India: the Spirit of the South

Recently, a group of our travel experts set out on our Highlights of Southern India - Exclusively Solos tour. Their mission was simple: to step into the shoes of our guests, and to experience first-hand the landscapes, traditions and encounters that make this journey so unforgettable.

It was an opportunity to finesse their knowledge and return with personal insights drawn from lived experience - the kind of details that help them inspire and guide our future guests with authenticity. From the moment they landed in Cochin, the country announced itself. Palm trees fringed the runway, the tropical heat embraced them, and the scent of jasmine filled the air.

"Even arrivals at each hotel felt like an occasion - cold towels pressed into our hands, a bindi brushed onto our foreheads, and garlands of fresh jasmine slipped over our shoulders. It was a lovely welcome that hinted at the generosity and warmth we'd experience throughout our journey," said Amelia from our Marketing team.

Cochin offered their first glimpse of India's cultural mosaic, where Dutch rooftops, Portuguese churches and Jewish synagogues sat side by side with spice-laden markets. Here, tradition didn't just live in architecture; it danced.

A Kathakali performance, Kerala's distinctive dance-drama, drew them into an ancient world where stories unfolded through intricate gestures, painted faces and hypnotic rhythms. It was theatre without words, a multi-sensory invitation into the culture.

Life slowed on Kerala's famed backwaters. The group drifted on a houseboat through a labyrinth of canals as the world stirred awake: women washing at the river's edge, children leaping into the water, long wooden boats gliding past under the weight of rice. Here, they experienced a traditional-style banana-leaf meal with fresh fish, crisp banana chips, and vibrant curries, all eaten by hand.

The journey wound inland to mist-shrouded hills and rolling plantations where spices perfumed the air. At family-run gardens, they touched, smelled and tasted cardamom, pepper and cinnamon, and they sipped high tea at the historic Lockhart Factory while the tea plantations' green terraces stretched as far as the eye could see.

Nights were spent in stilted lodges nestled among the forest, birdcalls all around, and a naturalist guide on hand to help put names to the songs.

"Locals welcomed us with warmth, and hotels went above and beyond - even returning a forgotten pair of sandals at our next stop. Throughout the trip, the Tour Managers seemed as excited as we were to showcase their country, pausing the itinerary to reveal unscripted gems. Their care gave us a sense of safety and connection, and for solo travellers, made exploration feel effortless." Katie, Excursions team

Cultural immersion shaped every day. In Thekkady, a martial arts performance fused athleticism with ritual, swords flashing and fire sparking in a blur of energy. In Madurai, towering temples astounded with their carvings and scale. At Meenakshi Temple, the group stood barefoot among pilgrims as the nightly 'going to bed' ceremony unfolded in clouds of incense and resonant chants - a display of faith that left even the non-religious moved.

Between sacred sites, everyday candid encounters offered their own magic: helping a local family push their broken-down car, chatting with shopkeepers in Kerala's roadside huts, weaving through Madurai's colourful street markets, or exploring Pondicherry's French Quarter with its tree-lined boulevards and dual-language road signs that felt like they were straight out of Paris. Evening strolls along the seafront revealed another rhythm entirely, as local families gathered to catch the sea breeze.

Wildlife, too, left its mark. On Periyar Lake, elephants emerged quietly at the water's edge, kingfishers darted in flashes of blue, and monkeys bounded through the treetops. Even on the road, the scenery framed itself in windows with endless rows of tea plantations.

What struck the team most, however, was the kindness. Katie told us, "Locals welcomed us with warmth, and hotels went above and beyond - even returning a forgotten pair of sandals at our next stop. Throughout the trip, the Tour Managers seemed as excited as we were to showcase their country, pausing the itinerary to reveal unscripted gems. Their care gave us a sense of safety and connection, and for solo travellers, made exploration feel effortless."

By the journey's end in Mahabalipuram, with its peaceful beaches and gentle sea breezes, the group felt they had traced Southern India in full. "It felt like we'd completed the quintessential Indian journey - beginning in the bustling streets of Cochin, tracing the Malabar Coast along the Arabian Sea, and reaching the colonial charm of Pondicherry on the Bay of Bengal. We'd experienced India in full, exploring the land from coast to coast," said Sarah from our Operations team.

This journey was more than a tour - it was a story of generosity, culture and colour. They came back eager to share it, with deepened passion and perspective, ready to spark inspiration and help others craft their own unforgettable stories.