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Explore the beaches and backwaters of southern India

Unplug from everyday routine and head to the beaches and backwaters of southern India. Explore the lush landscapes, intriguing religions, exotic bazaars and incredible contrasts of this region. Jump on and off local transport, go rural through backwater coconut groves and fishing villages, and discover the heart of the subcontinent. See ancient ruins and stunning temples, eat spicy curries and drink luscious lassis. Join the bustle of city streets and at the end of it all unwind on the beautiful beaches of Goa.

Start
Trivandrum, India
Finish
Goa, India
Destination
India
Style
Basix
Theme
Explorer
Code
HHRS
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • India can be a daunting place at times, even for experienced travellers. With a local leader to support you the whole way and take care of all the logistics, you’ll build plenty of confidence in how to find the best food, activities and fun in each destination.

  • A group size of up to 16 other travellers means you will have plenty of new friends to share experiences, meals and good times with during your trip.

  • Take the atmosphere of Shimla or Darjeeling, add lush tropical jungle and you have the Western Ghats: a hotspot of biodiversity with thundering waterfalls, tea plantations, spice markets, and echoes of a colonial past.

  • Get a taste of southern Indian cuisine, indulging in sweet chutneys, seafood curries, stuffed dosa and more. Here's a sampling of what is in store for your tastebuds: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/foodies-guide-south-india/

  • Glide through the backwaters of Kerala on a pole boat, going ashore for an village homestay - a beautiful break from hotels and overnight trains and a perfect way to get close to local customs and culture.

  • The word ‘colourful’ gets thrown around a lot when people talk about India, but the gateway towers of Meenakshi Amman Temple truly are a technicolour dream.

  • Golden beaches and age-old fishing villages make Goa one of India’s most popular retreats – and the perfect last stop on your adventure.

Is this trip right for you?

  • As this is a Basix trip, there is plenty of free time built into the itinerary for you to enjoy as you wish in each destination. Your leader will take you on an orientation walk in each destination to get your bearings and give you plenty of suggestions - then what comes next is up to you! Please take into account spending money for optional sightseeing (including local transport to and from sights) that isn't included in the trip cost when budgeting for your journey. 

  • We are covering a lot of distance in a vast country, so this trip involves some very long bus and train rides. These can at times be a bit grueling, but offer a quintessential and authentic Indian experience.

  • Sleeper trains are a great way to travel long distances while still getting maximum time in each place. Beds are padded berths with sheets, pillow and blanket provided (although some people prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet). Please note that you may be sharing with locals of the same or opposite gender. More information can be found in the Transport section of these notes. Read about what it's like travelling on overnight trains in India, and around the world, here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/overnight-train-travel-around-...

  • This trip runs all year round, so it’s important to be aware of just how hot it can get in India in the summer months and choose the season that best suits you.

  • If you'd prefer an itinerary in southern India with more inclusions, higher standard of accommodation or less overnight trains, check out our HHSS (Original) or HHKS (Comfort) trips. If you are 18-29 and would prefer to travel with others of the same age, look for our HHYS trip.

Map of South India Revealed including India
india kerala boat
india goa beach markets
india varkala beach
India Goa Woman
india goa meal
India Goa fish
india chennai colorful streets
india hampi ruins local woman crouches
india madurai meenakshi temple

Itinerary
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This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 Jan 2020 to 31 Dec 2020.
 View the 2019 itinerary

Welcome to India. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please ensure you have all these details to provide to your leader. Afterwards, take a walk around Trivandrum and join an optional group dinner.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
Please note that Kerala is officially a dry state, with alcohol sales and consumption limited to bars in 5 star hotels.

In the morning, head up the coast by private vehicle for around two hours to the town of Varkala. Once settled into your hotel, use the free time to explore the Keralan coast, which is home to some of India’s most pristine beaches. Soaring cliffs protect Varkala’s sandy bay and, depending on the time of year, dolphins can be spotted from high up on the rocks. In the evening, maybe head into town to one of the numerous restaurants serving fresh, local seafood.
Accommodation
  • Resort (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

Enjoy a free day in Varkala. This is a great place to sit back and relax, but if you want to get active there are plenty of water activities on offer, such as surfing and windsurfing. Even though this is a popular destination for Indian tourists, the beaches are quiet and laid-back. Take the rest of the day to relax, before the rest of South India beckons.
Accommodation
  • Resort (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

Today take a local three-hour train along the Keralan coastline to Alappuzha (Alleppey). Once an important trading port and now famous for the annual 'Snake Boat Race’ in August, Alappuzha is the starting point for most journeys into the backwaters. An auto rickshaw will take you from the train station to the boat boarding point. Explore the backwaters in a pole boat, before heading to an island village for an overnight homestay with a local family. Your guide will take you on a walk around the village and introduce you to the local community.
Accommodation
  • Homestay (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Kerala Backwaters - Pole boat ride
  • Guided village walk backwaters
Meals Included
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Accommodation is on a multi-share basis. All the families in the community live within a few hundred metres of each other, with at least one person in each family speaking a reasonable standard of English. Food is traditional Keralan home-cooking. Standards and configuration of rooms may differ between home stays.

In the morning cross the backwaters by private boat back to Alappuzha. The group will then take a local two-hour bus to Kochi, arriving around midday. Once there, go for a walk around the Fort Cochin area, where you’ll be staying for the next two nights. In the early evening, there’s the option to attend a classic Kathakali dance performance.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Kochi - Kathakali performance - INR300
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Today, head to the Mattancherry part of Fort Cochin to explore the old Jewish quarter, synagogue and Dutch Palace (Kochi Palace) on a guided walking tour. The tour takes around three hours, with the rest of the day free to do as you wish. Why not join one of our Urban Adventures day tours, such as Fort Kochi by Bike or Home Cooked Kochi. Please check with your leader in advance if you’d like to book one of these trips.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Kochi - Fort Kochi walk
Optional Activities
  • Kochi - Dutch Palace - INR5
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

In the morning travel to Periyar National Park by private vehicle, which should take around seven to eight hours. Once settled into the hotel, head out on a tour of a local spice farm, sampling cardamom, pepper, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Periyar - Spice plantation visit
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
The nature walk usually is the Green Zone walk in the National Park.
Tigers are extremely rare and shy in Periyar. It is however a lovely walk, the local guides are villagers who have lived in the area for generations and are very knowledegable of the areas flora and fauna.
Bring water, we start early but it gets very hot and humid later in the morning

After breakfast, enjoy a free day with an optional walk around Periyar National Park. Encounters with animals in the wild are never guaranteed, and this is more of a jungle walk than an animal spotting tour, but look out for tiger tracks, spotted deer, Indian elephants or gaur – the world's largest species of buffalo. In the afternoon, unwind with an optional ayurvedic massage or just relax in this scenic setting.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Periyar - Guided nature walk - INR750
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
Our usual route is the Green Zone walk in the National Park. Tigers are extremely rare and shy in Periyar. It is however a lovely walk, the local guides are villagers who have lived in the area for generations and are very knowledegable of the areas flora and fauna. Bring water, we start early but it gets very hot and humid later in the morning. Leech socks are available to rent for a small fee - this is one critter that we often do spot!

In the morning, take a local bus to Madurai (approximately 4-5 hours). This buzzy city is crammed full of bazaars, pilgrims and cycle-rickshaws. After a walking tour to see the sights, perhaps visit the Sri Meenakshi Temple. This ancient temple is still in use and features a labyrinth of lamp-lit corridors leading to shrines.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Madurai - Walking tour
Optional Activities
  • Madurai - Sri Meenakshi Temple - INR50
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

Today is a free day in Madurai. Perhaps head to the Gandhi Museum to learn about the man who fought for India’s independence or wander through the 1,000 pillars of Aayiram Kaal Mandapam. This is also a great opportunity to haggle with vendors at the bazaars and the tailors' market. In the evening, take an overnight sleeper train to Mysore. The journey is approximately 14 hour so you may want to bring some extra snacks.
Accommodation
  • Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Madurai - Gandhi Museum - Free
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
Sleeper trains are clean and air-conditioned, and beds are padded berths with sheets, pillow and blanket provided (although some people prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet). Please note that you may be sharing with locals of the same or opposite gender.

On arrival, transfer to your hotel in Mysore. Mysore is an easy-going town with a pleasant climate. Go on walk, checking out the ornate Mysore Palace along the way. There’s also the option to visit the Keshava Temple in Somnathpur, which is a stunning example of Hoysala architecture. The temple is a one-hour drive out of town.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Mysore - City walk
Optional Activities
  • Mysore - Keshava Temple - INR200
  • Mysore - Maharaja's Palace - INR200
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

Today is a free day in Mysore, with plenty of optional activities to keep you busy. Perhaps explore the countryside surrounding Mysore. Climb up Chamundi Hill to the Sri Chamundeswari Temple at the top, which is dedicated to the goddess Durga. At around 7 pm board a 10-hour overnight train to Hampi.
Accommodation
  • Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Mysore - Chamundi Hill & Temple - INR100
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

In the morning, arrive into Hampi and cross the river to your guesthouse by canoe. Hampi is a temple town situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. Once you’re settled in, make an optional visit to the architectural masterpiece of Vittala Temple. This 16th-century temple contains mandapas (pillared pavilions), a pool, a palace and the popular stone chariot, which according to Hindu mythology was the vehicle of the Lord Vishnu.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Hampi - Vittala Temple - INR500
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

After breakfast, explore the ruins of the Vijayanagar Empire and the huge boulders on the outskirts of town. In the early evening, drive for around three hours by private vehicle to Hubli, where you’ll board an overnight nine-hour train to Goa.
Accommodation
  • Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

Once the train arrives in Goa, head to the hotel and check in. Brimming with Portuguese influences and famous for the sandy beaches lining its coast, Goa is a fascinating region in India's southwest. The day is free to do what you like. Perhaps relax on the beach, sip a cocktail at a local bar or go for a final dinner in the evening with the rest of the travel group.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

There are no activities planned for the final day and you’re able to depart the accommodation at any time. Goa is a great place to end the trip – if you can, we recommend staying on for a couple of nights to relax and explore.
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

Meals

3 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Transport

Overnight sleeper train, Private vehicle, Public bus, Auto rickshaw, Taxi, Train, Canoe, Boat

Accommodation

Homestay (1 night), Hotel (11 nights), Overnight sleeper train (3 nights)

Included activities

  • Kerala Backwaters - Pole boat ride
  • Guided village walk backwaters
  • Kochi - Fort Kochi walk
  • Periyar - Spice plantation visit
  • Madurai - Walking tour
  • Mysore - City walk

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Travel lightly with Intrepid. We’ve offset the main sources of carbon emissions from this trip on your behalf, including transport, accommodation & waste. Read more

Important notes

1. A single supplement is available on this trip and is available for all nights with the exception of the overnight sleeper trains.

Essential trip information

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