SOUTH INDIA

Traveling India is a potent, perspective-shifting experience like no other, assured to present photo opportunities that leave a lasting impact on your worldview. On this trip you'll discover lesser-known, more relaxed,  incredible Southern India—and with a true expert: award-winning photographer David H. Wells, who has logged over 60 trips in two decades of traveling and living in the subcontinent. Explore diverse landscapes, languages, & cultures across three states: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.  Below are select highlights from our main trip's itinerary:

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• Discover Bangalore, where David lives part time with his South Indian wife, from a local’s perspective, including the KR Market, one of the largest flower markets in Asia.

• Visit and photograph the cultural icons of South India that Indians pilgrimage to, such as the temples of the Hoysala dynasty at Halebid, known for their exquisite architecture and detailed carvings, and the Jain pilgrimage site of Shravanabelagola, including its 57-ft tall monolithic Gommateshwara Bahubali statue.

• Experience and photograph the spectacular, rarely-visited and very special Theyyam ritual.

• See Mysore's incredible palace both by day for a tour but also one special evening from outside, when it is lit with thousands of lights.

• ​Outside Mysore, enjoy a tranquil morning photographing the bird sanctuary at Rangnathittu.

• Visit Bandipur National Park for an opportunity to photograph Royal Bengal Tigers on a safari.

• Enjoy multiple visits to villages and markets, both in cities and the countryside. Photograph the preparation and intricate make-up for a Kathakali dance we’ll see in Kerala.

• Spend two nights enjoying—and capturing—the tranquility of the highlands on a tea estate.

• Enjoy an afternoon cruise in the Backwaters, after exploring Kochi, capital of Kerala.

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Also available as a part of this journey, we've designed optional pre-trip extensions to visit the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, and to explore the ritual-rich banks of the River Ganges in Varanasi.  Detailed day-by-day itineraries for these extensions, and the main trip, are available in the full trip brochure.