South India. Elephants, tea plantations, cities and the sea

Price

€2050

Days

Tour description

We will travel from the heart of India - Mumbai to Kochi, the legendary port of the Malabar coast, on the way visiting four vibrant southern states.

Explore the sophisticated British architecture of Mumbai - the stunning Indian metropolis
Follow the trail of the kings in Hampi, the capital of the ancient Vijayanagara empire
Observe the unusual traditional dances of Kathakali in Kochi
Enjoy the quiet beaches of Gokarna and meet wild elephants and bisons
Take a walk around tea plantations near the Munnar mountain resort town
Watch unusual religious ceremonies in the main shrine of South India - the temple of Sri Meenakshi Amman.

Tour departures

25 November 2025 - 11 December 2025

€2050

Book

The price of the tour includes

Accommodation during the entire trip
All transportation
Professional guiding services.

What is NOT included

Flight to Mumbai and from Kochi back home. (Let us know if you need help finding the best deals)
Entrance fees to attractions, including museums, palaces and parks ($50)
Food ($15 per person per day)
Insurance (mandatory)
Visa ($40).

Tour map

Tour itinerary

Day 1-2

Mumbai, Kolaba district, Gateway of India and Taj Hotel, House of Mahatma Gandhi, Babulnath Shiva temple

We arrive in Mumbai, the business capital of the country, and begin our group trip to India. We check into a hotel near the famous Victoria Terminus, a Gothic-revival style central raiway station open since 1853. After a short rest, we begin to explore the historic district of Kolaba. The narrow streets here are intertwined with wide avenues between the elegant buildings of the British period. Observing the vibrant local life, we reach the Marine drive, a seafront of the Arabian Sea. This is a favorite walking place of Mumbai residents. It also boasts the Gateway of India and the famous Taj Hotel.

We reach Sassoon docks, the oldest docks in the city to observe the daily work in full swing - ships that have seen better times mooring, men pushing wooden carts with a catch, women peeling shrimps. There are no tourists here! We leave for one of the main temples of the city - Babulnath. Here Hindu devotees come to perform their vivid ceremonies, decorating the statues of the gods with garlands of fresh flowers and dressing them in expensive silk clothes.

By metro we reach Chowpatty Beach, and then walk to the house-museum of Mahatma Gandhi. The father of the Indian nation lived in this building from 1917 to 1934, and was arrested on this terrace on January 4, 1932. His bedroom is completely preserved - it seems that the owner went out shortly and will return any minute.

Day 3-5

Hampi, 12th century temples and palaces

We take a comfortable night bus to Hospet (15 hours on the way), a small city in the state of Karnataka. There we take bright rickshaws and in about half an hour arrive in the neighboring village of Hampi, and check into simple houses in a picturesque place.

Hampi is a very beautiful village by the river. But a few centuries ago, it was the capital of the grandiose empire of Vijayanagara, which unified all of South India! Majestic times left many grand palaces and temples in Hampi and neighboring villages. They breathe history, have few visitors, and the atmosphere is very special. Did we mention the very unusual landscape of these places - boulders of various shapes and sizes scattered for tens of kilometers? The famous Indian "Ramayana" epic has a good explanation for such unusual views!

We take a night bus (or jeeps in the daytime) to the town of Gokarna (about 9 hours on the way) where we will continue our guided tour to India.

Day 6-9

Beaches of Gokarna, Holy Om beach, Portuguese architecture, Mysore, Palace of rajas

We arrive in Gokarna - a small city on the coast of the Arabian Sea and check into simple houses on the beach. An ancient Indian city, then a Portuguese colony, and a favorite place of western hippies - this town has a rich history. For two days we will be enjoying the picturesque sunrises and sunsets, relaxing on the wonderful beaches, walking through the wild jungle, admiring the colonial architecture, and watching ceremonies in small temples.

We continue our guided tour to India and leave for Mysore by night bus and check into a hotel. We will walk around the old market to see and choose the famous local spices and incense. We also will explore the palace of the rulers of the kingdom of Mysore. Interestingly, this Indian kingdom fought against the British colonists for more than forty years and became one of the last to join the lands of the East India Company.

Tour leaders

Yevgeniy Ikhelzon

co-founder, tour leader

Sergiy Pylypenko

tour guide

Is this trip for you?

This trip is of easy physical grade. It consists of visiting cities, small towns and villages. The trip includes long city walks and short easy hikes in the national park. We will also take two overnight comfortable bus (or train) rides with sleeping benches and air conditioning and several short bus trips lasting up to 6 hours. Accommodation in double/twin rooms of tourist class hotels, guesthouses and simple bungalows on the beach. All will have attached bathroom with hot water, most of them will also have wifi internet.