In the footsteps of Rick Stein's Itinerary of South India

On arrival in Madurai, you will be met by the Globe Travel Centre representative and transferred to your Hotel. Madurai is considered to be one of South India's oldest and most historic cities. Early Greek historical documents record Madurai's existence since the 4th century BC. Madurai's rich cultural heritage has passed been down the many centuries making it one of the most prominent temple towns in Tamil Nadu today. Check into your hotel and spend your afternoon at leisure. Later this evening visit the colorful flower markets and busy bazaars of Madurai where you will be captivated by the smells and sounds of this amazing temple town. Overnight at the Heritage Madurai. (Vehicle at disposal)

This morning you will visit the famous Meenakshi temple. The 1000-pillared hall depicts beautiful sculptures showcasing stories from ancient Hindu Epics. Besides a tour of the fascinating temple you will be given a guided tour of the temple's kitchen which prepares delicious temple food for the thousands of devotees who visit every day. Eating at the temple is considered to be auspicious by devotees and the temples' chefs devote a lot of love and attention to preparing a number of delicacies. Watch as delicious 'sambar' curry is mass prepared besides many south Indian snacks including 'vadas' and 'payasam' (dessert). Spend your evening at leisure. Overnight at the Heritage Madurai. (Vehicle for disposal)

This morning you will be transferred to Periyar, an area known for its undulating hills, spice plantations, and elephant sightings. Check into the Spice Village on arrival. Go on a spice plantation tour today where you will be enticed by not only the aroma of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, pepper and nutmeg but will also get to know how they are grown, harvested and processed before they reach the supermarkets. The pepper grown in Kerala is considered to be amongst the finest in the world. Spend your evening at leisure. Overnight at the Spice Village. (Vehicle at disposal)

Periyar is known for its wildlife (particularly its Elephants). This morning enjoy an escorted three hour jungle trek which offers excellent opportunities to watch birds, butterflies and other wildlife including Elephants, bison and deer. The trails often pass through evergreen and moist deciduous forests interspersed with marshy grasslands. Participate in a cookery demonstration at the Spice Village where you can try your hand at making your own variations of Kerala dishes. Overnight at the Spice Village. (Vehicle at disposal)

This morning you will be transferred to the backwater region of Kumarakom where you will take a short boat ride to the Coconut Lagoon back water resort. Set on a little picturesque island in the serene backwaters, the Coconut Lagoon is rated as one of the twenty five best getaways in the world with good reason. Spend your day at leisure at the resort. Amongst other things, the Coconut Lagoon offers Kerala cuisine in its most authentic form and those who want to take home an enriching taste of the land can take a lesson or two from the ever obliging chefs. Overnight at the Coconut Lagoon. (Vehicle for transfer)

Spend your day at leisure at the Coconut Lagoon. Enjoy a full body rejuvenating Ayurveda (eye- er-ve-dah) massage today. Ayurveda is a 5000 year old medical science – perhaps the oldest and definitely the most holistic medical systems available anywhere in the world. Overnight at the Coconut Lagoon. (No Vehicle)

Embark on your private houseboat and cruise on the backwaters, a vast expanse of placid waters that branch off into countless canals, coves and creeks. A leisurely boat ride along these unique palm fringed waterways remains one of the most memorable experiences for any traveller to Kerala. Your houseboats or 'kettuvalloms' are converted rice barges with well appointed bedrooms and en suite bathrooms. Apart from the mesmerising surroundings, it is the life along the coast that makes this a fascinating experience. Canoes with sails still transport people and you will find vegetable sellers, fishermen and other traders bringing household materials door to door by small wooden boats. Your boats are manned by a captain, a personal chef and your housekeeping staff. Needless to say the local food on the houseboat is something to look forward to. The 'Karimeen' or Pearlspot is the most famous fish found in the backwaters. Fish lovers are in for a treat as you will get to witness how your houseboat chef prepares this delicacy and serves it to you as part of a traditional meal. As you cruise along the backwaters your captain will stop at a local toddy shop where you can sample the local 'toddy' and mingle with the locals. Overnight on the houseboat. (Full Board) (No Vehicle)

You will be transferred to Cochin this morning where you will check into the Brunton Boatyard hotel on arrival. Kochi, as it is called now, offers you the best of history and culture anywhere in the state. A port town since early centuries Cochin attracted traders and invaders from the world over. One can see snippets of the different eras and influences in the many attractions in Cochin. Step out of the hotel and you are within walking distance of other attractions like the Chinese fishing nets, said to have been left behind by Chinese traders in the 15th century. In the latter half of the day today, you will get to spend time at the home of Nimmy & Paul who belong to the traditional Syrian Christian community in Kerala. Nimmy has been a professional cookery instructor for more than 20 years and in keeping with family traditions, is very passionate about serving great Kerala food today which will offer you an opportunity to participate in and learn how traditional spices are used in the typical Travancore vegetarian food. In the evening, visit the 'Pai Thattukada', named after the Pai brothers who popularized the concept of 'thattus' or small shops that offer cheaper and quicker alternative to restaurant food. Some of the 'Thattus' serve over 70 varieties of 'Dosas' or rice pancakes and your trip to Kerala cannot be complete without sampling the dosas here. Overnight at the Brunton Boatyard. (Vehicle at disposal)

This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of Cochin and visit the Mattancherry spice godowns where the open spaces between the godowns are used to dry and pack various spices including coriander, pepper and ginger amongst others In the evening enjoy an exclusive 'Kathakali' performance at the resort. 'Kathakali' literally means a story play and is a highly dramatic dance form which depicts the moral values of god and man. The characters wear elaborate make up and heavy ornaments and the performances are very enthralling. Overnight at the Brunton Boatyard. (Vehicle at disposal)

Departure transfers to Cochin airport for onward flight. (Vehicle for transfer)