Day 1 - Thursday

Bombay, Chennai (Madras)

Meeting in Bombay International airport and go for a tour of this enormous city, the commercial center and most populous city in India with over 10 million inhabitants. Bombay is, in fact, an island linked to the land by bridges, and the city has grown and expanded through the drying up of the sea.

We will visit the Gateway of India, a triumphal arch built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay in 1911.

We will also go and see the Gothic style Clock Tower and High Court of Justice. We will go to Dhobi Ghat, the famous outdoor ‘laundry’ and will continue touring the beautiful sights of Bombay.

In the afternoon, we will drive back to the airport for the flight south to Chennai.

Transfer to the hotel.

Day 2 - Friday

Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram

After breakfast, we will go to Kanchipuram, capital of the Pallava dynasty, and visit the Kamkashi Amman Temple, one of the three holy places of Sakthi worship in India, that dates back to the first millennium. We will visit this fascinating complex and see the hall of the 100 pillars, the golden cupola and the holy areas of the temple.

From there we will go to Mahabalipuram, also known as the City of Seven Pagodas. This town, 85 kilometers from Madras, is a quiet holiday town with magnificent 16th century Pallava dynasty architecture. We will see the amazing stone statues and some of the many gods from the Indian pantheon.

Day 3 - Saturday

Chennai (Madras), Madurai

Today we will do a comprehensive tour of Madras.

We will go Fort St. George and St. Mary’s Church, both built in 1653 under British rule. We will see a plethora of different architectural styles, a combination of East and West that works together very well.

We will go on to St. Thomas Cathedral, named after Thomas who asked to be buried here on the shores of the city considered to be the most beautiful in the area.

Flight to Madurai.

Transfer to the hotel.

Day 4 - Sunday

Madurai

Today we will tour Madurai, also known as the City of Festivals.

In the past, this city was a center of culture and of Dravidian architecture. The city was built around the Meenakshi Temple, one of the most important for the Hindis. 15.000 people visit here daily! Meenakshi was built in 1560 and dedicated to the god Shiva and his wife Meenakshi. The entire place is a fantastic piece of art filled with statues, engravings, a hall with 1000 pillars and countless stories and legends... Access to some of the prayer halls is for Hindis only. Some people come here to get blessings from an elephant which places its trunk on their head.

Afternoon free. The market around the temple is full of shops and includes an underground section with fast, deft tailors waiting to make you a suit or a dress in one hour!

In the evening, we will go and watch an exciting ceremony in which a statue of Meenakshi is carried to Shiva’s bedroom for the night.

Day 5 - Monday

Maduari, Munnar

After breakfast we will depart for Munnar, a serene little mountain town where nature has remained unspoiled.

Check in at the hotel to freshen up.

Later, we will take a jeep tour to see the hill tribes and the tea plantations that are typical of this region. We will see tea picking on the steep slopes and we will go to the oldest and highest altitude tea factory in India.

On our way back to Munnar, we will go back to the border between the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu via fantastic landscapes and scenery.

We will go to the first Catholic Church built in the area and to the old city of Munnar.

Day 6 - Tuesday

Munnar, Periyar

After breakfast we will head for Periyar.

We will get there around midday and check in to the hotel.

Later we will go out to a spice shop which will tantalize our senses and leave us open-mouthed at the abundance, enormous choice, and display of colors. Spices are the speciality of this part of India and we will come across them all along. We will be given an explanation about their origins and their main properties and be advised how and where to use them (when cooking rice for example).

Later, those who wish to can go for a boat ride on the lake and, if they are lucky, they will catch a glimpse of some of the wildlife that lives in the area. We are likely to see elephants, bison, tigers and monkeys (let’s keep our fingers crossed that we see as many as possible...) in this wonderful nature reserve with an enchanting atmosphere.

Day 7 - Wednesday

Luxury Houseboat trip, a great experience

If you thought you have already seen it all, think again... our bus will take us to Kottayam where we will be allotted our rooms with adjoining bathrooms on houseboats (2-3 rooms per boat) and settle back to await our departure from the wharf on our journey to getting closer to nature and to the daily lives of the local people.

We will see fishermen casting their nets, women doing their washing in the river waters, wild ducks swimming alongside our boat and much more in this area that is the heart of what is known as the Backwaters.

In the evening when the stars come out, we will anchor at the wharf.

Both lunch and dinner will be served on the boat trip.

Day 8 - Thursday

Continuation of cruise, Cochin

At dawn we can watch as nature and the locals wake up... the sun rising, the sound of the birds first thing in the morning, the sun rays across the quiet waters - what a great way to begin the day!

After breakfast we will continue on our boat trip and watch the people and animals that live along the river as they bathe, wash their clothes and go about their lives, fishing or tending their crops.

At the end of the route, we will switch to smaller boats and continue into lagoons and get closer to the fishermen’s villages.

When we finish this fascinating trip, we will make our way to Cochin, a port city in the state of Kerala in southwestern India.

Transfer to the hotel.

In the evening we will go to the city theater to see a folkloric show typical of this part of India. Part of the performance is a performance of martial arts with swords and shields, developed 1000 years ago because of the local people’s need for a way of defending themselves. We will also see the complex make-up application process and how facial expressions are used as a form of communication.

Day 9-10 - Friday, Saturday

Cochin

During these two days, we will tour the city of Cochin and see the port, the Dutch Palace, the synagogue and the Jewish quarter.

Some Jews came to Cochin from Spain and Portugal in the 16th century to escape the Inquisition, and others came from Iraq, Yemen and Germany. They were nicknamed Paradesi, which means ’foreigners’ in the local Malayalam dialect. The first synagogue in Cochin was built in 1568 next to the Maharajah’s Palace.

We will also visit Fort Kochi, St. Francis’ Church and the Ernakulam public park.

We will see the Chinese fishing nets and, of course, we cannot miss out on the Broadway shopping center.

In the afternoon we will take a boat out of the harbour to watch the sun set in a romantic setting.

Free time to go to the markets and do our own thing.

Day 11 - Sunday

Cochin, Bombay

We begin our journey home: transfer to the airport for the flight to Bombay.

END OF SERVICES.

Bombay, Chennai (Madras), Madurai, Munnar, Periyar,
The Backwaters, Cochin

Guided tours in: Bombay, Chennai (Madras), Madurai, Cochin Special visits: Bombay: Gateway of India, Dhobi Ghat - the outdoor 'laundry'. Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram: The Temples. Madras: Fort St. George, St Mary’s Church, St Thomas Cathedral. Madurai: Meenakshi Temple. Periyar: Visit to a spice shop. Kumarakom: Bird Sanctuary. Boat Trip from Kottayam to Alleppey to the famous Backwaters. Cochin: Port, Dutch Palace, Synagogue, Jewish quarter, Fort, St Francis Church, Ernakulam Park.   Domestic flights abroad Hotels: First class and good tourist class. Double rooms with adjoining bathrooms. Meals: Full breakfast throughout the tour. Air-conditioned bus for all touring and transfers Experienced, professional guide Visa: Please check with your travel agent Visits: Entrance fees included as per the itinerary   The price also includes: local airport taxes, fuel tax as per 6/1/07, tips for services rendered. The price does not include: international air, optional tours, travel insurance. We recommend that you read the chapter at the end of the brochure devoted to general information and general terms. TOUR CODE: OIS Arrival date to destination Land only - per person in USD 2007 Sep 20 $2,350 Oct 18 $2,350 Nov 15 $2,350 Dec 6 $2,350 2008 Jan 3 $2,350 Feb 7 $2,350 Mar 6 $2,350 Apr 3 $2,350 Sep 4, 18 $2,425 Oct 2, 162, 30 $2,425 Nov 13, 27 $2,425 Dec 4, 18 $2,425 2009 Jan 1, 15, 29 $2,425 Feb 5, 19 $2,425 Mar 5, 19 $2,425 Apr 2, 16 $2,425