Therapy and Rehabilitation in Southern India

Itinerary at a glance

• Day 1: Mahabalipuram (Mon, 13 Nov) Arrive in the lovely seaside village of Mahabalipuram and check in to Grande Bay Beach Resort. Spend the afternoon enjoying the beachside resort at your leisure before a welcome dinner in the evening on the Coromandel Coast.
• Day 2: Mahabalipuram (Tues, 14 Nov) Spend the morning exploring rural India, visiting local villages, a potter's studio, a farm and a rural health clinic. Enjoy a delicious thali lunch in a village house. Take rickshaws to Mahabalipuram to visit an extraordinary open-air showcase for Tamil art, comprising the World Heritage shore temples and a stunning composition carved in stone.
• Day 3: Mahabalipuram (Wed, 15 Nov) Drive to the former French colony of Pondicherry and explore the French and Tamil quarters. This charming city is unlike anywhere else in South India, with a distinctly Gallic flavour that can be seen in the architecture, police uniforms and of course the food. Visit the Pondicherry Mother Theresa Institute of Medical Sciences and the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Departments to meet local practitioners. At leisure in the afternoon to explore Pondicherry.
• Day 4: Mahabalipuram / Chennai (Thurs, 16 Nov) Drive up the coast to Chennai. Visit Vidya Sagar. Learn how the project utilises innovative technological solutions in its work to improve access to learning for children with multiple disabilities through its community initiatives, early intervention unit, employment centre and the disability legislation unit. Check in to the Ramada Plaza by Wyndham.
• Day 5: Chennai / Mysore (Fri, 17 Nov) Take the train to Bangalore, the capital of India's Silicon Valley (your luggage will travel separately by luggage truck). Visit Mobility India, a remarkably successful operation that provides training and development, rehabilitation services and community based rehabiliation as well as producing high quality, inexpensive prosthetics. Drive to Mysore and check in to Sandesh the Prince Hotel.
• Day 6: Mysore (Sat, 18 Nov) Visit the Mysore Speech and Language Therapy Centre. Sumptuous Mysore is famed for its silk, sandalwood and spices. Spend your afternoon at leisure in this 'City of Palaces'.
• Day 7: Mysore (Sun, 19 Nov) Watch the Procession of the Goddess at the temple on Chamundi Hill, which towers over the city, before visiting the Bull. Marvel at one of the most astonishingly ornate palaces in India, Mysore Palace, and wander through the colourful throngs of the market. Later, relax over a sunset high tea at the grand Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel overlooking the city. In the evening, see the spectacular Mysore Palace illuminations.
• Day 8: Mysore / Ooty (Mon, 20 Nov) Take a scenic drive to Ooty in the Blue Mountains. Check in to the Highland Ooty Hotel. Known as the Queen of the Hill Stations, 'Snooty Ooty' is a cool, tranquil town surrounded by hills and tea slopes. Visit its beautiful botanical gardens which were laid out by gardeners from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. It was here that tonic was first created outside South America. In the evneing, enjoy a G&T at the hotel.
• Day 9: Ooty (Tues, 21 Nov) Take the toy train to Coonoor on an exhilarating switchback ride through the Blue Mountains. Visit a tea plantation and tea factory and explore the town of Coonoor, before returning to Ooty in the afternoon.
• Day 10: Ooty / Cochin (Wed, 22 Nov) Drive to Coimbatore for brunch, before boarding the train for a wonderful journey across lush Kerala via the Cardamom Hills and into the coastal city of Cochin, the 'Gateway to Kerala'. Check in to the Trident Hotel.
• Day 11: Cochin (Thurs, 23 Nov) Visit the Nagajuna Ayurvedic Hospital and learn about traditional approaches to massage, yoga and diet, with a partner programme exploring old Cochin. Take a walking tour of Fort Cochin, visiting the oldest church in India, 500-year-old Portuguese houses, the spice houses and areas that could be lifted from an English country scene. Watch a performance of the high energy, traditional martial art of Kalaripayattu.
• Day 12: Cochin (Fri, 24 Nov) Drive the short distance to Alleppey to board a converted rice barge for a private cruise along the tranquil Keralan backwaters. See Keralan life unfold as you sail past families swimming, fishing and washing in the canals, past vegetable laden canoes alongside vivid green rice paddies and coconut farms. Enjoy a Keralan lunch on board before returning to Alleppey and transferring back to Cochin. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner.
• Day 13: Cochin (Sat, 25 Nov) Transfer to the airport, extend in Cochin or take the beach extension.

Optional Pre and Post Tour Extensions

Arrive early and relax at the Grande Bay Beach Resort, located on the Coromandel coast on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Stay on at the hotel in Cochin after the tour to further explore this fascinating city or take a beach extension in southern Kerala. Speak to our friendly team to make arrangements.