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South India and the Backwaters

Sample tailor-made journey, fully customizable

Country

Inde

Suggested duration

14 days / 11 nights

The spirit of the journey

Intensely populated yet strikingly green, with coconut forests fringing the beaches and mountains blanketed in tea bushes, South India offers a vivid, colourful picture shaped by the many cultures that have settled here. You'll find an easy pace of life and deeply rooted traditions.

We invite you to explore the former hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Mysore, Nagarhole National Park, and the kind of magnificent temples only India can offer. This is followed by a stretch through tea plantations, then a restful pause in the famous backwaters.

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COCHIN
Cochin is one of the main seaports on the Arabian Sea. Unlike North India, life here moves at a gentler pace. Take a walk along the waterfront to observe the famous Chinese fishing nets of Cochin. For the curious, head out in the evening to discover Kathakali!

Kathakali is a form of theatre unique to Kerala, where colour plays a central role, as do gesture and facial expression.

Cochin, Plage du Kerala, Inde

Plage du Kerala, Inde

Cochin

Cochin, «la Reine de la Mer d'Oman», le plus grand port naturel de l'Inde. Cochin désigne un assemblage d'îles et de cités. C'est ici que les premiers « colons » européens s'installèrent en Inde vers 1500, conduits par Vasco de Gama et y mourut avec le titre de Vice - Roi portugais des Indes. Sa tombe existe, mais la dépouille fut en réalité ramenée à Lisbonne. La tradition veut que l'apôtre Thomas y prêche l'évangile. C'est également un des plus importants ports de commerce du Kérala.
Dasn le vieux Cochin se trouve  l'église Saint François. C'est la plus ancienne église européenne du pays. Elle fut édifiée en 1503 par des moines franciscains portugais qui accompagnaient l'expédition conduite par Pedro Alvarez Cabral. A l'origine en bois, l'église fut reconstruite en pierre vers le milieu du XVIème siècle. A proximité de l'église, vous verrez des carrelets chinois, des étranges filets de pêche. Puis à Mattancherry, vous verrez le Palais Hollandais qui abrite certaines des plus belles peintures de l’Inde (fermé le vendredi). Au premier étage, la salle du couronnement renferme des objets ayant  appartenu au souverain de Cochin Raja Veera Kerala Varma (1537-1561). 

TIGERS IN NAGARHOLE NATIONAL PARK
Track wildlife in one of South India’s finest parks.

Nagarhole National Park is home to the Bengal tiger, wild elephants, sambar deer, chital, and wild boar. The morning safari offers the best chance of spotting wildlife as it wakes.

ORANGE COUNTY RESORT
An authentic, traditional experience amid coffee and spice plantations.

Your cottage sets the scene for quiet reflection.

Orange County Resort is the ideal spot for nature lovers. Guided plantation visits are arranged to learn more about Indian agricultural traditions.

A KETTUVALLAM IN THE BACKWATERS
At India’s southern tip, in Kerala, lies an aquatic world that can only be explored by boat — a labyrinth of lagoons set within lush vegetation.

Here you’ll have a unique, timeless experience, discovering local life in the backwaters, far from the crowds and the pace of daily life.

The “kettuvallam” (houseboats) that ply the backwaters are former cargo vessels, now converted to let visitors spend a memorable stretch of time on the water.

We suggest taking the experience further by spending a night aboard.

NEELESHWAR HERMITAGE
A small gem with sea views and an almost deserted beach, this eco-resort has everything going for it.

You’ll also enjoy a delicious lunch by the water and attentive service throughout your stay.

Paradise, within reach.

In summary:
– 1 night in Cochin
– 1 night in Wayanad
– 2 nights at Orange County in Kabini
– 2 nights in Mysore
– 2 nights in Coorg
– 1 night on the Lotus Houseboat in Kasargod
– 2 nights in Kasargod

Highlights of this journey

  • NAGARHOLE NATIONAL PARK
  • A NIGHT ABOARD A KETTUVALLAM
  • ENCOUNTERS WITH ELEPHANTS
  • STAY AT ORANGE COUNTY RESORT, KABINI

Consult us to design your tailor-made journey en Inde

Themes of the journey