7-Day South India Tour Itinerary:

1. Day 1: Madurai
   From Madurai airport to Your Hotel - 20 minutes (10 km)

   Start with the famous Meenakshi Amman Temple – an impressive Hindu temple complex dedicated to Goddess Parvati with intricate carvings and colorful architecture. Followed by the Gandhi Memorial Museum and the Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam, a historic temple tank with a pleasant garden and fountains.

2. Day 2: Rameshwaram
   From Madurai to Rameshwaram - 3 hours (160 km)

   Visit Ramanathaswamy Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India. Take a dip in the holy waters of the 22 wells of the temple. Next, visit Dhanushkodi Beach, which was hit by a massive cyclone in 1964 and the eerie remains of the town are still visible today. End the day with a visit to Kodandarama Temple known for its intricate carvings and unique architecture.

3. Day 3: Kanyakumari
   From Rameshwaram to Kanyakumari - 5.5 hours (320 km)

   Head to the edge of India and watch the mesmerizing sunrise at Vivekananda Rock Memorial, dedicated to Swami Vivekananda. Continue with a visit to Thiruvalluvar Statue, a 133-feet tall stone sculpture of Tamil poet and philosopher. End the day with the Kanyakumari Beach, the confluence point of the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea.

4. Day 4: Tiruvanantapuram
   From Kanyakumari to Tiruvanantapuram - 2.5 hours (90 km)

   Visit the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, a Hindu temple with Dravidian architecture. Explore Napier Museum, which has an excellent collection of ancient sculptures and bronze idols. Visit Priyadarshini planetarium to learn about planets.

5. Day 5: Tiruvanantapuram
   From Tiruvanantapuram (city) to Kovalam Beach - 30 minutes (15 km)

   Enjoy a full day at Kovalam Beach, an exotic beach paradise. Have lunch at the German Bakery restaurant which offers a wide range of European and Indian cuisine.

6. Day 6: Tiruvanantapuram
   From Tiruvanantapuram to Varkala - 2 hours (52 km)

   Visit Janardhana Swami Temple, an ancient 2,000-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Keep the beach day fun going with a visit to the Varkala Beach, known for its cliffs that drop straight into the Arabian Sea.

7. Day 7: Tiruvanantapuram
   From Tiruvanantapuram to airport - 30 minutes (10 km)

   End the trip with a visit to Kuthira Malika Palace Museum, a beautiful palace with intricate carvings and collections of vintage cars. Next, visit Attukal Temple, the abode of the divine goddess 'Attukal Bhagavathy' followed by a visit to the Zoological Park, which is a home for 82 species of animals.

Time and Costs Estimates:

• Meenakshi Amman Temple (2-3 hours, INR 50/person)
• Gandhi Memorial Museum (1-2 hours, INR 20/person)
• Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam (1-2 hours, INR 10/person)
• Ramanathaswamy Temple (2-3 hours, INR 50/person)
• Dhanushkodi Beach (1-2 hours, free entry)
• Kodandarama Temple (1-2 hours, INR 50/person)
• Vivekananda Rock Memorial (2-3 hours, INR 50/person)
• Thiruvalluvar Statue (1-2 hours, INR 20/person)
• Kanyakumari Beach (1-2 hours, free entry)
• Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple (2-3 hours, INR 50/person)
• Napier Museum (1-2 hours, INR 20/person)
• Priyadarshini planetarium (1-2 hours, INR 60/person)
• Kovalam Beach (4-5 hours, free entry)
• German Bakery (1-2 hours, INR 500/person)
• Janardhana Swami Temple (1-2 hours, free entry)
• Varkala Beach (3-4 hours, free entry)
• Kuthira Malika Palace Museum (1-2 hours, INR 25/person)
• Attukal Temple (1-2 hours, free entry)
• Zoological Park (2-3 hours, INR 20/person)
• Total Estimated Costs (excluding Hotel and Travel): INR 995/person

Useful tips:

If you have more time, you can add a day trips to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Thekkady or the Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad in Kerala. You can also stay an extra night in Madurai and visit the Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace. If you have less time, you can skip Kanyakumari and head straight to Tiruvanantapuram.