Who This Journey Is For

South India draws
a particular kind of traveller.

🌿

The slow traveller

You don't want to tick off monuments — you want to wake up on a houseboat, eat a banana-leaf lunch with locals, and let a place actually sink in. South India is made for this.

🏛️

The history lover

Hampi's Vijayanagara Empire ruins, Mysore's maharaja palaces, Pondicherry's French quarter — South India's layered history is completely different from the Mughal-era north.

🍃

The nature & wellness seeker

Munnar's tea estates at mist-time, Ayurvedic retreats in Kerala, wildlife in Wayanad and Coorg. The south is where India goes green, slow, and quiet.

🍛

The foodie & culinary traveller

South Indian food is extraordinary and almost completely misunderstood outside the country. From Kerala seafood on the backwaters to Karnataka's perfectly spiced curries — this journey is as much about eating as anything else.

Sample 7-Day Itinerary

Kochi to the Coast.
Kerala at its purest.

Every itinerary is fully customised — this is one we love. Extend into Karnataka and Tamil Nadu with the optional add-ons below.

01

Kochi

Arrival in the Coastal Gateway

Arrive into Kochi and transfer to your hotel. In the evening, step into Fort Kochi — quiet streets, colonial buildings, and the sea never too far away. Watch the Chinese fishing nets at sunset, silhouetted against the harbour. Dinner in a courtyard restaurant tucked into the old quarter.

Full Kochi guide →

02

Kochi → Munnar

Into the Tea Hills

Drive to Munnar. The air cools, the roads wind, and the landscape turns into endless tea plantations. Arrive by afternoon and check into your plantation stay. The pace shifts immediately — quieter, greener, slower.

Full Munnar guide →

03

Munnar

Tea, Walks & Open Landscapes

Start early with a walk through the tea estates, when the light is soft and the hills feel almost still. Visit a tea factory to see how the leaves make their way to your cup. Later, explore Eravikulam National Park, home to the rare Nilgiri Tahr.

04

Munnar → Alleppey

Down to the Backwaters

Drive to Alleppey. The hills fade into flatlands, and the landscape opens into water and paddy fields. Board your private houseboat — a traditional kettuvallam turned into a floating home. Drift through narrow canals and villages as life unfolds quietly along the banks.

Full Alleppey guide →

05

Alleppey → Kovalam / Varkala

Towards the Coast

Disembark after breakfast and drive to Kovalam or Varkala. The journey ends by the sea — open skies, slower days, and the sound of waves replacing everything else.

06

Kovalam / Varkala

Beach & Slow Living

Keep the day open. Walk along the shore, sit by the water, or simply do nothing at all. This is where the journey softens — no rush, no structure, just time.

07

Kovalam / Varkala → Departure

Journey Onward

Transfer to Trivandrum airport for your onward journey. By now, the rhythm of Kerala stays with you — unhurried, grounded, and quietly memorable.

Optional Extensions

+ Mysore — The City of Palaces (2 days) + Hampi — Vijayanagara Ruins (2 days) + Pondicherry — The French Quarter (2 days) + Coorg Coffee Estates (2 days) + Wayanad Wildlife (2 days) + Chennai (2 days)

Six South India Destinations

Different states.
Different worlds.

Kochi

The Port City

Fort Kochi's colonial lanes, Chinese fishing nets at sunset, Kathakali performances, and Kerala's best restaurants.

Explore Kochi →

Munnar

The Tea Capital

Rolling tea estates, plantation bungalow stays, misty morning walks, and the Nilgiri Tahr who watches from the hillside.

Explore Munnar →

Alleppey

The Backwaters

Your private kettuvallam, a crew who cook on board, and 900km of waterways through paddy fields and sleeping villages.

Explore Alleppey →

Mysore

The City of Palaces

The Mysore Palace at dusk, Chamundi Hill, silk weaving cooperatives, and a sandalwood market unchanged for centuries.

Explore Mysore →

Hampi

The Ruined Empire

The Vijayanagara ruins spread across 26km² of boulder landscape — one of India's most extraordinary and undervisited UNESCO sites.

Explore Hampi →

Pondicherry

The French Quarter

Mustard-yellow colonnades, excellent coffee, the Auroville community, and a promenade that genuinely feels Mediterranean.

Explore Pondicherry →

How Would You Like to Travel?

Three ways to experience
your South India.

Style 01 · Most Popular

Backwaters & Tea Trails

Kochi, Munnar, and two nights on a private houseboat. Kerala at its most essential — unhurried, green, and utterly unlike anywhere else in India.

8–9 days · From $2,600

Style 02 · Best Value

Heritage + Relaxation

Add Mysore's palaces and Pondicherry's French Quarter. Culture, history, and a beach finish — the journey that leaves you saying "why didn't I do two weeks?"

10–11 days · From $2,800

Style 03 · Flagship

Complete South India

Kochi to Munnar to Alleppey to Mysore to Hampi to Pondicherry — every landscape, every culture, every flavour. A journey to plan a whole trip around.

12–14 days · From $3,800

All styles fully customisable — these are starting frameworks, not rigid templates.

What's Included

Everything arranged.
You just show up.

🚢

Private houseboat nights

Your own kettuvallam — crew, cook, and all. Not a group tour. The backwaters at your rhythm, stopping where you want, eating what's fresh.

🏨

Carefully chosen stays

Plantation bungalows in Munnar, heritage townhouses in Kochi, boutique hotels in Pondicherry — places that feel like part of the journey.

🚐

Private vehicle throughout

Comfortable AC car and driver, available all day — not just for transfers. Stop when something catches your eye.

🧭

Local expert guides

Malayalam-speaking guides in Kerala, Kannada-speaking in Karnataka — context changes everything when you understand where you are.

🍽️

Curated meals

Breakfast daily, selected meals included — including on-board houseboat cooking. South Indian food is extraordinary; we'll make sure you eat it properly.

📞

24/7 in-country support

A real person who knows your name and itinerary. If flights shift or monsoon changes plans, we sort it — not you.

What Travellers Say

Real travellers.
Real South India.

★★★★★

"The two nights on the houseboat were the highlight of my entire India trip. We drifted through villages I'd never have found on my own, the crew cooked the most incredible fish curry, and it was completely silent by 9pm. Nothing like it."

DJKDC · Kerala Backwaters · TripAdvisor

★★★★★

"Hampi absolutely blew my mind — I had no idea those ruins existed. Our guide brought the history to life in a way no guidebook could. Watching the sunset from Matanga Hill over the ruined empire — genuinely one of the best evenings of my life."

James K · South India Circuit

★★★★★

"I was nervous about travelling alone through South India but they made every single detail effortless. The Pondicherry finish was genius — a gentle, beautiful place to process everything I'd experienced. Already planning a return."

Shanna · Solo South India · TripAdvisor

Read all 450+ reviews on TripAdvisor →

Pricing & FAQs

Everything you want
to know before you go.

Starting Prices

$2,600

Backwaters & Tea Trails
8–9 days · Private

$2,800

Heritage + Relaxation
10–11 days · Private

$3,800

Complete South India
12–14 days · Private

All prices per person, based on solo travel. Group bookings and upgraded accommodation affect the final quote. Request a personalised quote →

When is the best time to visit Kerala?

October to March is the sweet spot — post-monsoon, the backwaters are full and the air is clear. December and January are the most popular months. If you're open to June–August, the monsoon turns Munnar a vivid green and the houseboat experience is uniquely atmospheric. We'll advise based on your specific window.

Is South India suitable for solo women travellers?

Kerala and Pondicherry are consistently among India's safest and most comfortable regions for solo women. The culture is more matrilineal in parts of Kerala — you'll notice the difference. Our solo women travellers frequently rate South India as their favourite region. We match you with female guides where preferred.

How is South India different from North India?

Completely different. Different languages (Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil — not Hindi), different food, different architecture, different pace. South India tends to feel calmer and less frenetic than the north. Many travellers who've done north India say the south felt like visiting a different country entirely — which in many ways it is.

Can I combine South India with North India in one trip?

Yes — and we recommend it if you have 3+ weeks. A popular combination is the Golden Triangle in the first week and Kerala-Pondicherry in the second and third. We fly between regions, so distances aren't an issue. Tell us your available time and we'll design a route that doesn't feel rushed.

Is the food very spicy? Can dietary preferences be accommodated?

South Indian food can be spicier than north Indian, but "mild" is always available when you tell your guide. Vegetarian food is outstanding across the region. We can accommodate vegan, gluten-free, and other requirements throughout — we pass all dietary preferences to every restaurant and homestay in advance.

Ready to Plan?

Your South India journey
starts with a conversation.

Free consultation. No obligation. Tell us which regions appeal to you and your travel window — we respond within 24 hours with an honest initial itinerary.

Plan My South India Journey WhatsApp Us →

Free consultation · No obligation · Reply within 24 hours

South India.
Slower. Greener. Entirely its own world.

South India draws
a particular kind of traveller.