Southern India & East Coast by Rail — Self-Launched
14 days · Southern India & East Coast
G Adventures charges £1,975
No-markup version: ~£471 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, rail-based run from Kochi to Kolkata covering the Kerala backwaters, the southern tip at Kanyakumari, temple city Madurai, the rock-cut shore temples of Mamallapuram, bazaars and forts in Hyderabad, the temple town of Puri and Odisha's craft villages — finishing with a long day train up the east coast into Kolkata. You book every train yourself on IRCTC (or a reseller like 12Go Asia), stay in guesthouses and hostels rather than tour hotels, and join local guides only where they add value. Roughly 11 nights of guesthouse beds, one homestay night in the backwaters and one overnight sleeper train. Costs below are approximate per-person estimates for a budget/backpacker travel style and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Kochi — Fort Kochi orientation
Kochi
Land at Cochin International (COK), 30km north of the city. Skip the touts and use the prepaid taxi booth in arrivals — roughly ₹550-700 (£5-7) to Fort Kochi. Check into a guesthouse in Fort Kochi, then do a free wander: the Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church, the Dutch Cemetery and the lanes around Princess Street. Evening: catch a Kathakali performance at one of the Fort Kochi theatres (approx £4-6) or the cheaper, shorter make-up demo shows. Sort your onward IRCTC account and buy an Indian SIM (Airtel/Jio, ~£4 for a month of data) if you haven't already.
🚌Prepaid airport taxi ~£6
🛏Guesthouse in Fort Kochi (double/twin share)
- →Fort Kochi self-guided heritage walk
- →Chinese fishing nets at sunset
- →Kathakali performance
Kochi to Alleppey — Kerala backwaters by canoe
Alleppey (Alappuzha)
Take an early morning train from Ernakulam Junction to Alappuzha (roughly 1.5hrs, unreserved 2nd class ~£1, or book a chair car seat for ~£2). Drop bags at a backwaters homestay, then walk the paddy-field paths around Kainakary or Champakulam, and hire a local canoe/motorised country boat for 2-3 hours through the narrow canals — far cheaper and quieter than the big houseboats (~£10-15 per person if you share, or book a shared canoe tour via Klook/GetYourGuide from ~£12). Sunset at Alappuzha beach and a cheap Kerala fish curry dinner.
🚌Train Ernakulam–Alappuzha ~£1-2
🛏Backwaters homestay (1 night)
- →Kerala backwaters canoe ride
- →Paddy field walk
- →Alappuzha beach sunset
Alleppey to Kanyakumari — backwaters morning, overnight train south
Kanyakumari
Another morning on the water — rent a bicycle (₹100-200) and ride the canal-side lanes, or take an early shared canoe trip before the heat. In the afternoon head back to the station and board the evening train south towards Kanyakumari (via Nagercoil/Thiruvananthapuram; ~6-8hrs overnight in sleeper class, ~£3-5). Book a sleeper or 3AC berth in advance on IRCTC — this is one of the sections you don't want to leave to chance.
🚌Sleeper-class train ~£4
🛏Overnight sleeper train
- →Morning cycling in the backwaters
- →Canal-side villages
Kanyakumari — Vivekananda Rock and the southern tip
Kanyakumari
Arrive early, dump bags and get out before the crowds. Walk to the southernmost tip of mainland India, see the Gandhi Memorial and the Kumari Amman temple, then take the short ferry across to Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the Ramakrishna Ashram meditation hall (ferry ~£1.50, entry a couple of pounds). Sunset and sunrise from the same point are both famous — if you can, catch the sunset over the three seas. Local buses or a shared auto cover the bits you don't want to walk.
🚌Local bus / shared auto ~£1-2
🛏Budget guesthouse in Kanyakumari
- →Vivekananda Rock Memorial ferry
- →Ramakrishna Ashram
- →Gandhi Memorial
- →Sunset at Cape Comorin
Kanyakumari to Madurai — evening express
Madurai
Spend the day at leisure around Kanyakumari — the temple and lighthouse, or a lazy morning at the beach. In the evening take the Kanyakumari–Madurai Express (~4hrs, sleeper or chair car ~£2-3). Arrive Madurai late evening and check into a guesthouse near the temple. If you arrive earlier, walk the perimeter of the Meenakshi complex at night when it's lit up and near-empty.
🚌Kanyakumari Express ~£2-3
🛏Guesthouse near Meenakshi Temple
- →Temple and lighthouse wander
- →Evening walk around Meenakshi Temple
Madurai — Meenakshi Temple and markets
Madurai
Get to the Meenakshi Amman Temple at opening (5am-12.30pm, then reopens ~4pm) to avoid the crush; entry is free but camera fees apply and there's a queue for the inner sanctum. Hire an authorised temple guide at the gate for ~£5-8 for a couple of hours — well worth it. Afternoon: the flower market around the temple, the Gandhi Museum (£1), and Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal (£1) with its light-and-sound show. A cycle-rickshaw tour of the old town runs ~£4. Finish with a Madurai speciality thali or jigarthanda.
🚌Walking + auto-rickshaw ~£2
🛏Guesthouse near Meenakshi Temple
- →Meenakshi Amman Temple
- →Flower market
- →Gandhi Museum
- →Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal
- →Cycle-rickshaw old town tour
Madurai to Mamallapuram via Chengalpattu
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram)
Morning Vaigai Express to Chengalpattu (~4-5hrs, ~£2), then a local bus or shared taxi on to Mamallapuram (~1hr, £1) — cheaper and just as easy as the tour's private van. Check into a guesthouse a few minutes from the beach. Spend the afternoon on the sand and watching the evening shore-temple light, and get your bearings around the village's stone-carving workshops.
🚌Vaigai Express + local bus ~£3
🛏Beach guesthouse in Mamallapuram
- →Beach afternoon
- →Stone-carving workshops
Mamallapuram — Shore Temple by bike, then overnight train to Hyderabad
Mamallapuram / en route to Hyderabad
Rent a bicycle for the day (₹150-250) and ride the loop: the Shore Temple (UNESCO, ~£4 foreigner ticket — buy the combined ticket if you're also doing the Five Rathas), the Pancha Rathas, Arjuna's Penance and the Krishna's Butter Ball boulder. Late afternoon, take a shared taxi or bus to Chennai (~1.5hrs, ~£3), walk Marina Beach and pop into San Thome Basilica, then board an overnight train from Chennai Central towards Secunderabad/Hyderabad (sleeper ~£8-10, book well ahead).
🚌Bus to Chennai ~£3; overnight train ~£9
🛏Overnight sleeper train
- →Shore Temple
- →Pancha Rathas
- →Arjuna's Penance
- →Marina Beach
- →San Thome Basilica
Hyderabad — Charminar and Golconda Fort
Hyderabad
Arrive and head to a guesthouse in the old city (near Charminar) or in Abids. Start at the Charminar (£3 foreigner ticket) and the Laad Bazaar that runs beside it — bangles, attar perfume, pearls. Evening or late afternoon at Golconda Fort (£3 ticket; check the timings for the sound-and-light show, ~£2) with a local guide at the gate for ~£6. Eat Hyderabadi biryani at a proper local spot (Paradise is famous, Shadab is cheaper and good).
🚌Auto-rickshaw and local bus ~£3
🛏Guesthouse in old city Hyderabad
- →Charminar
- →Laad Bazaar
- →Golconda Fort
- →Hyderabadi biryani dinner
Hyderabad to Puri — free morning, evening flight, van to Puri
Puri
Free morning: the Salar Jung Museum (huge collection, ~£2-3) or the Chowmahalla Palace (£3) if you want more Nizami history. Early evening fly Hyderabad–Bhubaneswar (IndiGo/Air India Express, book 2-3 weeks out for ~£30-45 one-way), then take a taxi or shared vehicle from Bhubaneswar airport to Puri (~1hr, ~£12 by taxi or ~£2 on a shared vehicle from the bus stand). Check into a guesthouse near the beach — the sea is rougher here than in Kerala, so check conditions before swimming.
🚌Domestic flight ~£35; airport transfer ~£2-12
🛏Guesthouse near Puri beach
- →Salar Jung Museum
- →Chowmahalla Palace
Puri — Jagannath Temple and Raghurajpur craft village
Puri
Start at the Jagannath Temple — non-Hindus cannot enter the inner sanctum but can view from a designated platform, and the temple administration's own viewpoint or a rooftop vantage is the standard workaround. Then take a bus or auto to Raghurajpur (~14km, ~£1-2), the village of pattachitra scroll painters, palm-leaf engravers and Gotipua dancers — buy directly from the artists. Afternoon back at Puri beach and lunch at a seafood shack.
🚌Bus/auto to Raghurajpur ~£2
🛏Guesthouse near Puri beach
- →Jagannath Temple
- →Raghurajpur artist village
- →Puri Beach
- →Gotipua dance
Puri to Kolkata — Shatabdi Express up the east coast
Kolkata
Take the morning Puri–Howrah Shatabdi or one of the other fast day services (~8-9hrs, chair car ~£8-12; order food on board or pick it up at stations). Pass through Odisha's rice paddies and the Bengal countryside. Arrive Howrah/Shalimar in the afternoon, get a prepaid taxi or metro into the city and check into a guesthouse in Sudder Street or near Park Street. Evening: an orientation walk on your own pace — New Market, Park Street, and your first Kolkata rolls and mishti.
🚌Shatabdi Express ~£10; taxi ~£2-3
🛏Guesthouse in central Kolkata
- →Overnight train travel
- →New Market and Park Street walk
Kolkata — colonial city, trams and Birla Planeterra-style craft stops
Kolkata
Self-guided day: Victoria Memorial (£3), St Paul's Cathedral, the Marble Palace, and a slow walk through Kumartuli where the Durga idols are sculpted. Take a tram ride (₹10) and the Howrah Bridge at dusk. Optional: a Hooghly river ferry (£1) or a Sundarbans day-trip is too far for a day — save it for a longer trip. Evening: Mother House, or a Bengali dinner at a local thali house (~£4).
🚌Metro, tram and taxi ~£3-4
🛏Guesthouse in central Kolkata
- →Victoria Memorial
- →Kumartuli idol workshops
- →Howrah Bridge
- →Hooghly ferry
- →Tram ride
Depart Kolkata
Kolkata
Morning free for last-minute shopping — Bengali sarees in Gariahat, books on College Street. Then head to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (CCU) by metro or prepaid taxi (~£4-6, 45-60 min). Tour ends.
🚌Airport taxi/metro ~£5
- →Gariahat Market
- →College Street bookshops
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£471 | £1,975 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,504 per person (76%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£471
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Southern India & East Coast by Rail — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £471 per person for 14 days in Southern India & East Coast. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,975 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £471 — a saving of roughly £1,504 (76%) per person.
How long is the Southern India & East Coast trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through Southern India & East Coast.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Southern India & East Coast, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.