Mumbai to Kerala & Chennai Self-Launched Adventure

Fly into Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport) and take a prepaid taxi or the local train into the city. Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in Colaba or Fort, close to the Gateway of India. If you arrive early, stretch your legs along the Marine Drive promenade at sunset and grab a street-food dinner at Bademiya or an Irani café.

🚌Airport taxi to city ~£5

🛏Backpacker hostel or budget hotel in Colaba, ~£10 per night

• →Arrive and check in
• →Sunset walk along Marine Drive
• →Street food dinner in Colaba

Circle the Gateway of India and take the short ferry across Mumbai harbour to the UNESCO-listed Elephanta Caves with their magnificent rock-cut Shiva temples (~£3 ferry plus ~£4 entrance). Back on the mainland, wander the Prince of Wales Museum (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya), the Gandhi Memorial at Mani Bhavan, the tiered Hanging Gardens and nearby Kamla Nehru Park overlooking the city. Tick off Marine Drive, Juhu Chowpatty beach and the city's ornate Jain temples at your own pace.

🚌Local trains, taxis and Elephanta ferry ~£8

🛏Backpacker hostel or budget hotel in Colaba, ~£10

• →Visit Gateway of India
• →Elephanta Caves ferry and explore
• →Prince of Wales Museum
• →Gandhi Memorial (Mani Bhavan)
• →Hanging Gardens and Kamla Nehru Park
• →Juhu Chowpatty beach walk

Board the Konkan Railway Mail or Mandovi Express from Mumbai to Goa — a stunning 8–9 hour journey hugging the Konkan coast. Book a 3AC sleeper ticket in advance on IRCTC. Arrive in Goa in the evening and check into a beachside guesthouse or hostel in the north (Candolim, Calangute or Anjuna).

🚌Mumbai–Goa train (3AC sleeper) ~£12

🛏Beach guesthouse/hostel in North Goa, ~£12

• →Scenic Konkan Railway journey
• →Evening arrival and check-in in Goa

Rent a scooter (~£5 for the day) and work north along the coast: the 17th-century Aguada Fort and lighthouse, then the string of beaches the group tour hits — Sinquerim, Candolim, Calangute, Baga, Anjuna and Vagator. Stop for lunch at a beach shack and browse the Anjuna flea market if it's a Wednesday. Pick your favourite stretch for a sunset swim.

🚌Scooter rental ~£5

🛏Beach guesthouse/hostel in North Goa, ~£12

• →Aguada Fort and lighthouse
• →Visit Sinquerim, Candolim, Calangute, Baga beaches
• →Anjuna beach and flea market
• →Vagator beach sunset

Drive the scooter south or take a local bus to Old Goa's ecclesiastical quarter: the Basilica of Bom Jesus (which holds the relics of St Francis Xavier) and the soaring Se Cathedral. Then unwind at Miramar and Dona Paula beaches overlooking the Arabian Sea. Return north in the evening.

🚌Scooter or local bus ~£5

🛏Beach guesthouse/hostel in North Goa, ~£12

• →Basilica of Bom Jesus
• →Se Cathedral
• →Miramar beach
• →Dona Paula beach

Take it easy in the day on your favourite beach. In the evening, join one of the popular Mandovi river cruise boats departing from the Panaji jetty — a relaxed hour or two of live music and views along the river. Upgrade options include Dolphin Fantasy, one of the flashy casino boats, or a backwaters thrills cruise if you fancy it.

🚌Local bus or taxi to Panaji ~£3

🛏Beach guesthouse/hostel in North Goa, ~£12

• →Mandovi river cruise from Panaji
• →Optional dolphin/backwater cruise

Travel from Goa to Hampi by overnight sleeper bus or train via Hospet (routes via Hubballi). Book a sleeper-class seat for the ~12-hour journey so you arrive in Hampi in the early morning. If you prefer comfort, consider a night train from Madgaon to the broader region followed by a short hop.

🚌Overnight sleeper bus ~£12

🛏Overnight bus/train; Hampi guesthouse on arrival

• →Long but scenic transport leg
• →Evening arrival near Hampi

Explore the astonishing UNESCO ruins of Hampi by bicycle or scooter (or a tuk-tuk for a full day). Start at the Virupaksha Temple in the bazaar, then cross the Tungabhadra River to climb the hill for the iconic sunset view over the lunar boulder landscape. Make a full circuit of the Vittala Temple complex with its famous stone chariot and musical pillars. Hire a local guide at the gate if you want the history told in context.

🚌Bicycle/scooter rental ~£4

🛏Budget guesthouse in Hampi (~£10)

• →Virupaksha Temple
• →Vittala Temple complex and stone chariot
• →Hampi bazaar ruins
• →Sunset viewpoint over the rocky landscape

Leave Hampi by bus or train via Hospet and Bangalore/Hassan towards Mysore — a full day of travel. Mysore is a clean, heritage-rich city dominated by the spectacular illuminated palace, so aim to arrive in the late afternoon in time for the palace's floodlit evening illumination (Sundays and public holidays), then eat at one of the city's legendary veg restaurants.

🚌Bus/train via Bangalore or Hassan ~£15

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Mysore, ~£11

• →Arrive in Mysore
• →Evening Mysore Palace illumination

Spend the day on Mysore's royal highlights. Morning at the magnificent Indo-Saracenic Mysore Palace, then the Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hill with panoramic city views. Down in the old town, browse the flower and sandalwood markets and the handicraft museum, and square off the day with the Brindavan Gardens musical fountains at KRS dam — a classic south-Indian spectacle best seen at dusk.

🚌Local buses and auto-rickshaws ~£5

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Mysore, ~£11

• →Mysore Palace
• →Chamundeshwari Temple (Chamundi Hill)
• →Flower and sandalwood markets
• →Handicraft museum / Rajendra Art Gallery
• →Brindavan Gardens musical fountains

Travel by bus from Mysore through the Western Ghats into Kerala's lush Wayanad district (buses run via Sultan Bathery or Kalpetta, ~4–5 hours). Check into an eco-hostel or homestay amid the green tea and spice estates. If time allows, visit the nearby Edakkal Caves for prehistoric rock art.

🚌State bus Mysore–Wayanad ~£6

🛏Homestay or eco-lodge in Wayanad, ~£12

• →Scenic mountain bus journey
• →Optional Edakkal Caves

Rent a scooter or hire a local taxi for the day to discover Wayanad's highlights: the vast Banasura Sagar Dam (India's largest earthen dam) with optional boating, the Pazhassi Raja Tomb and museum at Mananthavady, and the riverine island of Kuruvadweep reachable by coracle-style ferry on the Kabini river. The landscape of tea, coffee and spice plantations is a highlight in itself.

🚌Scooter rental ~£5

🛏Homestay or eco-lodge in Wayanad, ~£12

• →Banasura Sagar Dam
• →Pazhassi Raja Tomb and museum
• →Mananthavady
• →Kuruvadweep island ferry

Take a state bus from Wayanad down the Ghats to Kochi (via Kozhikode, ~6–7 hours) and check into a backpacker hostel in Fort Kochi. In the evening wander the atmospheric colonial streets and along the fishing harbour where the traditional Chinese fishing nets are silhouetted at sunset.

🚌Bus Wayanad–Kochi ~£7

🛏Hostel in Fort Kochi, ~£10

• →Arrive in Fort Kochi
• →Sunset at the Chinese fishing nets

Explore Fort Kochi's eclectic heritage quarter: the 16th-century St Francis Church, the Dutch Palace (Mattancherry Palace) with its murals, the Jewish Synagogue and Jew Town's antique shops, Santa Cruz Basilica, Bolgatty Island, and the Indo-Portuguese Museum. In the late afternoon head to one of the city's guaranteed Kathakali performances (most show the full hour-plus of elaborate makeup application before the dance), then browse Marine Drive at night.

🚌Local bus/auto within Kochi ~£3

🛏Hostel in Fort Kochi, ~£10

• →Fort Kochi walking tour
• →St Francis Church and Dutch Palace
• →Jewish Synagogue and Jew Town
• →Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica
• →Indo-Portuguese Museum
• →Kathakali dance show in the evening

Take the local train or bus south to Alleppey (Alappuzha), the gateway to Kerala's backwaters. Book a traditional kettuvallam houseboat for an overnight cruise through the palm-lined lagoons and canals — many operators run private or shared houseboats that include lunch and dinner cooked on board. Glide past villages, paddy fields and coconut groves as dusk falls over the water.

🚌Train/bus Kochi–Alleppey ~£2; houseboat package

🛏Overnight houseboat (shared/private)

• →Backwater houseboat cruise
• →Explore lagoons and canals of Alleppey

Disembark your houseboat after breakfast and take a train or bus south along the coast to Varkala, the cliff-top beach town. Check into a guesthouse perched on the red laterite cliffs above Papasnanam Beach — the perfect base for the relaxed final stretch of the Kerala coast.

🚌Train/bus Alleppey–Varkala ~£4

🛏Cliff-top guesthouse in Varkala, ~£12

• →Houseboat breakfast cruise end
• →Arrive at Varkala beach cliffs

Explore around Varkala: the Sivagiri Mutt founded by the philosopher Sree Narayana Guru, the Janardhana Swamy Temple on the cliff, and morning rituals at Papasnanam Beach where pilgrims bathe in the sacred waters. Take a boat trip on Kappil Lake and out to tiny Ponnumthuruthu Island with its Shiva temple where the trees are said to have turned gold. End the day back at the cliff for sunset and one of Varkala's legendary seafood dinners.

🚌Local buses and boat ~£5

🛏Cliff-top guesthouse in Varkala, ~£12

• →Sivagiri Mutt
• →Janardhana Swamy Temple
• →Papasnanam Beach
• →Kappil Lake and Ponnumthuruthu Island boat trip

A well-earned rest day. Swim and sunbathe along the dramatic cliffs of Papasnanam and Black beaches, join a seaside yoga class, book an ayurvedic massage at one of the cliff spas, or simply read in a hammock café. Varkala is a laid-back traveller hub — pace yourself before the busy final leg into Tamil Nadu.

🚌On foot ~£1

🛏Cliff-top guesthouse in Varkala, ~£12

• →Beach time at Papasnanam
• →Yoga class or ayurvedic massage
• →Relax at cliff cafés

Travel south by train or bus to Trivandrum, stopping en route at the carved wooden Padmanabhapuram Palace (India's best-preserved traditional wooden palace, now in Tamil Nadu). From Trivandrum continue to Kanyakumari at India's southernmost tip, the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean (Tri Samudra Milan). Visit the Vivekananda Rock Memorial by ferry, Kanyakumari's temple, the Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam and Chappath island viewpoint. Sleep in Kanyakumari or push on to beachy Kovalam nearby.

🚌Local train/bus and taxi ~£8

🛏Budget guesthouse in Kanyakumari or Kovalam, ~£11

• →Padmanabhapuram Palace
• →Kanyakumari temple and cape
• →Vivekananda Rock Memorial ferry
• →Tri Samudra Milan (three seas meeting)
• →Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam

If you stayed at Kovalam, enjoy a morning on its famous crescent beach beneath the lighthouse before heading inland. Travel by train or bus to Madurai via Tirunelveli, stopping for the Jaina rock carvings at Samanar Hills and the Chokkanathar Temple if they're on your route. Settle into Madurai and visit the colossal Meenakshi Amman Temple in the evening, plus the Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace and Gandhi Memorial Museum. Stay for the atmospheric evening puja ceremony.

🚌Train/bus Kovalam–Madurai ~£10

🛏Budget hotel or hostel near Meenakshi Temple, ~£11

• →Morning at Kovalam beach (optional)
• →Samanar Hills and Chokkanathar Temple
• →Meenakshi Amman Temple
• →Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace
• →Gandhi Memorial Museum
• →Evening temple prayer ceremony

Leave Madurai north by train towards Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), making time for its great temple cluster: the Rock Fort Temple and Arulmigu Uchi Pillaiyar on the summit, the vast Sri Rangam Temple island complex on the Kaveri, and Jambukeshwara Temple nearby. Continue by train/bus to the seaside French colonial town of Puducherry on the Coromandel Coast, where you can do a heritage walk through the whitewashed 'White Town' and stroll along the promenade at twilight.

🚌Trains/buses Madurai–Trichy–Puducherry ~£10

🛏Guesthouse in Puducherry White Town, ~£11

• →Rock Fort Temple (Trichy)
• →Arulmigu Uchi Pillaiyar Temple
• →Sri Rangam Temple island
• →Jambukeshwara Temple
• →Puducherry French Quarter heritage walk
• →Evening sea promenade

Morning in Puducherry: visit the Aurobindo Ashram and the Auroville township experiment just outside town (guided visitor centre and Matrimandir viewpoint), Sacred Heart Basilica, the French War Memorial, Government Museum and Manakula Vinayagar Temple, plus the Pondy Bazaar shops. In the afternoon take a bus or shared taxi up the coast to the UNESCO rock sculptures of Mahabalipuram, checking in near the Shore Temple.

🚌Bus/shared taxi Puducherry–Mahabalipuram ~£5

🛏Budget guesthouse in Mahabalipuram, ~£10

• →Auroville township
• →Aurobindo Ashram
• →Sacred Heart Basilica & French War Memorial
• →Government Museum and temples
• →Evening arrival in Mahabalipuram

A big final day of sightseeing. Explore Mahabalipuram's famous rock-cut marvels: the Shore Temple on the beach, the Pancha Pandava Rathas (five stone chariots), Arjuna's Penance bas-relief, Krishna's Butterball boulder, the India Seashell Museum and a possible surf at the beach. Then travel inland to the temple town of Kanchipuram to cycle or taxi between the Kamakshi Amman, Ekambareswarar, Varadaraja Perumal, Ulagalanda Perumal and Kailasanathar temples famed for their silk-weaving too. Take a final train or bus into Chennai for the night.

🚌Local buses/taxi and train to Chennai ~£8

🛏Budget hotel in Chennai, ~£11

• →Shore Temple and Mahabalipuram sculptures
• →Arjuna's Penance and Krishna's Butterball
• →India Seashell Museum
• →Kanchipuram temple circuit
• →Evening arrival in Chennai

Final breakfast in Chennai before heading to Chennai International Airport or the main railway station for your onward journey. If you have time, squeeze in a visit to the seafront Kapaleeshwarar Temple or Marina Beach, or pick up last-minute souvenirs on Pondy Bazaar before departure.

🚌Taxi to airport/station ~£7

🛏None — depart today

• →Optional Kapaleeshwarar Temple or Marina Beach
• →Departure from Chennai