About this trip
Eighteen days across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, moving through the temple towns and cities that define South India's history and daily life. You start in Chennai and work your way down through Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram and Thanjavur before reaching Madurai, then loop through Periyar, Kovalam, Kochi, Mysore, Hospet, Hassan and Bangalore.
This is a guided, chauffeur-driven tour with an English-speaking guide throughout, so the logistics of a long multi-state route are handled for you. Expect a lot of temple architecture — rock-cut shrines, monolithic carvings, ancient gopurams — alongside a slower stretch on Kerala's backwaters and a beach stop at Kovalam.
It suits families or groups wanting a structured, comprehensive look at the south rather than a slow deep-dive into one region.
What you'll do
- See the rock-cut Shore Temple and Arjuna's Penance carving at Mahabalipuram
- Visit the ancient temples of Kanchipuram and the Meenakshi Temple at Madurai
- Browse Thanjavur's market for traditional Tanjore paintings
- Overnight on a private houseboat on the Kovalam backwaters
- Have an Ayurveda massage at Kovalam beach
- Travel on through Kochi, Mysore, Hospet, Hassan and Bangalore
- A long, city-hopping itinerary with a new base most nights, so pace is brisk rather than relaxed
- Sightseeing is done in a chauffeur-driven air-conditioned car with a dedicated guide
- Good fit if you want breadth across three states rather than lingering in one place
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Getting there
Opens Trip.com, pre-filled — one-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown there.
Where to stay
A night before your tour in Chennai (Madras) · 20 Jul – 21 Jul
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