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South India Holiday Packages from London: 2026 Guide

Thinking of South India this winter? Here is what urbook's private hills and backwaters tour includes, the best months to go, the visa steps for British travellers and how to add Heathrow parking in the same booking.

24 October 2026

Compare and book at urbook.co.uk – first booking? Use URFIRST10 for £10 off or WELCOMEUR for 10% off (one code per booking, you choose).

What South India holiday packages can you book on urbook?

urbook lists six India packages as of November 2026 - three in South India (5, 10 and 15 days) and three in North India. The shortest South India tour, Backwaters and Hill Station, is a five-day private tour of Munnar, Thekkady and Alleppey with four hotel nights, daily breakfast, a private air-conditioned car with driver and sightseeing. Flights are not included, so you book your own flight to Cochin.

We would rather list one package we have checked than ten we have not. Here is what the tour covers, day by day in outline:

  • Arrival: you are met at Cochin airport and driven up into the tea hills.
  • Munnar (2 nights): tea estates, hill viewpoints and cooler air.
  • Thekkady: through the spice country, with its spice gardens and forest scenery.
  • Alleppey: the backwaters, with a backwater cruise.
  • Last day: the drive back to Cochin for your onward flight.

What is included, and what is not?

IncludedNot included
4 nights in hotels with daily breakfastInternational flights to and from India
Private air-conditioned car and driver for every transferYour India e-visa fee
The sightseeing listed in the itineraryEntrance fees and optional activities
The operator's 5% local tax (GST), already in the priceTravel insurance (strongly recommended)

Prices are per person in pounds and fixed when you book. It is a private tour for two or more travellers; a solo traveller pays for both places in the room and the car. See the live price on Holidays & Flights.

When is the best time to visit South India from the UK?

November to February is the most popular time for the hills and backwaters: the heavy south-west monsoon (roughly June to September) has passed, days are warm and Munnar's evenings are cool. The package runs from October 2026 to 31 March 2027.

Two date rules matter when you plan. The tour is not available from 20 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, and not at Diwali or on Indian long weekends and festival dates – so pick dates either side, or ask us first. If you are flying out for a family wedding or a visit home, it often works best to add the tour before or after the family part of the trip, when the dates are fixed.

Is this a good trip if you are visiting family in South India?

Yes – a short private tour fits neatly around a family visit. You choose the start date, the car and driver are yours alone, and four nights is long enough to see the hills and backwaters without taking over the whole trip.

  • Private, not a coach group: you travel only with your own party.
  • Easy multi-stop: hotels, transfers and the driver are arranged for every stop, so nobody in the family has to plan the logistics.
  • Flexible around flights: book your own flight to suit the family dates, then add the tour.

Planning around the festival season? Read our Diwali in South India travel guide first – remember the tour itself does not run on festival dates.

Do British travellers need a visa for India?

Yes. British passport holders need a visa before they travel – there is no visa on arrival. Most holidaymakers apply online for an e-Tourist Visa on the official Government of India portal; allow at least two weeks.

Your passport should be valid for at least six months from arrival with two blank pages. OCI cardholders can enter with their OCI card and British passport. Use only the official portal, as lookalike sites charge extra. Rules change, so check the GOV.UK entry requirements for India before you book.

How does urbook check its holiday partners?

urbook checks every holiday partner's licence and that they are eligible to operate, and holds a signed memorandum with each partner before a tour is listed. Tours are run by licensed local operators under a signed agreement with urbook.

Because flights are not included, ATOL protection does not apply. The operator's booking conditions apply alongside ours, and you see them, plus the cancellation terms, before you pay. Any question before or after you travel: call 020 8061 0000 (7 days a week, 08:00–20:00), email contact@urbook.co.uk, or WhatsApp +44 7784 864326 any time, day or night – we usually reply within 1 hour.

Can you add Heathrow parking or a transfer to the holiday?

Yes. At checkout you can add Heathrow parking or an airport transfer, and it becomes one booking with one reference and a single payment. urbook – your booking, sorted, from your driveway to the backwaters.

For what Heathrow parking costs for a week or two, see Heathrow Parking Charges 2026, and for how the bundle works, Holiday, Airport Parking & Transfer in One Booking.

How do you book a South India holiday with urbook?

  1. Open Holidays & Flights and choose South India Backwaters and Hill Station.
  2. Pick your dates (outside the blackout dates) and the number of travellers.
  3. Add Heathrow parking or a transfer if you need one, then pay once.

Your confirmation arrives by email once payment clears, and the operator sends joining instructions, hotel vouchers and the final itinerary before you travel.

Last updated October 2026 · The urbook team

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