Tour
At a Glance..

Best
travel-time:                   

October, to February

Start/Finish:                           

Chennai / Cochin

Duration:                                   

15 travel days, 11 riding days

Distance
covered:                

around 1161 miles / 1868 km

Day
rides:                                   

80 - 120 miles / 100 - 260 km

Roads:                                        

Mainly tarmac; around 85 %  / 15 % some stretches with 
gravel

Motorcycles:                         

Royal Enfield Bullet 500cc or
350cc with all latest features. 

Rider's
requirements:        

A comfortable ride on tarmac
and gravel. Steady nerves for the traffic needed!

Group
size:                             

Min. 4 and max. 10 riders -
space for pillion rider in our follow up car.

Accommodations:            

Areas Top Hotels, Resort and
Guest House.

Riding
Level:                          

Intermediate.

Highlights:                            

Lush Greeneries Hills, “Tea
& Spices Plantations ” , Open Jungle Trails,Culture and Costal
ride,Beaches Trails,Traditions, Amazing Friendly People…

Important:                              

VISA needed! For many
nationalities "Visa on arrival" possible now.You need to apply
online!

SOUTH INDIA  ESSENTIALS

DRIVING LICENSE (Rider): Full
and valid for min 411 cc motorcycle

INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT
(Rider): Obtain from your country of residence.

TRAVEL INSURANCE: Must cover
riding motorcycle overseas for leisure

PROPER PROTECTIVE RIDING GLOVES
– SUMMER

PROPER RIDING BOOTS -
Preferably water-proof High Ankle

RIDING JACKET + PANTS

HELMET - We’d prefer if you
brought your own.

* Please note that if your riding gear doesn’t include proper
padding OR if you choose not to wear one (specifically on warm days), please
bring separate Knee & Elbow guards.

RIDING GOGGLES

BALACLAVA (to protect from dust
& insects)

EYE DROPS

SUN SCREEN / SUN BLOCK AND LIP
BALM

TORCH/FLASHLIGHT

THERMAL UNDERWEAR & WARM
(WOOLEN) CAP

INSECT REPELLENT

MEDICINES/DRUGS (LEGAL) Carry
prescriptions with you.

OTHER PERSONAL CLOTHING

ITEMS OF PERSONAL CARE &
HYGIENE

OPTIONAL/SUGGESTED

SUNGLASSES / SUN HAT

WATER
CARRIER/HYDRATION PACK

SCARF
/ BANDANA (to protect face/neck)

EAR
PLUG

YOUR
FAVOURITE BOTTLE OF LIQUOR & COFFEE you might find Indian spirits &
coffee unsavoury.

*PLEASE NOTE:  ON ALL OUR TOURS THE SPACE ON THE SUPPORT VEHICLES
IS LIMITED. HENCE, WE REQUEST THAT YOU LIMIT YOUR BAGGAGE TO 25 KG.

SOUTH INDIA CLIMATE

SOUTHWEST INDIA:

This region also has a predominantly coastal
climate because of the Arabian Sea towards the west and the Indian Ocean to the
South. The climate is most pleasant from November to March. The summers are not
as hot as northern regions but the humidity is extreme. Monsoon strikes between
late April and July. The coastal areas experience the cool sea breezes. The inland
areas and cities like Mysore and Bijapur have a pleasant climate with
relatively low rainfall.

Required Clothing for South West India:

Light clothes throughout the year with occasional woolens in some regions.
Raincoats and umbrellas during monsoons.

SOUTHEAST INDIA:

Southeast India has a characteristic coastal climate because of the Bay of
Bengal to the east and the Indian Ocean to the South. The state of Tamil Nadu
has warm summers with high humidity and pleasant winters. It experiences
northeast monsoon between October and December. The hill stations like Ooty and
Kodaikanal can be cold in winter. Hyderabad is hot but less humid in summer and
much cooler in winter.

Required Clothing for South East India:

Light clothes throughout the year with occasional woolens in some regions like
hill stations etc. Raincoats and umbrellas during monsoons.

The summer months
(April - June ) are hot in most parts of India. This is the season to visit the
summer resorts of Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital, Kufri and Kashmir valley,
Darjeeling, Shilong, Ootacamund, Kodaikanal, Pachmarhi and Mount Abu.

The winter months
( November - March) are pleasant throughout India with bright sunny days.
Winter is more severe in the northern plains, and in the foot hills of the
Himalayas, while the southern, eastern and western zones of India, remain
pleasantly cool.

The monsoons break
at the beginning of June on the Southwest coast of India, and gradually break
at all parts of the country, except south-eastern areas. These areas receive
most of their rainfall between mid-October and end-December.

Cuisine

Food habits are diverse even regionally and are largely
based on the traditions. Rice is the staple diet. Coconut is an important ingredient in Kerala and coastal part of Karnataka of South India, Hyderabadi biryani is also very special in Telangana and other
neighbouring states whereas the cuisine in Andhra Pradesh is characterized by the pickles, spicy aromatic curries and the generous use of chili powder. Dosa, Idli, Uttapam etc. are popular throughout the region. Coastal areas like the
state of Kerala and the city of Mangalore are known for their seafood. South Indian coffee is generally quite robust, and coffee is a
preferred drink throughout the Malabar region. Tamil Nadu is well known for its Idli, Dosa, Pongal, Sambhar, Vada, Puri, which are the common breakfast in Tamil
families. Among the Malayalees, Appam, Puttu, Upamav, Malabar biriyani are some
of the common dishes. In Karnataka, Bisibele bath, Kara bath, Kesari bath,
Raggi mudda, Udin Vada, Bene Masala Dosa, Paper Dosa are some of the common
dishes.

·      The Royal
Enfield 500cc Bullet, EFI

The R E Bullet 500
now comes with disk brakes both front and rear and EFI.  This is a perfect
motorbike to chug along on the gentle meandering roads.  The single long
seat with raised pillion seat is also a great advantage if you have a pillion
rider, which happens quite often on our Every tours.

·      The RE “Himalayan”
411 cc, EFI

We use these bikes in
most of our tours to India. The tall stance, high placed handlebars, high
ground clearance, the up-angled silencer and the belly pan prove their worth
both on road and off. With a 21? front wheel and a rear “mono-shock”
suspension, it can pretty much ride over everything. At 411cc / 24.5 bhp, it
has enough grunt in it to keep you going on the rougher sections in the
Himalayas as well as On the Indian National highways . 

·      The ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC 500 cc, (Discontinued)

This “Classic” with it the vintage charm and the “Retro Bullet feel” was loved by our customers.  However, in 2019, when India moved from BS4 to BS6 emission norms, Royal Enfield discontinued production of this model.  As we constantly “retire” our older bikes and replace them with newer ones, we are no longer able to do that with the 500cc one. Hence, we had to take the decision of discontinuing this model from our fleet, till RE launches another suitable 500cc model.  However, if you wanted to ride only this bike on one of our tours, do write to us with a special request and we’ll do our best to get one for you.

Culture

South India Culture - True Spirit of a Place:

India is a vast country with varied cultures
across. South India has a unique culture of itself that can be
experienced. It gives an insight into the lives of the people of that region.
The states included in this region will be Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka. The various aspects have been listed below

Music:

The classical music of South India can be dated back to
15th century. It has been unaltered since then. The most commonly known form is
called Kriti, it is a combination of melody (raga) and rhythm (tabla). There
are leading schools of music in Chennai where Chennai Music Festival is held in
the month of December or January.

Dance:

Bharatanatyam is the most popular dance form of the South
India. The origin is believed to be in the Tanjore district of tamil Nadu.
It was performed in the temples mostly in the yesteryears. There are many other
forms of dance in south India too, they all colorful specific dresses
and jewellery.

Kathkali:

It is a dramatic presentation in the form of dance. This
form is native to Kerala. They have big masks and faces are painted. The attire
too has a unique style which makes it fluffy and colorful. Eyes are generally
colored red. And the face is green or yellow. The eye movement of the dancer is
a must to notice. The body moves are swift and soft, they need hours of regular
practice. The body of the performers are very flexible by doing yoga and
rigorous exercise. Cochin has a dedicated centre for learning this art form.

Martial Art:

Kalaripayattu is a martial art form being practiced from
the ancient times. It has got better with the passing times but the technique
is unaltered. This is possibly the oldest martial art of the world. It is older
that the Chinese art form too. it involves kicking, grappling and weapon usage
too. There are special healing methods for the performers as they do get hurt
even during the practice sessions.

Ayurveda:

There are special herbs and oils used in the ayurveda in India. It is basically a healing
treatment being followed from 5000 years. There are many ayurveda centers in
the state of Kerala. It is interesting to note that many tourists come here
just for this special treatment. This helps not just your skin rejuvenate but
your soul is refreshed and relaxed too. Tourism is flourishing around this
sector. You too can take out some time to enjoy this activity when in South
India. Another new attraction is the introduction of couple treatment for you
to enjoy some relaxing moments with your loved ones.

Festivals:

There are many festivals unique to the culture of this
part of India. A few of them are Onam, Pongal, Dassara etc. these are
a celebration of good over evil. To take blessings from gods and goddesses.
There are colorful attires worn by the people and special food is cooked for
this occasion. You can see a typical decoration called rangoli on the entrance
of houses and offices. Also there are large processions including decorated
elephants and lights along with loud drum beats. The environment is magnificent
in itself and you too can not resist but enjoy. Pulikali is a special occasion
when men dress up and get painted as tigers and present a special dance form.
You will not find this art form anywhere else in the world. The art form takes
years of practice and finesse.

Temples:

The architecture of the temples is very different that other
parts of India. This style is called the Dravidian style. The temples have
towering high and statues of gods and goddesses are made on them. The colorful
buildings are generally made on a hill top or a plateau to over look the
surrounding area and can be seen from far. The temples are thronged by devotees
all the year round. The statues in these temples are built or mostly covered
with gold. The kings and queens used to be very spiritual and devoted a lot of
time towards religion.

Clothes:

Silk sarees are very popular among the people of this
area. They can be seen wearing colorful sarees even in daily life.
While the traditional dress for men is dhoti. You can purchase pure silk
sarees from big emporiums in the large cities offering great variety of them.
Mysore silk, kanchivaram silk and many more forms are famous. But in the recent
years pure cotton to has become common due to the extensive heat in the
summers. You can buy something for yourself.

Literature:

There has been known poetry dated back to 200 years. You
can also get translated versions of most of the stories and poems. There is
such much to be learnt from the dravidian culture and time. The kings and
queens were very learned and used to encourage studies. You can notice that this
part of India is the most literate and you too can enrich yourself and take
back a few books from here.

Languages:

There are many different languages that have been derived
from the original dravidian format. Telugu. Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam are the
mostly used languages in this region. They all have a different way of writing
too.

Religion:

Approx 80% population in these states is Hindus. Their
main deity being lord Shiva or Lord Vishno. Religious activities are a very
important activity in the life of a common man. They pray daily and visit
regularly to the temples. Festivals are celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm and
fervor.

Art and craft:

other than weaving fine silk sarees they are master of
many fine arts. There is extensive use of wood and stones to create master
pieces of art. The paintings of this area are unique and there is presentation
of god and stories related to god in these paintings. Dolls and pottery are
very pretty too. The bamboo work is not just economical but very nature
friendly products can be found. This bamboo craft has boosted in the recent
years due to awareness among people towards use of bio-degradable products.

Now that you have an idea regarding the culture of South
India you must find time and visit the places to get a personal experience. It
is a great feeling to be among the people of South India as they are helpful
and polite. Also you will get enriched in the knowledge through the way of
experience.