Asia · 10 days · 8 stops

South India in 10 days: Chola Temples, Tea Hills, Backwaters and Hampi

From Chennai and Mahabalipuram through Pondicherry, Thanjavur's Chola temple and Madurai, up to Munnar's tea hills and Kerala's backwaters, finishing at royal Mysuru and the stone chariot of Hampi.

1. Chennai: Begin in Chennai on the Bay of Bengal, Tamil Nadu's cultural capital. Visit Mylapore's Kapaleeshwarar Temple, hear Carnatic music, and ride down the coast to the 7th-century rock-cut Pallava temples of Mahabalipuram.
2. Puducherry: Follow the scenic East Coast Road south to Puducherry. Stroll the bougainvillea-draped streets of White Town, visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Manakula Vinayagar Temple, and watch waves crash along the Promenade.
3. Thanjavur: Travel into the fertile Cauvery delta to Thanjavur, ancient seat of the Chola Empire. Stand before the 66-metre granite tower of the UNESCO Brihadisvara Temple and see Chola bronze sculptures.
4. Madurai: Continue south to Madurai on the Vaigai River, the ancient heart of Tamil Sangam poetry. Walk beneath the 14 painted gopuram towers of Meenakshi Amman Temple and its Hall of a Thousand Pillars.
5. Munnar: Wind up into the cool Western Ghats to Munnar at 1,600 metres. Walk emerald tea trails, visit a working tea museum, and spot rare Nilgiri tahr mountain goats in Eravikulam National Park.
6. Kochi: Descend the Western Ghats to Kochi on Kerala's Malabar Coast. Watch Fort Kochi's cantilevered fishing nets at dusk, see a Kathakali dance-drama, and glide along the Kerala backwaters on a houseboat.
7. Mysuru: Head north into Karnataka to Mysuru, the state's cultural capital. Tour the stained-glass halls of Mysore Palace, climb Chamundi Hill, and browse silk saris, sandalwood carvings and spice stalls at Devaraja Market.
8. Hampi: Finish in UNESCO-listed Hampi on the Tungabhadra River, once the grand capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Marvel at Vittala Temple's carved Stone Chariot, Virupaksha Temple, and riverside coracle boats.