Skip to content
Experience My India

10 Days South India Tour Package

Private tour

Tour package

This ten-day South India tour combines Tamil Nadu's temple trail — Chennai, Mahabalipuram, the Chola heartland and Madurai — with a crossing into Kerala for the Munnar hills and Alleppey's backwaters, the classic way the two neighbouring states are combined into one trip.

Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 1 Sept 2026

Government-approved operatorApproved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

  • Duration10 days / 9 nights
  • RouteChennai → Backwaters at leisure
  • IncludedHotels, transfers, sightseeing and meals
  • Free cancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before the start
  • Private guide and vehicle
  • Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm ISTA named specialist, the same person from first reply to departure.
  • No payment to start planningYou receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.

Itinerary

  1. Arrive Chennai

    Day 1

    • Met on arrival; Marina Beach and Kapaleeshwarar Temple.

    Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Chennai

  2. Chennai to Mahabalipuram

    Day 2

    • Shore Temple and the rock-cut monuments.

    Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Mahabalipuram

  3. Mahabalipuram to Thanjavur

    Day 3

    • Drive into the Chola heartland, about 4–5 hours.

    Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Thanjavur

  4. Thanjavur temple, on to Madurai

    Day 4

    • Brihadeeswarar Temple in the morning.
    • Drive to Madurai, about 3 hours.

    Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Madurai

  5. Madurai — Meenakshi Temple

    Day 5

    • Full morning at the Meenakshi Amman Temple; afternoon markets.

    Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Madurai

  6. Madurai to Munnar

    Day 6

    • Long scenic drive over the Western Ghats, about 5–6 hours.

    Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Munnar

  7. Munnar tea country

    Day 7

    • Tea estate visit and a viewpoint over the plantations.

    Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Munnar

  8. Munnar to Alleppey

    Day 8

    • Drive down to the backwaters, about 4 hours.
    • Board a houseboat for an overnight cruise.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (on houseboat) · Stay: Houseboat, Alleppey

  9. Backwaters at leisure, to Kochi

    Day 9

    • Disembark after breakfast; drive to Kochi, about 1.5 hours.
    • Afternoon walk through Fort Kochi.

    Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Kochi

  10. Departure

    Day 10

    • Transfer to Kochi airport for your onward flight.

    Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Departure day

Stunning view of Mysore Palace in Karnataka, showcasing its ornate architecture and lush gardens under a cloudy skyDay 1 · Arrive Chennai
Stunning view of Mysore Palace in Karnataka, showcasing its ornate architecture and lush gardens under a cloudy sky

For reference only. The final plan is confirmed in your written quote.

Highlights

  • Travellers who want temples and backwaters in one trip rather than choosing between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
  • Best November to March across both states.
  • Tamil Nadu's temples and Kerala's backwaters, hills and coast are next-door neighbours, and together they make the classic South India trip.

Full description

Tamil Nadu's temples into Kerala's hills and water

Tamil Nadu's temples and Kerala's backwaters, hills and coast are next-door neighbours, and together they make the classic South India trip. This ten-day route runs the Tamil Nadu temple trail first, then crosses the Western Ghats into Kerala for Munnar and the backwaters.

Where you stay

  • Chennai

    1 night · Day 1

  • Mahabalipuram

    1 night · Day 2

  • Thanjavur

    1 night · Day 3

  • Madurai

    2 nights · Days 4–5

  • Munnar

    2 nights · Days 6–7

  • Houseboat, Alleppey

    1 night · Day 8

  • Kochi

    1 night · Day 9

  • Departure day

    1 night · Day 10

Includes

  • Private car and driver throughout
  • One night on an Alleppey houseboat, all meals included on board
  • Local guide at the major temple sites
  • Daily breakfast

Not included

  • Flights in and out
  • Temple camera and special-entry fees
  • Lunches and dinners except on the houseboat
  • Travel insurance

Price

Experience My India quotes this trip in INR after confirming your dates, hotel category and group size. The written quote names every hotel and inclusion, and nothing is charged until you approve it.

Important information

10 Days South India Tour Package

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

  • Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
  • No payment is taken until you approve the itinerary.

Who it suits

  • Travellers who want temples and backwaters in one trip rather than choosing between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Best November to March across both states.

How booking works

  1. Send an enquiry

    Dates, who is travelling and how you like to travel. Two fields to start.

  2. We check availability

    Hotels, guides and permits for your dates, with honest alternatives if something is full.

  3. Price and hotels named

    Every hotel and inclusion is named before you pay anything.

  4. Written quote in INR

    One document, no hidden lines, valid for the dates it quotes.

  5. You approve

    Change anything you like. Nothing is charged until you say yes.

  6. A named specialist runs it

    The same person from first reply to departure, Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST.

Your trip designer

Gurudutt Kaushal

Founder, Experience My India · IIT Jodhpur

Gurudutt Kaushal founded Experience My India and set the two rules every trip here runs on: hotels and guides are named before you pay, and a human replies within four hours. Your itinerary is designed by one of the 35+ destination specialists on his team and checked against our vetting standard.

About GuruduttMeet our founderHow we vet

Trust and protection

  • Ministry of Tourism approved

    Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

  • Registered business

    GSTIN 09BZFPM8067A1Z9

  • 4.3 / 5 on Tripadvisor

    Independent guest reviews

  • No payment to start

    A written quote first; charged in INR only after you approve.

Why book with Experience My India

  • Government-approved operator

    Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

  • 500+ vetted local guides

    35+ destination specialists plan every trip by hand.

  • Human help, every day

    Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST · +91 73022 65809

  • No payment until you approve

    You receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.

How we vet every guide, stay and routeIndia e-Visa: who needs one and how to applyHave a specialist design this trip

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as the Tamil Nadu temple trail alone?

No — this ten-day version crosses into Kerala for Munnar and the backwaters after the Tamil Nadu temple stops, rather than adding Rameswaram and Kanyakumari as the ten-day Tamil-Nadu-only version does.

How do you cross from Tamil Nadu into Kerala on this route?

By road over the Western Ghats from Madurai to Munnar, about five to six hours on a scenic mountain road.

Can this trip end in Trivandrum instead of Kochi?

Yes, by adding a night in Varkala before departure; ask and we will re-quote.

What is included?

Private car and driver throughout; One night on an Alleppey houseboat, all meals included on board; Local guide at the major temple sites.

Request a quote

Ready for temples and backwaters together? Get a written quote.

Ask on WhatsApp
  • Private guide and vehicle
  • Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
  • No payment to start planning

Customer reviews

No reviews for this experience yet — we publish guest reviews after each trip.

Read our reviews

Browse tour packages by destination

See all
Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

19 tour packages

Rajasthan

Rajasthan

18 tour packages

Across India

Across India

9 tour packages

Agra

Agra

9 tour packages

Jaipur

Jaipur

6 tour packages

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand

6 tour packages

Varanasi

Varanasi

5 tour packages

Delhi

Delhi

4 tour packages

Ladakh

Ladakh

4 tour packages

Char Dham Yatra

Char Dham Yatra

3 tour packages

Goa

Goa

3 tour packages

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh

3 tour packages

Karnataka

Karnataka

3 tour packages

Kashmir

Kashmir

3 tour packages

Kerala

Kerala

3 tour packages

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

3 tour packages

Amritsar

Amritsar

2 tour packages

Leh

Leh

2 tour packages

Maharashtra

Maharashtra

2 tour packages

Mathura & Vrindavan

Mathura & Vrindavan

2 tour packages

Punjab

Punjab

2 tour packages

Ranthambore

Ranthambore

2 tour packages

SikarPhoto: Indrapal Jangid · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Sikar

2 tour packages

Ajanta & Ellora Caves

Ajanta & Ellora Caves

1 tour package

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

1 tour package

Ayodhya

Ayodhya

1 tour package

Bihar

Bihar

1 tour package

Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya

1 tour package

Chettinad

Chettinad

1 tour package

Hampi

Hampi

1 tour package

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer

1 tour package

Jodhpur

Jodhpur

1 tour package

Khajuraho

Khajuraho

1 tour package

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

1 tour package

Manali

Manali

1 tour package

Mumbai

Mumbai

1 tour package

Mysore

Mysore

1 tour package

North Goa

North Goa

1 tour package

Odisha

Odisha

1 tour package

Puri

Puri

1 tour package

Rishikesh

Rishikesh

1 tour package

Spiti Valley

Spiti Valley

1 tour package

Srinagar

Srinagar

1 tour package

Tirupati

Tirupati

1 tour package

Udaipur

Udaipur

1 tour package

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund

Tailor-made for you

Price on request

Free cancellation