Region
South India
Best time to Visit
May to October
Temperature
10º C to 25º C
Max Altitude
5000 Mtrs
Distance Covered
1500+ Kms
Overview
South India is a land rich in culture, Hindu temples, traditions, history, heritage, beaches, wildlife, backwaters, western ghats, coffee plantations, spice plantations, tea gardens, Ayurveda, and lip-smacking South Indian cuisine. South India motorcycle tours are designed specifically for those who want to explore and ride more.
The journey will begin in Chennai, "the heart of South India," and end in Goa. During this 14-day motorcycle journey, we will visit some of the most important places in Southern India, including Chennai, Shore temple in Mahabalipuram, Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, 70 hairpin bends on Kolli hills, tea gardens of Ooty, Tiger reserves of Madhumalai & Bandipur, ride in the heart of Tiger reserves, Coffee plantations.
South India Motorcycle Tour is ideal for those who want to explore more while riding on motorcycles.
South India Motorcycle Tour
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival At Chennai
When you arrive in Chennai, you will be picked up from the airport and taken to your hotel. After a good night's sleep, we'll meet in the evening for a briefing, followed by a welcome dinner.
Day 2 - Chennai to Puducherry - 170 Km
This will be our first day of riding; we will pick up our Royal Enfield Motorcycles and begin our journey through Southern India. After breakfast, we'll head east along the coast to Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram. Mahabalipuram is an ancient town in Tamil Nadu and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; upon arrival, we will visit Shore Temple. The Shore temple is located on the beach and was built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th century. We will also see the "Five Rathas" and Arjuna's Penance. After exploring the town, we'll stop for lunch on the way to Puducherry. We'll arrive in Puducherry in the evening.
Day 3 - Sightseeing in Puducherry - 60 KM
After breakfast, we'll spend the day exploring the French colony of Puducherry, which was once ruled by the French and has a lot of French architecture. To begin, we will go to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, which is one of the most visited places in Puducherry. The ashram is a spiritual retreat. After that, we'll go to "Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges," also known as Our Lady of Angels Church, which is one of Pondy's most popular attractions. We can also explore the collections of French roots, Arikamedu Roman settlement, and stone carved statues at the Puducherry Museum. We will also visit a few beaches in and around Puducherry in the evening.
Day 4 - Puducherry to Kolli Hills - 240 KM
After exploring Puducherry, we'll continue on our way to Kolli Hills. Kolli Hills, also known as Kolli Malai, is located at a height of 1350 metres in Tamil Nadu's Namakkal district. Kolli Hills is a remote hill station that is largely undeveloped and uncommercialized. The road to Kolli Hills is full of hairpin bends and country roads of Southern India; we will ride through villages, meet locals, and enjoy some authentic south Indian cuisine along the way. The final stretch will be a little off-road, and we might get to ride through red sands and spice plantations. We'll arrive at Kolli Hills in the early evening.
Day 5 - Kolli Hills to Ooty - 250 KM
On day 5 of our South India motorcycle tour, we will ride to "Coonoor/Ooty," also known as the Queen of Hills and home to one of the best tea plantations in Southern India. First, we'll ride down to Namakkal via the mighty 70 Hairpin curves from Kolli Hills. Ooty is a hill station located at a height of 2240 metres. It is the meeting point of the Western and Eastern Ghats. Before arriving in Ooty, we will ride through some of the most beautiful roads in Southern India, avoiding highways and exploring the back roads of South India. We'll arrive in Ooty by early evening after navigating about 30 hairpin curves. Because the weather will be pleasant all year, it is best to dress warmly.
Day 6 - Coonoor/Ooty to Masinagudi - 100 KM
We will begin our day riding towards Masinagudi after exploring the Queen of Hills, Ooty. Masinagudi is centrally located within the Madumalai Tiger Reserve. We will begin our descent towards Madumalai via beautiful tea plantations and some amazing Southern Indian scenery. The ride is very easy today, and we may arrive in Masinagudi by noon. After some rest, we will head to Jungle Safari in the evening. Bandipur Tiger Reserve, established in 1974 as part of Project Tiger, is a national park in the Indian state of Karnataka. Currently, Bandipur is home to over 120 tigers and Asiatic elephants.
Day 7 - Masinagudi to Coorg (Virajpet) - 225 KM
After visiting two tiger reserves, we will begin our journey to Coorg. Today, the majority of the roads will pass through Tiger Reserves, beginning with a ride from Madumalai Tiger Reserve to Bandipur Tiger Reserve and entering Karnataka from Tamil Nadu. Following that, we will ride from Bandipur Tiger Reserve to Muthanga Tiger Reserve and Wayanad Tiger Reserve, and then into Tholpetty Tiger Reserve, which is also a part of Wayanad Tiger Reserve. In a nutshell, we will ride through 5 tiger reserves and three states in Southern India. I'm sure you'll prefer riding through these national parks to driving on the highways. Following that, we will enter the Karnataka district of Coorg. Coorg is located in the western ghats of Karnataka. Famous for its misty landscape, coffee plantations, incredible hospitality, and, of course, incredible cuisine. We'll arrive in Coorg's Virajpet district in the evening.
Day 8 - Virajpet to Bababudangiri Hills - 215 KM
Osian is an ancient town and a Thar Desert oasis. Osian is well-known for its collection of ruined Hindu and Jain temples dating from the eighth to the twelfth centuries. During the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty, the city was a major religious centre of the Marwar kingdom. We will visit nearby Hindu and Jain temples after arriving in Osian.
Day 9 - Bababudangiri Hills to Hampi (Hospet) - 315 Km
Today will be the longest day of our South India Motorcycle Tour, covering approximately 315 Km. Also, after an early breakfast, we will hit the road ascending towards Tarikere district and riding further down towards the drylands of northern Karnataka. Today, we will ride with minimal pitstops through the beautiful countrysides of Northern Karnataka, via Chitradurga, Kudigi, and Hospet, arriving in the evening.
Day 10 - Explore Hampi - 50 Km
After riding 300 kilometres today, we will leave our motorcycles in Hospet and explore Hampi on four wheels. After breakfast, we will meet our local guide, who will take us to some important Hampi sites. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi is located on the banks of the Tungabadra River. Hampi was once the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, which was also known as one of the richest dynasties in ancient times. We will go to Vijaya Vittala Temple, a 15th-century temple that is considered one of Hampi's largest historical structures. Then there's Virupaksha Temple, which was built in the 7th century and is one of India's oldest operational temples. We also visit Lotus Temple, Hampi Bazar, and other important ancient ruins in Hampi after exploring some important temples.
Day 11 - Hospet to Dandeli Tiger Reserve - 240 Km
Today, we'll say farewell to our Royal Enfields and set out to explore the Pink City of Jaipur by car and foot. We'll begin our day exploring the ancient town shortly after breakfast. Jaipur has the distinction of being India's first planned city. Rajasthan's capital city, known around the world for its coloured gems, combines the allure of its ancient history with all the benefits of a metropolis. We'll see Amber Palace, City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Jal Mahal, and a few museums. We'll return to the hotel in the evening for a farewell dinner.
Day 12 - Dandeli Tiger Reserve to Panjim (Goa) - 210 Km
Our final day of the South India Motorcycle Tour will begin with a ride from Dandeli to Goa, followed by a ride through Anshi National Park and into Goa state. We will be riding through the dense forest between the Tiger Reserve's buffer zone for about 50 miles, with only a few human settlements in between and some amazing single lane forest tracks. We will enter Goa state after approximately 80 miles and ride further towards Panjim, the capital of Goa State, arriving in the evening.
Day 13 - Explore Goa - 120
We will leave our Royal Enfield Motorcycles in Panjim once we arrive there and then go off on four wheels to explore the city of Goa. After breakfast, we will begin our day by visiting the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Fort Aguada, and a few exquisite Hindu temples. You will have the evening to explore on your own, so you may go shopping, enjoy a beer in one of the shacks, or just relax by the water and soak up some vitamin D. We'll get together one more for a final meal where we'll share any pictures or films we have from the South India Motorcycle Tour.
Day 14 - Departure from Panjim
Our South India motorcycle adventure on Royal Enfield will come to an end today as we say goodbye to Panjim. We will deliver you to the airport following breakfast in the hopes of running into you again on the "Roads Less Traveled," bon voyage.