Arrive Chennai

Arrive in India, for your Temples of South India Tour.

– Arrive Chennai

– Welcome at airport

– Transfer to hotel

Day in Chennai

Discover the first city of your Temples of South India Tour, pacing through Chennai, the fourth largest city of India, also referred to as The Detroit of India because of its major share in India’s automobile export.

Enjoy a city sightseeing tour, visiting

– Fort St George, the first bastion of British power in India. This fort is now used by the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and the secretariat office.

– St Mary’s Church, the oldest surviving British Church in India

– The Theosophical Society of India

– Visit Marina beach, the longest beach in India

– Enjoy evening at leisure

Discover Kancheepuram and Mahabalipuram, a beach town known for its rock cut temples and pagodas

Proceed to the cultural hub of your Temples of South India Tour, visiting Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO world heritage site famous for its rock cut architecture.

– Embark on your early morning drive to Kancheepuram, the city famous for its numerous temples and hand woven silk sarees. The Kanchipuram silk sarees are exotic pieces of art, woven from pure mulberry silk and decorated with fine gold thread (zari). A short stop at Kancheepuram also includes a visit to silk weavers to see the silk weaving process

– Drive to Mahabalipuram. On arrival, check-in at hotel and freshen up

– Visit the Shore Temple, one of the oldest temples of South India.

– Also visit Arjuna Penance, the world’s largest rock bas relief

– See the Five Rathas, a series of five monolithic pyramidical structure named after the five Pandava brothers

Drive to Pondicherry, the French Riviera of the East

Relax at the leisurely pace of your Temples of South India Tour, with a visit to Pondicherry, a former French colony which still retains its French charm.

– Drive to Pondicherry, the living epitome of French culture in India.

– Arrive Pondicherry, check-in at hotel and freshen up.

– Rest of the day is at leisure to discover this former settlement on your own.

Day in Pondicherry

Experience the tranquillity of your Temples of South India Tour, discovering the city of Pondicherry.

– Visit Auroville, a unique experiment in human unity and international living

– Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the quiet beaches of Pondicherry

Drive to Tanjore, home to the Brihadeshwara temple and Tanjore Paintings

Continue to the cultural splendours of your Temples of South India Tour, with a visit to Tanjore, a UNESCO world heritage site in south India.

– Drive to Tanjore, a city famous for its temple architecture and the world famous Tanjore paintings

– Enroute visit the beautiful Chola temples at Darasuram and Gangaikondacholapuram.

– Arrive Tanjore and check-in at hotel Enjoy an evening at leisure

Day in Tanjore

Encounter the historic marvel of your Temples of South India Tour, discovering the Great Chola temple at Tanjore and visiting the temple town of Trichy.

– Visit the Brihadeshwara temple, the worlds first complete granite structure. Brihadeshwara temple is among the most prized possession of India and an outstanding example of the architectural heights reached during the Chola period. This temple has the tallest (Vimana) tower in the world.

– Visit the Thanjavur Palace, known for its huge corridors, spacious halls, observation and arsenal towers

– Take an excursion to Trichy, a thriving commercial city of South India known for its famous Rock Fort and beautiful temples.

Drive to Madurai, the temple city of India

Discover heritage in your Temples of South India Tour, by visiting Madurai, home to the famous Meenakshi temple.

– Drive to Madurai.

– Arrive Madurai, check-in at hotel and freshen up.

Discover Madurai by visiting

– The Gandhi Museum, displaying the original blood stained garments of Mahatma Gandhi when he was assassinated

– The Triumalai Nayak Palace, known for its rectangular dance floor.

– Meenakshi temple, a beautiful Dravidian style temple dedicated to goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. At evening, witness the splendid aarti ceremony performed in the temple

Excursion to Rameshwaram

Feel the serenity of your Temples of South India Tour, with a visit to Rameshwaram, an important pilgrimage sight of Hindus.

– Enjoy an excursion to Rameshwaram , one of the most sacred places of Hindu religion, without a visit to which no Hindu pilgrimage is believed to be completed

– Return back to Madurai

– Enjoy the evening at leisure

Drive to Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of India

Continue you Temples of South India Tour, with a visit to Kanyakumari, the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea.

– Drive to Kanyakumari, an important Hindu religious centre of India.

– Arrive Kanyakumari, check-in at hotel & freshen up

– Visit the Vivekananda rock memorial, a small island dedicated to Vivekananda- the great thinker of modern India.

– Also visit the Kanyakumari temple, an ancient temple dedicated to the virgin goddess Shakti

DEPARTURE

Big goodbye to India, as you reach the finale of your Temples of South India Tour.

– Drive to Trivandrum airport to catch your flight back home.