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Houseboat , Kerala
Meenakshi Temple , Madurai
eighth-century Shore Temple and Five Rathas , a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
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Meals : B , L | InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort or similar
DAY 4 • Mahabalipuram • A Day in the Life of a farming village
Experience A Day in the Life of an Indian farming village , including a visit to a local school and a community lunch with members of the village .
Meals : B , L , D | InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort or similar
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DAY 5 • Overland to Trichy Travel overland to Trichy , an ancient city whose rich history dates back to the third century B . C . |
Meals : B , D | Hotel Blossoms Trichy or similar
DAY 6 • Trichy • Optional Brihadishwara Temple Tour • Home-Hosted Dinner
Travelers may join an optional tour to nearby Thanjavur ’ s most renowned landmark : the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Brihadishwara Temple . We ’ ll regroup tonight as we meet a local family for a Home- Hosted Dinner .
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Meals : B , D | Hotel Blossoms Trichy or similar
DAY 7 • Overland to Madurai Set out for Madurai , a temple city that draws streams of worshippers making puja ( prayer ceremonies ) each day .
Meals : B , L , D | Regency Madurai by GRT Hotel or similar
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DAY 8 • Madurai • Explore Meenakshi Amman Temple • Visit Thirumalai Nayak Palace
Visit Meenakshi Amman Temple , one of the most beautiful temples in all of India , featuring 14 enormous towers ( gopurams ) that are blanketed with elaborate sculptures depicting animals , gods , and demons . Then , visit Thirumalai Nayak Palace , a palace complex built in 1636 to house Nayak kings .
Meals : B | Regency Madurai by GRT Hotel or similar
DAY 9 • Overland to Periyar • Visit a spice plantation
Depart for Thekkady , a spice-trading town in the Cardamum Hills next to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary . Visit a spice plantation to learn about the spices grown here , including pepper , cardamom , cinnamon , and cloves .
Meals : B , D | Greenwoods Resort or similar
DAY 10 • Nature trek in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary • Conversation with a female communist party leader
Enjoy a nature trek in Piriyar Wildlife Sanctuary , one of India ’ s largest wildlife sanctuaries . Later , a female communist party leader will enlighten us about communism ’ s deep roots in Kerala .
Meals : B , D | Greenwoods Resort or similar
DAY 11 • Overland to Nedumudi • Kerala backwater cruise
Visit a rubber plantation on our way to Nedumudi , where we ’ ll board our houseboat and begin our cruise of Kerala ’ s scenic “ backwaters ”— a system of interconnected lagoons , lakes , and canals that stretches along the western edge of Southern India .
Meals : B , L , D | Spice Route Houseboat
DAY 12 • Cruise Kerala ’ s backwaters • Visit backwater villages
Continue our discoveries of Kerala ’ s palm-fringed canals as we embark on smaller shikara boats to explore narrow canals and stop in the small village of Venattukadu . Here , we ’ ll visit a local toddy shop , makeshift establishments that sell a local brew made from fermented coconut palm .
Meals : B , L , D | Spice Route Houseboat
DAY 13 • Overland to Cochin • Kathakali performance
We ’ ll disembark our houseboat and depart for Cochin ( Kochi ), the cosmopolitan “ Queen of the Arabian Sea .” Tonight , enjoy an exclusive Kathakali performance .
Meals : B , L | The Killians Boutique or similar
DAY 15 • Fly to Mumbai Fly to Mumbai ( formerly Bombay ), India ’ s largest city and home to some 18 million residents .
Meals : B | President Hotel Mumbai or similar
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DAY 16 • Mumbai • Visit Dhobi Ghat Visit Dhobi Ghat , Mumbai ’ s open-air laundromat where half a million articles of clothing are laundered each day by hand . Later , enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant .
Meals : B , L , D | President Hotel Mumbai or similar
DAY 17 • Visit Dharavi slum Our destination this morning is Dharavi , a sprawling slum that is home to an estimated one million people and boasts an active black market economy .
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Meals : B , L | President Hotel Mumbai or similar
DAY 18 • Return to U . S . • Or begin post-trip extension
Head to the airport for your return flight to the U . S . via Doha , Qatar . Or fly to Kathmandu to begin your Nepal : Kathmandu , Pokhara & the Himalayas post-trip extension .
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For departure dates & prices , visit www . oattravel . com / soi2025pricing
PERSONALIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE
OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS
Sri Lanka : Colombo , Habarana , Kandy & Matara
PRE-TRIP : 8 nights from $ 2,695
Nepal : Kathmandu , Pokhara & the Himalayas
POST-TRIP : 5 nights from $ 1,895
ARRIVE EARLY We recommend that you relax after a long flight or explore more in depth before your trip . Prices shown include accommodations and private airport transfer .
• Arrive early in Colombo before your Sri Lanka pre-trip extension
• Arrive early in Mahabalipuram before your main adventure
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ASIA |