Classical South India — Self-Launched

Land at Chennai International Airport (MAA). Skip the prepaid taxi desk markup and take the Chennai Metro Blue Line from the airport towards Wimco Nagar, or an app-based cab (Ola/Uber) for roughly £4-6 into the city centre. Base yourself in Egmore or Triplicane — Egmore is handy for the station you'll use later in the trip. Pick up a local SIM (Airtel or Jio, ~£5 for a month of data with passport photo) and an Indian e-visa should already be sorted before you fly (approx £40-50 for most nationalities). Evening: wander Marina Beach for sundal and filter coffee.

🚌Metro or app cab from airport ~£5

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel dorm in Egmore/Triplicane (~£12)

• →Marina Beach sunset walk
• →Buy local SIM card
• →Filter coffee at a Mylapore coffee house

Self-guided temple day in Mylapore, which is far richer than most tour itineraries suggest. Start early at Kapaleeshwarar Temple (free, open roughly 5.30am-12pm and 4-9pm, shoes off, no shorts). Walk 10 minutes to the Ramakrishna Math and its peaceful Universal Temple, then loop through the Mylapore tank and flower market. In the afternoon take a cheap auto to San Thome Basilica and the Fort Museum at Fort St George. Optional: a Klook/GetYourGuide half-day Chennai city tour with guide (~£25) if you want the context without reading up yourself.

🚌Autos and short metro hops ~£3

🛏Same Chennai guesthouse (~£12)

• →Kapaleeshwarar Temple
• →Ramakrishna Math Universal Temple
• →San Thome Basilica
• →Fort St George Museum

Take an ECR (East Coast Road) bus from Chennai's Thiruvanmiyur or Koyambedu bus stand to Mahabalipuram — about 1.5-2 hours, roughly £1-1.50 on a government bus (MTC/TNSTC). Drop bags at a beachside guesthouse and spend the afternoon in the UNESCO-listed monument group: Shore Temple (£5 foreigners / ₹600 combined ticket covering the Five Rathas), Arjuna's Penance bas-relief, Krishna's Butterball and the Pancha Rathas. Catch sunset over the Shore Temple from the beach. Overnight here rather than day-tripping from Chennai.

🚌ECR government bus from Chennai ~£1.50

🛏Beach guesthouse in Mahabalipuram (~£15)

• →Shore Temple
• →Pancha Rathas
• →Arjuna's Penance
• →Beach sunset

Bus or shared cab down the ECR to Pondicherry (about 1.5 hours, ~£1.50-2 by TNSTC bus, or ~£8-10 in a shared taxi split between a few travellers). Check in around White Town, then rent a scooter or bicycle (~£5/day) to cover the spread-out sights. Visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the Beach Promenade and Gandhi statue, the Pondicherry Museum, then ride out to Auroville (about 12km) to see the Matrimandir from the viewing point (free, book a slot online in advance) and the Boutique d'Auroville. Evening back in White Town for French-Tamil food on Rue Dumas.

🚌Bus from Mahabalipuram ~£2; scooter hire ~£5

🛏Guesthouse in White Town, Pondicherry (~£18)

• →Sri Aurobindo Ashram
• →Pondicherry Beach promenade
• →Pondicherry Museum
• →Auroville and Matrimandir viewpoint

This is the trip's big transit day. Easiest route: bus or shared cab back to Villupuram Junction (~1 hour), then a train to Thanjavur via Tiruchirappalli or Kumbakonam — roughly 4-5 hours, second-class sleeper or chair car around £2-4. Alternatively take a direct private bus from Pondicherry to Thanjavur (~6 hours, ~£5-7). Arrive by late afternoon, check into a guesthouse near the Big Temple, and take a gentle evening walk around the Brihadeeswara Temple compound lit up after dark.

🚌Bus to Villupuram + train to Thanjavur ~£5

🛏Guesthouse near the Big Temple, Thanjavur (~£14)

• →Brihadeeswara Temple at dusk

Morning at the Brihadeeswara (Big) Temple — a Chola masterpiece and UNESCO site, free entry, best before 10am when the light hits the vimana. Then walk to Thanjavur Palace (the Maratha royal complex, small entry fee) with its Durbar Hall, the Saraswathi Mahal Library (one of Asia's oldest, free/tipped, closed Wednesdays — check ahead) and the art gallery of Chola bronzes. Afternoon: browse Tanjore painting workshops in the lanes east of the temple, or take an auto to the Schwartz Church and Sivaganga Fort. Book a local guide at the temple gate for ~£8-10 if you want the history.

🚌Walking and autos ~£3

🛏Same Thanjavur guesthouse (~£14)

• →Brihadeeswara Temple
• →Thanjavur Palace and Durbar Hall
• →Saraswathi Mahal Library
• →Art gallery of Chola bronzes

Day trip to Trichy by bus or train — roughly 1-1.5 hours each way, under £1 on a government bus. Climb the 400-plus rock-cut steps of the Rock Fort Temple (Ucchi Pillayar) for city views, then visit the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam — the largest functioning Hindu temple complex in the world, free entry, allow 2 hours. Tiruvanaikkaval (Jambukeswarar Temple) is a short auto hop away. If you have time, the Elakurichi and Vayaloor church stops from the original itinerary are best done by hired auto (~£10 half day). Return to Thanjavur for the night.

🚌Bus/train to Trichy return ~£2

🛏Same Thanjavur guesthouse (~£14)

• →Rock Fort Temple climb
• →Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple
• →Jambukeswarar Temple
• →Optional Elakurichi church by auto

Train or bus to Madurai (~2-3 hours, ~£2-3 by train; chairs cars run frequently). Stay near the temple in the old town. Spend the afternoon at the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple — free for Indians, ~₹50 for foreigners, and the finest example of Dravidian temple architecture on the route; go at dusk for the evening puja and the Hall of a Thousand Pillars. Then walk to Thirumalai Nayak Palace (small entry fee, nightly light-and-sound show ~£2). Fit in the Gandhi Museum (free, closed Fridays) and, if time allows, catch a bus to Thirupparankundram rock temple 8km out, or an auto to Alagar Koil.

🚌Train Thanjavur to Madurai ~£3; autos ~£3

🛏Budget hotel near Meenakshi Temple, Madurai (~£15)

• →Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple evening puja
• →Thirumalai Nayak Palace
• →Gandhi Museum
• →Thirupparankundram Temple

The scenic leg: bus from Madurai to Thekkady/Kumily takes about 4 hours through the ghats (~£2-3 on TNSTC/KSRTC). Alternatively train to Theni or Bodinayakanur then bus, but the direct bus is simpler. Afternoon in Kumily village — spice plantation walk (~£3-5 booked locally) and ayurvedic massage if you fancy it. Book tomorrow's Periyar boat safari in advance online (Kerala Forest Department e-booking opens weeks ahead; ~£8-10 for foreigners) — this sells out. Note: elephant riding in Periyar is no longer offered and is best avoided; the sanctuary's boat and walking safaris are the ethical way to see the park.

🚌Bus Madurai to Thekkady ~£3

🛏Homestay or guesthouse in Kumily (~£12)

• →Spice plantation walk
• →Book Periyar boat safari in advance
• →Kumily village wander

Early morning Periyar Lake boat safari (2 hours) — best chance of seeing gaur, sambar, elephants at the water's edge and plenty of birdlife. Back for brunch, then bus to Kottayam (~3.5 hours, ~£2) and a short train or bus on to Alappuzha (~£1). Book your Kerala backwater houseboat through Klook, GetYourGuide or directly with an Alappuzha operator — a private one-bedroom houseboat with meals typically runs £70-100 for the boat (so ~£35-50 per person if sharing; a shared-boat/backpacker option can be around £20-25). Board late afternoon for the overnight cruise, sunset on the backwaters and dinner cooked on board.

🚌Bus to Kottayam + train/bus to Alappuzha ~£3

🛏Overnight Kerala houseboat (~£40 shared)

• →Periyar Lake boat safari
• →Kerala backwater houseboat cruise
• →Dinner on board

Disembark after breakfast and take a local bus or train from Alappuzha to Ernakulam (~1.5 hours, under £1), then the cheap ferry or auto across to Fort Kochi. Do the heritage walk yourself: St Francis Church (oldest European church in India), the Dutch Palace/Mattancherry Palace (closed Fridays), the Paradesi Jewish Synagogue (closed Fridays and Saturdays, small fee), and the Chinese fishing nets at sunset with the catch-your-own-fish stalls. From Fort Kochi, an auto to Ernakulam Junction plus the airport bus, or a direct app cab to Cochin International (COK) costs ~£8-12 and takes 45-60 minutes — allow 3 hours before an international flight.

🚌Bus/train to Ernakulam ~£1, ferry ~£0.20, airport cab ~£10

🛏None — departure day (add a Fort Kochi guesthouse night at ~£16 if your flight is next morning)

• →St Francis Church
• →Mattancherry Dutch Palace
• →Paradesi Jewish Synagogue
• →Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi