Arriving
in Chennai, we start the tour with one of the most beautiful city of the
South covering a few temples , museums and beaches. Bangalore, also known as
a city of gardens allows you a 2 night stay and then we proceed on to Mysore
visiting the imposing statue of Gomateshvara at Shravanabelagola and Tipu¹s
Summer Palace.
Proceed onto
The Bandipur Tiger Reserve, a part of the richly
forested Deccan Plateau offering a rich varied habitat.The former shooting
preserve of the Maharajahs of Mysore, Bandipur covers an area of 266 km. and
adjoins the Mudumalai Sanctuary. A mix of deciduous forests, evergreen
forests and scrub, Bandipur is famous for its tigers, elephants and gaur.
Bird life at Bandipur consists of cormorants, herons, ospreys, red spurfowl,
Malabar-pied hornbill and imperial pigeon.
Nestled among the hills of Dodabetta, Snowdon, Elk Hill, and Club Hill in
the Nilgiri ranges,
Ooty (also Ootacamund or Udhagamandalam)
is the queen of southern hill stations and a popular tourist destination of
Tamil Nadu. Surrounded by lush green-carpeted tea and coffee plantations,
Munnar is a picturesque hill station situated in the eastern part of Kerala.
Periyar, the home of one of India's oldest
and best-known wildlife sancturies. The vast calmness of the lake and the
stark, skeletal remains of the trees that protrude from its waters give the
area a primeval look. This impression is heightened by the mists that swirl
ethereally over the water in the early morning.The wildlife remains largely
undisturbed by visitors who must observe it from special boats which glide
across
the
surface of the lake. although the stars of the sanctuary are the families of
wild elephants that often gather near the water's edge, other inhabitants
include bears, sambhar, bison and spotted deer, as well as many screeching
monkeys. The birdlife is rich and varied and Periyar attracts dedicated
bird- watching enthusiasts.
The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, spread over 14 acres of lush greenery
and blue waters, is located on the banks of the Vembanad Lake. The sanctuary
is home to local varieties of waterfowl, cuckoo, and water ducks, as well as
migrating Siberian storks. An additional attraction at Kumarakom is the
backwater cruises in the Vembanad Lake.
Being a major harbour from the times of the British and Portuguese, Cochin
has a rich heritage of forts, churches and temples. A visit to these ancient
marvels gives you an overview of the political, religious and commercial
developments of the city. Some of the major attractions of the city are the
Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, Fort Kochi, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz
Basilica, Dutch Cemetery, the Chinese Nets, Willingdon Island, and Hill
Palace Museum.
Finally , we fly back to Chennai for our international flight back home !!
