Grand Tour of Southern India and Kerala

Meeting our Tour Manager at London Heathrow, we board an overnight flight to Bengaluru, via Dubai, ready to start this exploration of India's most beautiful southern states.

Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu occupy a large section of southern India as it tapers to a point between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Blending ornate Hindu temples, mystical monuments, tropical beaches, exciting cities and graceful tea plantations, these states showcase the variety of life in India.

Our plane lands in Bengaluru this morning. Dubbed the 'IT Capital of India' and formerly called Bangalore, we check in to our hotel for a night in this city of more than eight million people. This afternoon, we get to know the city on a gentle sightseeing tour.

Bengaluru is known for its gardens like Lalbagh Botanical Garden which is spread over 240 acres and has the largest collections of rare plants in India. It also has a famous glasshouse, an aquarium, a lake and the Lal Bagh Rock - one of the oldest rock formations on earth. We also stop at Tipu's Palace, built entirely of teakwood. It was constructed as the summer residence of Tipu Sultan and is embellished with pillars, arches, and balconies.

• Dinner

This morning we have a 'colonial walking tour'. Our guide brings history to life with stories of notable figures who stayed in Bangalore briefly, like Winston Churchill and Ronald Ross. As we explore, we visit iconic landmarks tied to Bangalore's British history, including St. Mark's Cathedral, Cubbon Park, and Trinity Church. Our tour ends with a cup of coffee at Koshys Cafe, where Queen Elizabeth II once visited.

This afternoon, we make our way by coach to Mysuru through lush countryside and rural villages. Ruled by the Wadiyar Rajas of the Kingdom of Mysore from 1399 to 1957, our historic destination is famed for its palaces and atmospheric bazaar. Our hotel is the five-star Radisson Blu Plaza on the edge of the city centre, near the sprawling zoo and lake with views of the Chamundi Hills.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Waking up in Mysuru, we enjoy a sightseeing tour with a local guide. Exploring cultural icons, we begin with a visit to one of the most spectacular sights in the city - Mysore Palace. A beautiful and intricately decorated building, this early 20th-century palace showcases Hindu, Muslim, Gothic and Rajput architectural influences.

We leave Mysuru to travel to nearby Srirangapatna, known for its ornate temples and forts and, poignantly, the site of the final battle in the Anglo-Mysore wars in 1799, between the British East India Company and local leader Tipu Sultan. There is free time before we head to Chamundi Hill, a sacred peak topped by the striking Sri Chamundeswari Temple and its towering 130-feet-high gateway. Our last visit is to a unique Hindu temple dedicated to Nandi - Shiva's bull, where we find a massive carved stone sculpture in the shape of a bull.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We leave Mysuru to travel south by coach. Passing through Bandipur National Park and the expansive Mudumalai Tiger Reserve - both home to these majestic and elusive animals - we arrive in the Nilgiri town of Ooty, where we spend two nights.

On arrival in the 'Queen of Hill Stations', your afternoon is free to begin sightseeing independently. Situated amid the Blue Mountains, named after a blue flower which blossoms every 12 years on the 'Nilgiris', we are surrounded by forested foothills and verdant tea plantations. Ooty is a picturesque paradise for nature lovers - you could join a cruise on one of the nearby lakes, walk through the gardens, or visit the local honey and bee museum.

Our hotel blends colonial architecture with modernism and Art Deco. Overlooking the Nilgiri Hills, the hotel is stylish and welcoming with a beautiful entrance hall of swirling staircases and mock Tudor façades.

• Breakfast, Dinner

An emerald blanket coating rolling hills surrounds beautiful Ooty, and we get to know this captivating landscape on a guided sightseeing tour. Our first destination is the Botanical Garden, a popular and expansive haven that blooms with more than 600 varieties of flora in terraced beds. One of the most popular areas is the Italian Garden, with colourful annuals and a lily pond.

From here, we travel up the second-highest peak in southern India - Doddabetta (meaning Big Mountain in the local Kanada language). From this excellent vantage point adorned with fluttering eucalyptus trees, we admire views across the undulating terrain of northwest Tamil Nadu and its tiered tea plantations.

We enjoy lunch in a colonial-era hilltop hotel before visiting St Stephen's Church. Constructed in 1830, this striking pale-yellow-hued church contains impressive stained-glass windows and a colourful depiction of the Last Supper. After a trip to discover the local market, we return to our hotel.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is a highlight of the holiday - two rail journeys through the Nilgiri Mountains. The Ooty toy train winds past dense forest as the track carves through tunnels and over bridges, opening on to views of misty mountains and neat tea plantations. Quaint, colourful stations and isolated colonial mansions dot the line on our way to Coonoor. Here, we have a walking tour of this hill town and visit a tea factory. This area has produced tea for more than 150 years and is particularly renowned for its variety with a distinctively dark colour and strong aroma.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we continue our journey on the steam-hauled Nilgiri Mountain Railway through forest-covered hills to Mettupalayam. The section between Coonoor and Kallar is the steepest railway in Asia and the jaw-dropping views as the train clings to the mountainside are befitting of such an accolade. From Mettupalayam, we board a coach to the city of Coimbatore for an overnight stay.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

There is a free morning for you to explore Coimbatore. This fast-growing city has been a hub of textile and automobile manufacturing since the early 1900s. One of Coimbatore's most famous sons, GD Naidu, developed India's first electric motor and is referred to as the 'Edison of India'. His influence on the country's motoring industry is honoured at the Gedee Car Museum near our hotel - where you can find a collection of innovative cars from around the world.

Early this afternoon, we board the Intercity Express for a journey to Kochi in Kerala. An important city on the historic spice route, modern Kochi sits across numerous islands dissected by picturesque waterways lying parallel to the Malabar Coast. Our modern, five-star hotel nestles beside Vembanad Lake with great views of these tranquil backwaters.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Formerly called Cochin, this destination has a long and varied history that we uncover on a guided sightseeing tour. We begin in Fort Kochi, learning about the colonial influence of this historic coastal district. While here we see the subcontinent's oldest European church, St Francis'. Built in 1503, this was the original burial site of Vasco da Gama. Our tour also takes in the iconic Chinese Fishing Nets, the 16th-century Mattancherry Palace, Hill Palace - the former residence of the Cochin Maharaja - and Dhobi Khana public laundry.

Before dinner this evening, we watch a Kathakali dance performance - a Keralan tradition combining colourful costumes with traditional music played by local musicians.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we enjoy a guided tour of Paradesi Synagogue - the oldest active synagogue in India. This understated building contains some fascinating treasures, including historic Torah scrolls decorated in gold and silver, as well as a rug gifted by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie.

Later, we transfer by coach to Alleppey to board a luxury houseboat on a cruise through the tranquil backwaters. This network of lagoons and canals is home to water lilies, lotus flowers and water hyacinths, with towering pines and teak trees lining the shore. These routes were used to transport spices and rice between Cochin and Kuttanad and are now awash with natural beauty as well as more than 150 species of birds.

We glide across Vembanad Lake - India's longest freshwater lake - before entering a maze of canals and rivers on our way to Kumarakom. Our hotel is on the lakeshore and offers a slice of paradise in this spectacular region.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You have a free morning to relax at our laidback hotel. You could take in our beautiful surroundings while swimming in the lakeside pool, unwind with a herbal massage at the hotel's Ayurveda Centre (payable locally), and wander through the delightful Butterfly Garden.

If you want to get back out on the backwaters, there are canoe rides and kayaks to explore Coconut Lagoon's canals, or a sunset cruise is one of the best ways to enjoy the lake (all payable locally).

Later this afternoon, a Kumarakom Village guided walk introduces us to this cluster of small picturesque islands around the Vembanad Lake. The village is well acclaimed for its backwaters, delicious cuisines and greenery.

A Shikhara boat ride takes us across a scenic lake to Manjira village and we discover traditional and modern coconut tree climbing, coir-making, and coconut leaf weaving. In a coconut grove, we taste some coconut water and the famed Kerala beverage, toddy, fresh out of the pot.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving our sublime setting, we travel inland by coach to sensational Thekkady. Climbing into the Ghat Mountains, the road winds through dense vegetation of swaying palms and creeping vines. An authentic taste of rural southern Kerala, we can spot occasional stalls by the roadside selling locally grown fruit such as bananas, mangoes, jackfruit and papayas. Reaching the summit of the route, the views reveal a billowing landscape of deep green matching the Indian flag.

On the approach to Thekkady, we can begin to understand why this pretty town is so famous. Miles of spice plantations spread across the hills and valleys, rich with green cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and many more. Our unique accommodation is a recreation of a traditional tribal village blending with the incredible surrounding scenery.

On a Periyar Lake boat ride this afternoon, we explore the diverse flora and exotic birds that live in this harmonious environment. This body of water is located in a large wildlife sanctuary and we sail among the remains of a submerged forest admiring the wildlife that populates this area, including elephants, bison, sambar deer and - if we're lucky - a tiger.

• Breakfast, Dinner

An excursion to one of Thekkady's famed spice plantations awaits this morning. We enjoy an aroma-filled walking tour with an expert guide who helps us uncover the secrets of southern India's flavourful spices. An area that has grown and exported some of the world's most popular spices for centuries, the air is punctuated with fragrant swirls of garlic, vanilla, cloves and nutmeg as we learn how each spice is cultivated. We also have the opportunity to purchase authentic seasonings for our spice racks back home.

Departing Thekkady later, we descend the Ghat Mountains by coach, crossing back into Tamil Nadu. Our destination today is Madurai - one of the oldest cities in India and the capital of the important Pandya dynasty until the 14th century.

Our hotel is a venerable former country club and a stunning example of the 'tropical modernism' style of architecture. Resembling an Indian take on an English bungalow with attached pavilions, the focus is on blending comfort and nature.

• Breakfast, Dinner

With more than 2,500 years of history, ancient Madurai has been dubbed 'the city that never sleeps'. This morning, we embark on a sightseeing tour of Madurai with a local guide. On our exploration, we view the impressive 17th-century regal Thirumalai Nayak Palace. An austere exterior hides an ornate courtyard lined by monumental pillars topped with intricately designed arches.

Covered in bright carvings of Hindu gods, the astonishing Meenakshi Amman Temple is our next destination. This remarkable Dravidian-style temple is dedicated to the wife of Shiva, the goddess Meenakshi, and has long been a major pilgrimage site. Inside, we find the magnificent Thousand Pillar Hall and its 985 ornately carved columns, as well as the sacred Golden Lotus Pond. However, it is the stunning gateway towers, or gopuram, that catch the eye. These 14 towers dominate Madurai's skyline with their colourful carvings and pyramidal shape.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We head to Madurai's airport for a short internal flight to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu. This modern metropolis on the Bay of Bengal, formerly known as Madras, was an important port during the colonial period. Chennai's architecture and culture has Portuguese, Dutch, French and British influences, while being firmly rooted in local aesthetics.

On arrival this afternoon, we get to know the city on a sightseeing tour which takes in a Madras War Cemetery and Marina Beach - the second longest urban beach in the world and a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. We explore the striking Gothic revival San Thome Cathedral Basilica, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century over what was believed to be the tomb of Thomas the Apostle. After visiting the spellbinding Dravidian-style Kapaleeshwarar Temple, we soak up the kaleidoscopic colours and fragrances of the city's flower market in George Town. We check into our grand five-star hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A day at leisure in Chennai reveals a choice of options. You could join an optional excursion this morning to Mamallapuram (payable locally). Located on a strip of land between the Bay of Bengal and the Great Salt Lake south of Chennai, this ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its remarkable collection of 7th and 8th-century Hindu monuments built by the Pallava dynasty.

Some of the most important structures include the seafront Shore Temple, consisting of three ornate granite shrines, and the Descent of the Ganges - a giant, open-air rock relief detailing how the sacred river came to Earth.

Alternatively, explore the sights of Chennai, including Fort St George - the first British fortress in India. The fort was completed on St George's Day in 1644 and now contains a museum displaying relics of British rule in India. Nearby, St Mary's Church dates from 1680 and is known as the 'Westminster Abbey of the East'.

We leave our hotel for the airport in the late afternoon to begin our overnight journey homeward.

• Breakfast

Flying to London Heathrow via Dubai, we land back in the UK early this morning. Saying a fond farewell, we can begin to look back on the unforgettable experiences we have shared.

From the Mysore Palace to Chennai's Coromandel Coast, we have uncovered the abundant beauty of southern India. The tea plantations of the Nilgiri Mountains and the aromatic spices of Thekkady delighted our senses, while the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Keralan backwater cruise showcased stunning scenery. We also explored the fascinating cities of Kochi, Madurai and Chennai, discovering a rich history of jaw-dropping religious structures and evocative colonial architecture from the Portuguese, Dutch and British.

A mystical, vibrant and colourful land, southern India has delivered countless wonderful memories to enjoy.