Arrival at Kochi. Meet & assist at the airport and transfer to Fort Kochi. Kochi, situated on the outlet of a superb inland waterway to the Ocean, the port city of Cochin has been an important maritime entrepot trading with the Arabian and Mediterranean regions on the one hand and China & South East Asia on the other. The wealth of its trade has attracted a heterogeneous mix of peoples. Christians came here in the 2nd century, Jews and Muslims followed - all to trade, settle and inter-marry until the arrival of the Portuguese, Dutch and English. All have left their mark on this bustling city known as the "Queen of the Arabian Sea" and trading still in tea, coffee, rubber, cardamom and pepper. You can certainly take a short walk down the Fort Cochin area if you don’t wish to spend the entire afternoon in your hotel. O/N -Dutch Bungalow - https://www.abadhotels.com/dutch-bungalow-fort-kochi/ Meal Plan: Breakfast

Today you will be riding towards one of the best birds watching destinations in India – the lowland forests of Thattekkad with over 275 species of birds, 76 species of butterflies 30 species of reptiles, besides wildlife such as elephants, Sambar deer, wild Dogs, civet Cat among others. Your stay would be at the Hornbill camp set along the shores of the river Periyar opposite the sanctuary. After a traditional lunch at the common gazebo overlooking the river, you will get an opportunity to go through to the rain forests on the opposite side of the river. The lush rain forest also harbors endemic birds like the brilliantly colorful Malabar Parakeets & the Malabar Trogons. After your return, there is a walk planned through the local village to see how the farming community lives amidst their plantations of rubber, coconuts & various spices like pepper and ginger. The villages are friendly places and you will be welcomed in their midst. O/N Hornbill Camp - https://www.amritara.co.in/amritara-horn-bill-camp Meal Plan: Breakfast & Dinner Cycling distance: 55 km

Your ride today is first big challenge – riding from 300’ to above 3600’. You will be riding along the side of the river Periyar, through forests, spice plantations, countryside of pineapple plantations & rubber estates. At Neriamangalam, you will start the ride uphill through narrow mountain roads with deep chasms on its side, wilderness interspersed with lakes, spice growing villages and narrow rivulets and deep canyons, till we reach the foothills of the Western Ghats. O/N The Leaf – https://www.theleafmunnar.com/ Meal Plan: Breakfast & Dinner Cycling distance: 60 kms

Cycle to Bodimettu on the border between Kerala & Tamilnadu. Old settler colonies, villages, spice farms and lakes dot the landscape as you climb towards the tea estates at Poopara. The magnificent Anaerangal lake is the background to today’s ride as you check in to a resort set overlooking the Western Ghats. O/N Shola Crown - https://sholacrown.com/ Meal Plan: Breakfast & Dinner Cycling distance: 45 kms

Riding forward, we leave the mountains behind us and cycle down towards the great plains of Tamilnadu. Our destination is the small village on the banks of the Kamaraj Lake, near Dindigul. The scenic ride will be passing through coconut groves, sugar cane fields, small villages and towns. The village of Athoor is itself very small and is home to a thriving farming community. Here we will stay at a beautiful country home and spend the day in the village meeting the local farmers, going on walks & bird watching. O/N Cardamom House Cardamom House – Family Home Stay Meal Plan: Breakfast & Dinner Cycling distance: 95 kms

Today we will cycle to the great city of Madurai. We will spend an additional day to discover this ancient city & will visit the Madurai Meenakshi temple in the afternoon. Established in the Sangam period of the pre Christian era, this bustling town in Tamil Nadu is famous for ancient temple - the Meenakshi Temple. During that time the town was planned around the temple in the shape of a lotus. The beautiful architecture of some of the temples that can be seen today is attributed to this history - the architectural genius of the Meenakshi temple, the multi colored gopurams of the other temples, classical Carnatic music and bharatnatyam (a classical dance born in the temples of South). After visiting the temple & surrounding market with a guide, it is time for us to tuck into some excellent traditional vegetarian fare. Accommodation: Heritage Madurai http://www.heritagemadurai.com/ Meal Plan: Breakfast & Dinner Cycling Distance: 70 kms

We will take the ride through the countryside to the famed Chettiar village. Chettinad is well known for its local cuisine, architecture, and religious temples. "Chettinad" also means a social caste specialising in the preparation of food. Chettinads are considered master chefs, and Chettinad cuisine is one of the spiciest and the most aromatic in India. This small town is also famed for its houses – large, colourful and with rooms numbering more than 100! This is also great countryside for cycling through the fascinating Tamil countryside with its great swathes of farmlands, rural farming communities, temples and massive Chettinad Mansions. But what truly makes the stay here is the wonderfully delicious Chettinad cuisine & maybe a chance to learn the secrets of this fascinating culinary art. Accommodation: Visalam http://www.cghearth.com/visalam Meal Plan: Breakfast & Dinner Cycling Distance: 90 kms

Our next destination is the town where classical arts still thrive – Thanjavur. Today also we will make a transfer after our ride through the villages and countryside of rural Tamilnadu with its vast rice growing areas of the Cauvery River Delta and the coconut plantations. All over India, towns derive their names from mythology and legends and this gives the town a distinct romantic touch. Thanjavur is no exception, as the legend goes the town was named when Tanjan- an asura, a demon, was granted his last request before he was slain – to have a city named after him. Walk through this bustling town where splendid bronze and stone sculptures from the 9th and 12th centuries are found. Stroll through the Saraswati Mahal Library established in the 1700s containing ancient manuscripts on palm leaf, works on medicine and plenty of rare treatises. Ruled at one point by the greatest Chola king, Raja Raja Chola and Nayaks and Marathas at later times, Thanjavur is also where the Tanjore style of painting was developed. This unique style of portraying mythological figures is characterized by the figure having round bodies and almond-shaped eyes. Richly ornamented in gold and jewels these vividly colourful paintings remind you of the vibrant colours around the town. Krishna is the deity depicted here, keeping his complexion as white, rather than the traditional blue. We will visit the Brihadeeswara temple, the wonderful Palace and Art Gallery. Accommodation: Manthra Koodam https://www.cghearth.com/mantra-koodam Meal Plan: Breakfast & Dinner Cycling Distance: 80 kms

Today’s ride passes through the delta of the great Cauvery river with long stretches of rice cultivation which makes this area the true granary of South India. We will reach the coast today at Tranquibar – known as Thiranganbadi locally – a centre of Dutch conquest and trade during the eighteenth century. Accommodation: Bungalow on the Beach http://bungalow-on-the-beach.neemranahotels.com/ Meal Plan: Breakfast & Dinner Cycling Distance: 90 kms

Another ride along the coast and we will be at Pondicherry – the erstwhile French enclave. Here we can cycle around this last remnant of colonial France and visit both the French quarter & the ‘native’ quarter, where we stay at the well-appointed restored heritage bungalow. Accommodation: Maison de Perumal http://cghearth.com/maison-perumal Meal Plan: Breakfast Cycling Distance: 120 kms

The final ride takes us along the East Coast all the way to the famed temple town of Mahabalipuram – a UNESCO Heritage area. We can take a ride around to see the architectural wonders and see the life of the people here. The temples of Mamallapuram, portraying events described in the Mahabharata, built largely during the reigns of Narasimhavarman and his successor Rajasimhavarman, showcase the movement from rock-cut architecture to structural building. The mandapa or pavilions and the rathas or shrines shaped as temple chariots are hewn from the granite rock face, while the famed Shore Temple, erected half a century later, is built from dressed stone. The Shore Temple includes many bas-reliefs, including one 100 ft. long and 45 ft. high, carved out of granite. Accommodation: Ideal Beach Resort https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-resort-mamallapuram-temple-bay Meal Plan: Breakfast

We wake up to bid adieu to our newly made friends with promises and hopes that we will cross paths in the future. Following breakfast, we drive out to the airport and take the flight out to your destination Transfer: Mahabalipuram to Chennai Airport Drive distance : 55 Km Meal Plan: Breakfast