The scent of spices and the Bandipur reserve

Tour from $1,599 / person (excluding international flight)

15 days / 14 nights

Discover the spice routes in Kerala and the Bandipur reserve. Visit historical sites such as Mysore, Madurai, Coimbatore as well as Bandipur, Kumarakom and Cochin sites. A circuit combining nature and cultural discovery.

Cities to visit: Bangalore – Mysore – Bandipur Reserve – Ooty – Coimbatore – Madurai – Munnar – Kumarakom – Cochin

Day 01 :- Bangalore

Arrival in the morning or evening at Bangalore International Airport. Meet at the airport by our local representative to welcome you to India and transfer to the hotel.

Day 02 :- Bangalore / Srirangapatna / Mysore (140km and 5 hours drive):

Departure for Mysore. On the way visit the Srirangapatana site. It was from this fortress, of which only the ramparts remain, that Haidar Ali then his son Tipu Sultan challenged British power at the end of the 18th century. Alongside them served French officers seeking to avenge the humiliation inflicted by the English on France in 1761. The military works and Tipu’s palace were razed on the orders of the British. The Summer Palace, on the other hand, has been preserved. The exterior walls of this teak wood pavilion present from floor to ceiling the victories of Haidar Ali and the French over the English. Then visit the Gumbaz, an impressive mausoleum topped with a dome which contains the remains of Haidar Ali, his wife and Tipu Sultan. Settling in Mysore. In the afternoon visit the Chamundi temple, temple dedicated to the goddess Kali.

Day 03 :- Mysore / Somnathpura / Mysore (excursion):

Visit the Mysore Palace, worthy of a fairy tale, the former palace of Maharaja Wodiyar, an immense building in Indo-Saracenic style, was built by an English architect in 1912. Continue with the Gothic church of St. Philomena, one of the largest in India. In the afternoon departure for Somnathpur to visit a temple dedicated to Vishnu dating from the Hoysala period. The art of the Hoysalas which we recognize by its star-shaped plan which offers even more surface area for the fine and splendid sculptures, its ringed columns or its openwork windows. At the end of the afternoon return to Mysore then visit the Devraja market. Built during the time of Tipu Sultan, the Devaraja market is a pretty, picturesque market with a thousand colors. The stands laden with fruits, vegetables, garlands of flowers, spices and conical mounds of kumkum (colored powder intended for Hindu rituals) were a delight for the cameras.

Day 04 :- Mysore/Bandipur National Park (87kms and 2h30 drive):

Departure for Madumalai. Installation in Bandipur. In the afternoon, departure for a canter safari in the Bandipur reserve to discover the wildlife. Return to the hotel.

Day 05 :- Bandipur / Ooty (46kms and 1h45 drive):

Departure for Ooty. Settling in Ooty. This town was discovered in the early 19th century by the British John Sullivan and referred to as the mountain health resort of India. Here you’ll find stone churches and houses set in a striking, fertile landscape that will remind you of the Scottish highlands. Visit to St. Stephen’s Church and its English cemetery. Then Visit the Ooty Botanical Garden, which is home to many species of exotic plants and trees. You take a walk along the lake and admire the sumptuous panorama of the Nilgiris mountain range. At the end of the afternoon, discovery of the city of Ooty.

Day 06 :- Ooty / Coonoor / Coimbatore (70kms and 2h30 drive):

In the morning transfer to Ooty railway station to take the Nilgiri Valley miniature train. This unusual journey on a little train will allow you to discover the superb landscapes of the Ketti valley. Get off at Coonoor railway station and then transfer by car to Coimbatore. Settling in Coimbatore. Visit the Adi Yogi site famous for its gigantic bust of Shiva in the shape of a Yogi, then visit the Dhyanalinga temple. Then free time to explore the city of Coimbatore.

Day 07 :- Coimbatore / Madurai (253kms and 5h30 drive):

Departure for Madurai. Settling in Madurai. Visit the Tirumalai Nayak Palace and the Gandhi Museum. In the evening discovery of the sunset ceremony of the god and goddess of the temple.

Day 08 :- Madurai:

In the morning departure with a local guide to discover the local life of the city of Madurai. A walking tour through the ancient city of Madurai to discover flower sellers, tea shops, local breakfast vendors and local artisans. During this walk you can taste some local specialty of the city of Madurai. Late morning visit to the Meenakshi temple in Madurai. The Mînâkshî temple is divided into two buildings, each dedicated to one of the two spouses, Shiva and Mînâkshî. Although it is not the largest temple in the country, it was for a long time the tallest in Asia, thanks to its tower almost 60 meters high. Then in the afternoon a stroll to the discovery of local markets around the Madurai temple. Then departure to visit the Pazamudhir temple located on a hill near Madurai. At the end of the afternoon return to the hotel and free time.

Day 09 :- Madurai / Munnar (156kms and 5 hours drive):

Departure for Munnar. Passage through Kerala villages and tea plantations. Settling in Munnar. Visit the tea museum (Tata Tea museum) and the plantations. Free evening at your hotel.

Day 10 :- Munnar

Departure with your local, English-speaking guide for a 4 to 5 hour hike. This hike begins by crossing a Tata tea plantation. Then between the meadows and the villages of Kerala. Late afternoon return to Munnar and free evening.

Day 11 :- Munnar / Kumarakom (147kms and 5 hours drive):

Departure for Kumarokam. Settling at Kumarokam. In the afternoon visit Poonjar Palace and the Syrian church of St MarryOrthodox Church. Free evening at Kumarokam.

Day 12 :-Kumarakom:

Boarding the houseboat. Navigation on the backwater canals and discovery of the surrounding villages. It is a must-see for a trip to South India.

Day 13 :- Kumarakom / Cochin (53kms and 1h30 drive):

In the morning navigation in the backwater canals then disembarkation. Departure for Cochin in the afternoon. Installation in Cochin Visit the Kochi synagogue, the oldest synagogue in all Commonwealth countries and the Jewish quarter, then visit the spice market. Free evening to explore the colonial district of Fort Kochi.

Day 14 :- Cochin:

Visit to the Mattanchéry Palace, also called the Dutch Palace. Built in 1555 by the Portuguese, the first Westerners to arrive in the region, as a gift for the raja of Cochin, Veera Kerala Varma. Its nickname is in fact due to the restoration undertaken by the Dutch in 1663. Despite its Western origins, the palace is built in the Indo-Kerala style, with its beautiful worked frames, magnificent painted coffered ceilings and roofs reminiscent of pagodas. Chinese. In the evening, Kathakali dance show then discovery of the Fort Kochi district.

Day 15 :- Cochin

In the morning transfer to Cochin International Airport to catch your return flight.

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