making meaningful connections

Discovering Southern India

Spice and temples with Mysore, Mothakkara (12 nights-9 nights stay and 2 trains)

Holiday Highlights

  • Exotic spice gardens and beach.
  • Ideal introduction to South India.
  • Relaxing discovery, gentle walks, delicious food.
  • Opulent Mysore, Magnificent Hampi.

Itinerary | Day by Day

DAY 1 | Outward Journey

Welcome at Mumbai/Bangalore airport, transfer to city centre. Overnight Mumbai/Banagalore hotel.

DAY 2

A full day to explore the bustling city , before a transfer to the station to catch the overnight Express to Hubli/Hospet.

Day 3

Day 3 Arrive Hubli; lunch in Hubli before transfer to Hospet (3 hours).Overnight in Mallagi Hotel in Hospet (10km from Hampi).

Day 4

Spend the day exploring the nearby ancient site of Hampi, once flourishing city and imposing capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is an awe-inspiring and important cultural and religious site with ancient remains of palaces, forts and temples spreading over a vast area. Magnificent architecture juxtaposed with unusual, delicately-balanced boulder formations creates a surreal landscape. Stroll through Hampi Bazaar, explore the scattered remains of palaces and statues and visit Vittala Temple. Guided tour and option to explore by bicycle. Return to Mallagi Hotel for a second night.

Day 5 | In Spice Garden

Transfer from Hospet to Hulgol (5 ¼ hours). Lunch and relax at Spice House guesthouse; introduction to the area. Your guide will meet you to plan and help you make the most of you stay. The ‘Spice house’ village guest-house is set in seclusion at the forest edge. Built around an enclosed courtyard, the house offers three attractive twin bedrooms. It combines a traditional design with simple, modern facilities.

Day 6

With 2 nights in the Spice House you will discover the magic of spice as you explore the plantations and the auction market in Sirsi, enjoy guided walk or cycle through the forests, discover the astonishing rock carvings in the river and get to know the charming community. A fort ascribed to Tipu Sultan is an easy walk from Hulgol, or travel further to the famous Banavasi temple complex.

Day 7

Transfer to Karwar station for overnight train to Kozhikode. Next morning arrival at Kozhikode. A road transfer takes you into the Wayanad region of the Western Ghats. From Kozhikode a road transfer (3 hours) to the charming hillside village of Mothakkara in Wayanad.

Day 8 | In The Wayanad Hills

:Enjoy 3 nights with the community of Mothakkara-Food ,culture and heritage.

Explore the coffee and pepper plantations, enjoy forest walks and spectacular views across the Western Ghats.

On the southern tip of the Deccan plateau, the region is strikingly scenic. The upper hills of Wayanad have open grassland vegetation, where elephants roam. The lower slopes include some dense, deciduous and evergreen forest, tangled jungles and deep valleys. Once heavily forested, agriculture has made its mark on the area with forest clearances for farmland, but there is still plenty of woodland, some of which is now a reserve. Wayanad also shelters several endangered species and has an amazing range of flora and fauna. Medicinal plants are especially widespread.

The delightful hillside village of Mothakkara sits amid pepper and coffee plantations, with views across the splendid tea gardens towards the spectacular hills. Banasura peak (2,073 m) is one of the important mountains of the district and towers over Mothakkara. Banasura is named after the son of Mahabale, who was a highly respected king of Kerala. The busy centre of the village lies along the main road, with its post office, shops and cyber café. Beyond this there are three different hamlets of the village.

You will be accompanied throughout your stay in the villages by at least one of our trained guides, who will be able to explain the local traditions, history, farming and the flora and fauna.

Day 11

After breakfast a road transfer of 3- 4 hrs approximately through the Nagorehole sanctuary to the beautiful city of Mysore.

Day 12

A car and driver will take you to Mysore sightseeing. Another night in Myosre.

Day 13 | Homeward Journey

1Transfer from the hotel to Bangalore Airport for your homeward flight from Mumbai or
Bangalore.

Bangalore/or flight to Mumbai.Stay one more night in Bangalore /Mumbai before leaving homewards.


Bangalore/ Mumbai /Mysore and Hospet.

See All South India holidays

Discovering Southern India

12 nights
£ 1265 12Nights
  • All meals and stay at villages
  • B&B in hotels
  • Guide and Porter services
  • Inclusive of all taxes as applicable
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"One of our personal highlights was meeting all the local people in the Binsar Sanctuary. Everyone at Khali estate, our guides and all the local villagers were extremely welcoming, generous, kind and informative. We felt extremely well looked after, with no shortage of amazing food and tea. Meeting all these people really made the trip an amazing experience for us."
☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Moderate walking

Mixed Terrain

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Where In India?

ABOUT THE BINSAR SANCTUARY AND THE VILLAGES

Binsar lies in the Himalayan foothills at the centre of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand State. It lies about 20 km from the district capital of Almora. Binsar is named after the Bineshwar temple. Binsar comprises sequence of steep, pine-clad and terraced hills with picturesque villages clinging to their sides. Elevations range from around 1,200 m in the main valleys, rising up to 2,500 m at the ‘Zero Point’ summit. Binsar is overlooked by the great snow-capped, majestic peaks of Nanda Devi, Trisul and Panchachuli. Binsar occupies a special place in Village Ways history. It is where, from 2002, we developed the concept of establishing community- based holidays in partnership with villagers in the neighbourhood of Khali Estate. In 2003-04 five villages joined Village Ways in this pilot project: Risal, Gonap, Satri, Dalar and Kathdhara. A sixth village, Matkanya, joined later in 2012.