Hyderabad • Bangalore • Mysore • Hassan • Belure and Halebid Temples • Chennai (Madras) • Madurai • Tiruchirapally • Periyar National Park • Kumarakom • Cochin

DAY 1 - Hyderabad
Arrive in Hyderabad. A representative from Heritage Journeys will greet and escort you to your 4 Star hotel. Hyderabad is gifted with many beautiful monuments including Char Minar, Mecca Masjid, Salar Jung Museum and Falaknuma Palace. City tour visiting ....

DAY 2 - Bangalore
City tour of Hyderabad. Fly to Bangalore - the city of Lakes, gardens, tree-lined avenues, Nandi Bull temple and the gardens of Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park.

DAY 3 - Mysore
Morning city tour. The afternoon drive through the picturesque evergreen hills and beautiful natural landscaped plains takes you to the Mysore Palace. En-route visit Palace of Tipu Sultan and Brindaban gardens with its magnificent fountains.

DAY 4 - Belure & Halebid
Lord Fergusson, an authority on Indian architecture, observes "There are many buildings in India which are unsurpassed for delicacy of detail by any in the world, but the temple of Belure surpasses even these for freedom of handling and virtuosity of Indian sculptors reached its peak at the temples of Belure and Halebid. This morning we explore these majestic monuments.

DAY 5 - Hassan - Chennai (Madras)
Morning is free to visit local bazaars. Drive to Bangalore and fly to Chennai.

DAY 6 - Chennai
Chennai is the Gateway to a voyage of discovery of an ancient temple-studded state. Sightseeing includes Mylapore Temple, St. Thomas Cathedral, St. George Fort, and National art Museum.

DAY 7 - Chennai
Drive to Mahabalipuram famous for its rocks cut shore temples and monolithic figures in Dravidian architecture. After touring the Five Rathas, Mahisaura and Krishna Mandapams we will proceed to Kanchipuram, the city of woven silk and temples.

DAY 8 - Madurai
Fly to Madurai. The city was planned as a lotus flower with Meenakshi Temple and its court of thousand beautifully carved pillars at its center. We will explore this jewel of a temple city.

DAY 9 - Tiruchirapally
Drive to Trichy. Fullday excursion to Trichy and visit Rock Fort and Srirangam temples.

DAY 10 - Periyar
Drive to Periyar known for fair population of tigers, herons, leopards, sambers, boars, darters, white-necked storks, kingfishers, osprey, and woodpeckers but is best known for its wild elephants. View wildlife while cruising on Lake Periyar.

DAY 11 - Kovalam
Drive to the sea resort of Kovalam, Kerala. The ice blue sea and a backdrop of gently swaying coconut trees make this a paradise for seaside holidays.

DAY 12 - Alleppey - Backwaters
Drive to Alleppey-The 'Venice of the East'. Board a houseboat and cruise the backwaters. Waterways and lagoons covered with canopies of lush green foliage meander their way past the fishing villages, dense coconut groves and rice paddies.

DAY 13 - Kumarakom
Visit lush green villages and Vembanad Lake, home to thousands of migrating birds as you float on the houseboat.

DAY 14 - Cochin
Disembark the houseboat and you will be driven to Cochin, the picturesque seaport on the palm fringed coast of Arabian Sea, laced with inland waterways and tropical lagoons. Sightseeing includes Cochin Fort and the Jewish Synagogues.

DAY 15 - Cochin
City tour visiting Dutch Fort, Mattancherry Palace, St. Francis Church-the oldest church in India and Bolghatty Palace.

DAY 16 - Homebound.
Transfer to airport. Depart on your onward journey.