Day 1: (Sunday) CHENNAI / TRANSFER TO MAMALLAPURAM.
Welcome to Chennai - the largest city in south India. Established in 1639 as one of four divisions of the country under Imperial British rule, it is today is a significant gateway to southern India. If you are combining this tour with our Northern Jewels, you may arrange any connecting flight from Delhi to Madras International Airport in Chennai from 4:00 pm in the afternoon. For all others, please plan to arrive in Chennai any time before 6:30 pm. Our local staff will be waiting at the airport throughout the day, ready with a warm greeting and to assist with luggage collection. At 6:30 pm, our private transportation will depart the airport for our hotel, the Chariot Beach Resort in Mamallapuram, a drive that will take about two hours. Located in the state of Tamil Nadu, Mamallapuram is an enclave of sun, seafood and sand. In addition to the beach, the town is famous for its ancient rock carvings, especially the Shore Temple that we will see tomorrow. Once the second capital and seaport of the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram, Mamallapuram is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains a renowned center for stone carving. Listen and you'll hear the constant tapping of hammers and chisels as artisans chip away at exquisite sculptures. Once at the hotel, you are free to relax and enjoy the facilities of the hotel for the rest of the day.

Day 2: (Monday) MAMALLAPURAM.
Yoga enthusiasts will want to rise early for a morning session with a Yoga master in a serene setting at the hotel. After breakfast we will begin our sightseeing in Mamallapuram. Our tour will include the famed monuments from the 7th century: Arjuna's Penance (bas relief on the face of a huge rock); Five Rathas (architectural prototypes of Dravidian temples which symbolize equality between man and woman); Krishna Mandapam (a rock-cut temple of Krishna); and the Shore Temple (a temple with 2 shrines, for Shiva and for Vishnu).

We will break for a traditional lunch served on a banana leaf.

In the afternoon we will enjoy a demonstration of Sari dressing. Wearing a Sari is an art form, and there are many ways of putting one on. You will find that it takes practice! The sari has long been considered a most elegant and sensuous dress for Indian ladies. A long piece of cloth, in silk, cotton, brocade or hand-embroidered voile, is draped around the waist and worn with an accompanying body-fitting top. There are different ways of draping the sari, depending on the region of India. And like the turban, the style of tying the sari denotes religion and social status. A Sari drapist will illustrate the different styles for us in a fun and entertaining session.
Following our Sari experience, we will be visited by a professional henna artist. Enjoy the art of beautiful, temporary tattoo design on your hand. A henna design called Mehendi is associated with many things. For the bride and groom, a dark design is a sign of good luck. It is common for the names of the couple to be hidden in the design; the wedding night cannot commence until the groom has found the names! Some examples of traditional Mehendi images are the peacock, which is the national bird of India, as well as the lotus flower, or an elephant with a raised trunk, which is a symbol of good luck. Now that we are all dressed up and feeling festive, we will enjoy a special dinner in a local restaurant.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 3: (Tuesday) MAMALLAPURAM / KUMBAKONAM.
Following an early breakfast at about 7.30 am, we will check-out and begin our drive. Travel time to Kumbakonam will take about five and a half hours, which we will break up with several interesting stops including the ancient Chidambaram Temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva.

Our final destination is Kumbakonam, a small Indian town with a busy commercial center nestled along the Cauvery River, and known for the many superb Chola temples scattered around nearby. We will check into our lovely hotel, the Paradise Resort.

(Breakfast)

Day 4 (Wednesday) KUMBAKONAM.
The art of drawing Kolam is a very old practice in South India. It is traditionally practiced by women at the entrance of their home. Dried rice flour or other white powders provide the drawing tool. First thing each morning, the women clean the area just outside their entranceway. Then water is sprinkled on the ground. To draw the kolam, they drop the loose dried flour in a controlled way using their forefinger and thumb. Although there are many traditional kolam patterns, creativity is encouraged. Our guide will delight in explaining that the kolams are not drawn like a picture, but rather are patterns based on a system of design.

After breakfast we will visit Dharasuram Temple, built in memory of the White Elephant Airavath - the greatest of all "vahanas" or the carriages of Gods. Indra, the God of all Gods, chose the Airavath has his carriage. Though other gods were also riding elephants, Airavath was endowed not with just two tusks, but with ten tusks of regal size.

Next is a special visit with Silk Weavers. We will park and walk a short distance to a shop that is only known to the locals in town. Here the weavers will show us their craft and we will marvel at how much exquisite work goes into the weaving. Because this is not a tourist stop, there is no pressure or expectation of purchase. You will see in their friendly faces the pride of workmanship.

(Breakfast).

Day 5: (Thursday) KUMBAKONAM / TANJORE / MADURAI.
This morning we depart for Tanjore, also known as Thanjavur. The city was the ancient capital of the Chola kings, whose origins date back to the beginning of the Christian era. Set on a fertile delta, this region is a great place to be during Pongal, the harvest festival during January. It is celebrated in most parts of South India so it is likely we may see some festivities during our stay. Tanjore is also famous as an important center of South Indian art and architecture. Its art style is distinguished by a combination of raised and painted surfaces. Krishna is the most popular deity depicted, and in the Thanjavur school of painting his skin is white, rather than the traditional blue-black. But the most famous reason of all to visit Tanjore is to see the array of Great Living Chola Temples. Of these, the superb Brihadishwara Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Monument located on the sprawling Maratha Palace complex. It houses one of Asia's largest Nandi - the bull that acts as gate keeper of Shiva and Parvati in Hindu mythology. Temples venerating these gods will display stone images of a seated Nandi, generally facing the main shrine. It is exiting to note that the temple never creates, at any time of day, a shadow on ground . . . its shadow falls on its own footprint.

Next we will visit the Bronze gallery at Palace Museum. The ancient stylized bronze work for which the town is famous is still produced today. At a nearby village you will have the choice to visit a workshop of artists and crafts people. Depending on your interest, you can chose to watch the art of statue making or glass painting. After a demonstration, it will be your chance to try your hand at producing your own work of art.

We will stop at Karaikkudi to experience delicious Chettinadu cuisine for lunch. This special genre of cuisine is cooked with special masalas to tantalize your senses.

In the late afternoon, we will drive to Madurai. the Old city of Tamil Nadu. A center of learning and pilgrimage for centuries, Madurai is also a textile center. The city was the setting for Mahatma Gandhi's announcement, in 1921, to wear nothing but khadi (homespun cloth). Today, tailor shops are everywhere in town. We will check into the Heritance Madurai Hotel with time for relaxation.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 6: (Friday) MADURAI.
A bicycle Rickshaw tour of Madurai is a most memorable way to see the old city. As your cycle peddler meanders through the narrow streets of Madurai, you will be shown the typical life of people here. Interestingly, the choice of travel via the eco-friendly rickshaw puller has fallen into disfavor by the locals who prefer the faster, more modern mode of transport like the auto rickshaw or taxi. Over the course of time, the 120 rickshaw pullers of Madurai were being deprived of a lively hood, without any option to purchase an auto rickshaw. In an effort to support the peddlers and endorse responsible tourism, we extend our tour via rickshaw with a visit to the Meenakshi Temple. Meenakshi Temple is Madurai's landmark monument in the heart of the old town. A riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture, the temple design is a breathtaking profusion of multicolored images of gods, goddesses, animals and mythical figures. Activity here is constant from dawn to dusk, sometimes attracting thousands of visitors a day.

While in town, we will enjoy a visit to the local market, an aromatic experience where flowers, fruits and spices are sold. We'll see the palatial Tirumalai Nayak Palace, a 17th century complex built by an Italian Architect in a classic fusion of Dravidian, Islamic and European styles. The Gandhi Museum is one of the rare living memorials of "The Father of India." Our guide will include a stop to show us the cloth tailoring that the city is known for.

(Breakfast)

Day 7: (Saturday) MADURAI / PERIYAR (THEKKADY).
Today we travel to Periyar in the State of Kerala. Our drive time will take about 4 hours, with stops en route for interesting sightseeing. The name Periyar comes from the Dam made here by the English in 1895. Home to South India's most popular wildlife sanctuary, Periyar is a paradise for viewing such animals as bison, deer, sambar, wild boar, langur, over 1,000 elephants and at least 46 tigers, plus numerous varieties of birds - all of whom are attracted to the artificially created Lake Periyar. Upon arrival in Periyar, we will check-in at the Elephant Court hotel, set in a tropical garden landscape.

In the late afternoon, we'll take a guided plantation tour to a nearby garden where spices and other aromatic plants are cultivated. We suggest you wear closed-toe shoes as it the ground can resemble a jungle walk. Spices growing here include vanilla, black pepper, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and mace, surrounded by coconut palms, bananas and jackfruit. The aroma is incredible! Lastly, if time permits, we will visit a tea nearby factory.

A local family will greet us with a warm welcome to their home. The hostess is a wonderful cook and will demonstrate how to prepare some of her favorite dishes.

(Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 8: (Sunday) PERIYAR (THEKKADY).
Dawn represents the ideal time to view exotic wildlife. With a box breakfast to tide us over, we'll take a Jungle Walk with a Naturalist/Guide at the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Over the course of a safe and easy 3 hour walk, we'll have the chance to see the animals living in this national park. If we are lucky, we may even spot leopards in addition to tigers. Afterwards we will return to the hotel for a late breakfast and a day at leisure. You may choose to lounge by the pool, or enjoy a holistic Ayurveda spa treatment. Ayurveda is not only the ancient Indian science of preventative health and healing, but also a philosophy of living. A relaxing massage with herbal oils is highly rejuvenating and a natural way of feeling better.

In the early evening, we will attend a Kalaripayattyu Show, illustrating the oldest form of martial arts. Legend traces this art form back 3,000 years. It is believed that Kung-Fu, popularized by the monks of the Shaoline Temple, was derived from a Kalaripayattu master.

(Breakfast)

Day 9: (Monday) PERIYAR / BACKWATERS OF ALLEPPEY.
This morning our travel takes us several scenic hours through the beautiful interior landscapes of tea and spice gardens. Before mid-day we will reach the coastal town of Alleppey, located on the Arabian Sea in the heart of Kerala. It is no wonder that Alleppey has been called the Venice of the East. The gorgeous backwaters support a vibrant village life along the tropical shoreline. The land is lush with coconut palms and green rice fields. The primary crop is coconut and it is said that the name Kerala was derived from the old name of kera for coconut.

By noon we'll board our Private Houseboat for lunch and the start of our cruise through a splendid waterway of canals, lakes and coves. Also called kettuvalloms, the house boats of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length. It takes great skill and meticulousness to construct these giants by tying huge planks of jack wood together. Curiously enough, not a single nail is used in their making. Modified to meet a novel concept of holidaying, the kettuvalloms are comfortably furnished with an open lounge, bedrooms, several shared bathrooms and a kitchenette. Every boat is manned by a crew of 3, usually a cook, a guide and an oarsman.

The afternoon can be spent sunbathing on the deck or lounging in the shade of the main cabin. As we drift along, it is amazing to observe how life is lived on the water. People sail, fish, swim, wash their laundry and bathe themselves here. Socializing is a water activity too. It is not unusual to see people talking for an hour or more, while immersed up to their necks in water. Canoes with huge sails still transport the locals and you can find vegetable sellers, fisherman and other household materials being brought door to door in small wooden boats.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).

Day 10: (Tuesday) ALLEPPEY / COCHIN.
We'll awake to a glorious day on the water, followed by a hearty breakfast. Then it's time to bid our captain goodbye and depart for the cosmopolitan city of Cochin, the business capital of Kerala. The drive will only take 1.5 hours, where we will check into our hotel, the Tea Bungalow. Called the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Cochin is believed to be the finest natural harbor in the world. It is also the oldest European settlement in India, recording a long history of visitors who stayed for hundreds of years. Multiple influences - Chinese, Arab, Jewish, British, French and Portuguese - have left their mark on the city and its environs.

There is much to see in Cochin. This afternoon, we will visit historic Fort Cochin and tour St. Francis Church, the oldest European church in India, and Santa Cruz Basilica, originally built in 1557 by the Portuguese. We'll see the unique and still-in-use "Chinese Fishing Nets." These nets were introduced by Chinese traders in the 14th Century. Enjoy a stroll along the narrow lanes lined with charming Dutch and Portuguese buildings, and take in the delightful sites of book-shops, art galleries, cafes. Many sections of this nearly 500-year-old city are still amazingly well preserved.

Early in the evening we will take in a Kathakali Performance. Kathakali is a ritualized dance form that is native to Kerala, with elaborate costumes and makeup. Male dancers portray both male and female roles that tell the stories taken mostly from the epics of the Mahabharatha and Ramayana. Our Farewell dinner is at Malabar House, a restaurant know for it's exceptional cuisine.

(Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 11: (Wednesday) DEPARTURE DAY.
Depending on flight schedules and if time permits, we will make a short en route to the airport to visit the Jewish Synagogue which is closed on Fridays & Saturdays. Then we'll continue to the Cochin Airport for your departure flights home. Plan to schedule your flight anytime in the morning. Please let us know if we can assist in making flight arrangements for you.

(Breakfast)