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This tour is a very good and comprehensive introduction to the people, cultures and civilisations of South India. It was well organised and everything went very smoothly with no problems. Our hotels were all very comfortable and our coach was modern , comfortable and reassuringly equipped with seat belts - an important feature when you're travelling nearly 3000 miles on Indian roads! We also had a good and careful driver who kept us all safe.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Highlights of the trip were travelling on a rice boat through the backwaters of Kerala; visiting the extraordinary temple of Madurai - like a small town inside, bustling with shops and worshippers; visiting Anokhi in Fort Cochin and buying some lovely clothes for a fraction of their price in the UK; walking through the spice plantation and seeing spices growing; the beautiful terraces of tea plantations around Ooty; the ride on the toy train from Ooty; visiting a primary school; the fishing nets in Fort Cochin; the stone carving on the Tamil Nadu temples.
What did you think of your group leader?
Surya Monish was an excellent tour leader, knowledgeable and helpful throughout. His knowledge was very wide ranging and really helped my understanding of the culture.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you are British make sure, when you visit St Stephen's church in Ooty that you visit the road opposite, where the last surviving British colonial buildings can still be seen, if you are interested in seeing what Ooty used to look like when the British were there, as this is the only part of Ooty that gives you a flavour of what it was like in its heyday. I would recommend reading "The Smile of Murugan" by Michael Wood, before you go, or better still take it with you to read, as this book is very enlightening about understanding the temple culture of Tamil Nadu.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This is a busy but hugely interesting and enjoyable trip. Although there are some long days travelling on the coach, the journeys were broken up with a variety of interesting stops and watching Indian life through the window is always fascinating. I would recommend it!
A fabulous but very busy tour which had many interesting things to see and do every day. Suresh Moni stopped whenever he saw something of interest so that we watched a wedding a procession (the bride's) and a couple of days later actually attending a wedding ceremony (where we were made most welcome, we will be in the wedding album!). Delee and Sadjee (driver and assistant) were also excellent and Delee is a very careful driver.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
So many; Belur and Halebid temples, the rock temples at Mahabalipurum and the evening meal there at the restaurant on the beach, the Jain temple at Sravanabelagola, the meal at the home of Christian family in Periyar, the spice walk and the jungle walk in Periyar and the houseboat on the backwaters (very relaxing). The scenery in the Ghats and the "Carpet Hills" and in the hills leading up to Ooty. Driving on the village roads and watching people going about their daily lives was always a source of great interest.
What did you think of your group leader?
The best I have ever had. Suresh Moni is conscientious, thoughtful (always checking that we were happy with his suggestions) and has a great sense of humour. He made the holiday for me. He gave us a lot of interesting information and told us many lovely stories about the Hindu gods. As I said before, he stopped when he saw something of interest but also had lots of planned surprises along the way not mentioned in the trip notes. We saw salt being worked, carrots being cleaned after harvest, charcoal being made, brick making, tile making, walked through a flower market and watched garlands being made for use in the temples and more. As a measure of what I think of him, I've nominated him for tour guide of the year - hope he's successful.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be prepared for some long days, some busy towns (especially Chennai which took us ages to get out of), lots of power cuts (mostly very short), very busy roads, make sure you have an adequate supply of mosquito repellant, remember to take a small bag for the train as there is only a 'parcel shelf' for storage of baggage.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
My second trip to India and I fell in love with it all over again. India is chaotic, there's litter everywhere, there are lots of power cuts but people everywhere are friendly and genuinely interested in talking to you. This trip was just fabulous, so much to see and do - never a dull moment.
Tea plantations, temples, vibrant markets, amazing beaches, coconuts, bananas, elephants, great shopping combined with some long drives, a couple of noisy cities, a jungle and a few leeches, a train journey and lots of curries just about sum up this trip! South India is different from the North but still a culture shock for anyone visiting for the first time! The cows are still wandering the streets and the traffic is still crazy!
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were lots of things that made this trip special. Having dinner with a local family, the auto rickshaw rides, the cycle rickshaws, the rubber plantation, the cattle/goat/coconut markets - not forgetting the banana market. The Keralan backwaters - very relaxing after the 2 weeks of driving! The temples are amazing - just try and appreciate every single one of them - it does get a little hard towards the end!
The PEOPLE in India are friendly and they made this trip special. Chance encounters with local children and local people who are happy in what they are doing and make you smile.
What did you think of your group leader?
Suresh was a fantastic, well organised guide. He added little surprises into our day at every opportunity. He was happy to share his knowledge and his own personal experiences. He never lectured us - just made sure we knew enough - but always happy to give more details as required. Suresh kept us informed when we had to make the big detour due to some political tensions at the border. I felt he was always making the right decision for the benefit of everyone. Our 3am wake up call was never questioned by anyone in the group because the group trusted that Suresh knew best and if that's what we had to do then let's just get on with it. All part of the adventure! Suresh knew the right people and clearly loves his country. It was great to have him as our leader. He managed to cater for everyone's needs!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be prepared for some long journeys on the coach. Indian roads can be scary - but we had a good driver - so don't panic even when they are overtaking on a blind bend! It's what they do. The scenery is wonderful and there are plenty of stops to wander around or get some food. Food is very cheap and is good. There are opportunities to eat some excellent sea food on the coast as well as curries and more curries! Omlettes are good at breakfast!! Drink lots of bottled water - that's my tip for not getting sick as well as going vegetarian for the trip! Shopping is good - and cheap!
Pack light. The hotel will do washing. We didn't encounter too many mosquitoes but take deet and use it just incase!
Wi-fi is available in most hotels.
The beer - Kingfisher is good and cheap.
Hotels were better than I had anticipated! One classified as standard was definitely 5 star!!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This is a well organised trip - if you want lots of adventure or crave exercise every day then it might not tick all the boxes.
The trip notes are good - but our leader added lots of additional activities into the trip to make it special. Thank you Suresh!
Good group of people to travel with!
Take lots of photos!!!
India is incredible so just go and see it for yourself! Enjoy!
A good overview of South India, but the trip spent a lot of time in busy cities and on the road. Some more time in the countryside and relaxing by the coast would have been appreciated.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The Jain temple complex at Sravanabelagola is amaxing and the temple at Madurai has to be seen to be believed. The food was also a highlight, especially the optional cooking evening at Periyar which is highly recommended.
What did you think of your group leader?
Santosh Kumar was one of the best, if not the best Exodus leader I have had over the past 10 years. First class in all areas, especially local knowledge, communication skills and sociability with the group.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be prepared for lots of 5+ hour days on the coach. Unfortunately the majority of roads were poor quality so it takes a long time to travel a reasonably short distance. Do try all of the local food and don't worry about it being too spicy. If anything the food was not spicy enough for my taste.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Don't forget a travel sink plug and strong insect repellent as the insects were ferocious!
Sanda Vlasic
SOUTH INDIA EXPLORED
Written
It was an extremely interesting trip and we learnt a lot about South India and our excellent guide Suresh Muni made it a trully memorable experience.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
We loved the tea plantations, driving along coconut palm trees, enjoyed watching the elephants` bath in the river, have seen exceptional temples, palaces and churches, loved seeing all the various animals along the Periyar lake, endulged in an ayurvedic massage, were surprised by the spice gardens, were excited riding elephants, loved the Kovalam beach and its fishing village, enjoyed the stay at the Coir village (only not the all night temple announcements), loved the boat ride through the back waters. All in all an enjoyable experience which will stay with us forever.
What did you think of your group leader?
Suresh Muni was excellent and showed and told us so much about the country, its people, its customs, beautiful nature and made the trip enjoyable and memorable. He always had a few surprises along the way wich made some long drives so much more interesting. He is very knowledgeable and has managed the trip really good. He was very patient and tried to accommodate what the group required.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
It is a great trip but be prepared for a lot of bus travel. In relation to tummy problems - we almost had none by sticking to vegetarian food (and fish) which in those parts is really great, and drank coke or beer, and we were careful with water. The food is great so there is a lot to look forward to.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The bus we travelled with had green tinted window glass so a huge amount of photographs taken through the windows are greenish, therefore, really no good. So in future it would be better if the bus windows did not have cloured window glass.
The trip includes a lot of travelling by bus and short stays in some places where it would have been great to spend some more time - like in Periyar, Kovalam, Coir village and backwaters.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Having dinner in the home of a local family where we participated in the cooking and ate our meal on banana leaves. Stopping many times to see local cottage industries. Having a thali for Christmas Day lunch! Seeing so many amazing temples. The tea plantations of Munnar (not on the itinerary but a bonus of a 7 hr detour we had to take). Being treated as an exotic species and having our photos taken by and with countless Indian families!
What did you think of your group leader?
Suresh Moni's skills and knowledge made the tour a very special one. He was always patient, courteous and attuned to the needs of the group. We could ask him anything about the country, culture, history, daily life, plants, animals, birds, etc and he usually knew the answer. His commentary as we travelled 2,800km was always interesting and informative. When we had to rise at 3am, and travel an extra 7 hrs in order to cross safely from Tamil Nadu into Kerala, the group did so without complaint as we knew Suresh was concerned for our wellbeing.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
I am in my 60s and found this tour tiring, mainly due to the long days of travel and only staying in a few hotels for more than one night. It was a wonderful way to see a lot of south India and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see more than Kerala. The spicy food was great, but you need to have built up some intestinal fortitude before tackling curry two or three times a day! Would recommend eating Indian food frequently in the month before starting the tour so your system is not overloaded in the first week.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I usually travel solo and this Exodus tour was only the second tour I have done in more than 20 years of travel. It was a very positive experience and Suresh has set the standard for how a tour leader and guide should perform. Most of the other 14 people on the tour had been on many Exodus tours, which is a recommendation in itself.
A really nice introduction to the charms of Southern India with a good group of people in the experienced hands of a skillful tour leader. Coconuts, curries, cruising along the backwaters, tea, temples, sunrises, sunsets and smiles.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The friendliness of the local people and their ability to just enjoy the moment; the beautiful scenery, fabulous food, several spectacular sunsets (and sunrises); the variety of temples and the tranquility of the Keralan backwaters.
What did you think of your group leader?
Suresh was the perfect host: enthusiastic, friendly, knowlegable, organised, calm under pressure and with a good sense of humour. Essential when a regular 4 hour journey turns into a 12 hour detour thanks to a spot of border politics and road blocks!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Indian drivers are crazy. Fact. The roads are chaotic and it seems to work, except when it doesn't so just look to the side at all times!
The shopping opportunities are fantastic so leave enough room (or bring an extra bag!) if you love fabrics, scarves, jewellery
Drink more water than you think you need as the humidity can be dehydrating
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I was aware this trip had more of a cultural focus but I would have loved the opportunity to do some optional adventure activities like I've done on previous Exodus trips. There was not a lot of spare time but on the couple of occasions we had a little free time it would have been the cherry on top if there'd been some more options like cycling, walking, or where available, things like horseriding, white water rafting etc.
from 17 reviews.
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