Tamil Nadu and Kerala tour, Backwaters & beyond

Planet

This South India tour has been carefully designed with the planet in mind, helping you experience the beauty of Kerala and Tamil Nadu while traveling responsibly. By choosing slower, low-impact ways to explore – guided walking tours through temple towns, cycling trips along colonial streets, and traditional houseboat cruises through Kerala’s backwaters – this itinerary reduces carbon emissions while offering more meaningful encounters with the landscape.

Instead of rushing between destinations, you’ll move at a gentler pace, which not only treads more lightly on the environment but also allows you to connect more closely with the places you visit.

The accommodation included has been selected for its strong commitment to sustainability. Many of the lodges, estates and boutique hotels are locally owned and actively work to conserve resources. Whether it’s reducing water use in rural Tamil Nadu, minimising waste in Kochi, or protecting the fragile backwaters of Kerala, each stay supports eco-conscious practices.

In Munnar, you’ll see how tea plantations are safeguarding the surrounding forests, while in Kumarakom your visit contributes to the conservation of wetlands that shelter migratory birds. By staying in smaller, community-run properties rather than large chains, your trip helps protect wildlife habitats and ensures tourism contributes positively to South India’s extraordinary natural heritage.

People

Equally important is the positive impact this trip has on people. South India’s cultural identity is kept alive by the communities you’ll meet, and this itinerary has been created to celebrate and support them. From temple musicians and Carnatic storytellers in Chennai, to toddy tappers in Kerala and silk weavers in Kumbakonam, you’ll encounter individuals whose crafts and traditions have been passed down through generations.

Every guided experience, whether it’s joining a food trail in Madurai or watching Kathakali performers in Kochi, has been chosen not just for its insight but also for the opportunities it creates for local people.

Traveling in this way helps sustain livelihoods across both rural villages and bustling cities. We deliberately partner with family-run hotels, women-led cooperatives and community organisations committed to fair pay and inclusive employment. This ensures opportunities are open to people from diverse backgrounds, and that tourism becomes a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.

Your trip also supports the continuation of traditional skills, from artisanal cooking to storytelling and craft-making, which might otherwise fade. Each stay, meal and experience benefits local people directly, while giving you a genuine understanding of their daily lives. In this way, your journey helps strengthen communities and keeps South India’s vibrant culture flourishing.