, each carved from one single large piece of stone - named after the five ‘Pandavas’ of the great epic Mahabharata), ‘Arjuna's Penance’ (a massive relief sculpture illustrating an episode from the epic Mahabharata), ‘Descent of the Ganges’ (another giant open-air bas relief, depicting a famous scene from Hindu mythology), ‘Varaha Cave Temple’ (a rock-cut-temple with fine carvings), ‘Shore Temple’ (a very old shrine with entry from the seashore), etc . As the daylight paves way for nightfall, get in to your lodgings… settle down in its soothing environs. Overnight stay at Mahabalipuram.

In addition to its deep rooted Dravidian traits, Tamil Nadu also exhibits marks of the Colonial era and the most remarkable testimony to this is ‘Pondicherry’ alias 'Puducherry'. Depart Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry (a French Colony for centuries before merging with India) - more of a journey from Dravidian times to Colonial times!

After reaching the destination, set out for a city sightseeing… Thought the French left Pondicherry about half-a-century ago, you can see that the city still bears a remarkable colonial influence. In fact, it consists of two major sections such as, the French 'White town' and the Indian 'Black Town'. Experience French ambience in Pondicherry‘s numerous heritage buildings and monuments viz., Le Café, Dupleix Statue, Governor’s Palace, Romain Rolland Library, Puducherry Museum… watch the well-laid out European-styled avenues. Overnight stay at Pondicherry.

One more day for exploring India’s ‘Little France’… This time, experience the beauty of Pondicherry’s beaches such as, the ‘Promenade Beach’ (the city’s main beach that stretches to nearly two kilometers), and the ‘Paradise Beach’ (another beach charmer located outside the city area). Then visit the port town ‘Arikamedu’ - the most antique location near Pondicherry with a history much longer than the colonial times - in fact it was a Roman trade centre in earlier times , around 2nd century B.C. This was a place that witnessed many a power shift - from Romans to Cholas and finally Europeans. Subject to time and convenience, also pay a visit the ‘universal township’ Auroville (known as City of Dawn) - a location with a holistic touch.

After the daylong stint, get back to your lodgings at Pondicherry for overnight stay.

In the morning leave the Colonial ambience and get back to the typical Tamil culture… Travel from Pondicherry to Trichy alias ‘Tiruchirapalli’ - a major city in Tamil Nadu. On arrival, check in to your hotel at Trichy and get refreshed. Soon proceed for Trichy visit. Begin with the most important landmark in the city - the ‘Rock Fort Ucchi Pillayar Temple’ (a combination of two shrines located atop a high rock - one shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and other to Lord Ganesh, known as ‘Pillayar’ in Tamil). In these shrines, which are regarded as one of the oldest in the world, you can see inspiring rock architectures bearing ancient traits.

Later visit the largest functioning temple complex in the world - ‘The Ranganathaswamy Temple’. Located at Srirangam near Trichy, this overwhelmingly massive shrine is regarded as one among the holiest Vaishnavite (followers of Lord Vishnu) Temples in India. Watch in awe the fascinating architecture and sculptural beauty of this gigantic shrine. Also visit the ‘One Thousand Pillar Hall’ (actually 953 intricately carved stone pillars) in the temple complex. Though Ranganathaswamy Temple complex is very vast, you won’t miss its most striking feature - the ‘Rajagopuram’ - built by the Vijayanagara Emperors this is the tallest temple tower in Asia! As night falls, return to your hotel at Trichy and stay overnight.

Time to get more exposure to the timeless Dravidian legacy and culture… depart Trichy and drive to Thanjavur, the legendary city immortalized by Chola royal dynasty. On reaching Thanjavur, set out for a day long sightseeing... start with a masterpiece of Chola-styled architecture - the big temple ‘Brihandeswara’ (1000+ years old shrine, built by the esteemed Chola emperor Rajaraja I). Apart from its architectural intricacies and sculptures, what makes Brihandeswara temple unique is the high temple tower that is taller than the sanctum sanctorum - a feature not seen in other typical Tamil / Dravidian temples.

Later, visit the nearby water tank ‘Shivaganga’, a popular hangout place. As time permits, have a quick get-around in other notable sights like, ‘Thanjavur Palace’, ‘Royal Museum’ & ‘Art Gallery’. Afterwards do some shopping - buy unique Thanjavur specials, such as, the Thalayatti Bomai (head-nodding doll). Late evening, return to your hotel at Thanjavur for overnight stay.

This day, check out from your hotel early, depart Thanjavur and drive to another significant Dravidian city - Madurai, one of the oldest & continuously inhabited cities in the world. En route, halt at ‘Pudukkottai’ (once a princely state - now a trove of archeological & cultural remnants with traces from prehistoric to medieval times). After enjoying Pudukkottai’s antique charm, drive further to visit the nearby ‘Thirumayam Fort’ (a historically significant fortress). Inside the fortress, you can find beautifully sculptured pillars.

Continue with your trip… After reaching Madurai, check into your hotel and wash off your journey marks. If time permits take a quick look-around the surrounding city area. Overnight stay at Madurai.

Spend the morning at leisure, readying for Madurai sightseeing... Start with visiting one of India's greatest cultural & architectural landmarks - the ‘Meenakshi Sundareswar Temple’ (dedicated to Meenakshi - Goddess Parvathy). Watch the looming temple towers, each studded with carvings of Gods, Goddesses, mythological figures and even depictions from fairy tales. Explore the sprawling temple complex... Visit the awe inspiring ‘Thousand Pillar Hall’ (in fact 985 now). Then see the ‘musical pillars’ - each one, when struck, produces a different musical note!

Then visit the ‘Mariamman Teppakulam’, a huge water tank located near the Meenakshi Temple. The tank is known as Mariamman Teppakulam due to the presence of Goddess Mariamman Temple there (Teppakulam means water tank in Tamil). At the center of the tank is a Lord Ganesh temple - accessible only by water. The area of the tank and the island pavilion is approximately equal to the area of the great Meenakshi Temple!

Later visit Madurai’s other important landmarks like, the ‘Thirumalai Nayakar Palace’ (a splendid palace of the former Madurai King, who made this city a memorable one). Get a brief outlook this ageless city’s royal legacy. At nightfall, get back to your lodgings at Madurai for overnight stay.

Now take a tour to the southernmost tip of Indian subcontinent - ‘Kanyakumari’. Bid farewell to the legendary city of Madurai and proceed southwards… On arrival at Kanyakumari, you will be greeted with spellbinding views of ‘Vivekananda Rock’ and ‘Thiruvalluvar Statue’ (two most notable landmarks here) from the seashore. Take a boat and visit the landmarks... These rocks, with an air of holiness and chill of waves sprinkling all over, totally uplift the self.

Late evening, view the sunset at the beach… At first it may not sound something unusual to anyone. But, after watching the Sun slowly dipping in the seawaters at this location, you will swear this can be hardly seen in anywhere else. Kanyakumari’s unique geographical location enables both sunset & sunrise views at the same beach. So plan accordingly to observe the phenomenon. Overnight stay at Kanyakumari.

First make sure to view the spectacular sunrise at Kanyakumari. Then after breakfast checkout from the Hotel and drive to the most famous beach haven in Kerala, Kovalam.

An internationally acclaimed Beach Tourism centre, Kovalam is blessed with three lovely crescent-shaped seashores namely, ‘Samudra Beach’ (which is the main beach), ‘Howah Beach’ and ‘Lighthouse Beach’. Check in to your hotel / resort at Kovalam, on arrival and get ready for a beach day. Spent the entire day engaged in various beach activities - sunbathing, swimming, enjoying the big splashes in the rejuvenating sea breeze… After a satisfying beach stint, return to your hotel / resort for overnight stay.

After the beach pleasures, now it’s time to experience the typical Kerala specialty - a houseboat cruise in backwaters. Proceed to Kollam - the Land of Ashtamudi Lake, the deepest one in the state with plenty of aquamarine wealth. Check in to a houseboat at Kollam. As the overnight cruise begins, settle down in this floating luxury and get immersed in the gentle rhymes of backwaters. Watch the green paddies dotted with coconut trees, groups of ducks enjoying the waters, village folks engaged in their age-old routines… grasp the spirit of rural Kerala that still thrives unaltered in these regions. Spice up your cruise with delicious Kerala cuisines along the way. Overnight stay in the houseboat at Ashtamudi Lake.

After the delightful experience with backwaters, it’s time for some variety entertainment - Ecotourism. Take a drive to Thenmala - location of the ‘Shenduruni Wildlife Sanctuary’ (the first eco-tourism project in the country).

Go exploring Shenduruni… You can see that the Sanctuary houses large varieties of flora and fauna. Afterwards visit the ‘Butterfly Safari Park’ - the first of its kind in Asia! Take pleasure in plentiful recreations at the park like; rope bridge walk, lake-boating, soft trekking …

After enjoying eco-tourism to its fullest, proceed to Konni for staying. Subject to time, visit the ‘Elephant camp’ at Konni to see the gentle giants in their natural environment. Overnight stay at Konni.

Before concluding your fascinating tour, get the taste of Kerala’s erstwhile royal legacy with a slight urban touch. Depart Konni and drive to ‘Thiruvananthapuram’ (Trivandrum) - Kerala’s capital city and the capital of former Travancore Kingdom. On arrival set out to familiarize the city... Pay a visit to the city’s famous trademarks like the marvelous ‘Kanakakkunnu Palace’ and ‘Napier Museum’ - a treasure store for historians. View the rare collection of paintings at the nearby ‘Sree Chitra Art Gallery’. Enjoy the botanically-rich ‘Zoological Park’ and the adjoining ‘Zoo’ (one of the first in the country). Then proceed to experience the former royal legacy at the sacred ‘Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple’ and the interesting monument - ‘Kuthiramalika Palace Museum’. After feasting your eyes, get in to the Hotel at Trivandrum for overnight stay.

It’s time for departure… Check out from your hotel this morning and proceed to Trivandrum Airport / Railway Station - the tour concludes on a happy note.