Backroads Kerala & Karnataka
Trip Code: BV16SI2
Price: from AU$5,570 per person twin share
Departs: Daily
Prices valid until 30 September 2024, excluding the Christmas / New Year period.
Please contact us for a detailed itinerary and current prices and departure dates.
Inclusions:
- Accommodation on twin share basis
- Return Airport transfers
- Meals: 17 breakfasts, all meals in Kannur, Kabini and Coorg. All meals at Wayanad (not available in Standard category)
- Transport for sightseeing
- Guided excursions and game drives as illustrated in the itinerary – inclusive of entrance fees, park fees, transport and services of an English speaking local guide
Not included:
- Flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Taxes, Insurance , Gratuities
- Laundry, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft beverages during non-meal hours
- Video and professional Still Camera fees
- International and Domestic air tickets
- Pre and Post tour accommodation and any tour extensions unless specifically mentioned as a part of the journey
- Any expenses of a personal nature eg tips in restaurants or hotels, laundry, drinks, telephone calls, etc
- Any other expense not mentioned as included
- Meals other than specified

Introduction
With tea plantations, wildlife safaris, village treks, former British hill stations and UNESCO World Heritage sites, this superb itinerary has been crafted to include diverse environments and fascinating insights into South India’s rich cultural heritage.
During this 18-day tour you will experience a range of activities and see many of the great sights of South India. Discover historic Fort Cochin, explore Mysore’s bustling markets & city palace, and enjoy dawn & dusk wildlife jeep safaris at Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary. Explore the ruins of the imperial city of Hampi and observe the mesmerising temple ritual Theyyam. You will also take in the stunning mountain landscape of Wayanad and the laidback lifestyle of Goa.
Day 1 Cochin
Welcome to Kerala! You will be met on arrival and transferred to your accommodation.
Day 2 Cochin
Fort Cochin is a quaint town and a great introduction to Kerala. It displays many signs of its history as a much sought-after, and often exchanged, prize in the colonial tussle that began with the arrival of the Dutch in approximately 1503. Take a sightseeing tour this morning with a local guide. Fort Cochin’s quiet streets are pleasant to explore by foot, with many inviting cafes and boutiques to meander through.
Day 3 Kannur
Morning at leisure before you embark on the train to Kannur. Kannur is said to be the ancient port of Naura, from whose shores King Solomon’s ships collected timber to build the great temple of Jerusalem. You have two days to experience optional activities available in the area such as witnessing the mesmerising Theyyam, a temple ritual. Your accommodation while here serves you home-cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner with fresh seafood specialties and is only a five minute walk to the nearby beach.
Day 4 Kannur
A full-day at leisure to enjoy Kannur. You may wish to simply relax at the nearby beach.
Day 5 Wayanad
Drive this morning to Wayanad. The district’s stunning landscape combines epic mountain scenery with rice paddies of iridescent green. While here, optional activities and excursions in this area include – spice plantation walks, bird watching, excursion to the Neolithic Eddakal Caves and a visit to the town of Sultan’s Battery which was a former stronghold of Tipu Sultan.
Day 6 Wayanad
A full day to enjoy the landscape and scenery at Waynard.
Day 7 Kabini
After breakfast begin the drive toward the Kabini reservoir. Once a private hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Mysore, Kabini was a popular hunting location for the British and Indian royalty. Today it is considered to be one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in Karnataka. The 643-sq-kms of forestland, steep valleys, and water bodies, is home to herds of elephants, gaur, chital, sambar, barking deer, sloth bears, langur, leopards, tigers and crocodiles and over a hundred species of birds. Spend the next two days exploring this vast wilderness on dawn & dusk jeep safaris.
Day 8 Kabini
Enjoy a full day at Kabini – with optional dawn and dusk jeep or river safaris.
Day 9 Coorg
This morning head into the hills to Coorg, a region of rugged mountains interspersed with cardamom jungle, coffee plantations and lush rice paddy fields that lies in the Western ghats. Coorg is a postcard-perfect region of scattered villages and hamlets, which are the epitome of old-world charm. Kodagu is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts and over the next few days you’ll discover local villages and culture, cooking classes, plantation walks and trekking.
Day 10 Coorg
A full day to enjoy Coorg and the local activities available here.
Day 11 Mysore
After breakfast drive to Mysore. Located at the base of the Chamundi Hills, Mysore is a lovely city of palatial buildings and tree-lined boulevards and parks, making it a very pleasant place to stroll around.
Check in to your hotel on arrival and the remainder of the day is free.Day 12 Mysore
Spend this morning on a walking tour of Mysore with a local guide. Discover the pleasures of Mysore, with its elaborate princely palace and its bustling markets and central shopping area, which are great fun to explore. Mysore is known for its palaces, flower markets, silk textiles and sandalwood. Its mosts famous palace is the lavish Maharaja’s Palace; built in 1912, it is a blend of Hindu, Islamic and European styles.
Day 13 Hospet
Today you may spend a full day at leisure or explore Mysore markets with a car & driver at your disposal. Later in the afternoon, transfer to the railway station to board an overnight train to Hospet.
Day 14 Hampi
Arrive into Hampi early this morning. The ruins of the capital city of the Vijayanagar Empire is one of the world’s great archaeological sites, made all the more special because of the unique environment in which it is set, its remoteness and a relative lack of visitors. A two-night stay here enables you to do justice to Hampi’s superb sites.
Day 15 Hampi
Spend today exploring the ruins of this imperial capital with an expert local guide. Spread out over an area of around 20-sq-kms, the city was originally encompassed by seven lines of fortifications featuring a large number of bastions and gateways. The seventh and innermost fortification enclosed the main city and is the best preserved.
Day 16 Goa
An early train takes you to Goa – often referred to as ‘the pearl of the orient’. Known for its many beautiful beaches, Goa is abundantly endowed with historical forts, palaces, museums and Portuguese churches. It has a soul which goes deep into its unique history, rich culture and some of the most beautiful natural scenery that India has to offer. For the next two days it is yours to explore at your leisure.
Day 17 Goa
A full day at leisure to enjoy Goa.
Day 18 Goa
Transfer to the airport and fly to Mumbai or Bangalore for international departure.
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