Splendid South

Upon arrival at Chennai International Airport, meet our representative, followed by a transfer to the seaside town of Mahabalipuram, a port of the Pallava kings from the 5th to the 8th centuries. Along the shore lies a stunning series of temples and sculptures carved from the living rock over 1,200 years ago. Unlike many Hindu temples, these rock carvings depict scenes of everyday life. Check in to your hotel. In the late afternoon, visit the magnificent Shore Temple with your guide, symbolising the heights of Pallava architecture and the maritime ambitions of its kings. Explore the masterpiece of Mahabalipuram’s rock-cut caves, which represent scenes from Hindu mythology, and conclude your visit at the site of the Five Rathas. Each of these temples is named after one of the Pandavas—the five heroic brothers from the epic Mahabharata. Return to the hotel. Spend your evening at the beach. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out and head to Pondicherry. Settled by the French in the 18th century, Pondicherry retains a quiet colonial atmosphere, with wide shady streets lined with colourful stucco houses. Check in to the hotel. This afternoon, take a stroll through the streets of Pondicherry, passing through the French, Tamil, and Ashram quarters. This rich cultural mix has created a unique fusion that permeates the atmosphere of Pondicherry, rooted deeply in its stories, architecture, and welcoming people. The city’s culinary landscape is vibrant, eclectic, and flavourful, yet still bears traces of its traditional heritage. Spend the evening at the beach. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel

After breakfast, head to Auroville, located on the outskirts of the town. This spiritual community was founded in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo and a French-born woman known as "The Mother." You will visit the Visitor’s Centre and several Auroville units that work innovatively with paper, textiles, bamboo, and stone. Pass by the Matrimandir—a central meditation centre—and engage with individuals who have chosen to join, build, and live this unique lifestyle. Enjoy lunch at the Solar Kitchen, the community kitchen for residents, and gain insight into the distinctive way of life in Auroville, which is based on the principle of universal harmony. In the evening, stroll through the town at your leisure. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Tanjore, the former capital of the mighty Chola Empire. En route, visit the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, dedicated to Nataraja—Shiva as the Lord of Dance. Continue onward to the renowned Airavatesvara Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Check in to the hotel at Kumbakonam. Later, drive to Tanjore to visit the World Heritage–listed Brihadeeswara Temple, built in the 11th century by Raja Raja I (“King of Kings”). Enter through the Nayak Gate, followed by two original gopurams adorned with elaborate stucco sculptures. Inside, explore several shrines, including one housing one of India’s largest statues of Nandi, Shiva’s sacred bull. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, proceed to Tiruvannamalai. Check in to the hotel. In the afternoon, embark on a temple tour of Tiruvannamalai, a world-renowned temple town in Tamil Nadu where Shiva (Arunachaleswarar) is worshipped in the form of fire. The temple complex spans 10 hectares and is one of the largest in India. It features four gateway towers, known as gopurams. The tallest is the eastern tower, which has 11 stories and reaches a height of 66 metres (217 feet), making it one of the tallest temple towers in India. The complex contains numerous shrines, the most prominent being those dedicated to Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Amman. It also includes several halls, the most notable of which is the thousand-pillared hall, built during the Vijayanagara period. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out and head to Bangalore. Upon arrival, check in to the hotel. Experience this cosmopolitan city, known for its expansive parks, tree-lined avenues, and impressive Victorian-era architecture. Later in the afternoon, begin your city exploration with a visit to the elegant Tipu Sultan’s Palace - a fine example of 18th-century military architecture, notable for its teak pillars and ornamental frescoes. Continue to the Dravidian-style Bull Temple, built in the 16th century. Spend the evening at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After an early breakfast, drive to Mysore. En route, stop at Somnathpur, known for the breathtaking Prasanna Chennakeshava Temple—one of the three most celebrated and finest examples of Hoysala architecture, nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Continue the drive to Mysore. Upon arrival, check in to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Chamundi Temple, which overlooks Mysore from the 1,062-metre summit of Chamundi Hill. At the top of the 1,001-step ascent stands a 12th-century temple that houses a golden statue of Chamundi—the Hindu goddess worshipped by the Maharajas of Mysore. Spend the evening at the colourful Devaraja Market. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay.

After breakfast, visit the Maharajah's Palace, considered one of the most beautiful buildings in India. Inside, you will find a kaleidoscope of stained glass, intricately carved wooden doors, and mosaic floors. In the afternoon, drive to Srirangapatna (16 km from Mysore), the island fortress of Tipu Sultan and the early capital of the Mysore Wodeyars. Here, you will find monuments such as Tipu’s Mosque, with its twin minarets built in 1787; Tipu’s Summer Palace (known as the Daria Daulat Bagh), constructed entirely of wood and now converted into a museum housing artefacts and paintings related to Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan; and the Gumbaz, where Tipu Sultan, Haider Ali, and other members of the royal family are buried. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, depart for Hassan. The town derives its name from the goddess Hassanamba and was founded by Channa Krishnappa Naik in the 11th century. En route, visit the 58-foot-tall monolithic statue of Gommateshvara, located at Shravanabelagola. Afterward, continue the drive to Hassan and check in to the hotel. Later in the day, proceed to visit the temples of Belur and Halebid—two major sites of Hindu art and architecture, especially associated with the Hoysala dynasty. A few kilometres from Hassan, Belur is home to the Chennakesava Temple, the first significant site constructed by the Hoysalas. The temple is dedicated to a form of the Hindu god Vishnu and is reverentially described in medieval Hindu texts. It continues to serve as an important pilgrimage site within the Vaishnavite tradition. The temple is particularly renowned for its intricate architecture, sculptures, reliefs, friezes, iconography, inscriptions, and historical significance dating to the 11th and 12th centuries. At Halebid, visit the Hoysaleswara Temple, a 12th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. This twin-temple structure is dedicated to the Hoysaleswara and Santaleswara Shiva lingas—symbolising the masculine and feminine aspects of divinity, united at their transept. The complex features two Nandi shrines outside, with each Nandi seated facing its respective Shiva linga inside. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, proceed to Chikamagalur, a hill station in Karnataka. To the north lies Baba Budangiri, a mountain range in the Western Ghats. Forest and grassland trails lead up to Mullayanagiri Peak, the highest point in Karnataka. The cascading Hebbe Falls are situated within a region of extensive coffee plantations. Northwest of Chikamagalur, the forested Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is home to elephants, tigers, and leopards. Upon arrival, check in to the hotel. In the evening, visit a local coffee plantation to gain insight into the region’s rich agricultural heritage. Overnight stay at the hotel.

In the morning, after breakfast, you will be transferred to Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. En route, visit Chitradurga Fort, an impressive historical fortification known for its massive structures and military architecture. Afterward, continue the drive to Hampi and check in to your hotel. In the evening, an optional visit can be made to The Kishkinda Trust, a social welfare organisation in Hampi that works to secure the future of the cultural landscape and local community by promoting cultural industries and creative economies based on locally available resources. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, take a leisurely stroll through the ruins of Hampi. Most of the important structures and remains are located in two main areas, commonly referred to as the Royal Centre and the Sacred Centre. The Royal Centre contains structures believed to have been palaces, baths, pavilions, royal stables, and temples intended for ceremonial purposes. The Sacred Centre is situated on the banks of the holy Tungabhadra River. Visit the Vithala Temple, renowned for its exceptional architecture and iconic stone chariot, and the Virupaksha Temple, one of the oldest functioning temples in India. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, transfer to Bangalore. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure. You may choose to enjoy a shopping tour on your final day in Bangalore, known for its vibrant markets and diverse retail offerings. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, transfer to Bangalore Airport according to your flight schedule.