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Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Grand Tour of Southern India & Kerala

17-day escorted tour through southern India by rail, coach and houseboat

Illustration of Grand Tour of Southern India & Kerala

Great Rail Journeys operates this 17-day escorted tour of southern India and Kerala, departing from London Heathrow and ending in Chennai. The journey begins with two nights in Bengaluru, moves through the hill stations and tea plantations of Tamil Nadu aboard the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (Asia's steepest rack-and-pinion railway), then descends to the Malabar Coast to explore Kochi's colonial heritage and Kerala's backwaters by luxury houseboat. The tour wraps with visits to the ancient temples of Madurai and coastal Chennai. Throughout, a UK Tour Manager leads the group, local guides conduct city and temple tours, and stays are in 3- to 5-star hotels. Days combine guided sightseeing (Mysore Palace, the Meenakshi Amman Temple's 14 towers, the Thousand Pillar Hall) with free time for independent exploration. Breakfast and dinner are provided each day along with four lunches and all guided excursions, making this tour a complete package for travellers seeking comfort and expert leadership through India's southern region.

What to know before you look closer

  • A British visa for India is required; assistance is available up to 21 days before departure.
  • The single supplement is substantial at GBP 3,949 compared to the double price of GBP 2,799 per person; solo travellers should factor this into their budget.
  • The tour involves flights between cities (Madurai to Chennai) and long coach journeys on some days; this is not exclusively a rail journey.
  • Optional activities such as Ayurveda massage, canoe and kayak rides, and the Mamallapuram excursion are payable locally and not included.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: In flight

    Direct flight to southern India

    Holiday begins at London Heathrow. Meet the Tour Manager and fellow travellers, then board a direct flight to Bengaluru.

  2. Day 2overnight: Bengaluru

    Arrival in Bengaluru

    Plane lands in Bengaluru ('IT Capital of India', formerly Bangalore). Check in to five-star hotel, free time to explore, then welcome meeting and first dinner together. Stops include Tipu's Palace and Lalbagh Botanical Garden area.

    Meals: Dinner

  3. Day 3overnight: Mysuru

    To Mysuru, a city of palaces

    Walking tour of Bengaluru including Vidhana Soudha and Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens, then visit Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace. Coach journey to Mysuru through lush countryside. Check in to Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Mysore.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  4. Day 4overnight: Mysuru

    Discovering ornate palaces and temples in Mysuru

    Sightseeing tour with local guide: Mysore Palace, St Philomena's Church, Srirangapatna (temples and forts), Chamundi Hill and Sri Chamundeswari Temple, Nandi Hindu temple, local market. Free time for lunch.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  5. Day 5overnight: Ooty

    To Ooty, the 'Queen of the Hill Stations'

    Travel south by coach through Bandipur National Park and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve to Ooty in the Nilgiri Hills. Free afternoon for independent sightseeing. Hotel overlooks the Nilgiri Hills.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  6. Day 6overnight: Ooty

    Exploring floral Ooty in the Nilgiri Mountains

    Guided sightseeing tour: Botanical Garden (600+ varieties of flora), Doddabetta peak (second-highest in southern India), lunch at colonial-era hilltop hotel, St Stephen's Church (built 1830), local market.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  7. Day 7railovernight: Coimbatore

    The Nilgiri Mountain Railway – Asia's steepest

    Two rail journeys through the Nilgiri Mountains. Toy train from Ooty to Coonoor (through tunnels, bridges, misty mountains and tea plantations). Walking tour of Coonoor and tea factory visit. Lunch at local restaurant. Continue on steam-hauled Nilgiri Mountain Railway to Mettupalayam (steepest railway in Asia between Coonoor and Kallar). Coach to Coimbatore for overnight stay.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  8. Day 8railovernight: Kochi

    Journey to the Malabar Coast by rail

    Free morning in Coimbatore (optional Gedee Car Museum). Early afternoon board the Intercity Express with packed lunch to Kochi, Kerala. Five-star hotel beside Vembanad Lake. Dinner together.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  9. Day 9overnight: Kochi

    Guided tour of Kochi, 'Queen of the Arabian Sea'

    Guided sightseeing tour: Paradesi Synagogue (oldest active synagogue in India), Fort Kochi, St Francis' Church (oldest European church on the subcontinent, original burial site of Vasco da Gama), Chinese Fishing Nets, Mattancherry Palace, Hill Palace, Dhobi Khana. Free afternoon. Kathakali dance performance before dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  10. Day 10overnight: Kumarakom

    Scenic cruise along Kerala's idyllic backwaters

    Morning at leisure (pool, spa, harbour stroll). Coach to Alleppey to board luxury houseboat cruise through Kerala backwaters. Glide across Vembanad Lake and through canals and rivers to Kumarakom. Lunch, tea and coffee served on board. Check in to lakeside hotel.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  11. Day 11overnight: Kumarakom

    Uncovering the allures of Coconut Lagoon

    Free morning at hotel (pool, Ayurveda Centre, Butterfly Garden, canoe/kayak rides – payable locally). Afternoon: Kumarakom Village guided walk. Shikhara boat ride to Manjira village to discover coconut tree climbing, coir-making and coconut leaf weaving. Taste coconut water and Kerala toddy. Return to hotel for dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  12. Day 12overnight: Thekkady

    On to the atmospheric spice village of Thekkady

    Coach inland through Ghat Mountains to Thekkady, passing roadside stalls and spice plantations (cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric). Free time for lunch. Periyar Lake boat ride through wildlife sanctuary (elephants, bison, sambar deer, birds). Coach back to hotel (Spice Village) for dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  13. Day 13overnight: Madurai

    A spiced journey to the ancient Tamil city of Madurai

    Morning walking tour of Thekkady spice plantation with expert guide (garlic, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg). Opportunity to purchase spices. Coach descent of Ghat Mountains back into Tamil Nadu to Madurai. Check in to The Gateway Hotel Pasumalai (former country club, tropical modernism architecture). Dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  14. Day 14overnight: Madurai

    Touring Madurai, the 'City That Never Sleeps'

    Sightseeing tour with local guide: Thirumalai Nayak Palace (17th century), Meenakshi Amman Temple (Dravidian-style, Thousand Pillar Hall, Golden Lotus Pond, 14 gopuram towers), Gandhi Memorial Museum. Free afternoon at leisure. Dinner at hotel.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  15. Day 15overnight: Chennai

    A short flight to Chennai on the Bay of Bengal

    Early morning to Madurai airport for internal flight to Chennai (formerly Madras), capital of Tamil Nadu. Sightseeing tour: Madras War Cemetery, Marina Beach (second-longest urban beach in the world), San Thome Cathedral Basilica, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, George Town flower market. Check in to five-star hotel. Dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  16. Day 16overnight: In flight

    Free day in Tamil Nadu and homeward bound

    Day at leisure in Chennai. Optional excursion to Mamallapuram (UNESCO World Heritage site, 7th–8th century Hindu monuments – payable locally) or explore Chennai independently (Fort St George, St Mary's Church). Late afternoon depart hotel for airport, overnight journey home via Delhi.

    Meals: Breakfast

  17. Day 17

    Arrival in London

    Fly in to London Heathrow via Dubai. Holiday comes to a close as we arrive back in London early this morning.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 7Board the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Asia's steepest rack-and-pinion railway, for two journeys through misty mountains and tea plantations from Ooty through Coonoor to Mettupalayam.
  • Day 8Travel by Intercity Express to Kochi on the Malabar Coast, arriving at a five-star hotel beside Vembanad Lake.
  • Day 9Tour Kochi's colonial landmarks including the oldest European church on the subcontinent and watch a traditional Kathakali dance performance.
  • Day 10Cruise on a luxury houseboat through Kerala's palm-lined backwaters and lagoons from Alleppey to Kumarakom.
  • Day 14Explore Madurai's Meenakshi Amman Temple with its 14 gopuram towers, Golden Lotus Pond, and Thousand Pillar Hall, one of India's oldest cities.

Included

  • Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 14 nights' 3, 4 & 5-Star hotel accommodation
  • Standard Class, AC Chair Class and non-AC Chair Class rail travel
  • All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout the tour
  • Flights from London Heathrow to Bangalore and Chennai to London Heathrow via Delhi
  • All internal flights
  • Breakfast and dinner each day, 4 lunches
  • Group luggage transfers between hotels from Coimbatore to Kochi and Madurai to Chennai
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance
  • Visa (British Citizens require a visa to enter India; assistance available up to 21 days before departure)
  • Tips (recommended £37 to cover all necessary services, payable to Tour Manager at end of holiday)
  • Optional activities payable locally (e.g. Ayurveda herbal massage, canoe/kayak rides, sunset cruise, Mamallapuram excursion)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The tour includes Standard Class, AC Chair Class, and non-AC Chair Class rail travel. Key journeys are the Nilgiri Mountain Railway from Ooty to Mettupalayam (described as Asia's steepest) and the Intercity Express to Kochi.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager throughout, and all sightseeing tours are led by local guides.
What is included in the price?
The price includes 14 nights in 3- to 5-star hotels, all rail and coach travel, internal flights (Madurai to Chennai), breakfast and dinner daily plus four lunches, all guided tours and excursions, and group luggage transfers between hotels from Coimbatore onwards.
What is not included?
Travel insurance, India visa, tips (GBP 37 recommended), and optional activities such as Ayurveda massage, boat rides, and the Mamallapuram excursion are not included.
When does the tour depart?
Great Rail Journeys offers departures in October, November, December, January, February, and March across 2026 and 2027.
How much walking is involved?
The tour includes guided walking tours of cities, botanical gardens, palace grounds, tea plantations, and markets, plus some stair climbing at temples and monuments. Most transfers between destinations are by coach or rail.

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