exploring southern india

whatsilliness · Jun 11th, 2005, 00:43

If you had one month to explore southern india, how would you organize your itinerary? (low-budget)
would you try to spend several days all over or would you stay in a few areas but for a week at a time?
If you wanted to spend a good amount of time in the Tamil Nadu region, which 5 villages would be your absolute must-see's?
etc. etc.

wandering_kat · Jun 11th, 2005, 00:49

I spent a month crossing from Mumbai to Pondicherry, trying to fit in as much as possible, and i was exhausted and miserable by the time I got there, and hadn't seen anything "properly"....
I'd definitely make fewer stops next time - think i made 11 stops in the month, but one was for 12 days (at the beginning) so the others were all really short.

rv224 · Jun 12th, 2005, 09:56

I would start in Bangalore. Do an overnight trip to Mysore. Go to Goa. Head down to Kerala. Go to Chennai, do a short trip to Pondicherry.

bijapuri · Jun 12th, 2005, 11:06

well, I like to break it into themes between Mumbai and Chennai, then build a route with a dash of each theme.

If I have only one month, I'd pick a Tamil Temple city or 2, A game park, a Deccan Sultanate or 2, a beach, . . . you get the drift, isn't it? I can do Mumbai-Chennai many times over the years without repeating myself that way.

And if I have never seen Ajanta-Ellora, or Belur-Halebid, I'd be sure to include one of those

Dunno why, but for some reason up north it works better for me if I concentrate on one area.

Of course, it's all up to you

dan37_123 · Jun 12th, 2005, 11:48

hi,
This is our south india trip, we will be starting out this friday. all in 4 weeks.

europe- bombay-aurangabad-hyderabad-hampi-puttparthi-pondicherry-rameshearm-kanyakumri-kollam-kottayam-palakkat-combatore-bombay-europe.

goog luck
dan

dan37_123 · Jun 12th, 2005, 12:17

ooooops add Madurai-Meenakshi temple, either to Rameshwarm or out of rameshwaram, you have to pass Madurai if you want to fly or take a train.

good luck
dan

mikewill · Jun 19th, 2005, 01:32

Better to fly in to Chennai; everyone seems to say Mumbai is a dreadful airport - gets awful ratings. Chennai is fine, small not too busy.

from 19 Feb to 14 March 2003 we did this:
London - Chennai - Mamallapuram - Trichy - Thanjavur - Madurai - Ooty via Erode overnight - BR Hills wildlife sanctuary - Nagarahole NP - Mysore - Chennai - Bahrain - London

Absolutely fantastic! TN is great, loved every minute. Went to Kerala last December and were slightly disappointed after TN. Yes, its much greener, but also more modern in many ways. Also if you're into temples, its hard to beat the ones in TN. There's enough for us to need several more trips to see them.

Jorge Reverter · Jun 19th, 2005, 04:02

Have arranged for a couple of friends the following itinerary for 28 days:

Madras
Mahabalipuram
Kancheepuram
Pondicherry
Chidambaram
Gangaikondacholapuram
Kumbakonam
Thanjavur
Trichy (Srirangam)
Madurai
Periyar (Thekkadi)
Munnar
Alleppey
Backwaters
Fort Cochin
Bombay

Not sleeping in places like Madras, Kanchipuram, Gangaikonda, Chidambaram, Trichy, but the journey was this one. Most of the trip with car and driver and from Cochin to Mumbai by train (almost 24 hours)

Since yesterday they are in India, hope everithing is going well.

Jun 11th, 2005, 00:43	#1
whatsilliness i like to go through obsessions... Join Date: May 2005 Location: new york Posts: 102	exploring southern india If you had one month to explore southern india, how would you organize your itinerary? (low-budget) would you try to spend several days all over or would you stay in a few areas but for a week at a time? If you wanted to spend a good amount of time in the Tamil Nadu region, which 5 villages would be your absolute must-see's? etc. etc.

Jun 11th, 2005, 00:49	#2
wandering_kat All India Permit Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cape Town Posts: 342	I spent a month crossing from Mumbai to Pondicherry, trying to fit in as much as possible, and i was exhausted and miserable by the time I got there, and hadn't seen anything "properly".... I'd definitely make fewer stops next time - think i made 11 stops in the month, but one was for 12 days (at the beginning) so the others were all really short. __________________ *Sorry, but my karma just ran over your dogma*

Jun 12th, 2005, 11:06	#4
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	well, I like to break it into themes between Mumbai and Chennai, then build a route with a dash of each theme. If I have only one month, I'd pick a Tamil Temple city or 2, A game park, a Deccan Sultanate or 2, a beach, . . . you get the drift, isn't it? I can do Mumbai-Chennai many times over the years without repeating myself that way. And if I have never seen Ajanta-Ellora, or Belur-Halebid, I'd be sure to include one of those Dunno why, but for some reason up north it works better for me if I concentrate on one area. Of course, it's all up to you __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

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Jun 12th, 2005, 09:56	#3
rv224 Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: singapore Posts: 38	I would start in Bangalore. Do an overnight trip to Mysore. Go to Goa. Head down to Kerala. Go to Chennai, do a short trip to Pondicherry.

Jun 12th, 2005, 11:48	#5
dan37_123 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Europe Posts: 383	hi, This is our south india trip, we will be starting out this friday. all in 4 weeks. europe- bombay-aurangabad-hyderabad-hampi-puttparthi-pondicherry-rameshearm-kanyakumri-kollam-kottayam-palakkat-combatore-bombay-europe. goog luck dan

Jun 12th, 2005, 12:17	#6
dan37_123 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Europe Posts: 383	ooooops add Madurai-Meenakshi temple, either to Rameshwarm or out of rameshwaram, you have to pass Madurai if you want to fly or take a train. good luck dan

Jun 19th, 2005, 01:32	#7
mikewill Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Exeter, England Posts: 275	Better to fly in to Chennai; everyone seems to say Mumbai is a dreadful airport - gets awful ratings. Chennai is fine, small not too busy. from 19 Feb to 14 March 2003 we did this: London - Chennai - Mamallapuram - Trichy - Thanjavur - Madurai - Ooty via Erode overnight - BR Hills wildlife sanctuary - Nagarahole NP - Mysore - Chennai - Bahrain - London Absolutely fantastic! TN is great, loved every minute. Went to Kerala last December and were slightly disappointed after TN. Yes, its much greener, but also more modern in many ways. Also if you're into temples, its hard to beat the ones in TN. There's enough for us to need several more trips to see them.

Jun 19th, 2005, 04:02	#8
Jorge Reverter Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Murcia - Spain Posts: 1,109	Have arranged for a couple of friends the following itinerary for 28 days: Madras Mahabalipuram Kancheepuram Pondicherry Chidambaram Gangaikondacholapuram Kumbakonam Thanjavur Trichy (Srirangam) Madurai Periyar (Thekkadi) Munnar Alleppey Backwaters Fort Cochin Bombay Not sleeping in places like Madras, Kanchipuram, Gangaikonda, Chidambaram, Trichy, but the journey was this one. Most of the trip with car and driver and from Cochin to Mumbai by train (almost 24 hours) Since yesterday they are in India, hope everithing is going well.

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