SOUTH INDIA · INDIA
South India’s best days out.
The 15 most popular shopping tours in South India, gathered on one page. What each one is really like on the day, how long it runs, what it costs and who you book it through.
A half-day walk through Bengaluru’s Tipu Sultan sites, KR Market flower-spice chaos, a South Indian dosa brunch, and silk/jewelry workshops.
Most Popular“We found this tour very interesting and informative. Preetam’s knowledge and attention to showing us places of historical significance as well as the markets was very well done. Highly recommend this tour.”
Bangalore city tour with Lalbagh gardens, temples, Bangalore Palace, government sights, and KR Market food stops plus lunch and hotel pickup.
“Prashant is an incredibly knowledgeable and kind tour guide and Kumar a sweet and trustworthy driver. I learned so much about the history of Bangalaru and local mythology. The tour was perfectly planned, efficient, and the food we ate Read more”
Walk old Bengaluru with Tipu’s teak palace, Kote Vishnu temple, Fort remnants, KR Market, and a Jain temple—entry included.
“This was a great tour for someone stretched for time but looking to see some interesting sights. Our guide, Vijay, was terrific and very knowledgeable about everything we saw. We definitely got to some interesting places - the flower market and Jain temple especially were incredible. One note is that if you sign up for…”
A 3–4 hour Madurai walk blending Meenakshi Temple darshan guidance, palace halls, and real market stops for $18.
“Meeting Mr. Dhanabalan Perumal was blessing as we went through all historical facts about Meenakshi Amman temple in detail. Mr. Dhanabalan Perumal was more like a teacher than a simple guide, giving us religious guidance on various paRead more”
Walk old Bangalore’s Tipu Palace, temples, fort ruins, and busy markets in 3–4 hours with a licensed guide and included monument entry.
“Five stars isn't enough. The pacing was perfect and the 'insider' stories were the highlight. Awesome experience from start to finish!"”
Walk Old Bangalore past the Fort, KR Market flowers, and Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, with masala dosa and filter coffee included.
“Thank you so much Sushma. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Definitely recommend to anyone wanting a taster tour of the City.”
Walk the busy lanes of Chennai’s Sowcarpet market with a local guide, tasting chaats, sweets, lassi, and more in 2.5 hours.
“Definitely a unique experience in Chennai, and a great way to explore the super packed Sowcarpet area. Stopped in at 6 different places to try the various street foods, including the famous kesar lassi stand in Sowcarpet. Definitely go hungry, Read more”
Bangalore in 3 hours: KR Market flowers and crafts, a quick metro ride, then Thindi Beedi street food with a guide and included tastings.
“It was a very nice experience having the tour with aakash. We got to experience the local metro and walk through the flower and spice markets where you can buy a variety of things like herbs, spices, etc. The short walking tour between the markets was a nice touch as it allowed us to build…”
Taste Bengaluru at night with a guided street-food walk: Chikpet Market, KR Market, fort views, and VV Puram tastings with metro ride.
“Don’t waste your money. The guide didn’t turn up. We rang him and he said he was stuck in traffic. We waited 50 minutes and he still didn’t show. When we complained we were told he had been at the pickup point half an hour before we arrived. An obvious lie. They refused the £60…”
A guided early-morning market crawl in Chennai—flowers, fruits, leather and crafts—with hotel pickup and a no-stress lunch included.
“What a unique and amazing time we had with our guide. We had pre picked places we wanted to see and he brought us to all of them. He was knowledgeable and had the inside facts on these places. Didn’t see another tourist or feel unsafe. Highly recommend our guide especially on day one with…”
Taste South Indian street food on a 2.5-hour Sowcarpet Market walk in Chennai with a local guide, tastings, and snacks for $35.
“Not really a lot of tasting during the tour. Tour in very crowded area. Saw many shops with about anything you can think of.”
Evening Bangalore city walk with Vidhan Soudha, KR Market, Basavanagudi temples, metro and tuk-tuks, plus Hindu mythology storytelling. 3 hours.
“Nice evening walk through the markets and trip on the metro. Jay is a great story teller and explains Hindu mythology well which added to the experience of the temple visits.”
Pondicherry cooking class with a local vegetable market visit. Cook about four recipes, eat in the garden, and get an e-booklet.
“This was a wonderful evening, where we got to explore the local market, learn about the local cuisine, give it a try ourselves, and then enjoy delicious food! Krishti was a wonderful host and we were in awe of her many talents! Can recommend.”
Walk through Mysore Palace, Jaganmohana Art Gallery, and Devaraja Market in 3-4 hours with entrance tickets included and a small-group guide.
“Ramakrishna was a fantastic guide. I learned so much about the history of Mysore palace, it's importance, and lots of stories and details about everything inside the palace too. Everyone was also linked to the Hindhu religion which made the tour even more fascinating. You must do this!”
A 3-hour guided wedding-shopping walk in Chennai, covering Pondy Bazaar, Panagal Park flowers, silk sarees, gold jewelry, and T Nagar.
“Very personal attention and friendly. Never pushed me and very helpful with my purchases including getting good prices”
Every corner of the region, and every way to see it.
