Discover Bengaluru to Chennai - Private Tour of South India

You will be met at Bengaluru International Airport by your Authentic India Tours representative and transferred to the hotel in Mysuru, a city with a rich cultural heritage, which is located at the foot of the Chamundi hills.

Any trip to India should include some souvenir shopping and this evening there will be plenty of time to admire the colourful silks Mysure is famous for. These can be purchased from shops around the city, You can also take a stroll through the 125 year old Devaraja fruit and vegtable market. With its vibrant colours, array of smells and multitude of people, this place never disappoints. With more than 700 stalls and dedicated lines, it’s always bustling with energy.

Approximate travel time and distance: 3 – 4 hours, 150 kms

Accommodation: Royal Orchid Metropole, Mysuru

Meals included: Breakfast

An exciting day is on the cards for all for culture lovers with a morning tour of Mysuru. As the former capital of the Kingdom of Mysuru, it is known as the ‘City of Palaces’. The most spectacular of these is Mysuru Palace, with its high domed ceilings, ornate marble pillars and towering stone arches. After visiting the palace, we drive to the Sri Rangapattanam district to see the Tipu Sultan’s lavish Summer Palace and the ruins of the Tipu Sultan’s Fort, both of which boast large, manicured garden

In the afternoon you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city with a trip to the famous Rangathittu Bird Sanctuary. Enjoy a rowing boat cruise along the River Cauvery, where you will see hundreds of birds roosting on the rocks, gliding across the water, or fishing for food. Expect to see sleek black cormorants, river terns and black crowned night herons.

Accommodation: Royal Orchid Metropole, Mysuru

Meals included: Breakfast

The next couple of days is a real treat for nature lovers. After breakfast, you travel to Nagarhole National Park, which is amongst the most popular national parks in India. It’s an area of lush forest threaded by the Kabini River and backwaters, which provides water for hundreds of different animals. Here you can spot wild elephants and sometimes even a tiger.

In the afternoon, explore a forest track in a jeep, looking out for animals hidden in the undergrowth, before taking a motor boat and canoe ride across the reservoir. You will spend the night in a luxury safari lodge, giving you the opportunity to pamper yourself whilst surrounded by nature.

Approximate travel time and distance: 2 hours, 90 kms

Accommodation: Kaav Safari Lodge, Kabini

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Spend the day at one with nature in the national park.

An early morning game drive is recommended, as the animals are most active at this time of day. You will be travelling in an open-top vehicle, so make sure you bring something warm to wear. Look out for elephants, tigers, spotted deer, mongoose, peacocks and jungle fowl.

Later you can go on an expedition with a local naturalist, so make sure you pack sunscreen and a hat.

Accommodation: Kaav Safari Lodge, Kabini

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Spend the morning further exploring Kabini’s wildlife in a hiking tour, another game drive or even spot animals from the quieter comfort of a canoe on the gorgeously placid lake. After you’ve said goodbye to your favourite elephants, you’ll set out for Ooty, the Queen of the Nilgiris.

Ooty is a popular hill station, also known as the ‘Scotland of India’ because of its clear lakes, refreshing climate and manicured gardens. It is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful locations in South India and the perfect place for an afternoon of exploring.

Approximate travel time and distance: 4 hours, 150kms

Accommodation: Taj Savoy, Ooty

Meals included: Breakfast

The morning is at leisure, giving you time to visit St Stephen’s Church and the botanical gardens. After lunch you will be taken to Ooty Train Station to board your first class carriage on the Nilgiri Hill Train.

The mountain railway, or ‘toy train’ as it is most commonly known, was built by the British in 1908 and still relies on its fleet of trusty steam locomotives. This long journey on the original narrow gauge tracks is for many a trip highlight with its spellbinding scenery.

This heritage ‘toy train’ will take you across quaint bridges and through small hillside tunnels, passing by undulating green hills and shady forests.  At Mettupalayam Railway Station you will be met by your driver (and your luggage) and taken to your hotel in Coimbatore.

Approximate travel time and distance: 90 mins, 35 km

Accommodation: The Residency Towers, Coimbatore

Meals included: Breakfast

Today your journey takes you through the plains to the exotic city of Madurai, a beautiful town set against the backdrop of the 14 colourful gopurams (gateway towers) of Meenakshi Amman Temple. You will have the chance to marvel at the multi-tiered, technicolour wonder covered in bright carvings of mythical figures. The Dravidian-style temple is a major pilgrimage site, and our guide will help you unravel its mysteries.

In the evening you will visit the Thirumalai Nayak Palace and the Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple. Upon entering the temple, notice the colourful textile and crafts stalls around the Pudhu Mandapam with diligent tailors at their sewing machines.

Approximate travel time and distance: 5 hours, 215 km

Accommodation: Heritage Madurai

Meals included: Breakfast

A full day of sightseeing in Madurai awaits you. Visit the potter’s village at Vilacheri, a fascinating destination where villagers create handmade mud dolls that adorn traditional Hindu households. You can also enjoy a walk around the weaver’s village at Kaithirinagar, watching the weavers weave beautiful saris and interacting with the locals.

There’s also the imposing 17th Century Thirumalai Nayak Palace and the colourful Tirupurakundram Temple, not to mention leaving some time to take in the heady scent of the stalls selling fresh jasmine on nearly every street.

Accommodation: Heritage Madurai

Meals included: Breakfast

After breakfast, you’ll depart for Chettinad, the homeland of the Chettiyars. This community of merchants grew prosperous trading in Southeast Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries, and spared no expense building their homes in Chettinad. Upon arrival in Chettinad, spend the day at your leisure.

For example, stroll the shady streets admiring the vast palatial mansions and take in the splendor of the art and architecture, the most famous being Chettinad Raja’s Palace. Visit the Arraynar shrine of Kothadi where alignment of terracotta figures which have been offered to the village Deity. Go antique shopping at the main market on Muneeswaran Koil street in Karaikudi, where shopkeepers are friendly and willing to chat with you about the rich history of their wares, most of them from local Chettiar homes

Approximate travel time and distance: 2 hours, 90 km

Accommodation: Visalam, Chettinad

Meals included: Breakfast

Time to head further north to the bustling temple town of Kumbakonam, stopping on the way in the historic town of Thanjavur, famed for its Great Living Chola Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We also visit the Bronze Museum and Brihadeeshwara Temple, which has a 62-metre high sandstone tower ornately decorated in religious carvings.

Approximate travel time and distance: in total 3.5 hrs, 150 km

Accommodation: Mantra Koodam, Kumbakonam

Meals included: Breakfast

After breakfast, you’ll set out for Puducherry, the former French colony and seaside town brimming with unique experiences.

En route there is an opportunity to visit Chidambaram, home to one of Tamil Nadu’s Dravidian architectural highlights – the famous Nataraja Temple complex. You’ll also stop at Darasuram, where you will find the famous Indian landmark, the ornate Airavatesvara Temple.

Approximate travel time and distance: 4-5 hours, 150 km

Accommodation: Palais De Mahe, Puducherry

Meals included: Breakfast

Today you wake up in Puducherry, a small town steeped in history and surrounded by miles of gorgeous sandy beaches.

You can visit the striking Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple to meet their resident elephant, Lakshmi. Here you will earn a blessing in exchange for a donation of a few rupees or a banana, which she will accept with her trunk. Later we will visit a handmade paper-making unit and Puducherry museum, to learn about the city’s fascinating colonial history.

In the evening, wander through the cobbled streets of the historic French Quarter and treat yourself to a dish from one of the best restaurants in Southern India, offering a fusion of French and Indian delicacies.

Accommodation: Palais De Mahe, Puducherry

Meals included: Breakfast

After a leisurely breakfast in beautiful Puducherry, the next stop on your South India tour is the historic coastal town of Mamallapuram. This fascinating destination is home to an amazing collection of 7th and 8th Century monuments and temples, the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram UNESCO World Heritage Site. Immerse yourself in a treasure trove of buildings and sculptures, including temples in the form of chariots (rathas), a giant open-air rock relief and the impressive, intricately decorated Shore Temple.

Approximate travel time and distance: 2 hours, 100 km

Accommodation: Radisson Blu Temple Bay, Mamallapuram

Meals included: Breakfast

Spend the day at leisure in Mamallapuram. This laid back beachside town is a place where ancient Indian landmarks and modern life rub shoulders. It has a collection of UNESCO designated temples, rock cut caves and one of the largest open-air rock reliefs in the world. The intricately carved Shore Temple, which overlooks the Bay of Bengal, is a perfect place to watch the sun set. Meanwhile, Othavadai Street is a popular traveller’s hangout spot, a place to grab a plate of Tibetan momos and a beer. Mamallapuram is also a renowned surfing destination.

Accommodation: Radisson Blu Temple Bay, Mamallapuram

Meals included: Breakfast

Today you will be picked up by your driver and transferred to Chennai International Airport to catch your flight home.

If you are lucky enough to have more time, why not try an extension to your tour in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu.

Approximate travel time and distance: 2 hours, 55 km

Meals included: Breakfast

Price guide for this 16 day Bengaluru to Chennai tour is:

• £3190 in low season (May – September inclusive)
• £3490 in high season (October – April inclusive)

The prices do not include flights.

Authentic India Tours is a member of ABTA and ATOL. All the holidays on this website are ABTA protected. If you would like us to arrange your holiday including flights we will be happy to provide a quote and your holiday will also be ATOL protected. 

This is a private tour and can be tailor-made to meet your exact requirements. Prices will vary depending on the number of people, length of tour, accommodation & season. Reductions are normally available for groups of three or more. Some hotels operate an additional peak pricing rate during busy times which is normally from mid December to mid January.

Please get in touch with your dates and we will be pleased to provide you with your personal itinerary and accurate quote.

Included with this tour are the following:

• Authentic India Tours meet & greet assistance on arrival
• All internal transfers and sightseeing tours using an air-conditioned vehicle
• Accommodation for 15 nights on twin sharing basis
• Standard category rooms at all hotels unless otherwise mentioned
• Meal plan: Kaav Safari Lodge on full board, Bed and Breakfast elsewhere
• Game drive at Nagarhole National ParkEnglish speaking guide for sightseeing tours of Mysuru, Madurai, Tanjore, Puducherry  and Mamallapuram
• Entrances at all national parks, museums and monuments as per the itinerary
• Mineral water on all days of travel

Price does not include:

• International flight tickets
• Travel insurance and visa
• Expenses of personal nature like laundry, tips, beverages etc
• Meals other than mentioned in the above meal plan
• Camera & video fees at national parks, museums & monuments

Prices mentioned above are per person based on two people sharing a twin room. The prices which were valid at the time of publication may be subject to change, based on your date of travel and local market fluctuations. You will be informed of any price differences prior to booking.

For a quote based on your dates of travel, any alternative accommodation or changes to this itinerary, please call us on 01792 315499 or email us at info@aitholidays.com

Please remember all our private tours are designed to meet your exact requirements, and this South India tour is just an example to help inspire you.

For more information please email info@aitholidays.com or call our India specialists on 01792 315499.

ABTA and ATOL Protected Tour Package

Authentic India Tours is a member of ABTA and ATOL. All the holidays on this website are ABTA protected. If you would like us to arrange your holiday including flights we will be happy to provide a quote and your holiday will also be ATOL protected.