Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka & Goa · 30 days
A month in the south
Thirty days, Chennai to Goa, and the only version that leaves nothing out.
The journey
The longest thing we run. It crosses the peninsula twice: down the Coromandel coast through the Chola country to Madurai, over the ghats into Kerala for the tea, the backwaters and two weeks' worth of coast, then north through Mysore and Coorg to Hampi and Badami, and out at Goa. A month sounds excessive until you see how much of it is spent standing still — most stops here are two or three nights.
Route
- Chennai
- Mahabalipuram
- Pondicherry
- Thanjavur
- Chettinad
- Madurai
- Munnar
- Mararikulam
- Alleppey
- Fort Kochi
- Mysore
- Madikeri
- Hassan
- Hampi
- Badami
- Panjim
What stays with you
- 01The Pallava and Chola coast, taken slowly rather than in three days
- 02Chettinad and Madurai before the crossing into Kerala
- 03The backwaters, a beach at Mararikulam, and Fort Kochi with time in it
- 04Mysore, the Hoysala temples, and the Kodagu coffee
- 05Two days at Hampi and two at Badami
- 06Chorla Ghat on the way down to Goa, which is the best road in the south
Day by day
A shape rather than a timetable. Days move, and most people move one or two of them.
1 – 3
Chennai, then Mahabalipuram for two nights.
4 – 5
Pondicherry: the French town, and Auroville.
6 – 7
Thanjavur and the Chola temples; on into Chettinad.
8
Chettinad to Madurai.
9 – 10
Over the ghats to Munnar, and two nights in the tea.
11 – 12
Down to Mararikulam. Two days on the coast.
13 – 14
Alleppey and the backwaters, then Fort Kochi.
15 – 17
North to Mysore. The palace, the market, Somnathpur.
18 – 19
Kodagu, and a coffee estate at Madikeri.
20 – 21
Hassan, Belur and Halebid.
22 – 23
Hampi, and a full day in it.
24 – 25
Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole.
26 – 27
Chorla Ghat, on the Karnataka–Goa border.
28 – 29
Down into Goa. Panjim, Old Goa, and the coast.
30
Out of Goa.
Shall we plan it?
Tell us roughly when, and how many of you, and we will come back with dates, a price and anything we would change about the route.
Or write to us at info@scenicescapesindia.com
The South