Arrive Bengaluru

Most Dublin-to-Bengaluru itineraries route through Doha or Dubai, with the total journey running thirteen to sixteen hours door to door. Our driver meets you at Kempegowda International arrivals with a name board and bottled water. Transfer to your hotel takes about ninety minutes depending on traffic, with early check-in arranged so you can shower and sleep. If energy allows, a light walk through Cubbon Park in the late afternoon helps reset the body clock. Bengaluru sits at 900 metres, which softens the heat and eases arrival for Irish travellers. Overnight in Bengaluru.

Bengaluru to Mysore

After breakfast, the drive to Mysore covers 145 kilometres in about three-and-a-half hours on the expressway. En route, a stop at Srirangapatna lets you see Tipu Sultan’s summer palace and the Ranganathaswamy temple. Check into a heritage property near the palace quarter, then head to Mysore Palace for the guided evening walkthrough. Palace lights come on at seven on Sundays and public holidays, and the effect is worth planning around. Dinner tonight covers Mysore-style dosa and filter coffee at a local institution, not the hotel restaurant. Overnight in Mysore.

Mysore to Ooty

The road from Mysore to Ooty climbs through Bandipur and Mudumalai tiger reserves, covering 155 kilometres in about four-and-a-half hours. A morning stop at Chamundi Hill and the Sri Chamundeshwari temple opens the day. The forest section prohibits vehicles between nine at night and six in the morning, which shapes the driving window. On arrival in Ooty at 2,240 metres, the temperature drop can surprise Irish travellers—unpack a fleece from hand luggage. Check in at a colonial-era hotel. Afternoon covers the Botanical Garden and Ooty Lake. Overnight in Ooty.

Ooty Full Day

A slow day in the Nilgiris. Morning ride on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO heritage narrow-gauge train, from Ooty to Coonoor or Wellington—about ninety minutes each way through eucalyptus forest and tea estates. Return to Ooty for lunch at a tea-estate cafe. Afternoon covers the tea museum at Coonoor and a factory visit to see the processing. Optional stop at Dolphin’s Nose viewpoint. Evening free at the hotel with hot chocolate. Customised South India tours from Ireland with a wellness angle can swap this for an Ayurveda consultation. Overnight in Ooty.

Ooty to Kochi

The descent to Kochi covers 285 kilometres in about seven-and-a-half hours with breaks. The road drops from 2,240 metres to sea level and the change is felt in both ears and appetite. Lunch stop at Palakkad, historically the gateway between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, offers a first proper Kerala meal served on banana leaf. Arrival in Kochi by early evening. Check in at a boutique Fort Kochi property, walking distance from the Chinese fishing nets. Evening covers the Kathakali performance with makeup demonstration beforehand. Dinner at a seafood shack on the waterfront. Overnight in Fort Kochi.

Kochi to Munnar

After breakfast, the drive to Munnar covers 130 kilometres in about four-and-a-half hours because of the ghat road. En route, stops at Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls, and a spice plantation walk near Adimali. The road climbs to 1,600 metres and temperatures drop noticeably by lunchtime. Check in at a plantation bungalow or hillside resort. Afternoon covers Mattupetty Dam and the Kundala Lake area if time allows. Munnar’s tea slopes photograph best in late afternoon light. Irish travellers often find the temperature range familiar and welcome after coastal Kochi. Overnight in Munnar.

Munnar to Thekkady

Morning at the Munnar Tea Museum covers the region’s plantation history, including some of the earliest colonial-era machinery still working. The drive to Thekkady covers 90 kilometres in about three-and-a-half hours through the Cardamom Hills. Arrival by early afternoon and check-in at a lake-facing property near Periyar. Afternoon covers a boat cruise on Periyar Lake with the chance of spotting elephants, sambar deer, and Malabar giant squirrels at the water’s edge. Optional evening Kalaripayattu martial arts performance, which pre-dates most East Asian traditions and is unique to Kerala. Overnight in Thekkady.

Thekkady to Alleppey Houseboat

After a slow morning, the drive to Alleppey covers 135 kilometres in about four hours. Boarding at the houseboat jetty happens by noon, with lunch served on board as the boat pushes off. The rest of the day covers the classic backwater cruise: villages on the banks, coconut palms over the water, herons and kingfishers on low branches. Sunset from the sundeck with tea or a Kingfisher beer. Dinner cooked fresh on board with locally caught karimeen and vegetable thoran. Cabins are air-conditioned with Western toilets. Overnight moored in a quiet channel.

Alleppey to Kovalam

After breakfast on the houseboat, disembark by nine and drive to Kovalam via Trivandrum, covering 160 kilometres in about four hours. En route stop at Padmanabhapuram Palace, one of the largest wooden palace complexes in Asia, technically across the Tamil Nadu border. Arrival by early afternoon. Check in at a beach-facing resort. Afternoon free for the beach, a first swim in the Arabian Sea, or a spa treatment. Lighthouse Beach is the busiest section; Samudra Beach further north is quieter. Dinner at a beach shack watching the fishing boats come in. Overnight in Kovalam.

Departure from Trivandrum

After a slow breakfast and a final morning at the beach, the transfer to Trivandrum International Airport takes about forty-five minutes depending on traffic. Most Trivandrum-to-Dublin flights route via Doha or Dubai in the evening, so we build in a lunch stop and an optional Kerala cooking class if your flight is post-8pm. The airport is small and processing is quick, but check-in still opens three hours before departure. Alternative departures from Kochi or Bengaluru can be arranged. Total driving distance runs roughly 1,300 kilometres; flying time to Dublin about fourteen hours with a Gulf connection.