From Madras to Bombay, Hindu sweets and backwaters

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  From Paris to Mahäbalipuram via Chennai

  (international flight with overnight on board) (56 kms / 1h50) Welcome at the airport by our representative and transfer to the hotel. Breakfast served until 10am. Free afternoon to discover the beaches. Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 2

  Mahabalipuram

  After breakfast, visit to Arjuna’s Penance, a bas-relief depicting the descent of the Ganges. In the evening, visit to the city of Mahabalipuram and its beaches. Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 3

  From Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry

  (95 kms/2h30) Drive to Pondicherry. Stay for 2 nights in the white city, in a beautiful 18th-century house located in the very heart of Pondicherry. Today restored and modernized, this address is one of the architectural jewels of the city. On the program: visit to Auroville, 10 km north of Pondicherry. This intentional community, city of the future and of peace, was founded in 1968 by the Mother (the Frenchwoman Mirra Alfassa, 1878-1973), disciple of the Hindu philosopher Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950). Around the peace area where the Matrimandir meditation sphere stands, there is a green industrial zone, a residential zone, an international zone, and a cultural zone. The architect Roger Anger (1923-2008) worked extensively on this project supported by UNESCO and developed concepts there that blend modernism and organicism. In the late afternoon, visit to the Ganesh temple (Manakula Vinayagar Koil) in Pondicherry, where you receive the blessing of the sacred elephant (in fact, a female elephant named Lakshmi, who kindly places her trunk on your head). (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 4

  Pondicherry

  On the program - The old town of Pondicherry. French Pondicherry. Or rather Franco-Indian, as the connection between European and Tamil architecture is so close, giving a unique Creole style. The streets of Français/Dumas, Romain Rolland, Suffren, exude the tranquil charm of a tropical prefecture. The climate is mild, the air is briny, the Promenade beach is welcoming. The oriental and airy neo-Gothic style of the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus surprises with the red and white of its walls. The war memorial of the Great War and the statue of Joan of Arc, in front of the Church of Our Lady of Angels, indicate a former desire for integration. You will also visit the Tamil town and its market, as well as the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, founded by the wise promoter of integral yoga and led until 1973 by the Mother. (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 5

  From Pondicherry to Kumbakonam, via Chidambaram, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram.

  (125 kms/3 h) Departure for Kumbakonam. On the program: visit of Gangaikondacholapuram, Kumbakonam and Darasuram, in private. Former capital of the Chola empire, Gangaikondacholapuram is today destroyed and only the temple of Rajendreshvara remains, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The gopurams of this huge temple adorned with sculptures dominate the landscape. There also remains a huge tank into which water from the Ganges was poured, brought by boat to the Chola court by vassal kings. Then, drive to Kumbakonam for the visit of Darasuram, then the Airatesvara temple, built by Rajaraja Chola II, a superb testimony to Chola architecture from the mid-12th century, also listed. Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 6

  Kumbakonam – Tanjore

  (40 kms/1h) Drive to Tanjore. On the day's program: visit to the Tanjore temple. Check-in at the hotel. Free time for lunch before continuing the visits. Tanjore, also called Thanjavur, invites you on a journey back in time to the era of the Chola monarchs who built imposing temples here in honor of their deities. The most famous is none other than the Brihadishvara temple, dedicated to the god Shiva, perhaps the most dazzling in all of India with its central pyramidal tower over 70 meters high and its paintings of rare delicacy. This has not escaped UNESCO, which has decided to include it on its World Heritage protection list. Then, visit the Royal Palace, a splendid building that houses a magnificent collection of bronzes. Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 7

  From Tanjore to Madurai

  (190 kms/4 h) Route to Madurai. On the program: Madurai, private tour. It is here, in Madurai, that time has stood still to make way for the explosion of religious life and the sacred temples of a thousand colors. First, discover the Tirumalai Nayak Palace, partly designed by an Italian architect and built in 1636 for Thirumalai, a ruler of Madurai and patron of the arts. Today, only the courtyard and its portico supported by 12 m high pillars, the theater, and numerous statues remain. Then, the Sri Meenakshi Temple, built in the middle of the 12th century, an inextricable maze of courtyards, galleries, hypostyle halls, and ablution basins. One of its buildings, the great mandapa with 1000 pillars, covers an area of more than 5 hectares. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 8

  From Madurai to Periyar

  (150 kms/4 h) Departure for Periyar, a world of gentleness: landscapes colored in soft green or golden yellow, hills with lush vegetation, a jungle still inhabited by wild elephants near the large tea or spice planters' estates. Check-in at the hotel. In the afternoon, visit to the spice plantation. Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 9

  From Periyar to Alleppey

  (130 kms/3h30) Breakfast. Departure for Allepey. Boarding elegant "Rice-boats" for a boat cruise on the backwaters, these famous canals lined with houses sheltering farmers working in the fields, running along coconut groves and rice paddies. Lunch and boat ride on the Kerala "backwaters". A unique experience, close to nature and the locals, which will allow you to discover their life along the water. Among other things, you will see crayfish fishermen, schoolchildren's boat-buses, the daily chores of housewives doing laundry or dishes... In the afternoon, a peaceful cruise on the "backwaters". "Afternoon Tea" offered during the afternoon. Stop in a typical village to mingle with the local population and discover village life. The houseboats, called "Kettuvalom", literally "tied boats", are traditional boats made of anjili wood and coconut mats. They offer simple comfort, but a cruise on board is a pure moment of calm and pleasure, as well as a unique experience that will allow you to explore an off-the-beaten-path India and discover villages, temples, and preserved ancient churches... Each boat consists of a lounge with a small terrace, a kitchen, 2 to 4 bedrooms each with a bathroom (shower, WC), air conditioning at fixed hours, and the crew remains at your disposal. Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 10

  From Alleppey to Cochin

  (55 kms/1h) Route to Cochin. On the program: a private visit of Cochin. Cochin is a coastal city with a rich colonial past, where classicism and modernity blend, and where it is pleasant to stroll. One is lulled by the diversity of styles, atmospheres, and cultures that emanate from this fascinating former trading post, where the Portuguese, English, Dutch, and French have all left their mark! Three must-sees are on the agenda for this discovery: Saint Francis Church, the Dutch Palace, and the Jewish quarter housing the oldest synagogue in the country, as well as old trading houses, warehouses, and small cobbled streets. Optional: boat trip in the port for the pleasure of the water, the discovery of old Portuguese houses and Chinese fishing nets. Or a Kathakali show, a traditional dance theater whose repertoire draws from the Sanskrit epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is a very sophisticated and colorful art. Overnight in a charming small hotel set in a beautiful villa with colonial architecture, quietly located in the old town of Fort Cochin. Special mention for the rooftop pool! (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 11

  From Cochin to Bombay

  (Domestic flight) Breakfast. In the afternoon, transfer to Cochin airport to take the flight to Bombay. Welcome at Bombay airport by our team and transfer to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast + Room + Lunch + Dinner)

• day 12

  Bombay and departure.

  After breakfast, departure for a tour of Bombay, discovering the different neighborhoods that give it its charm, notably Colaba with Victoria Station and the Gateway of India. Also visit Gandhi's house (Mani Bhawan). In the evening, we recommend a walk along the seafront, in the neighborhoods of Bandra or Juhu Beach, or to enjoy the lively atmosphere at Chowpatty Beach. Dinner and transfer to the airport for your return flight. End of our services. (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)