A Tropic Trails representative will pick you from the Airport and take you to the hotel at Mahabalipuram, it will tke 1h 30min. Mahabalipuram is famous for its shore temples and rock carvings. Carving in stone is still a living art here and we will see stonemasons chipping away along the roadside, practicing skills that have flourished for centuries
Today you will be cycling to the former French colonial colony of Pondicherry or Puthucherry. On the way you will be visiting Auroville, a new-age spiritual commune.
Today you hava an our transfer to the outskirts of the city. You will be cycling through vast stretches of paddy-fields known as rice bowl of Tamil Nadu through the delta of the great Cauvery River. You will reach the eastern coast today at Tranquebar, known as Thiranganbadi locally, a centre of Dutch conquest and trade during the eighteenth century, you will be staying by the Beach.
Today you will be leaving the coast and head inland onto the vast lush Tamil plains. Kumbakonam is known as a Temple town due to the prevalence of a number of temples here and is noted for its Mahamaham festival, which happens once in 12 years, attracting people from all over the country. You have an option to visit the Temple in the evening.
Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Great Living Chola Temples, which are Unesco World Heritage Monuments, are located in and around Thanjavur. The foremost among these, the Brihadeeswara Temple, built by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I, is located in the centre of the city. Thanjavur is also home to Tanjore painting, a painting style unique to the region. Bullock carts and cycles are more common than any other vehicles in Tanjore. We will be visiting the wonderful Swathi Mahal Palace, The Art Gallery as and the Brihadeeswara Temple, one of the largest in India and known locally as simply the Big Temple.
In local language Chettinad means land of Chettiyars. Chettinad is the home of the Nattukottai Chettiars a prosperous banking and business community, and they are known to be traders in salt and spices and this is reflected in the famous Chettinad cuisine. Chettinad is specially known for its traditional mansions some of which have more than a 100 rooms.
Madurai is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu. Madurai has been a major settlement for two millennia and has a documented history of more than 2500 years. The city has a number of historical monuments, Meenakshi Temple and the Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal being the most prominent. Today you will be cycling 60km and transfer to the hotel. In the evening you will be visiting the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, and the local market.
The Highwavys Mountain, locally called the Meghamalai. It is an undiscovered eco paradise with many attractions. Virgin forests, tea plantations, the picturesque viewpoints, dams and pristine waterfalls. This land is at its unexplored best as the government has made it open to public just three years ago. Today you will be cycle around 60km, and transfer to the hotel at Highwavy Mountains.
A rest day to relax and enjoy the nature.
Periyar Tiger Reserve is one of the most visited protected areas in India.This wild paradise is known for its unique and diverse flora and fauna. Periyar Tiger Reserve bares it’s boundary with the Cardamom hill range, the finest aroma of the spices arose from the merchants yards fills this small hilly town, the town also shared an equal share of space with wild wanderers coming in, such as Nilgiri Langur, Bonnet Macaque, Indian Wild Boar (wild pig) and the Malabar Giant Sqirrel.
Today morning you will be going for a boat safari at the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Today you have an option to see Kalaripayattu (martial art) in the evening.
Wagamon is famed as one of the 50 Most Attractive Places to Visit in India by National Geographic Traveller. Dotted with evergreen meadows, never-ending pine forests, wonderful waterfalls and the scenic valleys, the overall greenery is really striking.
Early breakfast and we’re out for a thrilling 30 kms cycling mostly descent and through the spice plantations and rubber estates. After a quick break we transfer you to Alleppey. A luxury rice-barge moored on the Vembanad Lake awaits our arrival. Festive lunch on boat, music in the background, you’re next in charge steering the boat through vast stretches of blue waters. Coconut palms, temples and villages in the horizon, you have a book out to sketch or write a poem. Amidst a million stars in the night sky, the breeze silently steers you into God’s own waters.
In the morning you can see the magnificent sun rise from the comfort of the house boat, and enjoy breakfast while cruise towards Alleppey. Your last day of South India coast to coast cycling holiday will take you through the coastal roads through shady coconut palms and sleepy fishing villages. We stop for a picnic lunch and you have the opportunity to cool off with a dip in the Arabian Sea. This afternoon we cycle through prawn farms and rice paddies to Cochin on the Malabar Coast.
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