On arrival at Chennai International Airport receive a warm welcome from our representative who will help you with transfer to the hotel. Complete the check-in formalities and spend rest of the day leisurely. A magnificent past and an early metropolitan dream. Formerly known as Madras, Chennai is the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu, in the southern part of India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal, Chennai is as dynamic as it is immersed in tradition. This ‘capital of the south’, is one among the four metropolitan siblings of India, having a rich cultural history which it perfectly balances with its metropolis lifestyle.
Overnight at Chennai
After early breakfast, go for sightseeing tour of the city with your guide.
Spend some morning time at Marina Beach: Marina beach in Chennai along the Bay of Bengal is India’s longest and world’s second longest beach. It is predominantly sandy for nearly 12 kilometers.
Visit Fort St. George Museum: Fort St. George is located on the banks of Bay of Bengal. It was built by the British East India Company in 1640 AD. The building which houses the museum used to be the location for the Madras Bank since 1795. However, after independence, it is serving as a large collection house of more than 3600 artefacts dating back to the entire period of the British rule – weapons, letters, coins, silverware, ceremonial dresses, medals, some personal items of the residents of the fort and many more.
Visit Fort St. George Church – The church within the fort premises is called St. Mary’s Church which is the oldest Anglican church in India. It was built a couple of decades after the fort itself, around 1678 and 1680 as per the orders of the then Agent of Madras, Streynsham Master.
National Art Gallery: The gallery is claimed to be one of the most famous ones in the country. It is the house of paintings that are dated back in the 18th & 17th century.
See the Valluvar Kottam – Valluvar Kottam is a temple chariot like-monument in Chennai, built to honor the renowned classical Tamil poet and saint, Thiruvalluvar. This intricately designed monument was built by Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi during the 1970s to honor the contributions of Thiruvalluvar.
Visit Vivekananda House – a shrine and pilgrimage center for the admirers and followers of Swami Vivekananda. It is in this house that Swami Vivekananda stayed for six weeks in 1900.
Visit Santhome Cathedral: Built on top of its eponymous apostle’s final resting place, Santhome Basilica (or St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica) is a stunning piece of architecture steeped in religious history.
Visit Kapaleeswara Temple – a holy shrine of Shiva.
A visit to this temple will be an experience enriched with a glimpse into Tamil religious culture and the lovely architectural combination of the two styles – Dravidian and Vijaynagari, complete with towering Gopurams.
Overnight at Chennai
After a hearty breakfast, check out from hotel and travel to Puducherry.
En-route stop to visit Mahabalipuram’s Shore Temple. Built during the 7th century, Shore Temple is one of the oldest South Indian temples constructed in the Dravidian style and depicts the royal taste of the Pallava dynasty. The work of the temple has been listed amongst the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Five Rathas (Chariots): The Five Rathas, also known as Panch Rathas, is an exemplary set of rock temples. They are excellent examples of the evolution of Dravidian style architecture. The Rathas are associated with the great epic Mahabharata.
Arjuna’s Penance: The Arjuna’s Penance is an enormous rock-cut relief, one of the largest in the whole world. It is also known by the name ‘Descent of the Ganges’ because the structure depicts either or both of these two significant and symbolic events of Hindu mythology.
After the sightseeing of Shore temple, continue to travel to Puducherry. Pondicherry, officially known as Puducherry, and commonly referred to as just Pondy, is one of the seven Union Territories of India. This former French colony is a perfect amalgamation of the traditional Indian sensibilities and French architecture, making it a dreamy escape that offers the best of both worlds. On arrival complete the check-in formalities and spend rest of the day leisurely.
Overnight at Puducherry
After breakfast, go for sightseeing tour of the city with your guide.
Visit Arikamedu: an ancient Roman trade center . Arikamedu is the ruins that carried the remnants of the Roman trade in India. Located at the mouth of the river Ariyankuppam and its name has been taken from the Tamil word- ‘Arikanmedu’ which means ‘eroding mount’. This port town was occupied by the people of Rome, Cholas, and French. It has been prevalent as a famous port town ever since the old Roman times.
Visit Auroville – Conceived as the ‘Universal Town’: Auroville is one of those towns which appear to come to life right out of fiction. In the union territory of Pondicherry, this township runs on the principles of peace, harmony, sustainable living and ‘divine consciousness’ which were the philosophy of the Mother of Sri Aurobindo Society, Mira Alfassa.
Visit Aurobindo Ashram: This ashram was set up with the aim of helping people attain moksha and inner peace. Thousands of tourists from all over the country visit the ashram to experience and achieve spiritual knowledge. Located in the White Town of Pondicherry, Aurobindo Ashram has been named after its creator- Sri Aurobindo Ghosh.
Visit Bharathi Park: Bharathi Park is a well-planned and well-maintained park flanked by some of the most important government buildings on all the sides. The well-maintained lush green lawns house the very famous Aayi Mandapam- the monument made in honor of the lady courtesan Aayi at the time of the French ruler- Napoleon III.
Visit Botanical Garden: A popular tourist attraction of Pondicherry, Botanical Garden was established by C.S. Perrott in the year 1862. The garden is home to several exotic varieties of rare plants as well as an aquarium.
Spend some relaxing evening at Promenade Beach: Pondicherry beach is a different kind of beach with less sand and more rocks. It offers a very peaceful place for its tourists and visitors to sit and enjoy the waves.
Overnight at Puducherry
After a hearty breakfast, check out from hotel and travel to Thanjavur by Air Conditioned vehicle.
Thanjavur also known as Tanjore or the city of temples, Thanjavur has a lot of cultural value and is known for its famous Tanjore paintings, antiques and handicrafts, textiles and saris , its Carnatic music and musical instruments and of course the temples. Thanjavur enjoys a rich historical heritage and holds a very important position in the moulding of ancient as well modern south Indian civilization. On arrival complete the check-in formalities and spend rest of the day leisurely.
Overnight at Thanjavur
After breakfast, go for sightseeing tour of the city with your guide.
Visit Brahadeshwara Temple: The biggest attraction of Thanjavur – The Brahadeshwara Temple, also known as the Big Temple. Built during the reign of the Great Chola emperor, Raja Chola, this temple is an architectural marvel. The shrine itself is a 216 feet structure. The sanctum is dotted with paintings from the Chola and Nayak periods. The statue of Nandi the Bull welcomes at the entrance.
Visit Vijayanagar Fort: Vijayanagar Fort is one among the enchanting and supreme forts of South India. In the previous times, it had served the ‘most powerful’ kingdom of Vijayanagar and stands close to the mesmerizing Brihadeeswara Temple. This fort was erected after the victory of the Raya clan over the Hoysala clan to safeguard the palace.
Royal Palace: Thanjavur’s royal palace is a mixed bag of ruin and renovation, superb art and random royal paraphernalia. The mazelike complex was constructed partly by the Nayak’s who took over Thanjavur in 1535, and partly by a local Maratha dynasty that ruled from 1676 to 1855.
Overnight at Thanjavur
After hearty breakfast, check out from hotel and travel to Karaikudi by Air Conditioned vehicle.
En-route stop and visit the spectacular Rock Fort Temple of Tiruchirappalli, the landmark of the city. Visit Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam) –a temple which is among the most revered shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu in South India, and one of the largest temple complexes in India. Also visit The Jambukeshwara Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is situated just 2 km east of Srirangam and houses five concentric walls and seven Gopuram.
After Tiruchirappalli sightseeing, travel to Karaikudi.
The town is considered to be one of the cultural cradles of South India and has a unique way of life. Take a sightseeing tour of Chettinad town and see how artisans make woven saris, handmade tiles, gold jewelry, etc. Enjoy a king’s stay in a traditional Chettinad Mansion and have a personal experience of the culture’s local flavor. Have a bullock-cart ride on a morning excursion to the village, a fun-filled experience.On arrival meet our representative and check-in to the hotel.
Overnight at Karaikudi
After a hearty breakfast, check out from hotel and travel to Madurai – The Lotus City.
Madurai, the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities of India. Ruled by Pandya kings for the longest time in its history, it is called the ‘Lotus City’ as it was planned and built in the shape of a lotus. Madurai is known for Meenakshi Amman Temple, dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi with a sanctum for her consort, Sundareshwarar.
On arrival complete the check-in formalities and spend rest of the day leisurely.
Overnight at Madurai
After breakfast, go for sightseeing tour of the city with your guide.
Meenakshi Amman Temple: Meenakshi Amman Temple, also known as Meenakshi-Sundareshwara Temple, is one of the oldest and most important temples in India. Renowned for its astonishing architecture, Meenakshi Temple was nominated as one of the wonders of the world.
Visit Mariamman Teppakulam- Constructed in the honor of Lord Vigneshwara, this divine temple is situated about 5 km from the Meenakshi temple. It has a huge tank in the compound of the temple and holds the record of being the biggest tank in the region of Tamil Nadu.
Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal: Thirumalai Nayakar Palace was erected in 1636 AD in the city of Madurai, by King Thirumalai Nayak. The palace depicts the perfect blend of Dravidian and Rajput styles. After Independence, this palace was declared as a national monument and till date continues to be one of the spectacular monuments of Southern India.
Gandhi Museum – The Gandhi Memorial Museum serves as a remembrance and tribute to the efforts of very own father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Established in 1959 in his cherished memory, eleven years after his demise, it is one of the few Gandhi Museums in the country.
Overnight at Madurai
After a hearty breakfast, check out from the hotel and get transferred to Madurai International Airport to board the flight for home town.
(Reach 03 hours prior for international flights).
This Itinerary can be customize as per client’s requirement. Please feel free if you wants to add or remove any day/ destination/ activity in (or from) this itinerary.
