Crisscrossing South India

South India Offbeat Tours

Tour Code: MB_01

[su_dropcap]S[/su_dropcap]outh India is known for its verdant hills, tea and coffee plantations, bright white beaches and refreshing monsoons. In this tour, we show you a bit of everything. We cycle, walk, laze, observe. We eat, drink, and appreciate everything that the locals have to offer. Join us on this 12 day South India offbeat tours and see the South from a different view.

Day 1

Bangalore – Mysore

Pickup from Bangalore airport and transit to Mysore (trip duration: ~3.5 hrs). Arrive in Mysore and check into your hotel. Optional evening visit to the magnificent Mysore palace.

Day 2

Mysore

Early morning walking tour of Mysore, including traditional breakfast. Drive to Bylakuppe (trip duration: 2hrs) to visit Tibetan settlement and monastery. Lunch en-route. Check-in to the resort. Evening jungle safari in a jeep. Trip briefing around dinner campfire.

Day 3

Mysore – Thirunelli

After breakfast, you will have an opportunity to see and interact with the camp elephants, including giving them a bath in the river, accompanied by an interaction with the resident naturalist. Later you will go on a river cruise in a coracle. This is a chance to see the endemic bird population. We will check out of the resort and drive to Thirunelly in North Wayanad (trip duration: 2.5hrs) with lunch en-route. On the way, we will stop at a little wayside eatery which is famous for “unniappams.”

Day 4

Wayanad

We will drive to the nearby Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary for a 6-hour trek through dense, tropical deciduous jungle, accompanied by an armed forest ranger and guides. This is an exciting opportunity to see elephant, bison, deer, and a variety of flora and fauna at close quarters.

Day 5

Wayanad

We will check out of the resort and drive to the Kuruva islands. We will cross the islands on bamboo rafts and make our way to the paddy fields that skirt the Kabini river. These fields are tended by the tribal communities native to this region – this has been their home for several thousand years. We will have a chance to see some of their innovative early warning systems, used to warn of encroaching elephants. Crossing the fields will lead us into the adjoining forests and we will make our way to camp. Lunch will be an ‘ela sadya’ – an authentic vegetarian multi-course Kerala lunch served on banana leaves at a local home. In the evening, we will drive to our resort in South Wayanad.

Day 6

Wayanad

We will go on a cycling trip through tea country (distance: ~ 40kms). During the course of the ride, you can choose to stop at a couple of points of interest – a bamboo handicrafts factory and an NGO that supports hundreds of local women. The smooth tarmac will suddenly plunge down to backcountry roads and then land you into a mud trail cutting through paddy fields. The physical challenge of negotiating this section will be compensated by the view when you start following the shoreline of the shimmering lake. You will take a break at the dam and take in the view of the distant rampart of mountains. The ride will continue through patches of mud trail, backcountry roads, and smooth tarmac to finally return to the homestay.

Day 7

Wayanad

Morning at leisure. After lunch, we will drive down to a nearby river for some bamboo rafting. Lifejackets are mandatory and a local raftsman will accompany you. Bamboo rafting is an enjoyable experience that gives you an opportunity to see the river life at close quarters.

Day 8

Wayanad – Alleppey

We will drive to Calicut to board an afternoon train and head to Alleppey in the south. We will reach there by about 6 PM.

Day 9

Alleppey

After breakfast, we will drive south and board a houseboat. You will spend the next 24 hrs cruising the expansive backwaters that are unique to Kerala.

Day 10

Alleppey – Kochi

You will check out of the houseboat and return to your resort. You can spend the day at leisure. A shopping trip can be arranged in Kochi.

Day 11

Kochi

Day at leisure. Explore the superb resort and the beach.

Day 12

End of Tour

Breakfast and checkout. This marks the end of your South India offbeat tour.

Tour package includes –

• Tour Manager
• Local transport within India
• MTB, helmet for cycling
• Water and fruits during cycling and hiking
• Support vehicles, guides and support staff for activities as outlined above
• All entrance fees and forest fees
• Accommodation for 11 nights on twin sharing basis
• L,D on Day 1, B+L+D on days 2 – 11, B on Day 12 (B:Breakfast; L:Lunch; D:Dinner)

All our tours are customizable. Check with us on connect@trippintraveller.com for any changes you wish to this itinerary or for the pricing! Or just write to us any way to tell us how much you love us. Or hate us. Oh! Just write in! We love mail!