FOR LOVERS OF FOOD, HISTORY AND MORE. 12 days South India

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1 FOR LOVERS OF FOOD, HISTORY AND MORE 12 days South India From Tamil Nadu to Kerala, from remote villages to frenzied capital cities, along the way dipping into restaurants and morning markets, from spice plantations and tea plantations to interactions over lunch at local family's place to visiting fishing villages and cooking regional dishes, this culinary odyssey will explore the incredible flavors, ingredients and taste of Southern India.

2 Itinerary Chennai: Gateway to South India Onward to Puducherry; for the French food, the sea air and plenty of Yoga Explore Pondy's vibe in its shady cobbled streets and colonial era townhouses Head for Thanjavur; home to a breathtaking Brihadishwara temple Thanjavur; a bastion of art, culture, music and dance A worthy detour to Trichy and Chettinad before arriving to Karaikudi Discover the glories of Madurai; mystifying and mesmerizing Wheel through spice scented plantations towards Periyar Onward journey to Kumarakom; a great window for immersion into village life Up next is Kochi, a port hub between Arabian Sea and the Backwaters Take delight in the Kochi's big-hearted hospitality and tranquil nature Homeward bound COCHIN KUMARAKOM MADURAI CHENNAI PONDICHERRY TANJORE KARAIKUDI THEKKADY

3 Day 1: Chennai This journey begins in the capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai. This 350 year old city is the gateway to the South, providing many a fascinating vignette of Southern heritage. Here, it is a journey into timeless India, a web of moods, a city rich in the treasures of history, from temples and shrines to forts and palaces to distinct and delicious cuisine. As you settle into the day one of food adventure, set out for a hosted dinner at Sabita Radhakrishna's place who will introduce you to the Tamil cuisine and way of life. She is a freelance writer, food columnist and broadcaster. Visit her over dinner while she cooks an authentic Tamil Cuisine. The more adventurous can do a cooking class with her as well.

4 Day 2: Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Puducherry Followed by breakfast, leave the city behind and continue further to Mahabalipuram with Puducherry, being the final destination of the day, a town with French cultural heritage. Split into two parts, Puducherry is, on one hand a bustling Indian Market town, and on the other hand, towards the sea, the streets are emptier, cleaner and decidedly European. The evening is free for your own exploration. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through her 3 km long beach or hop into one of the beach side café's for some delicious French infused food while the sea breeze sets everything else right. Stopover for lunch at L'attitude, a unique destination restaurant in Mahabalipuram makes for a fantastic base for food lovers. The restaurant prides itself to house exceptional chefs that give great cooking lessons and serve an incredibly tasty food in an atmosphere that is chic and upscale, yet also unpretentious and welcoming. Highly recommend to stop by to find your own favorite.

5 Day 3: Puducherry Start your morning with a Heritage Walk of the Puducherry's French Quarters. A stroll along the lanes and bylanes to explore the tastes and historic treasures is an interesting experience as you discover not only the history but also see how it has influenced the diversity of Tamil and French culture. Later this afternoon, dropping in on a local favorite and perhaps trying out some regional soul food. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure, perhaps visiting the township of Auroville, 10 km from Pondicherry, an oasis of peace and enlightenment.

6 Day 4: Puducherry - Tanjore A heady drive along rice meadows, peaceful countryside and the gurgles of river, Cauvery gives way to Tanjore; a cultural rich town standing at an intersection of arts, cuisine, music and dance. A stay here is to discover expressions of elegance and richness of life; in its temples and sabhas, in its music and lost wax sculptures, in its specific style of cuisine and in its soulful music and dance form; Bharatnatyam. Join a local cook and learn about the Tamil Nadu cuisine. Discover how the native ingredients are combined to make some classic regional dishes. Also, learn to prepare the iconic sambar, as well as other 'Tanjore' favorites

7 Day 5: Tanjore After Breakfast, take a turn around the heart of the city. Visit UNESCO's three world famed heritage monuments. Highly recommended is a visit to the Palace, most of which is in ruins housing the Tamil University Museum, the Art Gallery and the Saraswati Mahal Library which houses palm leaf & paper manuscripts. Good to know There are 74 temples here in Tanjore, of which the most famous is that of Brihadishwara built in the 10th century. It is considered to be artistically the most perfect of Dravida temples. Take home a richly ornamented Tanjore painting or the famous head-nodding dolls as an everlasting memoir of this serene town.

8 Day 6: Tanjore - Trichy - Chettinad - Karaikudi Journey onwards to Karaikudi with a stopover at Trichy - It has a number of sites and most of the sites here hold great historical importance. Rock Fort Temple, an enchanting temple makes for a must visit site of Trichi. Moreover, the Tiruvanaikkaval temple, which is famous for its Siva lingam and the seven gopurams are the other pilgrimage sites to visit in Trichi. The evening is for your exploration. If one is delving in the antiques, Karaikudi has lots to offer and is gaining a lot of appreciation and patronage lately among the old world charm lovers. Cooking lesson at Bangala The quiet and green environment is ideal for a rest and to listen to Mr. Karuppiah, very keen on giving advices for the preparation of Chettinad's dishes. Enjoy this authentic experience where every dish, every spice, every ingredient is placed in a large plate with all the recipes written down. After 45 minutes during which 4 dishes are made in front of you, you're allowed to sit in the dining room to enjoy and most of all, to taste, just like locals on a banana leaf!

9 Day 7: Karaikudi Madurai Post breakfast drive to Madurai, the temple town is like a beautiful gem of South, planned in the shape of a lotus with the Meenakshi temple at the center. Madurai's main draw is the famous Meenakshi temple, a riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture with gopurams (towers) covered from top to bottom with a breathless profusion of multi-colored images of gods, goddesses, animals and mythical figures. The temple complex is a city within a city and one can spend days exploring its labyrinthine corridors and halls. Foodie Tour in Madurai Visit a series of authentic restaurants and roadside eateries which serve traditional Madurai food. You will get to taste local delicacies with a pinch of the city's cultural history thrown in. Another attraction is the Tirumalai Nayak Palace (1636) restored by Lord Napier, dance drama concerts are performed daily.

10 Day 8: Madurai Thekkady Start your day with a visit in and around Madurai. This afternoon, Wheel further through unending chain of hills and spice-scented plantations to the rich jungles of Periyar in Thekkady. Thekkady proudly enjoys the food culture of both Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and the town and its neighboring hamlets known for their spice gardening. Also, don't miss out on the Spice Plantation tour that cover cardamom, pepper, coffee and tea plantations, tea factories, tribal settlements and the surrounding hill regions. Indulge in an evening scene with a local family, interact and involve yourself as you learn some fantastic dishes accompanied by some hearty laughter and candid banters. It is here at Bar-B-Que, thekkady in the presence of Sherrill and his family; you will have an amazing dining experience as the carefully prepared cuisine certainly will excite and satiate your palate. Hang on! You can also take the cook book as a keepsake to delight your friends and family back home.

11 Day 9: Thekkady - Kumarakom Waking up on a balmy morning in the surrounds of plantations, forests and bird twitters is nothing but bliss. Swaying palm trees, expanse of paddy fields, and the neat tiny hamlets, all await on this veritable paradise; Kumarakom. Kumarakom is Kerala's heartland of lagoons, inter-linked with hundreds of winding canals, and with the typical low slung country boats that carry everything from people to fish, rice and coconuts to the milkman and newspaper boy, local politicians and priests to wedding parties. An aromatic walk of spice plantation to learn some of the many varieties grown, harvested and processed here, from ginger, cardamom and vanilla, to pepper, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Before embarking on your onward journey, enjoy the fragrant lunch with the owner of Spice plantations. Lie in a hammock on this lakeshore, and allow your senses to possess you.

12 Day 10: Kumarakom Kochi After Breakfast, a walk through the exquisite villages, embellished with lush green paddy fields, tall coconut grooves makes for the most spellbinding experience. Those looking for some more immersion together with some adventure, set out to paddle through the local countryside. Onward journey that meanders between Arabian Sea and the Backwaters gives way to Kochi. As the Italian writer rightly spoke Kochi, with her charming old churches, charismatic bungalows and huge Chinese fishing nets against the backdrop of her crimson skies create a stark contrast to her uber cool atmosphere. Traditional in thought yet flamboyant in appearance makes Kochi the perfect set for you to experience the best of both worlds. Witness live action of boatmen as they bring in their fresh catch of fishes for auction. Cycle your way to reach the fish market. The Expedition Manager will explain the life and activities around the market. This gives you an insight of how well the economy is balanced among the communities.

13 Day 11: Cochin In the Morning after breakfast, a Walking Tour of Fort Cochin is highly recommended. It starts at the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, with the sea to the right, the walk continues along the sea wall Promenade. After the walking tour you will be taken to a lovely old house in the city for a 2- hour interactive cooking session with Nimmu Paul followed by Lunch. Your hostess 'Nimmy' is a well-known culinary expert of Syrian Christian cuisine famous in this area. In the evening, you will be taken to a Kathakali dance center where you will witness the most elaborate of the dance forms in southern India. Join Nimmy in Cochin who conducts cookery classes. She teaches guests the nuances of traditional Kerala recipes. Nimmy, a professional cookery instructor for more than twenty years, and her stockbroker husband Paul, offers food and hospitality to foreign guests. They belong to traditional Syrian Christian community in Kerala. In keeping with the tradition of their families they enjoy having guests and serving good food.

14 Day 12: Homeward bound In time you will be transferred to Cochin airport to board the flight for your onward destination. *With Sita, there is an exciting world of travel possibilities and it's our goal to provide an unforgettable combination of experiences. This routing can be customized based on your preferred destination, experiences and hotels.