South India Nature Tour

South India reveals a staggering wealth natural beauty and exotic wildlife.

Explore the garden city of India, Bangalore and the palace city of Mysore; journey through a land of living temple complexes, stunning tropical landscapes, tea and spice plantations and one of the finest beaches of south India. Designed with nature enthusiasts specifically in mind this tour takes in bird sanctuaries and national parks, boating through lush tropical vegetation in search of birds and wildlife.

Where are you going?

Day 1 : Arrive Bangalore and transfer to hotel.

Day 2: Mysore is the palace city of Karnataka State. It is famous for its silk and is also a thriving sandalwood incense center. The beautiful palace of Mysore occupies the entire southeastern sector of the city center. Srirangapattinam is an island fortress in the Cauvery River - a place with ancient history. Nearby is Ranganathitu Bird Sanctuary - a good place to see storks, ibis, egrets, darters, spoonbills and cormorants. In the evening visit the bull temple and a 2000-year-old temple dedicated to Goddess Chamundi.

Days 3 & 4: Mudumalai is one of South India's largest wild life reserves. Situated in the foothills of Nilgiris it is a large reserve that ranges in vegetation from semi-evergreen forests to swamps and grasslands. It is home to spotted deer, Indian bison, tiger, panther, wild boars and sloth bear. Otters & crocodiles inhabit the Moyar River. The wild life elephant population, estimated around 600, is one of the largest in the country.

Days 5 & 6: Drive to Ooty to catch the toy train (mountain railway) a marvel of engineering skill. It takes a rugged route through densely wooded mountain terrain and long tunnels. Parambikulam is one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala - home to elephant, bison, gaur, tiger, panther, sloth bear, wild boar, Nilgiri langur and a host of bird species.

Days 7 & 8: Thousands of priests and worshippers come daily to Sri Meenakshi Temple. Believers bathe themselves in the temple baths and have their fortunes told. The evening ceremony where the god Shiva is led to the bedroom of his wife, Meenakshi is not to be missed. Madurai is also a great place to look for bronze statues, carpets or other souvenirs.

Days 9 & 10: The road, lined with plantations of rubber, tea, cardamom and pepper, leads to the hill station of Munnar. Set amid dramatic mountains scenery is the commercial center of some of the world's highest tea growing estates. The combination of craggy peaks, manicured tea plantations and crisp mountain air makes Munnar an ideal retreat.

Days 11 & 12: The best way to observe the game in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is by boat. There are herds of elephant, and bison, packs of wild boar various species of ape including the golden langur monkey, rarely seen elsewhere in India. Turtles can often be seen sunning themselves on the pieces of wood that stick out of the water. Osprey and cormorants are the most prevalent bird species in this area.

Day 13: The route to Alleppey is through a beautiful landscape of tea gardens. The backwaters are criss-crossed by canals, rice fields and beautiful palms; canoes with huge sails still transport people and you can find vegetable sellers, fisherman and other household materials being brought door to door by small wooden boats. The major crop here is coconut and it is said that the name Kerala derives from an old word for coconut, Kera.

Day 14: Cochin, Queen of the Arabian Sea , is one of the most interesting cities in India and has one of the finest natural harbors in the world. From time immemorial, Arabs, Chinese, Dutch, British and Portuguese traded tea and spices here and left a legacy of forts, ancient temples, churches and synagogues. The ten meter high Chinese fishnets that Marco Polo mentioned are wonderful to see - this method of fishing originated in the 11th century.

Days 15 & 16: Luxuriate on one of the most stunning beaches anywhere, palm fringed Kovalam, indulge in delicious seafood or, take a day trip to Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of India.

Day 17: Depart. Transfer to Trivandrum airport.