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The Hindu heartland of this fascinating subcontinent presents a dazzling array of experiences unique to the region; from colonial railways crossing bottomless gorges to priceless temple craftwork depicting spiritual legends, our in depth 16-day itinerary immerses you within this mystifying province. Cruise the palm-fringed backwaters of Alleppey, marvel at royal splendour in Mysore Palace and catch a glimpse of Kabini's allusive Bengal tiger.
Depart London on your scheduled, overnight flight to Bangalore, via Delhi.
On arrival in Bangalore, you will be met by a local guide and transferred to your hotel. After settling in, sample delicious local delights at your welcome meal.
Following breakfast, discover the cosmopolitan hub of India's booming IT industry peppered with Victoria-era architecture on your tour of the city. Visit the atmospheric Bull Temple, home to an enormous granite monolith of Nandi the celestial bull, wander through Lalbagh Botanical Gardens to admire the world's most diverse plant species, and marvel at Vidhan Soudha's colossal Neo-Dravidian architectural splendour. In the afternoon depart Bangalore and proceed to your hotel in the ancient city of Mysore.
Considered one of India's most flamboyant cities, Mysore boasts a glittering royal heritage, bustling marketplaces and a thriving centre for yoga expertise. Your full day tour takes you to the heart of the city and one of India's grandest royal abodes - the sprawling Mysore Palace. Discover the palace's painted glass ceiling with peacock motifs in the Marriage Pavilion, treasured royal paintings that line the Public Durbar Hall and a glistening Golden Howdah used to carry the Maharaja. Atop the nearby Chamundi hills, visit the Chamundi Temple famed for intricate carvings on its towering gopuram entrance and panoramic vistas over Mysore. This afternoon you?ll visit the 18th century fort town of Srirangapatnam, once the stronghold of ruler Tipu Sultan before his defeat by colonial forces. Cross the main bridge over the Cauvery River to discover intriguing monuments documenting South India?s power struggles, including a striking marble church built by French missionaries. Return to your hotel in Mysore this evening.
This morning travel to Kabini - wild wetlands that surround the Kabini River. The riverbanks boast a rich variety of wildlife, particularly in summer as the receding water presents luscious meadows on either side. Upon arrival, enjoy the remainder of today at leisure.
Spend this morning exploring the surrounding jungle on a canter safari. From peculiar beaked Malabar Pied Hornbills perched upon mammoth Rosewood trees, to Indian bison meandering across the road and the prized Bengal tiger pacing amongst evergreen bamboo, your safari route gives you the best chance to observe South India's most intriguing natural inhabitants. In the afternoon, spot the largest congregation of Asiatic elephants, a plethora of majestic water birds and marsh crocodiles stalking shallow waters during your river safari.
After breakfast journey to the hill station of Ooty, one of three that occupy the UNESCO recognised biome of Nilgiri Hill. For the next two nights, your elevated position offers stunning views across the southern plains and tea gardens that hug the sloping terrain.
Completed in 1899 by British colonial forces, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway transports passengers through a series of gauges, across lofty bridges and around hillsides blanketed by tea plantations.
Depart Ooty for one of India's oldest cites, Madurai. As an important place of worship and commerce, it encapsulates the complex historical tapestry of South India. Later this evening, witness a night ceremony at Madurai's biggest temple; during this procession, behold the spectacle of Lord Shiva's bronze statue being carried to the Hindu God of Love's bedchamber, accompanied by religious prayer and atmospheric temple music.
This morning, visit one of India's grandest temples, Meenakshi Amman Temple. This complex presents 33,000 sculptures, illustrating vivid Hindu tales amongst 12 gargantuan gopuram towers engraved with gods, goddesses and demons - all in staggering detail. The pinnacle of your visit and testimony to the region's architectural finesse lies within the 'Hall of a Thousand Pillars', a masterpiece of lifelike sculptures clinging to towering pillars within a vast gallery.
Following breakfast, cross into the Indian state of Kerala arriving in Munnar - a region famed for its rolling hillsides coated in emerald tea plantations. The rest of your day is at leisure.
Today visit natural splendours of the region including the mirror-like waters of Mattupetty Lake, call out at Echo Point whilst listening patiently to the returning call from surrounding hills, discover the origins of your morning tea at a plantation and witness the unforgettable scene of the Jungle Honey Bee Nest - 25 hives occupying a single tree. Return to Munnar for a well-deserved rest.
In the morning, travel from Munnar to Alleppy - a hub of Kerala's vast waterway network. Here you will board a traditional houseboat which will be your transport and accommodation for the night. Enjoy a leisurely cruise through winding backwaters and meander through picturesque lagoons to admire stunning rural scenery whilst observing quaint surrounding villages.
Beckoning merchants and explorers for over 500 years, the port city of Cochin offers a dynamic cultural mixture of Portuguese houses, ancient mosques and crumbling remains of British colonialism, all overlooking the tropical Malabar Coast. Disembark this morning for a half-day sightseeing tour to visit the seemingly modest Mattancherry Palace, home to astonishing Hindu murals depicting Puranic legends. Continue to the edifice of St Francis Church, believed to be one of India's oldest churches and gaze at Cochin's promenade, lined with distinct spiderlike Chinese fishing nets. This evening, enjoy a farewell meal at your hotel.
Enjoy a full day of leisure in Cochin. In the early evening, head to a Kathakali cultural show and watch a traditionally based dance based on themes of Hindu mythology.
Depart your hotel after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your scheduled flight back to the UK.
A visa is required for entry into India. British Citizen Passport Holders will need to obtain a tourist visa. We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. The Travel Visa Company can only apply for this 120 days before your proposed travel date. When calling the Travel Visa Company they will advise you of any changes to the fees or the procedure, they will also advise you of all information they will require in order to apply for the visa. Alternatively you can visit The Indian Visa Application Centre in London: 142-148 Goswell Road, London, EC1B 7DU. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months before you enter India. Visa requirements are subject to change and obtaining a visa is the responsibility of the traveller and not Mercury Holidays. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding visas and passport validity.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
If booking more than 10 weeks before departure a deposit of €300pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 10 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 10 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
Flights are operated with Vistara, departing London Heathrow. Each passenger is entitled to hold luggage plus 1 item of hand luggage. Weight restrictions will be finalized on E-ticket receipt. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check- in. Check-In should be at least 3 hours before departure.
IMPORTANT: Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 10 days before departure. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check - in. Check-In should be at least 3 hours before departure.
It is your responsibility to check any health or vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, often on foot, and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your national guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip. You will also be joined by a local guide in each of the cities which you visit, ensuring you have first-hand knowledge at all times.
The currency in India is the Rupee or Rs. The Rupee is a closed currency and officially you are not allowed to take any cash out of India. US Dollars and GBP are also widely accepted in India should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you.
Tipping is not compulsory and is at your discretion. Should you wish to tip, this will be collected by your guide at the end of your tour for your convenience. It is asked that if you do not tip in the local currency, please do not give coins as these are difficult to exchange.
You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any personal purchases, such as souvenirs, laundry, extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £400 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour.
| Depart UK | Arrive UK | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Dates | |||
| 20 Apr 2023 | 05 May 2023 | SOLD OUT | |
| 14 Sep 2023 | 29 Sep 2023 | €2183.00 | |
| 28 Sep 2023 | 13 Oct 2023 | €2351.00 | |
| 12 Oct 2023 | 27 Oct 2023 | €2575.00 | |
| 26 Oct 2023 | 10 Nov 2023 | €2575.00 | |
| 09 Nov 2023 | 24 Nov 2023 | €2608.00 | |
| 2024 Dates | |||
| 11 Jan 2024 | 25 Jan 2024 | €2799.00 | |
| 18 Jan 2024 | 01 Feb 2024 | €2799.00 | |
| 01 Feb 2024 | 15 Feb 2024 | €2799.00 | |
| 15 Feb 2024 | 29 Feb 2024 | €2799.00 | |
| 29 Feb 2024 | 14 Mar 2024 | €2575.00 | |
| 07 Mar 2024 | 21 Mar 2024 | €2575.00 | |
| 18 Apr 2024 | 02 May 2024 | €2463.00 | |
| 02 May 2024 | 16 May 2024 | €2351.00 | |
| 16 May 2024 | 30 May 2024 | €2239.00 | |
| 12 Sep 2024 | 26 Sep 2024 | €2351.00 | |
| 26 Sep 2024 | 10 Oct 2024 | €2687.00 | |
| 10 Oct 2024 | 24 Oct 2024 | €2799.00 | |
| 24 Oct 2024 | 07 Nov 2024 | €2855.00 | |
| 07 Nov 2024 | 21 Nov 2024 | €2911.00 | |
Please note that Kerala has strict laws regarding the governance of the sale of alcohol in public places including hotels and restaurants. The sale and consumption of alcohol is therefore often restricted in hotels, varying from one establishment to another. However, you may bring your own alcohol with you for private consumption in your room.
23 °C / 36 °C
Weather can vary throughout the year, so please familiarise yourself with the climate charts below.
Sari Resort and Heritage Resort were both excellent Hotels .
Hotels where excellent, we where very well looked after.
All hotels were excellent
All though the Tea County at Munnar is staffed by wonderful people and in a great location the buffet food had a limited variety and often ran out of certain dishes.
The rooms and bathrooms at Gem Park hotel are very old and also long overdue a refit. Lots of damp walls evident in corridors backing onto bathrooms. Staff, food and location are all excellent.
Also the rooms at the Casino are long overdue a refit with thread bare carpets, old fixtures fittings and inefficient air conditioning with the rooms having a 'musty' smell. However, the food and staff are first class.
Raddison Blue at Mysore, a lovely hotel all round.
Serai at Cabin is in a truly beautiful location and would have loved another day there even if it made the tour a day longer in duration.
St Marks Hotel in Bangalore is situated beautifully to explore the surrounding areas. Food, room and staff all excellent.
the tour team of Muhammed Dilip and Dinu were brilliant, a lot of laughs and fun throughtout the tour together with a high level of care and effiency.
Good quality of food. Some of the hotel rooms look tired and could do with some updating, but all clean and nice to see tea/coffee making facilities and wifi access.
all hotels vg but loved the heritage ones
best ones were the typical heritage ones - old and great!
All hotels were comfortable, clean and of a good standard. The service provided by the hotels was very good and the food provided was of an exceptional quality.
Our only negative comment was the Serai Resort Reception was not as helpful as I would have expected and the houseboat that we were provided with was definitely of a superior and suitable standard.
Generally good but one or two were tired looking rooms. Food was good with plenty of variety, Hotel Tea County could improve their dessert selection.
We were delighted that we stayed in excellent health throughout. The food and the service in hotels was excellent. We would not have missed for worlds the insights we gained into the beliefs, work ethic and friendliness and approachability of the Indian people. Although we were a mixed-age party we got along well together, celebrated some birthdays and wedding anniversaries in style and enjoyed a memorable holiday.
All hotels were good one or two were getting a bit tired but generally excellent. Our guide , Mohammed, was excellent throughout. He was very helpful & attentive & went out of his way to make sure that we were all happy. we could not have asked for better.
Jet Airways were very poor.
Hotels exceeded my expectation. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Choice of food in most places was excellent. The swimming pools were an added bonus.
Our tour guide was the best ever. He went out of his way to ensure we got as much from the trip as we possibly could. We called him VeeKay, his given name is Vishnu� but much longer. You have an absolute star in that man and he will go far. He was so caring and thought of every small detail.
All hotels at a very good standard. Staff professional and extremely helpful.
They were clearly close to the best available in the areas we visited and were a variety of types that added interest.
Special word for Abad Turtle Beach in Marari which was superb and great value
Thanks Mercury - didn't know what to expect after years with Voyage Jules Verne, Travelsphere and Hayes and Jarvis but you came up trumps
No comments
Lovely hotels and amazing food. Again we just want to say thank you so much, our little group became like a second family. We had a wonderful time and can't wait to come back! Also a very good price for this holiday.
Outward flight schedule which was changed from original wasted the first day in India.
Late change in Country from 3 days in Seria down to 2 days, extra day in Cochin was disappointing but was handled well by our tour guide Muhammed.
Tea County in Munnar was our favourite - excellent in every sense.
The organisation was 1st class. Muhammed did an excellent job, adding local knowledge and little touches which enhanced the experience. He helped the group bond from the outset (with one notable exception who found fault from the outset and then throughout the trip - which I doubt anyone else on the trip would support!)
Service and staff were very good. We were made to feel very welcome.
Absolutely delighted by the standard and locations of each hotel. Small group of 17 was absolutely perfect allowing everyone to make friends quickly and easily
Most of the Hotels were of a very good standard. The Gem Park at Ooty was in a spectacular position above the town, but the hotel it's self was a little care-worn. The bed sheets did not appear clean. Not sure if they were washing stains, or just stains. Room service were happy to come and change the sheets straight away at my request.
The Raddison Blue Hotel at Mysore was probably of the best standard. We also liked the Serai Resort as well.
Houseboat disappointing, particularly the food at dinner.
Change of hotel in Kochi to the city centre hotel a mixed blessing. The location was handy and the food good but the hotel was tired and not 5*, as was the Hotel Casino advertised to be.
Brochure and good value for money.
Excellent by Asian standards
Your guides were excellent as were the hotels. All excellent.
Nestled beside the quaint fishing village of Mararikulam, discover the untouched sandy beaches of Marari on your three-night extension within a truly tropical retreat. Whether lounging by the beach soaking up the year-round sunshine, swimming within the Arabian Sea's glistening waters or enjoying a traditional Ayurvedic massage at your hotel, the Marari extension is the ideal way to conclude your tour.
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Home to India's financial hubs, tropical forests, religious epicentres, a booming fashion industry and culinary hotspots shaped by the country's wild flavours, discover Mumbai's intriguing sights with a three-night extension in the city.
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