Culture, Cuisine & Wilderness Tour of South India (12 Days Tour)

Impressive First Impressions

Your flight arrives in Bangalore and you depart the plane filled with excitement. The city is vibrant with modern luxuries that stem from its contemporary connection to the IT industry. You can see the progressive cityscape apparent in the skyline. No matter how cosmopolitan Bangalore has become it has continued to preserve its rich colonial heritage and vibrant greenery.

You are collected at the airport by a private transfer and soon wrapped in the comforts of your luxurious accommodation. When you look out your window you can see the streets filled with vibrancy. The skyline rises above a flourishing tree canopy. The scent of fried banana emanates from local homes and apartments. In Bangalore you have found the quintessence of the country.

What’s Included: transfer, accommodation.

Sacred Statues and Villages

You wake up in the morning and find the captivating aroma of poori saagu in the air. The paper-thin bread is lightly fried and accompanied by a coconut-vegetable curry. The combination of sweet and savory form a perfectly balanced breakfast flavor. After breakfast you will leave Bangalore behind. En route to Hassan you will come to Shravanabelagola, home to the towering statue of Jain. The image was constructed in the 10th century and stands as the world’s largest monolithic statue at 58 feet tall.

Shravanabelagola is a town filled with ponds and temples. The city pulses with devotion and appreciation of its towering statue, demonstrating the people’s dedication with garlands and hymns. You can find Chandranatha Basti, a temple that contains well-preserved paintings that depict the ample legends of Jain. You continue your journey to Hassan and arrive in the tranquil comforts of your rural village lodge in the late afternoon. 

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer, accommodation.

Opulent Palaces to Lavish Wildlife

The morning over Mysore comes with the delicious aroma of masala dosa, similar to an Indian crepe, which is delightfully crispy and fluffy at the same time. Your guide meets you at your hotel and takes you on an early tour of the Mysore Palace. The structure was rebuilt in 1912 and remains one of the grandest examples of India’s royalty. When you come to the palace through the main entrance you find an incredible tripartite gateway. The palace itself supports a five-story tower that stands 145 feet. The sensational exterior is matched by the lavish interior. Step through the ornate rosewood doorway and into the Abavilasa where the king held private audiences.

The doorway is inlaid with ivory and the columns are gilded beneath the stained glass ceilings. The elegant design and the lavish décor are nothing less than inspiring.

After your tour of the palace you will venture onward to the Kabini Forest Reserve. When you come to the river you will board a boat and begin your afternoon river cruise. You can see locals paddling through the water on coracles. They smile and wave with sincere excitement. The water is calm. There is a long stretch of grassland between the riverbanks and the lush forest. At the edge of the tree line you see a large fluffy animal making its way to the water. Your guide tells you that it’s a sloth bear. 

Their arms are lankier and their hair is shaggier than a black bear and they can weigh up to 290 pounds. Their long snout sniffs at the air. You continue to drift down the river but can’t stop watching the animal lumber closer to the water.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, tour, transfer, accommodation.

Early Morning, Best Morning

The blissful quiet of the surrounding jungle is blended with birdcalls. Active monkeys sprint through the trees. You begin the day with an early morning game drive once more around Nagarhole National Park. The wildlife is most active in the cool air of the early daylight before the sunlight creates a warmer afternoon. Your guide takes you through the diverse grounds of the park, from floodplains to forestry. Each movement forward is another chance to see the majestic fauna in a natural and undisturbed habitat.

Deer stroll along the meadow. Their fur is decorated with white spots that look like snowflakes. You see a collection of wild boar speed into the brush.  Just as you think you may not find any more wildlife in the beauty of the emerald trees, you spot a troop of elephants in the distance. They step cautiously near the riverbank and dip their trunks to the water.

After breakfast you will make your way to Fringe Ford. The plantation stretches over 520 acres and shares borders with both the Wyanad and Tholpetty wildlife sanctuaries. The surrounding Wyanad Mountain Range rolls up to 6,300 feet above sea level. The olive and teal trees shine in the wide sweeping sunlight. A cozy fire flickers in the warm colors of the dwindling day. In the quiet solitude of the plantation you find the scenery comforting, the luxuries soothing, and the location unlike anywhere you have ever seen.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, transfer, tour, accommodation

Jungle Plantation to Beach Resort

Today you will step away from the immense jungle and sprawling mountains outside of Fringe Ford to find a gem alongside the Arabian Sea. In Northern Kerala is the Neeleshwar Hermitage located in the seclusion of palm groves and within earshot of the sea’s soothing waves. In the afternoon you can put your feet in the warm gold sand and lounge on a hammock beneath the overhanging palm trees.

The water is sapphire and calm. When you stand on the shore the water is cool as it laps at your toes. You can feel the rejuvenating effects of the hotel working on you already.  

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, transfer, accommodation

Your Journey Onwards

The luscious scents of the morning have you seated in Meenaskhi listening to the rolling waves and enjoying the aromas of the simmering food. The morning is yours to delight in, from breakfast to lunch, indulging in the comforts of the resort and the beachside. In the afternoon your private transfer will escort you to the Calicut Airport to begin your journey home.

You have seen tigers and lounged on beaches, tasted fabulous local cuisine and explored elegant jungle. Your trip may have ended but the wonder never ceases.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, transfer.