Intrepid Travel
Premium South India
Premium South India
Swaying palm trees, rolling hills and calming backwaters make up southern India’s lush surface and on this 13-day Premium adventure, you’ll travel off the tourist trail. Head into the home of a local family and be immersed into their culture, head down the French-inspired streets of Puducherry and explore the maze of food stalls in Maduraito to sample some delicious local cuisine. Go into the wilderness of the Periyar National Park to look for local wildlife and tiger tracks, watch a live performance of kalarippayattu and visit tea plantations to learn how this popular beverage is grown and made. With heaps of local food, a night in a converted houseboat and a knowledgeable local leader to help you uncover local secrets – this will be a trip of a lifetime.
Activities
- Complimentary Arrival Transfer
- Chennai – Welcome dinner
- Mamallapuram – Shore Temples guided tour
- Puducherry – Leader-led French Quarter walking tour
- Puducherry – Sri Aurobindo Ashram
- Puducherry – snack stop at local cafe
- Madurai – Leader-led street food tour
- Madurai – Sri Meenakshi 1000 Pillar
- Madurai – Sri Meenakshi Temple
- Madurai – Gandhi Museum
- Madurai – Leader-led walking tour
- Madurai – Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace
- Madurai – Local family visit and home-cooked Tamil dinner
- Thekkady – Expert-guided spice plantation visit and lunch
- Periyar – Kalaripayattu (Indian Martial Art) performance
- Periyar – Guided nature walk
- Munnar – Tea plantation
- Munnar – Tea Museum
- Munnar – Mattupetty Dam
- Munnar – Leader-led town walking tour
- Kochi – Kathakali performance
- Kochi – Jewish Synagogue
- Kochi – Ferry to Mattancherry
- Kochi – Leader-led Fort Kochi walking tour
- Kochi – Dutch Palace
- Kochi – Keralan cooking class
Highlights
- Find out what makes Indian cuisine so special during Exclusive Experiences like an off-the-beaten-path food tour in Madurai, a home-cooked meal with a local family, a fragrant lunch at a spice plantation and an ayurvedic cooking demonstration in Kochi.
- Enjoy a high-energy Exclusive Experience with a live performance of kalarippayattu in Thekkady – believed to be oldest surviving martial art in India.
- Witness a fusion of influences in the former French colony of Puducherry, and see touches of a Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and British past in the multicultural Kochi.
- Experience a thousand shades of green as you tour a scenic tea plantation in Munnar and track footprints in search of wild elephants in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Spend a night in a converted houseboat on the Kerala backwaters – your Feature Stays for this adventure – and watch the world go by as you float along the river.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries.
| Day 1 |
Madras, (me-dràs´) city (1991 pop. 5,361,468), capital of Tamil state, SE India, on the Bay of Bengal. An industrial center, it has chemical and automobile plants, tanneries, and textile mills.It was largely built around a 17th-cent. British outpost and became a trade center. The city's cultural institutions include the University of Madras (est. 1857).
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| Day 2 |
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| Day 3 |
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| Day 4 |
In this temple city, once the capital of the Pandiyan Kingdom, visit the Great Temple, which contains a stone hall of 1,000 pillars, a tank and musical pillars. Tirumala Naik's Palace is also a highlight. |
| Day 5 |
In this temple city, once the capital of the Pandiyan Kingdom, visit the Great Temple, which contains a stone hall of 1,000 pillars, a tank and musical pillars. Tirumala Naik's Palace is also a highlight. |
| Day 6 |
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| Day 7 |
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| Day 8 |
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| Day 9 |
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| Day 10 |
Kerala, India is a lush, tropical paradise that captivates travelers with its serene backwaters, vibrant culture, and stunning landscapes. Nestled between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, Kerala boasts a unique blend of natural beauty and cultural richness. The tranquil backwaters of Alleppey and Kumarakom offer a quintessential Kerala experience, where visitors can cruise on traditional houseboats through a labyrinth of canals, lagoons, and lakes, witnessing daily life unfold along the water's edge. Kerala’s rich cultural tapestry is woven with influences from its diverse history, which includes Hindu, Christian, and Muslim traditions. The city of Kochi, a major port since ancient times, reflects this heritage with its blend of colonial architecture, ancient temples, and synagogues. The historic Fort Kochi area, with its narrow winding streets, is home to the iconic Chinese fishing nets, a legacy of the region’s long-standing trade connections with China. No visit to Kerala is complete without experiencing its lush hill stations, like Munnar, famous for its sprawling tea plantations, misty hills, and cool climate. Munnar’s emerald-green landscapes are not only breathtaking but also a hub for adventure enthusiasts who can indulge in trekking, paragliding, and wildlife spotting. For a more immersive experience, visitors can stay in eco-friendly resorts that blend harmoniously with the natural surroundings. Fun fact: Kerala is not only famous for its natural beauty but also for its literacy rate, which is the highest in India at over 96% . This high literacy rate contributes to the state’s progressive society and thriving arts scene, including the traditional dance form Kathakali, which narrates stories from Hindu epics through elaborate costumes and expressive gestures |
| Day 11 |
Kochi (formerly Cochin), is a port city on the southwest coast of India and is a frequent stop for cruise ships. Known as the "Gateway to Kerala," Kochi's beaches, delectable seafood, expansive malls, historical sites, and museums make it a popular tourist destination. |
| Day 12 |
Kochi (formerly Cochin), is a port city on the southwest coast of India and is a frequent stop for cruise ships. Known as the "Gateway to Kerala," Kochi's beaches, delectable seafood, expansive malls, historical sites, and museums make it a popular tourist destination. |
| Day 13 |
Kochi (formerly Cochin), is a port city on the southwest coast of India and is a frequent stop for cruise ships. Known as the "Gateway to Kerala," Kochi's beaches, delectable seafood, expansive malls, historical sites, and museums make it a popular tourist destination. |
| Travel Dates | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
09/14/25 - 09/26/25 |
Starting At $2,962 |
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|
09/28/25 - 10/10/25 |
Starting At $2,754 |
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|
10/05/25 - 10/16/25 |
Starting At $3,033 |
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|
10/24/25 - 11/05/25 |
Starting At $3,150 |
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|
10/26/25 - 11/07/25 |
Starting At $3,267 |
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|
11/02/25 - 11/07/25 |
Starting At $3,030 |
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|
11/14/25 - 11/26/25 |
Starting At $3,086 |
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|
11/16/25 - 11/28/25 |
Starting At $2,864 |
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|
11/21/25 - 12/03/25 |
Starting At $2,958 |
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|
11/23/25 - 12/05/25 |
Starting At $2,920 |
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|
12/15/25 - 12/27/25 |
Starting At $3,009 |
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|
12/21/25 - 12/28/25 |
Starting At $3,500 |
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|
01/05/26 - 01/17/26 |
Starting At $3,675 |
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|
01/11/26 - 01/23/26 |
Starting At $3,400 |
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|
01/18/26 - 01/30/26 |
Starting At $3,540 |
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|
01/22/26 - 02/03/26 |
Starting At $3,240 |
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|
01/25/26 - 02/01/26 |
Starting At $3,540 |
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|
02/08/26 - 02/15/26 |
Starting At $3,675 |
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|
02/19/26 - 03/03/26 |
Starting At $3,240 |
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|
02/22/26 - 03/08/26 |
Starting At $3,675 |
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|
03/15/26 - 03/27/26 |
Starting At $3,540 |
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|
03/22/26 - 04/03/26 |
Starting At $3,240 |
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|
03/29/26 - 04/10/26 |
Starting At $3,540 |
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|
04/05/26 - 10/04/26 |
Starting At $3,400 |
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|
10/11/26 - 10/18/26 |
Starting At $3,540 |
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|
10/22/26 - 11/12/26 |
Starting At $3,675 |
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|
11/15/26 - 11/29/26 |
Starting At $3,540 |
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|
12/06/26 - 12/27/26 |
Starting At $3,400 |
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|
12/31/26 - 01/12/27 |
Starting At $3,240 |
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|
01/04/27 - 12/30/27 |
Starting At $3,400 |
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Offer subject to availability and change without notice. Some restrictions may apply.
