Traversing arguably one of the most beautiful and varied regions of India, this itinerary is a memorable journey that encompasses princely cities and historic towns, a national park, scenic tea estates, a journey on one of India’s most scenic railways and time to relax beside Kerala’s palm-fringed coast.
Visit Mysore with its grand City Palace, monumental Nandi Bull and proximity to both Somnathpur and Srirangapatnam. Leaving Mysore, spend two nights in Nagarhole National Park, arguably the finest in south India, before heading to the Western Ghats with stays in Sultan’s Battery and the popular hill station of Coonoor. Take a memorable journey on the 125 year old scenic Nilgiri Mountain Railway, followed by stays in the fascinating spice town Fort Kochi and aboard your own private houseboat as it cruises the famous Keralan backwaters. End your journey beside the Arabian Sea.
Mysore – Nagarhole – Sultans Battery – Coonoor – Coimbatore – Kochi – Alleppey – Mararikulam – Kochi
Trip Highlights
- Kochi was an early European settlement with Portuguese, Dutch and British influences
- Seat of the Maharajas of Mysore, visit the city’s opulent domed City Palace complex
- Cruise along the serene waterways of the Keralan backwaters on a private houseboat
- Nagarhole National Park supports tiger, elephant, leopard and multiple species of bird
- Sultan’s Battery produces coffee, cardamom and vanilla. Relax, read or go walking
- Ride the spectacular Nilgiri Hill Railway which is one of the steepest rail lines in Asia
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart the UK
Today depart the UK and fly via the Middle East to Bangalore.
Day 2
Arrive Bangalore / Bangalore to Mysore – 150kms
On arrival in Bangalore you will be met by your driver and taken to Mysore where you will stay for the next three nights. After settling at your hotel, head out to the old city for a two-hour guided heritage walk. During the walk visits will be made to Mysore’s Town Hall, the Devaraja Market and the Jagan Mohan Palace. Your guide will share stories describing the history of Mysore and you will also be able to sample the city’s famous sweet, ‘Mysore Pak’.
Efkays Homestay
Day 3-4
Mysore
There is plenty to see and do both in Mysore but also throughout the surrounding region and over the next two days visit the key places of interest with your guide. Visits will be made to Chamundi Hill, the Chamundeswari Temple and Nandi Bull as well as the vast City Palace which was re-built by Henry Irwin during 1897. The palace houses a wide-ranging collection of paintings, traditional crafts and glass work. Also visit the temple complex at Somnathpur, with its exquisite Keshava Vishnu temple, and Srirangapatnam where Tipu Sultan was killed in battle against an East India Company army that included Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington.
- Breakfast
Efkays Homestay
Day 5
Mysore to Nagarhole – 90kms
This morning leave Mysore and drive to Nagarhole National Park for a two night stay. Widely considered to be the finest reserve in southern India, Nagarhole supports a diverse range of animals including tiger, bison and elephant, leopard and sloth bear, jackal, gaur, sambar, chital and barking deer. The reserve is also home to over 250 different species of bird drawn to the Kabini and Taraka reservoirs located on the eastern edge of the park.
- Breakfast,
- Dinner
KAAV Safari Lodge
Red Earth Kabini
Evolve Back Kabini
Day 6
Nagarhole
With an expert naturalist, today visit Nagarhole National Park on early morning and evening game safaris. Established in 1955, Nagarhole is a beautiful reserve and predominately consisting of deciduous forest. The reserve covers a large area to the north of the Kabini River.
- Breakfast,
- Dinner
KAAV Safari Lodge
Red Earth Kabini
Evolve Back Kabini
Day 7
Nagarhole to Sultans Battery – 80kms
After breakfast leave Nagarhole and drive to Sultan's Battery, a small town in the Western Ghats, known for some of India's finest coffee, cardamom and vanilla producers. Stay two nights at Amaryllis – a charming homestay with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. You may alternatively wish to upgrade to Tranquil, a secluded 70 year old plantation bungalow on the Kuppamudi Coffee Estate.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Amaryllis Homestay
Tranquil Resort
Day 8
Sultans Battery
Today enjoy Amaryllis and the surrounding area. Swim in the hotel’s beautiful pool or relax with a good book. The bird watching is excellent, both at Amaryllis and at the nearby Karaphuza Dam, and, for the more energetic, there are a variety of different self-guided walking trails to discover.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Amaryllis Homestay
Tranquil Resort
Day 9
Sultans Battery to Coonoor – 135kms
This morning leave Sultan's Battery and continue to Coonoor, a small town close to its more famous but busier neighbour, Ooty. Framed by picturesque hills, covered in coffee and tea plantations, Coonoor has an interesting market and is an ideal base from which to visit Ooty and surrounding countryside.
- Breakfast,
- Dinner
Tranquilitea Coonoor
Day 10
Coonoor – visit Ooty
Following breakfast head to the historic hill station of Ooty. The capital of the Nilgiri ‘Blue Mountain’ district, Ooty was one of the places where the British escaped the summer heat of plains. Visit the well-maintained botanical gardens which have over 1,000 varieties of plants, shrubs and trees then, in the afternoon, travel outside of Ooty to visit a local Thoda village whose inhabitants are one of the ancient people of India and who are found exclusively in the Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu.
- Breakfast,
- Dinner
Tranquilitea Coonoor
Day 11
Coonoor to Mettupalayam – by train / Mettupalayam to Coimbatore – 35kms
Today transfer to Coonoor railway station to ride the famous Nilgiri Mountain Railway to Mettupalayam. One of the steepest lines in Asia, the views and scenery as you descend are breathtaking with the train passing through 16 tunnels and crossing 250 bridges. Upon arriving into Mettupalayam you will be met by your driver and taken to nearby Coimbatore where you will stay overnight.
- Breakfast
Residency Towers, Coimbatore
Vivanta Coimbatore
Day 12
Coimbatore to Kochi – 300kms
After breakfast leave Coimbatore and drive to Kochi. Founded by Vasco-da-Gama in 1502, Kochi quickly developed into a major port and was the centre of the spice trade on India’s Malabar Coast. The historic fort, with its picturesque collection of tumble-down buildings, vibrant bougainvillea and a languid palm-fringed harbour, Portuguese, Dutch and British settlers have all influenced this charming city.
- Breakfast
Eighth Bastion
Malabar House
Brunton Boatyard Hotel
Day 13
Kochi
Enjoy a full day of sightseeing today with your guide. Starting on foot, visit the church of St Francis, the oldest European church in India, then walk to the town's waterfront. Here you will encounter the iconic Chinese fishing nets and bustling fish stalls. In the afternoon visit Mattancherry Palace and the town's fine synagogue, which is over 450 years old. The area around the synagogue is known for its many antique and curio shops which you are free to explore. End the day with a scenic sunset cruise around the busy harbour.
- Breakfast
Eighth Bastion
Malabar House
Brunton Boatyard Hotel
Day 14
Kochi to Alleppey - 75kms
Drive south along the coast to Alleppey, gateways to the Keralan backwaters, to join your own private houseboat for a two night cruise. Authentic and comfortable, all meals are cooked on board and the boat is staffed with a captain, a deck hand and a cook. Spend the remainder of day cruising the beautiful and peaceful backwaters.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Spice Coast Cruises
Day 15
Keralan Backwaters
Today is at leisure. The backwaters are a network of glistening lakes, coconut shaded canals and twisting estuaries. Witness charming, thatched cottages bright with hibiscus and the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets that hang over the water's edge. Witness daily local life as you cruise on your authentic houseboat.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Spice Coast Cruises
Day 16
Alleppey to Mararikulam – 15kms
Disembark your houseboat after breakfast and continue the short distance to Mararikulam. Here you will stay for three nights at the Marari Beach Resort, a beachside property set within twenty-five acres of coconut groves where facilities include an excellent restaurant, large swimming pool and Ayurveda centre.
- Breakfast
Marari Beach Resort
Day 17-18
Mararikulam
At leisure to relax and enjoy Marari.
- Breakfast
Marari Beach Resort
Day 19
Mararikulam to Kochi – 65kms / Kochi to the UK
Today you will be met and transferred back to Kochi Airport in good time to catch your flight to the UK via the Middle East.
- Breakfast
Extending your stay...
Include a stay at the delightful Indian Summer House. Set in the tiny hamlet of Muvattapuzha, explore the local area, take a yoga class or relax beside the welcoming pool. Travel here from Coimbatore then continue to the backwaters, visiting Kochi at the end of the holiday.
Coorg is a picturesque region where the hilly Ghats meet the eastern edge of the Mysore plateau. Discover pastoral villages, coffee plantations, Buddhist settlements and indigenous communities. Include after Nagarhole then continue to Sultan’s Battery as planned.
Explore the extraordinary ruins of Hampi. One-time capital of the Vijayanagara Empire and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site the remains at Hampi cover a vast area and are exceptionally well preserved. Fly from Bangalore to Vidyanagar, the nearest airport.
Discover the beautiful Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebid, located approximately midway between Hampi and Mysore. Dating to the 12th century, the temples are noted for their detailed craftsmanship, showcasing intricate carvings and sculptures.
Guide to Price
19 days from £4435 - £4750 per person
What's Included
- International flights
- Private car with English speaking driver
- Sightseeing with local English speaking guides
- Hotel accommodation and taxes
What's Not Included
- Cost of visas
- Travel Insurance
- Expenses of a personal nature
from £4435 - £4750
Travel Information
Getting There
British Airways fly direct from London Heathrow to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Virgin Atlantic have daily flights to Delhi and Vistara fly direct to Delhi. Emirates, Oman Air, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways also have excellent connections via their respected hubs to Kolkata, Kochi, Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Goa, Jaipur and Lucknow and fly from airports all over the UK.
Flying Times From UK
Direct flights from the UK take between 8 and 10 hours depending on the destination. Flights with stops en-route take between 12 and 14 hours.
Time Zone
India is +5½ hours ahead of GMT.
Visa Requirements
Holders of British Citizen passports are able to apply for an e-Tourist Visa (eTV). There are three different eTVs - a one month eTV (valid for 30 days), a one year eTV (valid for 365 days) and a five year eTV (valid for 5 years). Applications for the one month eTV can only be made within 30 days of travel to India. Applications for the one year eTV and five year eTV can only be made within 120 days of travel to India.
Please note that the very latest an Indian eTV application can be made is 4 days prior to travel to India. The eTV becomes active from the date of entry into India. It is not valid for Protected or Restricted areas.
All international passengers arriving in India are required to complete an e-Arrival Card up to 72 hours prior to arrival India. This applies to all nationalities and must be submitted online via the official portal https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival
Do’s & Don’ts
Smoking and drinking in public places is prohibited in India – with smoking this includes public areas in hotels, restaurants and bars.
E-cigarettes and related products are banned in India. You will be unable to buy e-cigarettes or bring them into the country.
Always ask permission before entering a temple and remember to remove your shoes and any leather objects such as bags, belts or wallets. It is fine to wear socks.
When in a Buddhist temple you should always walk in a clockwise direction with the main building to your right.
Modest, loose-fitting clothing is preferable and is essential when visiting religious places. When visiting a Sikh Gurudwara the head needs to be covered.
Permission should always be asked before taking a person’s picture.
When eating, only the right hand should be used. Indian culture considers the left hand to be unclean.
Money
The currency of India is the Indian Rupee (INR) and comes in notes and coins. Exchanging money is easy and can be done at international airports, most hotels or banks and it is always a good idea to ask for some small denomination Rupee notes. ATMs are now common and reliable in all main cities and credit cards are widely accepted by most hotels, shops and restaurants. In rural areas or wildlife reserves ATMs and money exchange facilities are limited so having cash is essential.
Please note that there are restrictions on bringing Indian rupees into India. Visitors, including tourists, are not permitted to bring any amount of Indian currency into the country. Pounds sterling and other foreign currencies are allowed to be brought into India. For more information please visit the FCO’s Foreign Travel Advice for India.
Tipping
This is left to your discretion, however, tipping for good service in India is part of everyday life. In restaurants and for room service a 10% tip is appreciated and at smaller hotels and homestays a communal ‘tip box’ is common.
For drivers and guides, hotel staff and at national parks, the following amounts should act as a guideline. Please note that these figures are based on two people travelling together:
Tour driver: INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Tour guide: INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Naturalist (national parks): INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Jeep Driver (national parks): INR 500 per day & per safari (not per person)
Hotels (communal tip for all staff): INR 1000 to INR 1500 per day (not per person)
Food & Drink
India is known the world over for its food and especially its vegetarian cuisine. Spice plays an important role in dishes throughout the country as do breads, rice, pickles and chutneys. Although nearly every region has its own speciality, there is a divide between the cuisine of northern India and southern India – the north with its meat dishes influenced by the Mughals and the lighter, fruitier, coconut based dishes of the south. Desserts are common in India with kulfi ice cream and gulab jamun two of the best known and most popular. Nearly all tend to be very sweet, milk based or fried.
The most common drink in India is chai tea which can be bought on nearly every street corner. The yoghurt drink lassi – whether sweet, salty or fruity – is also easy to find. The popularity of coffee has spread from the south whilst Indian beer is well-respected. There is also a fledgling wine industry centred on Nashik in Maharashtra.
Accommodation
There is a huge breadth of accommodation in India with styles varying across the country. India is famed for its heritage properties, the majority of which tend to be found in the north of India. These come in all shapes and sizes from beautifully restored buildings and luxury palaces operated by distinguished hotel groups to small privately owned forts and ancestral homes.
Homestays are also very popular and found throughout the country. Whether a grand and luxurious family residence, heritage property or simple abode, they offer a high level of service and a unique glimpse into everyday Indian life. Please let us know if you would like to include a homestay into your itinerary. In more remote regions, hotels are likely to be clean and simple whilst wildlife accommodation is generally either in jungle lodges or comfortable tented camps. For those looking to relax there are many excellent beachside hotels and an increasing number of retreats specialising in both Ayurveda and yoga.
Shopping
With wholesale markets and bazaars, innumerable shops and stores, India is a shopper’s paradise. The country is best known for carpets and dhurries with Rajasthan, Kashmir and Leh best for these. There is also a bewildering range of clothing, fabric and leatherwear found not only in the smallest of villages but also the largest cities. Gems, silver and jewellery (valuable or costume) are popular throughout the country but especially in Jaipur and Hyderabad whilst Kochi is noted for its antiques. Spices can be bought all over India but purchased straight from plantations in the south. Darjeeling, Assam and the Western Ghats in south India are all known for tea.
Suggested Reading
For India travel advice, Footprint, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet and Bradt have excellent guide books whilst Nelles Maps have comprehensive and up to date maps of the Indian subcontinent. There is also a wide range of literature including from famed authors such as RK Narayan, Vikram Seth, Paul Scott, VS Naipaul, Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie. Vivek Shanbhag's more recently translated book 'Ghachar Ghochar' also comes highly recommended. Other good books on India include:
‘India: A History’ by John Keay
‘The Great Arc’ by John Keay
‘No Full Stops in India’ by Mark Tully
‘India in Slow Motion’ by Mark Tully and Gillian Wright
‘City of Djinns’ by William Dalrymple
‘White Mughals’ by William Dalrymple
‘Chasing the Monsoon’ by Alexander Frater
‘The Tears of the Rajas’ by Ferdinand Mount
‘Plain Tales from the Raj’ by Charles Allen
‘Mughal Architecture and Gardens’ by George Michell
'Tea, Love and War: Searching for English Roots in Assam' by David Mitchell
Health
Your doctor is the best person to advise you on staying healthy whilst abroad but current recommended vaccinations are Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus and Diphtheria. Yellow Fever is compulsory, but only if you have visited an affected Yellow Fever area within 5 days prior to your arrival. In some instances anti-malarial tablets may also be needed. For current information on health advice you may wish to visit the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website Travel Health Pro on https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/. The Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA) website (www.masta.org) is also a useful resource.
Travel Advice
For current information on India the best resource is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) which is a comprehensive resource and updated regularly. We would also recommend visiting the Safer Tourism Foundation website (safertourism.org.uk) before you travel and will be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.
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Our Reviews
What our clients say
We truly had the holiday of a lifetime
CM - India - March 2024
We truly had the holiday of a lifetime thanks to the exceptional guides and drivers we met along our trip in Northern India. The itinerary had the perfect balance of tours, travel days and rest days for us and was meticulously planned and executed. We'd love to use Pettitts Travel again in the future and will absolutely be returning to India.
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Helping you to design your trip
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