Destination: India
LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION
Itinerary: Highlights of South India
TWO MONTHS
You'll need at least two months to do justice to the jumble of sights and experiences that South India has to offer - from its phenomenal temple complexes to its postcard-perfect beaches.
You could begin and end this tour in Mumbai (Bombay), but it's more convenient to end in Kolkata as it's the closest international hub to the final destination of this itinerary.
Allow at least a few days to make the most of cosmopolitan Mumbai's sights and eateries before heading to Ajanta and Ellora to marvel at fine cave art. Slide southwest to Goa to laze on its palm-fringed beaches before crossing inland to Hampi, site of boulder-strewn Vijayanagar ruins. Hobnob with yuppies at Bangalore's swanky restaurants, bars and lounges before arriving in Mysore to goggle at the fantastic Maharaja's Palace. Sniff fragrant oil and incense at Mysore's Sandalwood oil factory before cruising into lush Kerala, stopping at eclectic Kochi (Cochin) to sightsee and catch a Kathakali performance. Continue to Alappuzha (Alleppey), base for exploring the tropical backwaters, before dipping your toes in the warm waters of Varkala. Whip across the border into Tamil Nadu's temple-terrific Madurai then tour Thanjavur (Janjore) before cooling your heels in French-flavoured Pondicherry, the perfect place for some restorative yoga and Ayurveda. Dash through Tamil Nadu's lively capital, Chennai (Madras), before leaping into neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to explore its capital city, Hyderabad. Make the trek northeast to Orissa's Bhubaneswar, followed by a visit to Puri, site of the great Jagannath Mandir. Next, stop at Konark to see the splendid Sun Temple before trundling northeast to your departure point, Kolkata.
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