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Welcome aboard the Grand South India Sojourn! This motorcycle exploratory trip starts in the heart of Maharashtra’s maximum city - Mumbai and ends on the sandy beaches of Sussegado Goa. The steamy heartland of India's subcontinent - South India is a melting pot of food, beaches, back waters, waterfalls, forests, ferry crossings, endless sunsets, spirituality, spices, and sun.
You will stay for Nineteen nights in various accommodations including hotels and boutique homestays. The start of the trip sets the tone for the rest of the journey and the end of the trip is an intimate moment to reflect, relish, and basically have one big party.
The properties Karma Yatri uses at various locations, that serve as start and end points of the itinerary, are unique and carefully selected. During this tour, you will be accommodated in premium hotels and homestays at all stops. The properties combine the best in hospitality that the region has to offer, great food, and the ability for you all to behave like a group.
Please note that although Karma Yatri provides blankets and duvets, it is recommended that you carry a sleeping bag for added comfort.
The lure of the western coast with its never ending beaches, gastronomic orgies, and the overall visual possibilities on two wheels beckons you on a journey! With the monsoons over, all of India has come alive and nowhere is it more evident than the western coast of India.
With pristine white beach sands on one side and the almost contiguous Western Ghats on the other, your journey traverses an almost parallel line right between these two geographical marvels.
From beaches to mountains, spirituality to debauchery, cuisine to fashion there is a little bit for every sense. The rewards of road tripping in South India; are in the slow winding curves on fast paced roads and psychedelic hued sunsets on beaches you never heard of.
Karma Yatri, now in its 10th year of operations brings you a selection of road trips in the South of India. The circuits have been well researched and seamlessly planned in order to give you the maximum experience but, have relative flexibility to also enjoy the inherent nature of ‘spontaneity’ on a road trip.
Karma Yatri can provide you a full range of services covering all aspects of your travel or they can provide you from a basket of services, based on your requirements.
You will begin your journey with a specially curated brunch / breakfast. Try out your bike for the journey and meet the Karma Yatri team. Today’s journey takes you south of Mumbai to the remote beach of Harnai.
The west coast at its finest, this stretch of the circuit is one of postcard pictures. You will have stopovers to sample the highway cuisine of the region. Then, arrive at one of the most pristine beaches on the coast, where the combination of cliffs meeting the ocean set the perfect stage for a perfect evening. Dinner will be a beach barbecue.
Today, you will have an early morning boat ride with local fishermen. Then a ride with ferry crossings and ocean forts; a hallmark of this coastal stretch. Visit villages, that are a quilted pattern of fishing boats, paddy fields, and mango orchards.
This is a route crisscrossing the coast and the Western Ghats - a motorist’s delight. The lack of traffic and the superb quality of tarmac ensure that the kilometers fly by. You will stay close to the temple town of Ganpatipule. You will have a temple visit / two-hour explorer road trip. Meal will be coastal cuisine.
Today is one of the longer days on the road. Cross Ratnagiri, the major town on the coast, climbing into the Western Ghats and riding along the fringes of the Deccan Plateau. Lunch will be on the road.
Your last ferry crossing will take you close to the village of Sawantwadi on the border of Goa. Enter Goa from the north, freshen up, and then head to one of the traditional Goan thali locations for a sumptuous dinner and drinks session.
A marriage of Portuguese and Indian cultures, Goa needs little introduction. From its sun-kissed beaches, the seafood, Susegad and beers in the shade, you need to experience the land of chill atleast once in your lifetime.
Spend the day at leisure, take in the calm of the beach, a nice meal and settle in further as this epic road trip continues!
An easy start since today's ride is a fairly short and straightforward. Exit Goa on the NH 66 to reach your destination today - the legendary OM Beach near Gokarna. Approachable in the past only by a longish trek, it was the perfect getaway for tourists who were getting tired of the overcrowding on the beaches of Goa.
A new road keeps the beach less secluded now, but once the sun starts going down, it's easy to understand why this was such a hard to keep secret. Just relax by the beach or take an invigorating walk along the cliff.
Day six takes you to a region in Karnataka famous for the ubiquitous 'dosa’. Udipi is not only famous for its cuisine but also its temples and though a little inland from coast, it has its own charm. Don't forget to also try out the crispy joy of digging into some Kori roti (Tulu-mangalorean cuisine) that originated not far from this town. Kori means chicken in Tulu.
You will continue your journey further down South to Calicut. The word Calico means ‘typically plain white or unbleached’ fabric. The Calico cloth was ‘Kora’ cotton fabric made from the fine cotton sourced through hot and dry Tamil areas (the areas near Palakkad gap in Western Ghat) and also from northern Malabar villages.
The fabric is known to trace it roots back to the 'City of Spices' - Calicut; which is your destination for today. The city was once one of the great ports of the Malabar region for Indian spices and other items that made their way around the world.
Your ride today takes you further south from Calicut towards Fort Kochi. Harking back to the time of the Portuguese, Dutch, British, Jewish, and Chinese trader influence on the area - Fort Kochi's vibe seemingly remains framed in time, with relics of their architecture.
The result is a motley combination of medieval Portugal, Holland and an English village grafted onto the tropical Malabar Coast - topped off with tourist trappings. An iconic symbol of this area are the Chinese fishing nets introduced by Chinese explorers who landed there in the 14th century.
Further down the Malabar coast from Fort Kochi is the town of Alleppey (Alappuzha) and your destination for today. Alleppey is popular as a hub of the Kerala backwaters and moving away from its centre, you enter a vast watery paradigm of greenery; a laid back pace of life in little villages by the banks, stores selling toddy and every now and then Kerala's iconic Kettuvallams passing you by.
The slow current gently lulling you into the calm and serenity of this region in God’s own country.
Today’s journey is a short ride but long stay. You will relax on the pristine shores of one the prettiest beaches in the country. Sit in one of the shacks that dot the Varkala Cliff (a geo-heritage site), and soak in the hues of a mesmerizing sunset - on the Southern coast.
Over the last few days you've traveled through some beautiful destinations on India's southwest coast - taking a peek into their history, cuisine, culture, and sights. Today’s ride marks your arrival at India’s southernmost tip!
Kanyakumari is a small coastal town with some surreal views like the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea and if you're lucky you can even see the sun set and the moon rise at the same time over the 'sangam' of these three water bodies.
The town mostly draws pilgrims to the Temple of the Virgin Sea Goddess - Kumari Amman, and tourists to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, but the vibe still remains slightly noncommercial.
From the Southern most tip your rides takes you back up north but, this time you will ride deep into the Western Ghats, through forests that are as ancient as Earth. One of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, this contiguous chain of volcanic mountains run 2500 km from Gujarat to Kerala, hosting a remarkable biodiversity that we witness first hand.
End today's journey in God's own country - Kerala in the little town of Kumily set in the Cardamom Hills and located close to Periyar Tiger Reserve.
After having traveled down the west coast of India and all its charm, you will now climb further into the Western Ghats travelling from the town of Kumily to the rolling hills around Munnar. This is South India's largest tea growing region and the landscape is carpeted in emerald-green tea plantations, contoured, clipped and sculpted like ornamental hedges.
The town of Munnar is a bit basic but give it a few kilometres outside the main town hub and you will know exactly why this place is so enchanting. Covered in a sea of green, you are transported to another world.
Today you will depart from God's own country and head to the misty hill station of Kodaikanal (or ‘Kodai) in the state of Tamil Nadu. The centre of this town is marked by a star shaped lake and all the tourist trappings of a popular Indian hill station but, venture out further and you will travel up and down hillsides of shola (virgin forest) and evergreen broadleaf trees like magnolia, mahogany, myrtle and rhododendron.
What you won't find mentioned in the guide books is the a little psychedelic secret of Kodai. But we will leave that to your imagination and curiosity...
Continue to road trip in the beautiful lap of the Western Ghats and the brilliant weather it has blessed with. Your ride today takes you to another hill station.
The Ghat roads on these stretches are mental; loop after loop, then some fast curves and back down to a slow drone around blind ghat road turns, all the while you're surrounded by a green sea of forests that have completely covered the hills and mountains.
You truly have to experience these parts to understand how beautiful it really can be. You will end your ride today at the popular hill station of Ooty also known as the Queen of Hill Stations and remnant of the erstwhile British Empire's summer getaways.
Today's journey sees you climbing further up North and into the Karnataka - sometimes referred to as 'one state, many worlds'. This is so, because to the west you have the Arabian Sea, in the south there are wildlife sanctuaries, hills and waterfalls, and to the north you have vast plain lands replete with historical heritage sites and also one of your destinations on this trip - the temple town of Badami. However today you will ride to the hill station town of Madikeri.
Today's ride sees you skirting the edges of the Western ghats on its east and soon you will be descending into the vast plains of Karntaka's spiritual north. But that's tomorrow, and so today you will ride to the coffee land of Karnataka - the town of Chickmagalur.
This beautiful little hill station is famous for its well maintained roads and coffee plantations. An interesting fact to know is that coffee in India was first cultivated in this region and a good cup of coffee at end of today's ride is in order, wouldn’t you agree?
After having travelled the West Coast from Mumbai to India's southernmost tip and then the Western Ghats in all its glory, you will now descend to the flat plains of Karnataka. The monsoons having recently ended offers some respite in the form greenery on the otherwise flat open landscape, that runs all the way to the horizon.
Your journey takes us from Chikmagalur to the temple town of Hampi. Seemingly precariously placed giant boulders dot the landscape here and the town's magnificent ancient ruins add an unearthly character that is both beautiful and captivating. You will end the day relaxing, taking in the vibe of the town, travelling across the river that runs close by.
Hampi is an interesting place to explore and experience and so you will take a break today from riding and get out into the temple town's market, visit the ruins, and get to know a little more about this UNESCO World Heritage site.
The ruins of this site are spread out over 4,100 hectares (16 square miles) and contains more than 1,600 surviving remains of the last great Hindu kingdom in South India. These ruins include forts, riverside features, royal complexes, temples, shrines, pillared halls, mandapas, memorial structures and water structures. A day spent relaxing or exploring.
Your journey of beaches, mountains, hills, plains, culture, food, people, roads, non-roads, and the spontaneous spirit of road tripping slowly winds to a close on the 20th day your journey as you depart from Hampi and ride back to the green coastal environs of Goa and its beaches.
A relatively long ride today, you will have an early departure and an evening arrival in Goa. You will celebrate with a well deserved farewell party to mark what has been an epic journey across south west India - a grand sojourn that will last as memory for a lifetime!
The road can be your best friend or your worst enemy, so it is advised that you always ride keeping in mind your safety, and of other people travelling with you. It’s best to stick to your side of the road, avoid overtaking, keep in pace with the group and follow hand signals from the road captain. The terrain gamut goes from excellent tarmac to instance of some dirt / off roads, two lane highways, one lane paths, Ghat roads, and loads of dust, but all this is not without its own fun.
Karma Yatri provides you with best-in-class motorcycles from the makers of the legendary Royal Enfield. A brand spanning lifetimes, it is the essence of a classic in today’s modern world. A subtle reminder of bygone days conjured in nostalgic reference. Our fleet rental bikes are not more than two years old, new ones being added every season, ensuring that you have a bike that's in great condition.
We have several excursions to choose from, some which are part of our journey and some that are optional activities.
Two decades of motorcycling and the opportunity to live in many parts of India and Europe. A passion that keeps growing with every riding season. New roads to discover, more friends to ride with is his mantra. He speaks Hindi, Kashmiri, Tamil, English, German, French and a smattering of other Indian dialects. A native of Kashmir means that a vast network that can be called upon in case of any emergency or contingencies.
Convenient access to International flights from the start and endpoint of the trip. This tour begins in Mumbai and ends in Goa.
The trip is an adventure exploration themed moto trip that covers approximately 3800 kilometers over 20 days and travels through five of India's most beautiful regions: Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka. Not to mention the absolutely stunning Western Ghats region and the Sunny west coast of India.
This tour begins in Mumbai city and ends in Goa's capital. A small list of the places you will ride in are Mumbai, Harnai, Ganpatipule, Goa, Gokarna, Udipi, Calicut, Fort Kochi, Alleppey, Varkala, Kanyakumari, Kumily, Munnar, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Madikeri, Chickmagaloor, Hampi, hidden beaches, and other slight impromptu detours.
From a riding point of view there are opportunities to ride mountain roads, beach roads, coastline highways, ghat circuits, off-roads, ferry crossings, impromptu detours (for some green lane riding) and riding on lesser known roads that connect each state to the other. All of this on your choice of the Royal Enfield Classic500 or the newer enduro styled 'Himalayan' model.
From a culture, food and sightseeing point of view there's multiple cuisines to try out, remote beaches to visit, hill stations to relax in, heritage sights to see, stories about history, people of the region, and an experience of local culture that you won't find in a guide book. January is winter season in India and it is the best time to ride in the plains of the country.
You're guide and companion on the trip will be with Hashim Qayoom , the founder of Karma Yatri who has two decades of motorcycling experience and global travel. Having lived in many parts of India and Europe. He speaks Hindi, Kashmiri, Tamil, English, German, French and a smattering of other Indian dialects.
Food will be a mix of local and continental, allowing you to experience the local cuisine but ensuring that your taste buds are not overpowered by the spicy Indian fare. The snacks, beverages and alcohol during the course of the trip are on your tab.
Explore the gems of culture, heritage, cuisine, wildlife biodiversity and oddities that exists in this extensive region. Evident in everyday life, from small temple towns & remote low key beaches to more popular destinations like the city of spices, Fort Kochi, Kerala’s backwaters, Munnar, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Madikeri,Chickmagaloor, Hampi and others. The ancient roots of India are fused with the contemporary spirit of its people.
Immerse your taste buds in the varied gastronomical gems of southern cuisine. Narrated through the medium of a motorcycle trip on slow winding curves through fast paced roads, and psychedelic sunsets on beaches you never heard of. Topped of with rambles on mental tarmac stretches through the Western Ghats in all its glory.
Delve into the language dialects and stories of this region, to uncover why South India’s west coast is a road trippers delight.
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
143 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 17 per person
Please book your flight to arrive at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM). Airport transfers are available at cost. The Karma Yatri team can arrange this for you. Please send an inquiry for more information.
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