South India Active Expedition Duration: 17 days / 16 nights Start: Bangalore Finish: Cochin Price From: US$9,995 per person (double occupancy) Designed by Karen MacRae With stints living and working in Myanmar and Thailand before becoming B&R s Regional Director for India, Trip Designer Karen MacRae s resumé racked up nearly as many pages as her passport. This is one of our Private Ready-to-Book trips. Think of B&R s Ready-to-Book collection of carefully crafted itineraries as prêt-à-porter from your favourite designer. These trips showcase the essential highlights of each destination, and because they are set to go, booking your private trip couldn t be easier. Please note that your final itinerary may vary slightly from this one as we continuously research and develop each trip. Inclement weather though we d like to think there won t be any may also necessitate minor alterations. All pricing in U.S. dollars. 2015 Butterfield & Robinson Inc. 1-800-387-1147 www.butterfield.com
Your Journey Southern India is truly distinctive from the rest of the country. Pillowy green hill stations are laid out like patchwork quilts, bristling with temples and ashrams. Compared to the hustle and bustle of the North, the pace is slow and the surroundings are tranquil a perfect recipe for relaxing! The cuisine subtle yet fiery is influenced by the sea, replacing the North s filling meat dishes. On your journey, you ll experience the grand temples of Madurai, the warm hospitality South India is so famous for and the soothing influences of Kerala. Day 1 Bangalore, India Welcome to the Garden City of India! From the airport in Bangalore, a private car will take you to your hotel. Meals: None Day 2 Today s Pete City Walk will be a feast for the eyes as you take in all of Bangalore s highlights. Explore one of Bangalore's oldest settlements filled with mazes of tiny streets and communities of professionals buzzing with energy a peek into typical South Indian life. The modern side of Bangalore often overrides the glorious heritage of the old city. Take a long walk across the old city and witness how this part of Bangalore marches to a different beat. Old Bangalore is where rice and jeweler traders converge, narrow lanes crisscross, and century-old temples are tucked away behind posters of Kannada films. Shop for rare books, cotton and silk clothing, and taste some quintessential South Indian cuisine. Activity: Drift to the past on a city walk around Bangaluru Pete. HOTEL Oberoi, Bangalore Nestled in lush, tropical grounds and equipped with the latest in technology, The Oberoi, Bengaluru reflects and harmonises the dual personalities of the Garden City and major IT hub. The hotel is located in the city centre and is built around the 120- year old rain tree that sits at its centre the jewel of the hotel s vast, exquisite gardens
Mysore Day 3 This morning you will drive four hours to Mysore. Options for the afternoon include strolling around art galleries, visiting the palace or walking through one of Mysore s famous gardens. Meal: Breakfast, Lunch Activity: Drive to Mysore from Bangalore and choose from afternoon options Day 4 Walk through Mysore s amazing market with a local historical expert. Mysore is famous for sandalwood, incense and quality silk. This is also the place to arrive hungry. Try Mysore s most famous traditional confectionery, the Mysore pak, made from gram flour, jiggery and lots of ghee. Another famous Mysore dish is bisi bele baath, which is made out of rice and lentils with local spices. Your guide will be on hand to recommend restaurants where you can sample all the incredible food this city has to offer. You ll have lunch at Hitananjali Farm with a gregarious family. Not only will you learn cooking secrets from these excellent chefs, but they are also a goldmine of information about Coorg history. Activity: Morning walk around Mysore s market and historical sites and a cooking class at the Hitananjali Farm. HOTEL Windflower Resort, Mysore, Villa Rewind to a land where the body and soul are still honoured, where inspired art and architecture echo vibrations of a time that stands sill and proud. Mysore is home to kings and warriors and the seat of Wodeyar and Vijayanagara dynasties.
Bandipur National Park Day 5 This morning drive two hours to Bandipur to experience one of the most beautiful and bettermanaged national parks of India, the Bandipur National Park. This national park is located amidst the picturesque surroundings of the towering Western Ghat Mountains. Since private safaris are not possible, we will do the canter (small bus) safari. Bandipur also has a sizable number of tigers and other natural inhabitants, such as chital, mouse deer, jackal, sloth bear, panther, and malabar squirrel. The park is also great for birdwatching. Be sure to look out for jungle fowl and green pigeons. If time allows, options such as walks and additional safaris are available., Dinner Activity: Morning drive to Bandipur and options for afternoon Day 6 This morning you will experience a shared jeep safari. Relax in the afternoon before heading out for another night safari to catch glimpses of tigers., Dinner Activity: Morning and evening jeep safaris HOTEL The Serai, Bandipur Overlooking the Nilgiris Mountain, The Serai is built seamlessly into the forests. The Serai reserves half of their land for the wild and houses a spa, gym and an outdoor pool. The Serai is sprawls across 18 acres of land with trees growing abundantly, and leaf-imprinted abound.
Ooty Day 7 This morning you will drive to Ooty, a picturesque, sprawling hill station in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Ooty covers quite a large area and is best explored by car and on foot. The centre of town is the busy junction of Charing Cross where a number of small hotels and restaurants are located. You will check into your hotel and later visit the Botanical Gardens which initially started as a kitchen garden. Marquis of Tweedale prepared the final layout in 1847, making this India's oldest and largest botanical garden. Over 20 hectares are planted with more than 2,000 varieties of plants, shrubs and huge trees. There is also a Victorian Fern House and a modern glasshouse containing tropical and sub-tropical plants. In the centre of the gardens, just below the mini lake, there is a fossil tree trunk which is 20 million years old. Another option for today is taking a stroll through the plantations to Droog, an old watch post of Tippu Sultan where you can see the ruined fort and the panoramic view. Activity: Drive to Ooty and visit the Botanical Gardens or walk through the plantations of Droog. Day 8 This morning enjoy a 45-minute excursion to Coonoor to visit one of their glorious green tea planations with a tea tasting session and lunch. You ll ride the famous toy train journey from Ooty to Coonoor. If time allows, there are also options to have short guided walks around the area and a visit to one of the old churches in the hills. Activity: Excursion to Coonoor by toy train. Depending on time, walk options are available in the afternoon. HOTEL The Taj Savoy, Ooty Ensconced high on a rising hill, the Savoy Hotel sprawls over six acres of landscaped gardens, offering colonial style cottages that were built between 1834 and 1865. Colourful flowerbeds merge to form a multi-coloured quilt around the cottages, adding to their gentle refinement and old English charm. A quiet retreat, the Savoy Hotel offers a little pocket of paradise.
Pollachi Day 9 At your leisure, drive three and a half hours to Pollachi for a one-night stay. This town near the foothills of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu is known for its cash crops and coconuts and also for having the second largest market in the country. After checking into your hotel, you can either visit the market or check out some of the fabulous colourful temples that dot the region., Dinner Activity: Drive to Pollachi and visit the market or Hindu temples around the area. HOTEL The Banyan Tree Farm Stay, Pollachi The Banyan Tree Farm Stay is remotely located at the foothills of Western Ghats. Explore the deep dense hinterland of South India at a farm-stay that keeps you as close to nature as possible. We love it for its untouched rural surroundings. Day 10 Madurai Today you ll take a gorgeous four-hour drive to Madurai with lunch on the way. Upon arrival, check into the hotel and relax. Later you ll participate in the evening bed ceremony at the Meenakshi Temple, where you ll witness the Brahmin priests remove Shiva from his sanctum and parade him around the temple. During this experience, your senses will be heightened while drums are banged, incense is burned and pilgrims chant., Dinner Activity: Drive to Madurai and witness an evening bed ceremony at the Meenakshi Temple.
Day 11 Most cities in India have a legend surrounding their origins and Madurai is no exception. Madurai s story tells how Shiva looked down and drops of nectar fell from his locks, resulting in the city being named Madurai, or The City of Nectar. Ancient Madurai was a centre of Tamil culture famous for its writers and poets with a history dating back to the 6th century when it traded with Greece and Rome. The Nayaka kings laid out the old town in the pattern of a lotus with narrow streets surrounding the Minakshi Temple at the centre. This morning you will visit the Minakshi Temple, an outstanding structure dedicated to the fish-eyed goddess, Minakshi, who is also the consort of Shiva. Shiva has a temple dedicated to him in the complex. Since Minakshi is the presiding goddess, the daily ceremonies are first performed at her shrine and then at Shiva s. This living temple has a decorated temple elephant and priests performing rituals in front of each shrine. In the afternoon, explore the markets surrounding the temple. The area is akin to a large open-air department store, with each street dedicated to one particular item. The assortment of goods sold here varies greatly, from stationery to items used in worship. You ll even find a lane dedicated to some of the 50 varieties of South India s bananas! Housed in the remains of a 16thC ruin nestled amongst decorated pillars and carvings, you ll find a remarkable collection of stalls selling everything from delicate silk scarves to pink plastic hairclips. The walk is an extraordinary experience., Dinner Activity: Visit the Meenakshi temple and walk through the markets HOTEL Heritage Madurai, Madurai Welcome to Heritage.. A resort, one hundred years in the making, in the heart of a city that grew from drops of nectar that flowed from the locks of Shiva, as legend would have us believe. Enter the gates of the 17-acre resort, and experience the Madurai of distant past.
Thekkady Day 12 This morning you will drive for about four hours along a stunning scenic route to Thekkady. Along the way, there are plenty of places to stop for lunch and admire the scenery. After arriving at the hotel, check out one of the evening kalaripayattu shows and see what is considered to be one of the oldest fighting systems in existence. This style of martial arts is a mixture of acrobatics and yoga movements, using hoops of fire and other instruments a Kerala specialty! Activity: Drive to Thekkady and see an evening cultural show near the hotel. HOTEL Spice Village, Thekkady Curling around a misty ridge 609.6 m (2,000 ft) high in the Periyar vastness, we found a ranger's home surrounded by fruit trees, rare herbs and an abundance of flowering plants. Day 13 Kumarakom Drive to Kumarakom to begin your two-night cruise through the magical canals of backwater Kerala. After boarding, your cruise will set sail along the main waterway of Vembanad Lake entering the Alleppey Canal. Lunch will be on board with a traditional cultural performance., Dinner Activity: Drive to Kumarakom and set sail in the afternoon. Day 14 This morning observe the rich life along these water highways while passing through one of the few areas in the world where farming is done below sea level. Later you ll have the opportunity to navigate the narrower sections of the backwaters in a traditional rice barge.
, Dinner Activity: Sail throughout the day and ride in a traditional rice barge. HOTEL Oberoi Vrinda, Kerala The Oberoi Motor Vessel Vrinda offers some of the most luxurious, private accommodation on the backwaters of Kerala. Furnished with king-size beds, panelled with rich, polished teak flooring and filled with natural light, our cabins are supremely comfortable. Day 15 Cochin This morning say goodbye to our floating hotel and head to Cochin. Along the way, you ll stop to meet Mr. and Mrs. John. Mrs. John, widely known as the Keeper of Alleppy s History, will lead you on a heritage walk in Alleppey. Given her experiences growing up in the Nilgiri Hills on her familyowned tea plantation, she s a wealth of knowledge. She is also incredibly passionate about the region. After getting married, she moved to Alleppey where she and a group of concerned residents fought a long, losing battle to get the region to be a designated a heritage site. Starting with a slide presentation, she ll take you on a walking tour sharing her personal memories and extensive knowledge of the area s history. Activity: Drive to Cochin and stop along the way for a heritage walk. Day 16 Start the morning in the Mattancherri area to explore the jumble of antique and spice shops leading to the oldest synagogue in India. Later wander back to your hotel stopping along the way on Bazaar Street, famous for its spices. Experience the wondrous multiculturalism of India along Palace Road as you pass temples, schools and shops of various Indian communities. This street is a mixture of distinctive practices and your guide will be your window to their cultures and beliefs. Enjoy lunch at the Grand Hotel, which is famous for its Kerala fish curry and brown rice. Afterwards, walk the narrow roads referred to as the Heritage Zone, where you will see many different architectural styles reflecting the many cultures that lived here. In the narrowest alleys of the old city, you will discover many art galleries exhibiting local talent, small cafés, bookshops and boutiques. Later, take a stroll
along the harbour to watch the fishing boats come in with their giant Chinese fishing nets full of catch and get immersed in the auctions as the excess is sold to local vendors and hotels. Take a quick walk back to the hotel for dinner. Venture out after dinner to watch a Kathakali (story-play) performance, which is one of the most well-known dance-dramas from Kerala. The themes of Kathakali are religious in nature and typically deal with the Mahabarat, the Ramayana and the ancient scriptures known as the Puranas. Performed in a text which is generally Sanskritised Malayalam, a performance is a major social event and generally starts at dusk and goes through out the night. Known for its large, elaborate makeup and costumes, Kathakali is usually performed only by men, with female characters portrayed by men dressed in women's costume. In recent years, women have started to become Kathakali dancers. Dating back to the 17th century, it was given its present form by Mahakavi Vallathol Narayan Menon, the founder of the Kerala Kala Mandalam. The actors rely very heavily on hand gestures, known as mudra, to convey the story. Activity: Walk around Cochin and enjoy an evening performance of Kathakali. HOTEL Malabar House, Cochin In the heart of historical Fort Cochin, this boutique heritage hotel is ideally located for sightseeing and shopping. Featuring 17 unique rooms and suites, The Malabar House seamlessly combines tradition and contemporary design, while tradition finds itself at a crossroads with innovation at the hotel s gourmet restaurant one of the finest seafood restaurants in the South. Day 17 Farewell Today you will ride to the airport to catch your connecting international flight home. Safe travels! Meals: Breakfast
The Details Pricing From: 2 travellers - US$11,995 per person (double occupancy) 4 travellers - US$9,995 per person (double occupancy) 6 travellers - US$8,995 per person (double occupancy) Start: Bangalore Finish: Cochin Best time to visit: November to March LEVEL OF ACTIVITY Recreational This trip is appropriate for people who enjoy a good walk and feel comfortable while on the move. WHAT S INCLUDED All hotel accommodation Meals as indicated Services of B&R-trained local guide Water bottle All special events and private tours All transportation from rendezvous to drop-off Internal flights (business where available) WHAT S NOT INCLUDED International flights Cancellation insurance Items of a personal nature Gratuity for local guides & drivers
About our Private Trip Collection The ready-to-book trips in our Private Trip Collection offer all the hallmarks B&R s known for great hotels, unparalleled immersion and unforgettable experiences with the flexibility of going on your own schedule and with your own travel companions. Think of these trips as prêt-à-porter from your favourite designer: simply pick your dates, back your bags, and go. How it Works 1. Get Inspired. Go to www.butterfield.com/tripfinder/?ftt=private to browse our Private Trip Collection and find a flavour of adventure that suits your palate. 2. Get in Touch. Found a trip that s caught your eye? Call our Private Travel Advisors at 1-800- 387-1147. Just give them a few details about your group and your preferred dates, and they ll spring into action. 3. Have it Tailored. Our ready-to-book Private Trips are designed to be enjoyed off-the-rack, but there is room for minor adjustments to fit the trip to your needs. Looking for something totally customized? One of our expert Private Trip Designers will take on your request and tailormake a Bespoke trip for you from scratch. 4. Pack your Prada. Once the date and the price is finalized, we ll take care of the rest, confirming hotels, finalizing events and mobilizing our expertly trained local partners. All you have to do is prepare to be transported 5. Bon Voyage! Next Steps READY TO BOOK? Contact us at 1-800-387-1147 or bespoke@butterfield.com with any remaining questions, or consult your travel professional. Note that a $500 deposit is required in order to reserve dates. After you ve booked, you will receive a confirmation package containing detailed information to help you prepare for your trip.