South India Motorcycle Tour: Kerala & Goa

The South India motorcycle tour starts in Trivandrum, the colonial city and former capital of Travancore. After the transfer and check-in at the Heritage Hotel, a tour briefing and bike introduction follow, before a quiet evening walk eases the journey in.

The Kerala motorcycle tour follows the Arabian Sea coast to the backwaters of Alleppey, where the motorcycle is swapped for a traditional houseboat for one day – gliding past canals, villages and the calm everyday life of the region.

Via rubber plantations and the scenic Vagamon, the route leads to the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats. As an on-road India motorcycle tour, the surface is mostly paved, while walks and boat safaris fill the afternoon.

Small spice and tea plantations line the road toward Munnar at 1,600 to 1,800 metres above sea level. This guided India motorcycle tour continues through the Neelakurinji hills, past tea gardens to the Munnar bazaar.

Through the agricultural landscapes of Theni, the Tamil Nadu motorcycle tour reaches the temple city of Madurai with the famous Meenakshi Temple on the Vaigai River, whose evening light ceremony is one of the highlights of the stage.

Wide plains, small temples and Tamil Nadu villages make up the stage to Pollachi, passing Dindigul and the Palani Hills – a well-known pilgrimage site on this on-road India motorcycle tour amid peaceful palm groves.

Via Mettupalayam and the hill town of Coonoor, the South India motorcycle tour reaches the former summer capital of Ooty at around 2,200 metres, famous for its tea estates, rose gardens and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

Down 36 hairpin bends and past the Mudumalai wildlife reserve, the Mysore motorcycle tour leads to the Wodeyar dynasty palace and the lively markets of Karnataka's former royal city, before the route continues toward coffee country.

Shaded country lanes with banyan and coconut trees pass the temples of Belur and Halebidu on the way to the coffee town of Chikmagalur, where plantations on the slopes of the Sahyadri mountains define the South India motorcycle tour.

Winding roads on this guided India motorcycle tour pass through the Agumbe rainforest and the cool hill town of Koppa before descending to the coastal city of Kundapura, where river and sea meet on three sides.

Along the coast road and past the Murudeshwar Temple with its towering Shiva statue, the South India motorcycle tour continues to Gokarna, known for quiet, untouched beaches and a relaxed end to the day.

Past cliffs and the historic harbour of Karwar – once frequented by Arabs, Dutch and Portuguese traders – and the Sadashivgad Fort on the Kali River, the Goa motorcycle tour reaches the first beaches of South Goa in the region known as the Mango Belt.

The final riding day of the North and South Goa motorcycle tour passes through villages in the Goan interior, by temples, churches and the Bom Jesus Cathedral – testimony to four centuries of Portuguese colonial history – before the journey winds down on the beach.

The 14-day South India motorcycle tour ends with departure from Goa; riders who wish to continue can book the optional Hampi extension to visit the ruins of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi.