THE TROPICAL SOUTH

15 days from GBP1,399 to GBP1,959 including flights
Tripcode: AIT

Countries Visited: India

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Our Clients’ Reviews

Average Review Rating: from 26 reviews.

Joy Brodie

THE TROPICAL SOUTH

Written January 2012
This was a great trip with a fantastic guide with lots of variety included from walking, wildlife, sightseeing and relaxing.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were many highlights - climbing Munnar Hill, elephant riding, houseboat trip, seeing the birds (feathered variety :)).
What did you think of your group leader?
Absolutely wonderful - nice and calm, good sense of humour, checked out the welfare of the group both individually and as a group, organised and able to try and put in an alternative when we couldn't do part of the trip due to a border dispute.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Hiking boots instead of trainers would be better for the hill climb and the Periyar National Park.
Need to be relaxed about slow service in restaurants - enjoy the time with your fellow travellers!
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
India wasn't my first choice and it was one of my travelling companions who suggested it - when I saw this trip on the Exodus website and saw the variety it caught my imagination but still far exceeded my expectations. The area we went to reminded me very much of my childhood spent in Fiji where there is a large Indian population and I felt very at home from the time we travelled in from the airport in Kochi. The group we were with were a great bunch and I made some good friends. So nice to get away from the cold in Scotland to some warmth in winter too. Cooking and food was fab! Just loved it all round!
francis josephs josephs

THE TROPICAL SOUTH

Written January 2012
An excellent, varied and well-paced trip- inspirational and relaxing
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were so many: the two idyllic days on the houseboat; the moving Madurai temple and pilgrims; the exhilarating trek in the Munnar hills; our lovely meal with an Indian family; the tea plantations; the two peaceful days in the Coir village; exciting wildlife walk in Periyar; the elephant santuary; the (optional) train trip to Vekala beach; moving Gandhi museum; surfing and strolling at Kovalam; Trivandrum; bustling and atmospheric markets and villages- and so much more!
What did you think of your group leader?
Suresh was outstanding: highly knowedgeable, friendly, witty, very caring, attentive to the needs of all, and extremely hard-working. Easily one of the best leaders I have experienced.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Lassi is a nice drink, and cools hot curries. Chai tea grew on me- refreshing.
Munnar is cold at night!
Some markets and towns are dusty: I found tissues, eye lotion and throat sweets helpful. Antiseptic handwash and wipes are important.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Much easier and more relaxing than the north.
Jennifer Douse

THE TROPICAL SOUTH

Written November 2011
The trip was very well balanced with a range of activities and sufficient time to enjoy them. Manoj, the Tour Leader was excellent, professional, calm and efficient. He quickly worked out what the group liked to do and ensured that our needs were met. Memorable images include the fishing nets in Cochin, tea pickers in Munnar, pilgrims in the temple in Madurai, rice planters in Tamil Nadu, floating along in the houseboats on the Allepey backwaters, fishermen hauling in their nets in Kovalam and pilgrims visiting the shrines at the southern tip of India.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were so many colourful sights. I enjoyed travelling over the Western Ghats through the tea plantations and spice gardens. The colour and human hubbub in the temples in Madurai was fascinating. I enjoyed relaxing in the houseboats on the Allepey backwaters watching daily life unfold on the banks. Watching the fishermen hauling in the nets in Kovalam was interesting.
What did you think of your group leader?
Manoj the Tour Leader was excellent. He was very professional, calm and efficient and made sure that the needs of the group were met. The driver and assistant were also very professional and helpful and ensured our safety. Manoj dealt with problems in a manner that was co-operative such as having to leave early in the morning to flee from Thekkady to beat the blockade. He quickly worked out the needs of the group and would make sure they were met. He provided good advice on eating places, places to buy articles and places of interest. He was very knowledgeable and provided sufficient information to make the tour interesting. He also gave good tips on photography, being an expert.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be prepared for different climates as the tour goes from warm tropical to chilly mountain climes.
Take rehydration powders as there is a possibility of stomach problems.
Although we were able to borrow adaptors and eventually managed to buy one, the normal plug adaptors you buy here did not seem to fit Indian plugs. You will be taking a lot of photos!
Be prepared for quite a lot of travelling on mixed road surfaces.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
It was a very relaxing trip and I felt rejuvenated by the experience.
Most of the group suffered from a stomach bug (probably Noro virus) so I hope this did not detract too much from their enjoyment of the trip.
I would recommend this trip for it's mix of activities and leisurely pace.
Malcolm Waddle

THE TROPICAL SOUTH

Written October 2011
Good balance between visits, free time, etc. Well organsided - liked the short stops on route like the brickmaking etc. Hotels and transport were higher standrd than expected.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Difficlut to pick - there were sevaral between sceenry/geography, food, people.
What did you think of your group leader?
Excellent
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Go
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Could miss the night at the Coir village - would have liked to have done a train trip.
Emma Shubrook

THE TROPICAL SOUTH

Written October 2011
A wonderful holiday which ticked all the right boxes - great guide (Lukose), good mixture of city and countryside, good hotels, glimpses of local life - highly recommended as a great first time holiday to Southern India.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The houseboat. There is something intrinsically peaceful and calming about meandering along the back waters on a fabulous houseboat where the crew conjure up wonderful meals from, seemingly, thin air, oh and banana fritters just in case we were hungry in the afternoon!
What did you think of your group leader?
Lukose was brilliant. He anticipated our every question and had an uncanny ability to appear as if from nowhere as soon as anyone even passingly mentionned that there was something they wanted to ask him. Very knowledgeable about the places we visited and India in general; and very quick to call someone if there was a question he didn't know the answer to. He was very quick to get to grips with different peoples' wants and needs (beer and ice playing a large part in that!). The trip ran like clockwork. What can I say, a good few of us wanted to take Lukose home with us to organise our lives in the UK!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Definitely go on this trip it's a great experience.
Don't expect to be able to go to lots of bars, there isn't the same kind of drinking culture in Kerala as there is at home, but Kingfisher beer is available in most places!
The day walk from Mattupetty Dam was a lot harder than many people anticipated. The walk is really quite steep all of the way up and combined with the humidity / heat does make it quite difficult. That said it is worth doing, the view from the top is great and it was good to do something more active.

The air con on the house boat was really cold at night, take layers!

I wouldn't recommend the visit to Kanyakumari - we spent a lot of time queuing and there really wasn't anything much to see. The wooden palace about an hour away was beautiful so perhaps that could be a shorter optional trip.

The German bakery, Waves, at Kovalam is a must visit restaurant - food and cake is fantastic, as is the sister Fusion restaurant.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
A fantastic trip. There are some long stints on the bus but Lukose made sure we had plenty of stops to feed us and you see loads. There are plenty of impromptu stops along the way to see fields being worked, sugar produced, bricks being made. Book it!
mavis tyas

THE TROPICAL SOUTH

Written August 2011
Excellent trip , varied itinerary with lots of time to explore.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
We really enjoyed the optional trip down to the very tip of India. I would recommend that that day be part of the itinerary. The wooden palace en route was amazing, and the island off the coast where the three seas meet was just wonderful. The ferry was an experience not to be missed.
The houseboat was very well appointed and the food excellent with such an attenetive crew. The views as we cruised the backwaters were a delight = very restful and romantic.
What did you think of your group leader?
Gopal was lovely. Kind efficient and very thorough. He was very good at making sure we enjoyed all sorts of culinary delights. It was our third trip to India but he found us different tasty meals that we had not tasted before.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
You know leeches are not so bad. Inconvenient but not life threatening!!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I did complete a more informed review in September with proper place names etc but it dissappeared and obviously failed to send. After spending ages with ny map getting the place names spelt properly etc I was disinclined to do it again, But I did not want you to think that we did not have a good time because we did. It was a wonderful holiday.
Jennifer Bailey

THE TROPICAL SOUTH

Written March 2011
This is a great holiday to introduce you to the delights of Southern India. It was a magical experience and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in this part of the world.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were so many highlights that it's difficult to pick out just one so I'll put down a few. The scenery and wildlife are beautiful as the colours are so vibrant and the contrasts immense. The walk through the tea plantations with the views of the Western Ghats was stunning. The backwaters in Kerala are amazing too - it was a dream of mine to visit there and the experience lived up to expectations. The Meenakshi temple in Madurai is very interesting and the visit provides an insight to some of the spiritual side of India. Other great moments were visiting the local markets and meeting the very warm and friendly people. The food was a great highlight too. We ate in a lot of local restaurants and the food was always fantastic.
What did you think of your group leader?
Avtar Singh is great! He was a fantastic leader and nothing was ever too much trouble for him to arrange. His humour and good nature helped an instant bonding across the group. The stories he told were always fascinating and I learnt so much about the culture and way of life in India. Always he tried to ensure we got a bit of extra 'spice' and this made the tour very special indeed. It was a real privilege to have him as a leader.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Go with the pace of life there (it's much slower than London certainly) and open your eyes to new experiences. I enjoyed the early mornings when we were in the countryside as the wildlife was amazing at this time of day. The food in local restaurants was superb and while sensible precautions were taken most people did not suffer any ill effects. The people are very friendly and it was great to have the opportunity to speak to them in the markets and towns.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I'm a fan of India now, and hope to return soon to enjoy some more of this incredible country!