Grand Tour of South India — Self-Launched Backpacker Route (Bangalore to Chennai)

Land at Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport and get into the city — the Vayu Vajra airport bus (BMTC route KIA-9 or similar) runs to MG Road/Majestic for around £1-2, or take a prepaid Ola/Uber for £8-12. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the MG Road / Brigade Road area. Spend the afternoon wandering Cubbon Park, the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens and the lively Commercial Street area, then eat a cheap thali or dosa dinner (₹150-250).

🚌Airport bus (~£1-2) or app taxi (~£8-12)

🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse, MG Road area (dorm £6-10, private £15-22)

• →Cubbon Park walk
• →Lalbagh Botanical Gardens
• →Commercial Street browse
• →South Indian thali dinner

Take an early train or the frequent KSRTC bus from Bangalore to Mysore (train ~2.5-3 hrs, ~£2-4; bus ~3-4 hrs, ~£2-3). Break the journey at Srirangapatna or Mandya area to see Srirangapatna Fort, the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace. Nearby Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is a short auto-rickshaw ride away (shared auto ~£1-2) — go early for the boat ride and best birdlife. Continue to Mysore, check in, then in the late afternoon visit Brindavan Gardens for the illuminated musical fountains (KSRTC/local bus ~£1). If you have energy, wander the Devaraja Market flower and sandalwood stalls.

🚌Bangalore–Mysore train (~£2-4) + local buses and shared autos (~£3-5)

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse near Mysore Palace (private room £10-18)

• →Srirangapatna Fort
• →Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
• →Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary boat ride
• →Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace
• →Brindavan Gardens musical fountains
• →Devaraja Market flower & sandalwood stalls

Explore Mysore on foot and by local bus. Morning at the magnificent Mysore Palace (entry ~£6 for foreigners; audio guide ~£2). Climb or take a bus up Chamundi Hills for the Chamundeshwari Temple and city views, then visit the Rajendra Art Gallery inside Jaganmohan Palace. Evening: stroll around the illuminated palace and the Devaraja Market. Skip an organised guide — the palace's audio guide and free walking notes cover it well.

🚌Local bus to Chamundi Hills (~£0.50) + shared autos (~£2-3)

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Mysore (£10-18)

• →Mysore Palace (audio-guided)
• →Chamundi Hills & Chamundeshwari Temple
• →Rajendra Art Gallery / Jaganmohan Palace
• →Evening walk at illuminated palace

Travel by bus or train toward Ooty. The scenic option is the KSRTC bus from Mysore to Ooty (~5-6 hrs, ~£4-6), or you can make your way to Mettupalayam and ride the famous Nilgiri Mountain Railway toy train up to Ooty (book ahead on IRCTC; ~£2-4 for the unreserved/2nd class). Settle in, then visit the Government Botanical Garden and Doddabetta Peak (the highest point in the Nilgiris) by shared auto. Walk through the tea gardens around town in the late afternoon.

🚌Mysore–Ooty bus (~£4-6) or toy train (~£2-4) + shared autos (~£3-4)

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Ooty (£8-15)

• →Nilgiri Mountain Railway toy train (optional)
• →Ooty Botanical Garden
• →Doddabetta Peak viewpoint
• →Tea plantation walks

Take the toy train or a local bus from Ooty to Coonoor (~1 hr, ~£1). Base yourself in Coonoor or day-trip from Ooty. Hire a shared/private auto for the day (~£8-12 split between travellers) to cover Dolphin's Nose (go early — fog can hide the view), Sim's Park, Lamb's Rock, Kodanad Viewpoint, Ketti Valley and the tea gardens. Note that Avalanche is a separate, permit-restricted forest area and is often closed — if open, arrange it locally in advance. Return to Ooty or stay overnight in Coonoor.

🚌Ooty–Coonoor toy train/bus (~£1) + shared auto day hire (~£4-6 per person)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Coonoor or Ooty (£8-15)

• →Coonoor sightseeing by shared auto
• →Dolphin's Nose
• →Sim's Park
• →Lamb's Rock
• →Kodanad Viewpoint
• →Ketti Valley
• →Tea gardens

Descend to Coimbatore by bus or toy train (~3 hrs), then take an overnight or daytime train to Kochi/Ernakulam (several daily services; sleeper ~£3-6, AC chair ~£5-8). Book on IRCTC in advance. Arrive and head to Fort Kochi, where most budget guesthouses cluster. This is a long travel day, so keep it simple — a homestay dinner and an early night.

🚌Bus to Coimbatore (~£2-3) + train to Ernakulam (~£3-6)

🛏Guesthouse in Fort Kochi (£10-18)

• →Travel day
• →Evening stroll in Fort Kochi

Explore Fort Kochi on foot: St Francis Church, the Chinese fishing nets, the Dutch/Mattancherry Palace and the Paradesi Jewish Synagogue (closed Saturdays and Jewish holidays). Join a free or cheap walking tour or use GetYourGuide for a small-group heritage walk (~£8-12), then book an evening Kathakali performance at the Kerala Kathakali Centre (~£4-6). Dine on Kerala seafood and appam.

🚌Walking + short ferries/autos (~£2-3)

🛏Guesthouse in Fort Kochi (£10-18)

• →Fort Kochi heritage walk
• →St Francis Church
• →Chinese fishing nets
• →Mattancherry (Dutch) Palace
• →Paradesi Jewish Synagogue
• →Kathakali dance performance

Take the local train or bus from Ernakulam to Alappuzha (~1-1.5 hrs, ~£1-2). Booking a shared or private houseboat for a night is the classic backwater experience — book directly with a Keralan houseboat operator or via Klook/GetYourGuide; shared houseboat ~£25-40 per person including meals, private boat higher. Cruise the canals and lagoons, eat fresh Keralan food cooked on board, and take an evening walk through Alappuzha's streets. Cheaper alternative: an afternoon shikara canoe tour (~£10-15) and a guesthouse night.

🚌Train/bus Ernakulam–Alappuzha (~£1-2)

🛏Overnight on a houseboat, or budget guesthouse (£10-15)

• →Backwater houseboat cruise
• →Alappuzha lagoon & canal exploration
• →Evening walk in Alappuzha town

Travel the short distance from Alappuzha to Kumarakom by bus and ferry (public ferries across Vembanad Lake are cheap and scenic, ~£1-2). Check into a budget guesthouse or homestay near the backwaters. Afternoon at the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary (~£1 entry) — best at dawn but rewarding any time. Optional extras: a leisurely backwater stroll or a traditional Ayurvedic massage at a local spa (~£10-20).

🚌Bus + public ferry (~£2-3)

🛏Budget guesthouse/homestay in Kumarakom (£12-20)

• →Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
• →Vembanad Lake ferry ride
• →Backwater stroll
• →Optional Ayurvedic massage

Travel by bus to Thekkady/Kumily, the gateway to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (roughly 4-5 hrs with changes, ~£3-5). Check into a budget guesthouse in Kumily town. Spend the afternoon on a spice and cardamom plantation walk — many local family farms offer guided tours for ~£3-6, and the smell of fresh cardamom and pepper is unforgettable. Book tomorrow's Periyar activities at the KTDC/forest office on arrival.

🚌Bus Kumarakom–Thekkady (~£3-5)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Kumily/Thekkady (£8-15)

• →Cardamom & spice plantation walk
• →Kumily town explore
• →Book Periyar activities

Book the Periyar bamboo rafting + border hiking programme through the forest department (this is the standout experience — book early as numbers are limited; ~£12-20). Alternatively take the cheaper Periyar boat safari on the lake (~£5-8) or an elephant-related experience (choose ethical sanctuaries only). In the afternoon visit Kumily's Mangala Devi and Devi temples and wander the spice shops. Trekking here is genuinely immersive and well-organised by the forest office.

🚌Walking + local autos (~£2-3)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Kumily/Thekkady (£8-15)

• →Bamboo rafting at Periyar
• →Border hiking in Periyar
• →Periyar boat safari / wildlife spotting
• →Mangala Temple
• →Devi Temple
• →Spice market browse

Bus or shared jeep from Thekkady over the hills to Madurai (~4-5 hrs, ~£3-5). Check into a budget hotel near the temple. In the late afternoon visit the magnificent Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple (free; dress modestly, phones not allowed). If time allows, add the Thirumalai Nayak Palace (light-and-sound show in the evening) and the Gandhi Museum. Madurai is at its best in the evening when the temple is lit and busy with worshippers.

🚌Bus/jeep Thekkady–Madurai (~£3-5) + autos (~£2)

🛏Budget hotel near Meenakshi Temple (£10-16)

• →Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple
• →Thirumalai Nayak Palace
• →Gandhi Museum
• →Evening temple bazaar walk

Train from Madurai to Trichy (~2-3 hrs, ~£1-3), then spend a few hours exploring Rock Fort Temple, the Jambukeshwara Temple and the vast Srirangam Temple complex (autos between sites ~£2-4). Continue by train or bus to Thanjavur (~1.5-2 hrs, ~£1-2) and check into a budget hotel. This is a heavy temple day — pace yourself and carry water.

🚌Madurai–Trichy train (~£1-3) + Trichy–Thanjavur train/bus (~£1-2) + autos (~£3-4)

🛏Budget hotel in Thanjavur (£10-16)

• →Rock Fort Temple, Trichy
• →Jambukeshwara Temple
• →Srirangam Temple
• →Train journey through Tamil Nadu

Morning visit to the UNESCO-listed Brihadeeswarar Temple (Big Temple) in Thanjavur (free; one of India's greatest Chola monuments), then the nearby Darasuram Airavatesvara Temple by bus (~£1). Afterwards take an afternoon or overnight train from Thanjavur/Kumbakonam to Chennai (~6-8 hrs, sleeper ~£3-6). Alternatively, skip the Chengalpattu/Chennai night and stay in Mahabalipuram for the shore temples — many travellers prefer ending there.

🚌Local bus to Darasuram (~£1) + train Thanjavur–Chennai (~£3-6)

🛏Budget hotel in Chennai, or guesthouse in Mahabalipuram (£10-18)

• →Brihadeeswarar Temple (Big Temple)
• →Darasuram Airavatesvara Temple
• →Overnight train to Chennai

If time allows before your flight, take a local bus or train to Mahabalipuram (~1.5-2 hrs, ~£1-2) to see the Shore Temple and the Five Rathas rock-cut monuments — a lovely, low-key end to the trip. Back in Chennai, visit Marina Beach, the Kapaleeshwarar Temple and the Government Museum if time permits, then head to the airport. End of the self-launched route.

🚌Local train/bus (~£2-4) + airport transfer (~£2-8)

🛏—

• →Mahabalipuram Shore Temple & Five Rathas (optional)
• →Marina Beach
• →Kapaleeshwarar Temple
• →Government Museum Chennai