It is difficult to have an experience with India as close to you as riding a motorcycle through its countryside. A tour over the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala shows a different face of the country, a much slower and richer one. Every kilometre is a segment of the story on a Royal Enfield motorcycle: engine rhythm, fragrance of spices travelling out of village kitchens, and silence of century-old temple towns.
A South India motorcycle tour enables the traveller to leave behind their normal tracks of tourist destinations and venture into a world where people live at a slower pace. Riders pass through rural road networks lined with coconuts, through bright markets of villages, silent coasts of the Bay of Bengal, and curving up the hills and mountains into the fog of the Western Ghats.
Spice Route is a 14-day motorcycle tour with Indian Rides in the two most interesting parts of South India, which covers a distance of around 1200 kilometres. Starting with the historic state of Tamil Nadu and ending in the fertile Kerala, the trip is a mix of heritage, culture, nature, and motorcycling adventure in equal proportion.
These two areas combined together form the ideal stage that a Royal Enfield motorcycle tour in South India will take place in. As the wind blows into your face and the road unravels in front, the trip becomes more than travel; it is a process of really getting into the soul of the territory.
Why South India is best for a Motorcycle Tour
One of the most rewarding areas in the country to ride a motorcycle is South India. In contrast to the hectic roads of northern India or the rocky Himalayan range, the southern states provide a perfect mix of approachable riding terrain, picturesque country roadways and the cultural surprises that unravel themselves as one rides.
To travellers who want to be more engaged with what they see, a South India motorcycle tour is something out of the ordinary: a chance to see the scenery very slowly, where tradition and life are still the same.
GOOD ROADS AND PICTURESQUE CHAUSEYS
Riders ride along picturesque roads that run in parallel with the Bay of Bengal along the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu. The sea smells like the coastal air, and fishermen are hauling in their nets, and the palm trees are softly moving on the horizon. These roads also provide a relaxed riding pace as the traveller rides towards the French-influenced town of Pondicherry.
Cultural Depth at Every Stop
Tamil Nadu is a state where the monument is also a place of living, where people live according to the traditions in the temple towns. The Mahabalipuram ancient shore temples, the detailed carvings of the Airavatesvara Temple in Darasuram and the tall gopurams of the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai are centuries of artistic fidelity and architectural mastery.
Varied Scenes in One Adventure
The tour starts around the shores of Tamil Nadu, where the waves are crashing onto the rocky shorelines and temple buildings are rising in the background. Soon after, the roads wend inland through green paddy fields and farming villages, with buffalo grazing and farmers labouring in old-fashioned methods that have been practised for centuries.
This diversity makes a South India Royal Enfield tour one of the most fulfilling motorcycling tours in the country, especially for travellers who wish to experience adventure and, at the same time, immerse themselves in the culture of the country.
Tour Description: The Spice Route Motorcycle Adventure
The Spice Route Motorcycle Tour is an Indian Rides tour meant to guide travellers as they venture and explore South India in a truly authentic and immersive manner. Instead of speeding up in big cities, the trip pays attention to the country roads, towns of interest and places of culture.
This well-designed South India motorcycle tour program enables the tourists to have an opportunity to travel through the region, its landscapes, traditions and flavours with the comfort of riding on the vintage Royal Enfield motorcycles.
Key Tour Details
Duration: 14 Days
Distance: Approximately 1200 km
Motorcycle: Royal Enfield
Riding Level: Moderate
Best Season: October to March
Group Size: Small groups of 2-8 bikes
The Spice Route Royal Enfield tour is not just a motorcycle tour. It is a tour across the landscapes influenced by ancient trade routes, temple traditions, the history of colonies and rich local cultures.
The Route: From Tamil Nadu Temples to Kerala Backwaters
A South India motorcycle tour is not an ordinary trip of distance. It is that of creeping through centuries of culture, sceneries that are in a state of constant flux and villages in which life proceeds in a manner very similar to the way it has been throughout generations.
Every destination on the road shows a new aspect of the culture of South India.
Chennai to Mahabalipuram: Gateway to the Journey
The trip starts in the lively city of Chennai, which is the capital of Tamil Nadu and is amongst the oldest port cities in India. Once they get to the Indian Rides team, the riders shed the urban lifestyle behind them and start their ride down the Coromandel Coast.
Mahabalipuram is a gem of early stone architecture of the 7th and 8th centuries under the Pallava dynasty. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for the monumental rock carvings and the seaside temples.
Highlights
Shore Temple
The Shore Temple is one of the oldest structural temples in India, standing tall on the banks of the Bay of Bengal.
Five Rathas
These incredible monolithic edifices are hewn out of single granite boulders and are comparable to ceremonial chariots. They are all ancient Dravidian temple forms.
Arjuna Penance
This gigantic rock relief sculpture narrates a mythological narrative that was hewn into stone. It is regarded as one of the biggest masterpieces of ancient Indian art.
Mahabalipuram is the ideal starting point of a Royal Enfield motorcycle tour in South India, with a combination of history, coastal views, and leisurely riding.
Coastal Ride to Pondicherry: Paris of the East
The ride comes south of Mahabalipuram along one of the most picturesque motorcycle rides in Tamil Nadu. Rural lanes twist through salt pans, rice paddies and fishing villages with their colourful painted boats lying on the shore.
The place of interest is Pondicherry, which was once under French rule but retains a certain European flair. Pondicherry is called the Paris of the East and is a fascinating cultural contrast of India.
Experiences
Promenade Beach Sunset
During the night, the riders are brought together in the seaside promontory into which the sun sets in the Bay of Bengal. Residents walk by the beach with food and drink carts selling snacks and fresh coconut water.
French Quarter Streets
The French Quarter is bordered by mustard yellow colonial houses, bougainvillaea walls and silent cafes. It is almost Mediterranean to ride through these quiet streets.
Local Cafes and Seafood
Pondicherry is recognised for its blend of cuisine. In this case, the travellers can have fresh grilled seafood, the traditional Tamil dishes and bakery with French influences.
The town itself serves as a mild stopover in the trip, combining the holiday atmosphere of the seaside with the diversity of the culture.
Auroville: Spiritual Suspension on the Ride
Close to Pondicherry is Auroville, an international community of its own, which is based on human unity and sustainable living.
It has at its centre the Matrimandir, a magnificent sphere of gold encircled with serene gardens. Although the pressure should be a privilege to visit the meditation chamber, just by looking at the building and reading about the philosophy of Auroville is a mindful experience throughout the trip.
Swamimalai: Heritage and Village Life
Riders leave the coast and go inland through the heart of rural Tamil Nadu. The rural roads are very narrow and pass through rice fields, village markets and temple towers towering above the palm trees.
It will be heading to Swamimalai, a tiny heritage village on the Cauvery River.
Experiences
Airavatesvara Temple
This temple has an extraordinary work of Chola dynasty architecture that is a UNESCO World Heritage temple situated in nearby Dharasuram. The carvings on the stones are very elaborate as they show dancers, musicians and scenes of myths.
Strolls in the Country and Nature Study
Riders usually go walking around the villages around them in the evening. Kids flock together in curiosity, farmers come back home with their harvests, and local tea stalls are natural meeting grounds.
This is the phase of the South India motorcycle tour that enables the travellers to taste the real rural life in South India.
Chettinad: The Land of Palaces and Spice Traders
The ride proceeds to Chettinad, a place that used to have a rich merchant community that traded spices in Southeast Asia.
These merchants constructed splendid mansions, which incorporated the Indian styles with the European one and it gave rise to some of the most exclusive architecture in India.
Cultural Experiences
Conventional Chettinad Architecture
Huge teak doorways, Italian marble flooring, Burmese wooden pillars and spacious courtyards characterise the Chettinad mansions. Others have now been carefully renovated as heritage hotels.
Bullock Cart Rides
Touring the neighbouring villages, using a bullock cart, gives an insight into the ancient methods of transport and the way of life of the villages.
Original Chettinad Dining
Chettinad cuisine is known in India for its aggressive flavours. Freshly ground spices, pepper, curry leaves, slow-cooked meat or vegetables are common ingredients in dishes.
Chettinad is among the most intriguing destinations of the South India motorcycle tour for travellers who would like to see heritage, architecture and the regional food.
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