Esencia del Sur de la India

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Overview

 Essence of South India

South India Tour Overview

This immersive journey through South India blends ancient temples, colonial towns, and lush natural landscapes. Begin in Chennai, a cultural hub on the Coromandel Coast, then explore the temple towns of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram, rich in Dravidian architecture. Continue to Pondicherry for a touch of French heritage before heading to Tanjore and Darasuram, famed for their Chola temples. Discover the vibrant spirituality of Trichy and Madurai, home to the iconic Meenakshi Temple. Experience Chettinad’s heritage mansions and unique cuisine. Head into nature at Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary with spice plantations and jungle vibes. Cruise the serene backwaters of Alleppey before ending the tour in Cochin, a coastal city of colonial charm and cultural fusion. This tour offers a perfect mix of history, architecture, nature, and local traditions in the heart of South India.


 South India Cultural Discovery – 10 Nights / 11 Days

Route: Chennai · Kanchipuram · Mahabalipuram · Pondicherry · Tanjore · Darasuram · Trichy · Chettinad · Madurai · Periyar · Alleppey · Cochin


Tour Details

  • Duration: 10 Nights / 11 Days
  • Start/End: Chennai / Cochin
  • Best Time to Travel: October to March
  • Tour Type: Culture, Heritage, Spiritual, Nature
  • Mode of Transport: AC Vehicle throughout the tour
  • Meals: Daily breakfast + select dinners (customizable)
  • Accommodation: Heritage hotels / 3–5 star options available
  • Optional Add-ons: Houseboat stay in Alleppey, Ayurvedic massage, Cooking demo in Chettinad or Cochin


 Tour Highlights

  • Visit UNESCO World Heritage temples in Mahabalipuram, Tanjore & Darasuram
  • Explore the French Quarter of Pondicherry and stroll along the Promenade
  • Discover ancient Dravidian architecture in Kanchipuram and Madurai
  • Experience traditional Chettinad mansions and local cuisine
  • Witness spiritual rituals at Meenakshi Temple in Madurai
  • Enjoy a boat safari or spice plantation walk in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Cruise the backwaters of Alleppey (houseboat or canoe option)
  • Explore the charming streets of Fort Kochi, with Chinese fishing nets & colonial heritage
  • Attend a Kathakali dance performance in Cochin
  • Comfortable stays, local guides, and curated experiences throughout

Itinerary

 Tour Itinerary

DAY 01 – Arrive Chennai (Madras)
Arrival at Chennai International Airport. Meet and greet, transfer to hotel. Evening at leisure.

DAY 02 – In Chennai
Explore Chennai’s cultural landmarks including Fort St. George, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Marina Beach, and San Thome Cathedral.

DAY 03 – Chennai – Kanchipuram – Mahabalipuram
Drive to Kanchipuram, the city of thousand temples. Visit famous temples and silk weaving centers. Continue to Mahabalipuram.

DAY 04 – Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry – Tanjore
Morning visit to the Shore Temple and Five Rathas. Later drive to Pondicherry for a short visit. Proceed to Tanjore.

DAY 05 – Tanjore – Darasuram – Trichy
Visit the UNESCO-listed Brihadeeswarar Temple. Explore Darasuram's Airavatesvara Temple, then continue to Trichy.

DAY 06 – Trichy – Chettinad – Madurai (PC)
Morning visit to Rock Fort Temple and Srirangam. Drive to Chettinad, known for mansions and cuisine. Continue to Madurai.

DAY 07 – In Madurai
Visit Meenakshi Temple, Thirumalai Nayakar Palace, and explore local bazaars. Enjoy an optional evening aarti ceremony.

DAY 08 – Madurai – Periyar
Drive to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Enjoy a spice plantation tour and optional boat ride on Periyar Lake.

DAY 09 – Periyar – Alleppey – Cochin
Drive to Alleppey and enjoy a scenic backwater experience. Continue to Cochin.

DAY 10 – In Cochin
Explore Fort Kochi, Jewish Synagogue, Dutch Palace, Chinese fishing nets, and Kathakali dance performance in the evening.

DAY 11 – Cochin – Departure
Transfer to Cochin International Airport for your onward flight.

Inclusions & Exclusions


  • Tour Inclusions

    • Airport Transfers: Arrival & departure transfers in Chennai and Cochin
    • Transport: AC vehicle with driver throughout the tour
    •  Accommodation: 10 nights in heritage or 3–5 star hotels (as per chosen category)
    •  Meals: Daily breakfast + select dinners (or as per meal plan)
    •  Guided Tours: Local English-speaking guides at key monuments
    • Entry Fees: All monument entrance tickets as per itinerary
    •  Cultural Experiences: Kathakali show in Cochin, spice plantation tour in Periyar
    •  Boat Ride: Shared boat safari or lake cruise in Periyar
    • ☎️ 24/7 Assistance: On-ground support throughout the journey
    •  Taxes: All current applicable taxes

    Tour Exclusions

    • ✈️ International & Domestic Airfare
    •  Visa Fees (for foreign nationals)
    •  Lunches and Dinners not mentioned in the itinerary
    •  Personal Expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, room service, mini-bar, etc.
    •  Tips/Gratuities for guides, drivers, and hotel staff
    •  Travel Insurance (strongly recommended)
    •  Beverages during meals unless specified
    •  Optional activities or excursions not listed in the itinerary
    •  Porterage at hotels, airports, or railway stations
    •  Camera/video fees at monuments, if applicable
    • Any cost arising due to unforeseen circumstances such as flight delays, natural calamities, strikes, etc.
    •  Anything not specifically mentioned under “Inclusions
    Taxes: All current applicable taxes


Tour Policy

Cancellation Policy:

  • 30+ days before arrival: 10% cancellation fee
  • 15–29 days before arrival: 25% cancellation fee
  • 7–14 days before arrival: 50% cancellation fee
  • Less than 7 days: 100% cancellation fee
    (Refunds depend on hotel and transport provider policies)

 Check-in / Check-out:

  • Hotel check-in time: 14:00 hrs
  • Check-out time: 12:00 hrs
    (Early check-in / late check-out subject to availability)

 Other Policies:

  • Tour is subject to weather and local conditions.
  • Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from date of entry (for foreign nationals).
  • All travelers are advised to carry travel insurance.
  • Customizations are available upon request.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      E-Visa Information HISPANO INDIA TRAVELS

    Entering India by air or land is relatively straightforward, with standard immigration and customs procedures. A previously frustrating law barring re-entry into India within two months of the previous date of departure has been done away with (except for citizens of some Asian countries), thus allowing most travelers to combine their India tour with side trips to neighboring countries.

     PASSPORTS

    To enter India you need a valid passport and an onward/return ticket, and a visa. Note that your passport needs to be valid for at least 180 days after your entry into India, and should have at least two blank pages. If your passport is lost or stolen, immediately contact your country’s representative. Keep digital photos or photocopies of your airline ticket and the identity and visa pages of your passport in case of emergency.

    VISA

    Required for most visitors; e-Visa (valid 60 days) available for more than 150 nationalities. Longer trips require a standard six-month tourist visa.

     FURTHER INFORMATION

    Apart from citizens of Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives, who don't need visas for India unless they are arriving from mainland China, and citizens of Japan and South Korea, who can obtain a visa on arrival, everyone needs to apply for a visa before arriving in India. However, more than 150 nationalities can obtain the wonderfully hassle-free 60-day e-Visa.

    There's also a six-month tourist visa, which is valid from the date of issue, not the date of arrival in India.

     E-VISA

    ·  Citizens from more than 150 countries can apply for an e-Visa (www.indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa).

    ·  You must apply a minimum of four days and a maximum of 120 days before you are due to arrive in India.

    ·  The visa will be valid from your date of arrival in India.

    ·  It's a double-entry visa that lasts for 60 days from your first date of entry.

    ·  To apply, upload a photograph as well as a copy of your passport; have at least 180 days' validity in your passport and at least two blank pages.

    ·  If your application is approved, you will receive an attachment to an email within 72 hours (though normally much sooner), which you'll need to print out and take with you to the airport. You'll then have the e-Visa stamped into your passport on arrival in India.

    ·  Note that the e-Visa is also sometimes referred to as a 'visa on arrival', though you need to apply for it before you arrive.

    ·  E-Visas are only valid for entry through 26 designated airports: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bag Dogra, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi (Cochin), Kolkata, Kozhikode (Calicut), Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore (Mangalore), Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Varanasi and Visakhapatnam.

    ·  They are also valid for arrival at five designated seaports: Kochi, Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai and Chennai.

    ·  E-Visa holders can, however, leave India from any authorized immigration checkpoint.


    ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

    Visas are available at Indian missions worldwide, though in many countries applications are processed by a separate private company.

    ·  Student and business visas have strict conditions (consult your Indian embassy for details).

    ·  A standard 180-day tourist visa permits multiple entry for most nationalities.

    ·  The 60-day e-Visa is usually a double-entry visa.

    ·  Five- and 10-year tourist visas are available to US citizens only under a bilateral arrangement; however, you can still only stay in the country for up to 180 days continuously.

    ·  Currently you are required to submit two digital photographs with your visa application (format jpeg 10kb–300kb), though only one for the e-Visa.

    ·  An onward-travel ticket is a requirement for some visas, but this isn’t always enforced (check in advance).

    ·  Visas are priced in the local currency and may have an added service fee.

    ·  Extended visas are possible for those of Indian origin (excluding those in Pakistan and Bangladesh) who hold a non-Indian passport and live abroad.

    ·  If you need to register your visa (for stays of more than 180 days), or need a visa extension (only granted in exceptional cases) or a replacement for a lost passport (required before you can leave the country), then you should apply online at https://indianfrro.gov.in/eservices/home.jsp.

    ·  If you need to see someone in person about your visa issue, then you should do so at the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office in Delhi.

    ·  Check with the Indian embassy in your home country for any special conditions that may exist for your nationality.

     RE-ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

    The previous rule of no re-entry on the same visa for two months after leaving India no longer applies to foreign nationals (except nationals of Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan and Bangladesh, foreigners of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin, and stateless persons). E-Visas can now be used for double entry into India.

     VISA EXTENSION

    India is extremely stringent with visa extensions. At the time of writing, the government was granting extensions only in circumstances such as medical emergencies or theft of passport just before the applicant planned to leave the country (at the end of their visa).

    If you do need to extend your visa due to any such exigency, you should first apply online at e-FRRO (https://indianfrro.gov.in/eservices/home.jsp), which also deals with replacements for lost/stolen passports (required before you can leave the country). If you need to see someone in person, or are called in for an interview, the place to go is the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office in Delhi. There are also some regional FRROs, but these are even less likely to grant an extension.

    Assuming you meet the stringent criteria, the FRRO is permitted to issue an extension of 14 days (free for nationals of most countries; enquire on application). You must bring one passport photo (take more, just in case), your passport (or emergency travel document, if your passport is missing), and a letter from the hospital where you're having treatment if it's a medical emergency. Note that this system is designed to get you out of the country promptly with the correct official stamps, not to give you two extra weeks of travel and leisure.

     TRAVEL PERMITS

    Access to certain parts of India – particularly disputed border areas – is controlled by a system of permits that applies mostly to foreigners but also to Indian citizens in some areas.

    Permits are required to visit Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and certain parts of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Uttarakhand that lie close to the disputed border with China/Tibet. A permit is also necessary for travel to the Lakshadweep Islands and to some parts of the Andaman Islands.

    In Odisha, permission is no longer required to visit tribal regions, and there’s nothing to stop tourists from taking a bus or taxi to visit regional markets, but some villages are off limits to visitors (due to potential Maoist activity), so seek local advice before setting out.

    Obtaining a permit is usually a formality, but travel agents must apply on your behalf for certain areas, including many trekking routes passing close to national borders.