A bike tour in southern India

Arrival at Bangalore international airport. After traditional airport welcome, we are transferred to our hotel in Mysore. Upon arrival, we check in at the hotel. In the afternoon, we have time to visit the central market (central Bazar) and the magnificent Maharaja palace. Rebuilt in the 20th century after a fire in 1897, its architecture is rich and expressive and its baroque-style interior provides insight into the great wealth of the Maharajas of Mysore. Then we gather our bikes. If you have any, you can bring yours, otherwise we provide rental bikes.

After breakfast, we leave the hotel and head south towards country roads, where the majority of India's colorful rural life can be found. Passing through villages we can observe women in their colorful saris, carrying jars on their heads. We then head towards the important pilgrimage center of Nanjangud. There, we visit the impressive temple of Srikanteshwara, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. After lunch, we embark on a drive to the forest foothills of the Western Ghats (hills). Once, the site was the hunting reserve of the Maharajas of Mysore, today it has become a tiger reserve and part of the Bandipur National Park.

In the late afternoon, we go on a jeep safari in the park.

Early in the morning, we have the opportunity to go on another safari. It's a perfect chance to see the gaur of Inde (Indian bison), wild elephants and sambar. After breakfast, we take a break for a few hours before heading south to a verdant park where we have the chance to encounter deer and monkeys within the forests that line the road to the Mudumalai National Park, in Tamil Nadu. The afternoon is free to discover the region of « Wild Haven » (wild paradise). We stay in a rustic bungalow with a fantastic view of the Nilgiri mountains, on one side, and of Mudumalai on the other.

Today, a very interesting day awaits us as we head towards the Ootacamund hill (2240 m), commonly called Ooty. The 36 hairpin curves that wind along this road offer stunning views at every turn and leave us with a sense of fulfillment when we reach the summit. Located in the Nilgiri Hills, Ooty served as the summer capital for the British during the colonial era. Its stunning beauty and temperate climate won over the British so much that they called it « Queen of Hill-Stations » or the queen of hill-stations. Some members of our group prefer to walk and enjoy a relaxed morning but also explore the hill in the support vehicle. To enjoy the final 1600-meter climb, we have chosen to cycle to our pleasant accommodation in Ooty.

Our afternoon is free to explore the town and taste the famous cardamom tea.

Today, our walk follows the road that winds through the tea fields that dominate the Nilgiri Hills region. It is pleasantly cool at around 2000 meters and this route offers excellent views of the hills below. We continue through the hills and slopes covered with tea, the Western Ghats in order to reach Gudalur, at the junction of the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. From this indescribable native town, we pick fresh fruit and continue our descent through even more lush vegetation in a typical Kerala restaurant, the point where we conclude our day's bike tour program. From there, we head to Guruvayur on the coast in order to avoid a section of busier roads.

After breakfast, we leave the city and follow the road of the south coast, passing through palm trees and small villages, with the sea on our right. Mango and coconut trees line the roads and leave us with a feeling of calm. We take the opportunity to swim and enjoy the beautiful beach, then we have lunch. We look for a restaurant with a sea view to taste superb seafood dishes, a specialty of Keralan cuisine. After lunch, we continue the journey to reach the port where we board ferries to reach the city center of Kochi. This city is a unique place in the history of India, and to enjoy the good atmosphere, we spend two nights there.

In the morning, we head south, out of the city on a narrow strip of land that lies between the Laccadive Lake and the Kerala backwaters. We settle along the coastal road, taking our time and stopping in small fishing villages. We admire the villagers who cast their nets or transport their boats on the beach on wooden rollers. The majority of these fishing villages have a Christian population, so we visit a number of churches, the most famous of which is located in Cherthala. We have lunch before continuing our journey along the old coast to Alleppey while following the canal. We stop at a traditional Keralan house near the town of Alleppey. We spend time in the garden of the house while admiring the great Vembanad Lake.

Today, our breakfast is served in our cabins, onboard the boat. We then move to our disembarkation point where we pick up our support vehicle to begin the final stage of our cycling tour. Once again, following the coastal road, we head south to Valaazhikal, where we cross the river mouth aboard a fishing boat. Five kilometers away, we visit a popular monastery the « Hugging Mama Ashram». We then join the main road towards Quilon and take a lunch break near the city of Kollam. We then continue our journey on quiet roads for approximately 30kms to Varkala. It is a peaceful place with cafes and yoga schools built along its cliff.

In the morning, we are taken to Trivandrum international airport to board our flights to our respective countries.