South India Itinerary: A Soulful 3-Week Journey Through Kerala, Karnataka & Goa

From Mumbai to Munnar: 3 Weeks, 8 Places and a Hundred Emotions

I’ll be honest – I didn’t fall in love with India on the first day.

Sometimes it felt suffocating, sometimes too crowded, sometimes I got lost in my own emotions. But I wouldn’t trade this journey through South India for anything.

India was like a kaleidoscope – loud, colorful, overwhelming and wonderful all at once.

My 3-week route through South India – from the chaos of Mumbai to the peaceful tea hills of Munnar – was full of contrasts: spices and silence, temples and tuk-tuks, coconut chutney and noise. It was a slow travel experience that changed me in ways I didn’t expect.

It wasn’t a perfect trip. But it was real.

It taught me how to travel slowly again – how to look, how to pause, and how to let go.

This South India itinerary isn’t just a list of places to visit. It’s a guide to 3 weeks in South India with soul – a journey through Kerala, Karnataka and Goa, filled with raw moments and honest reflections.

So if you’re wondering what to see in South India, or planning a 3-week South India itinerary that blends culture, nature and emotion – this guide will walk you through it all, step by step. Unfiltered. With all the heart.

Palolem Beach – My First Breath in India

After landing in India, I didn’t have the energy for big cities.

Instead of diving straight into Mumbai’s chaos, we flew directly to Goa. Best decision ever.

Palolem greeted me like a cup of soothing tea – warm, gentle, peaceful. Wooden huts lining the shore, coconut curry, dogs sleeping in the shade of palm trees.

Days passed slowly – coffee at sunrise, bathing in the warm sea, conversations with the owner of a shack at the end of the beach.

This was exactly what I needed to start – a moment to breathe, adjust my rhythm, shift into a different way of seeing.

If you’re starting your India adventure, give yourself a few days here – before diving into the intensity that lies ahead.

Palolem is the perfect start – a place that gently immerses you in India, rather than overwhelming you right away.

Getting there: We flew from Mumbai to Goa with IndiGo, then took a taxi from Dabolim airport (about 90 minutes to Palolem).

Golden tip: Don’t pre-book accommodation – most beach huts only appear in season and you can choose something atmospheric once you arrive.

Hampi – A Place Where Silence Speaks Louder Than Words

After Goa came time for something completely different.

Hampi was like entering another world – silence, mystical ruins and red rocks arranged as if by the hand of god.

We wandered among ancient temples, climbed Matanga Hill at dawn, drank lassi in the shade of palms and soaked up the peace that existed everywhere tourists with tour groups weren’t.

In Goa, my body calmed down – in Hampi, my soul.

Don’t rush in Hampi. Two days will let you climb Matanga Hill, get lost in the ruins and soak in that silence that stays with you long after you leave.

Getting there: From Goa we took a train to Hospet (about 8 hours), then a rickshaw – 20 minutes and we were in another world.

Golden tip: Sleep on the other side of the river – on Hippie Island. Quieter, more peaceful and with views of the ruins. In the morning you cross by boat and have the temples all to yourself.

Trains, Sweat and Mysore

After Hampi we jumped on a night train and with each clatter of wheels we moved further from the rocks and closer to Mysore’s bustle. Some sleep, some conversations with strangers and suddenly – a different world.

First, breakfast – masala dosa, idli, sweet rasgulla and the most delicious tea in the world at the local Indra Cafe Paras. At a communal table, with smiles instead of words.

Then came the Maharaja’s Palace – huge, glittering, somewhat like something from another fairy tale – and hundreds of people who wanted photos with us.

But the biggest impression was made on me by Devaraja Market – a bazaar full of colors, spices, fresh flowers and loud conversations.

That’s where I felt that unfiltered India I love most – sensual, chaotic, impossible to replicate.

Getting there: From Hampi (Hospet Junction) we caught the night Hampi Express to Mysuru. It departs around 9 PM and travels all night – perfect to sleep and hit the city in the morning.

Golden tip: Leave your backpack at the station and head straight for breakfast – mornings in Mysore have something magical about them.

Wayanad – Mist, Animals and Coconut Water

After Mysuru’s bustle we head south to Kerala – a state that locals proudly call God’s Own Country.

We drive into the mist, the green deepens, and the air grows more humid.

Wayanad greets us like a dream – with valleys shrouded in morning mist, the shade of banana trees and silence interrupted only by peacock calls.

It’s here, in one of the last fragments of wild Kerala, that we set out on our first-ever safari in Wayanad.

It’s cold, still before dawn. The jeep bounces on muddy roads and we watch for movement between trees. And suddenly – they’re here. A wild elephant family.

They walk calmly through the forest, completely unaware of our presence. We hold our breath. This is one of those experiences that stays with you for long – unposed, real, raw.

After returning – a bowl of curry, spiced coffee and coconut straight from the tree. We sit on the terrace of a tree house, listening to the jungle.

Kerala soothes – with peace, humidity and that feeling of being far from everything.

Stay here at least two nights. One day you’ll immerse yourself in jungle silence and morning safari, the next – you’ll go trekking through spice plantations or simply allow yourself to do nothing.

Wayanad isn’t a place to check off – it’s a place you absorb.

Getting there: From Mysuru we caught a morning bus to Kalpetta – it shook, the road wound through hills, but the views made up for everything. It’s the simplest and cheapest way to get into the heart of Wayanad.

Golden tip: Wake up before dawn – the best Kerala safaris start before the mist has a chance to lift.

Alleppey – Canals, Silence and a Thunderstorm

From Wayanad we head down the map toward Kerala’s backwaters. Alleppey, called the Venice of the East, tempts us with the promise of blissful idleness.

We’re dreaming of a lazy cruise on the canals – coconut in hand, wind in our hair, the sound of oars and blissful silence.

On arrival, everything looks a bit different. Instead of an intimate boat we get a multi-story behemoth with “normal water” instead of a hot shower. Instead of a romantic dinner – jam on toast.

But before the storm sweeps across our deck, before lightning strikes a meter from the hull and the lights go out, we manage to catch some of that magic. The river shimmers with green, fishermen cast their nets, and children wave from the shore. Time stands still.

Life flows at a different pace on the water. Give yourself at least one full day – to see how sunrise paints the canals, how children return from school by boat and how sunset falls between the palms.

We stayed one night – and it was a beautiful ritual of slowing down.

And though not everything went according to plan, it’s this imperfection that made this cruise memorable for a long time. Kerala showed again that it can surprise – even if it takes a storm, a sandwich and flashlight.

Getting there: From Wayanad we took a taxi to Kozhikode (about 3 hours), and from there caught a train to Alappuzha – this is where the famous backwaters begin. In total the journey took us almost 7 hours, but the view of palm canals made up for everything.

Golden tip: Don’t book a boat blindly. Check it out on the spot – and ask for a photo of the bathroom 😉

Kochi – Spices, Rituals and Net Movement

When we arrived in Kochi, the air was thick with humidity and spices.

Here everything mixes together – the smell of cardamom with sea salt, Portuguese facades with colonial verandas, Hindu temples with Jewish synagogue.

The city doesn’t shout. It tells its story in whispers: through the movement of Chinese fishing nets, the clang of iron in Dhobi Khana laundry, silence in the Dutch cemetery.

We stroll through Fort Kochi without a plan – from Santa Cruz Basilica through the spice market to the synagogue in Mattancherry.

Somewhere along the way we stop for samosas and mango lassi at Chez Teapot, later peek into Kashi Art Café – to eat something light, sit among art, let the city flow.

In the evening we sit in Kerala Kathakali Centre. We watch actors paint faces, how drum sounds and hand movements transform into dance. We don’t understand words, but we understand everything.

Kochi doesn’t need to be figured out. Just let it guide you. And don’t rush.

We stayed only one night – in a charming guesthouse at Priya’s – but if I had to plan this again, I’d stay longer.

This place deserves at least two, three days – to listen to it in the morning, taste it in the evening, let yourself be carried by its rhythm.

Getting there: From Alleppey to Kochi we took a train – about 1.5 hours. We got off at Ernakulam station and by tuk-tuk headed straight to Fort Kochi.

Golden tip: It’s worth staying overnight here – Fort Kochi smells and sounds most beautiful in the morning, before tourists appear.

Munnar – Cold, Silence and Morning Tea

After humid southern Kerala, Munnar greets us with cold. Mist drifts across hillsides, and tea plantations look like rippled blankets in shades of green.

This is one of those places where time slows down – and where you really want to stay longer.

Two days is the minimum to enjoy morning mist, trekking among tea and a cup of chai that really tastes better when you’re not rushing anywhere.

We stop away from the center – in the hills, in a tree house with views of fields, valleys and eucalyptus trees.

Mornings start early. Even before breakfast we head out for a trek through Munnar tea plantations – along narrow paths that tea pickers walk daily.

The air smells of eucalyptus, dew and wet earth. Drops settle on shoulders, and leaves rustle as if they know all the secrets of this place.

After returning – tea. Hot, ginger, with honey – tastes different, maybe because we’re so high up.

Getting there: From Kochi to Munnar we went by local bus – we bought tickets on the spot, they cost pennies, and the whole journey took us about 5.5 hours.

The route is scenic but sometimes resembles a rollercoaster – serpentines, cliffs, sharp turns. Definitely not for everyone.

During monsoon season (like during our visit) some sections are damaged or even impassable – worth checking current conditions before departure.

Golden tip: Get on the bus early in the morning – this way you’ll still make it for an afternoon walk among tea plantations. And you’ll avoid the biggest crowds on the route.

Mumbai – A City That Breaks Down Emotions Into Prime Factors

Mumbai doesn’t greet gently. It doesn’t say “good morning” – rather throws you into its thick, sticky reality. But there’s something hypnotic about this intensity.

This city moved me, exhausted me and captivated me.

In one moment you’re drinking a latte in Khala Goda, and a moment later you’re standing knee-deep in mud in Dharavi – and both these things make sense. Because here everything penetrates: luxury and poverty, past and future, order and chaos.

The strongest experience? Dharavi. Thanks to Reality Tours I saw not a “human zoo,” but a city within a city teeming with life. People full of passion, resourcefulness and strength.

Mumbai isn’t a place for sightseeing. It’s a place that happens to you.

I don’t know if I’ll return there. But I’m glad I was there. Because it was India without filter – with all heart, noise and wonder.

Give Mumbai two, three days.

One day you absorb colonial architecture, the second – you get lost at the bazaar, the third – you rest at Café Leopold and try to understand everything. Or precisely – let go of understanding.

Getting there: We returned to Mumbai from Munnar – it’s a long way, but we managed it with a flight from Kochi.

First several hours by car from tea hills to Ernakulam (supposedly 4, but can be 6 – depends on mists, curves and Kerala’s pace of life), then a short flight to Mumbai.

Golden tip: Don’t plan too much here – in Mumbai the best things happen between one intersection and another.

Reflections & Travel Tips from the Road

What I’m Glad I Packed

• Scarf or light shawl – irreplaceable. Protects from sun, covers shoulders in temple, useful on train when AC runs wild.
• Bottle with filter – less plastic, more peace. In many places only bottled water is available, so a filter is gold.
• Mini first aid kit – probiotic, something for stomach, electrolytes, bandages, painkillers. You don’t want to search for a pharmacy with fever.
• Comfortable sandals – not fashionable, just proven. You walk in them every day, so they must be your best friend.
• Adapter and powerbank – electricity can disappear at the most inappropriate moment. And sockets can be… capricious.
• Mosquito repellent – with DEET or natural, but effective. Evenings in Kerala and Wayanad can be very… social. On the spot you’ll buy Odomos, but it’s worth having your own too.

Things You Think You’ll Need – But Don’t

• Don’t take your whole wardrobe. Seriously. India teaches simplicity. And humility. You’ll wear the same 3 things, the rest just travels with you.
• Jumbo cosmetics – you’ll buy everything on the spot. Lighter, cheaper and often better adapted to the climate.
• Too many plans – India will change them anyway. And do it better than you would have thought up.

What I Would Do Differently (Next Time)

• I’d take more cash – especially in Hampi and Wayanad.

Some cafes and guesthouses didn’t have card terminals, and the ATM was one (and just wasn’t working). Paper rupees = holy peace.

• I wouldn’t book a boat in Alleppey blindly.

Seeing it on the spot lets you avoid surprises like: “multi-story colossus with jam instead of dinner” and a bathroom from the dinosaur era. India isn’t Instagram – worth trusting your eyes, not photos.

• I’d prepare better health-wise.

In Wayanad I got sick and for several days I saw nothing – except wild elephants that happened to come on our safari.

If I’d had more electrolytes then, easily digestible food and a plan B for a worse day, I probably wouldn’t have felt so helpless.

• On some routes I’d choose train, not bus.

The ride to Munnar by local bus had atmosphere, but serpentines + monsoon + no AC = light survival. Train (where possible) is often a more comfortable option.

• I’d take fewer clothes and more looseness.

Sandals, airy pants and cotton t-shirt turned out to be my daily uniform. The rest? Traveled through South India without leaving the backpack.

• I’d leave more empty spaces in the plan.

Those most beautiful moments – tea in Kochi, conversations on the beach, mist in Wayanad – weren’t planned. They were possible because I gave myself time for them.

• Instead of worrying whether something is “worth seeing,” I’d more often follow what’s worth feeling.

Because India isn’t for checking off. It’s for experiencing – with your whole self.

What India Taught Me – About Myself, About People, About How I Travel

• That I don’t have to understand everything to respect it.
• That beauty often comes when I stop rushing.
• That my boundaries are important – and worth knowing them before I start negotiating them with surroundings.
• That traveling isn’t escape – it’s meeting. With the world. And with myself.
• And that chaos, discomfort and noise can purify, if I let them be.

My 3-Week Itinerary – Days in Each Spot

If you feel like going on a similar journey with soul, here’s the suggested plan:

• Palolem (Goa) – 3 days
• Hampi – 2 days
• Mysore – 1 day
• Wayanad – 3 days
• Backwaters (Alleppey) – 2 days
• Kochi (Cochin) – 2 days
• Munnar – 2 days
• Mumbai – 3 days

In total: 19 days of sightseeing + 2 days for flights = 3 weeks.

Without rush, with space for wonder and silence.

Where to Stay in South India?

These are the places that truly stayed with me – not for their luxury, but for the silence, wooden floors, kind conversations and the scent of incense.

The kind of stays where tea tastes better, and the mornings smell like mist.

Palolem (Goa) – Cozy Nook

Bamboo huts right on the beach. No filter, but full of magic. You fall asleep to the rhythm of the waves.

Kochi (Fort Kochi) – Maison Casero Home Stay

A tiny guesthouse with an artsy soul. Warm-hearted hosts, lazy cats and coconut breakfasts.

Wayanad – Bamboo Creek Resort

Treehouses overlooking the jungle. Sunrises arrive with mist and the call of peacocks.

Munnar – Sitaram Mountain Retreat

Ayurvedic calm high in the hills. Silence, eucalyptus, cups of tea, and time that stretches.

Mumbai – Residency Hotel Fort

Right in the city’s heart. Comfy beds, AC, and a good breakfast after a day in the beautiful chaos.

FAQ (Questions I Also Once Asked)

Is This Route Safe for a Woman?

Yes – South India has a completely different rhythm than the north. Less chaos, more smiles.

I traveled with my husband, but along the way I met many solo female travellers. Just a bit of alertness, respect for local customs (e.g., covered shoulders), and lots of intuition.

How Much Does a Trip Like This Cost?

Surprisingly little. India is one of those places where you can eat well, in atmospheric guesthouses and move around stress-free – having a budget around $25-40 USD per person per day.

Most expensive are flights and – if you choose to hire one.

How Did You Get Around?

We used trains, buses, rickshaws, planes – and once, a night route by car with da private river. This mix turned out most natural. Varied, comfortable and quite budget-friendly.

Do You Need a Visa?

Yes, but don’t worry – a tourist e-visa is all you need. You fill out a form online, pay, wait a few days. I recommend doing it in advance so you don’t stress before departure.

When’s the Best Time to Go?

From November to March – that’s when South India smells of freshness after monsoon, and the air has a softness that’s hard to describe. Perfect time for chai, sun and slow wandering without a plan.

What If I Don’t Have a Full 3 Weeks?

You can shorten it. If you love nature – don’t skip Wayanad. If you prefer cities – Mumbai will stay with you long after you leave. Kochi is a place where culture and coastline live in the same rhythm. Choose what speaks to your heart.

What I Brought Back from This Journey (Besides Photos)

This journey through South India found me at a time I needed it most.

It wasn’t an easy chapter in my life. And though India can be demanding, loud, sometimes chaotic – it gave me exactly what I was quietly searching for.

In sleepless Mumbai, among the stone ruins of Hampi, and in the stillness of Munnar’s tea hills – something inside me softened. Quieted.

I’d be lying if I said it was the most beautiful journey of my life. But it was, without a doubt, the most authentic travel experience I’ve ever had.

Because that’s what traveling through South India is like – unfiltered, unpredictable, overwhelmingly real.

If you’re planning a soulful South India itinerary, leave your expectations at home. Forget rigid plans – they’ll change anyway. All you really need is an open heart and a little flexibility.

From this 3-week trip across Kerala, Karnataka and Goa, I didn’t bring back perfect Instagram shots. I brought back something far more lasting:

A calmer version of myself. One that’s a little more grounded. A little more ready for the next road.

Which place attracts you most? Write in comments – I’ll be happy to answer any questions about India!

If this guide helped you plan, share it with someone who also dreams of India. And if you’ve already been – I’d love to hear how your journey unfolded. Every story is different. And every one matters.

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