South India Grand Temples Tour ( 7 nights / 8 days )

Mode of transport  :  By air-conditioned car and flight
Destination covered  :Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry –

Thanjavur - Thiruchirapalli - Madurai – Chennai

Sketched itinerary  : 

Day 01 : Arrival Chennai. Meet and greet service at Chennai airport and transfer to hotel. Chennai is the fourth largest city in India. Night stay in Chennai.

Day 02 : Chennai sightseeing – visit Fort St. George - Still surrounded by cannon-proof walls. Within the fort, visit St. Thomas Mount, San Thome Cathedral, Kapaleeswar Temple and the National Art Gallery. Night stay in Chennai.

Day 03 : Morning drive to Mahabalipuram visting Kanchipuram. Chennai – Kanchipuram ( By chauffer driven air-conditioned car ) Approx. 02 hrs. drive:Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram ( By chauffer driven air-conditioned car ) Approx. 02 hrs. drive. Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred cities of India and it is the only one associated with both Shiva and Vishnu. Visit Ekambareshwar Temple, Kailashnath Temple, Kamakshi Temple, the Vaikunthaperumal Temple, all built in the 7th and 8th centuries. With a weaving tradition dating back to the Pallava era (when silk was the royal cloth), Kanchipuram is justly famous for its particularly fine silk saris, embellished with stunning patterns. Visit the local homes of the weavers and watch them create magic out of silk thread into saris. On arrival at Mahabalipuram transfer to hotel. Later visit sightseeing of Mahabalipuram - situated on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, Mahabalipuram was already a famous seaport in the 1st century AD. This town was a workshop for temple building. Visit the seven pagoda-style Shore temples, lashed by the waves of the sea and the seven rathas or temple chariots, a group of monolithic monuments & animal figures carved out of solid rock, the earliest known examples of Dravidian architecture. They were constructed in a single century-long burst of creative enthusiasm, starting in the reign of Narasimhavarman 1 (AD 630-68). End the visit by photography of the beautiful Shore temples at sunset. Night stay in Mahabalipuram.

Day 04 : After breakfast check out from the hotel and proceed to Afternoon drive to Pondicherry ( By chauffer driven air-conditioned car ) Approx. 03 hrs. drive En route visiting Tiruvannamalai - a pilgrim centre with an ancient temple of Lord Shiva. Continue drive to Pondicherry ( By chauffer driven air-conditioned car ) Approx. 03 hrs. drive. Pondicherry - which carries a strong whiff of the French presence in India. This erstwhile French colony on the east coast of South India merged with the rest of the country in 1954. Night stay in Pondicherry.

Day 05 : Pondicherry to Tanjore or Thanjavur ( By chauffer driven air-conditioned car ) Approx. 03 hrs. and half drive. Morning proceed for sightseeing tour of Pondicherry which includes visit to the Vardaraja Perumal Temple, Vedapureeswarar Temple & Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Sri Aurobindo Ashram - founded in 1926 by Aurobindo Ghose. It is the famous place, where Aurobindo preached his ideas about peaceful community. This ashram comprises several buildings and there are around 1,200 members along with 400 students living in this centre. This place has Samadhi of Sri Aurobindo and Mother Mirra Richard. It is one of the largest institutions in Pondicherry, with its branches spread all over the world. This ashram is engaged in numerous charitable wings like a publishing house and offers free medical amenities . On arrival at Tanjore transfer to hotel. Night stay in Tanjore.

Day 06 : Tanjore to Thiruchirapalli or Trichy ( By chauffer driven air-conditioned car ) Approx. 01 hr. drive. After breakfast check out from the hotel and proceed for sightseeing tour of Thanjavur which includes visit to the famous Thanjavur temples, the Brahadeeswarar Temple. Later drive to Trichy. Night stay at Trichy.

Day 07 : Thiruchirapalli or Trichy to Madurai ( By chauffer driven air-conditioned car ) Approx. 03 hrs. drive. After breakfast check out from the hotel and proceed for sightseeing tour sightseeing tour of Thiruchirapalli including visit to the Ranganathan Temple at Srirangam, 10 kms away from Trichy. Later drive to Madurai. Night stay at Madurai.

Day 08 : Madurai to Chennai ( By flight ) - Departure. After breakfast check out from the hotel and sightseeing tour of Madurai visiting the Meenakshi Sundareswara Temple, Tirumalai Nayak Palace & the Vandiyur Mariamman Tank. Later transfer to airport to board the flight to Chennai to connect your onwards flight.

Monuments / places to visit :      
Chennai : Fort St. George, visit St. Thomas Mount, San Thome Cathedral, Kapaleeswar Temple and the National Art Gallery. 
Mahabalipuram : seven pagoda-style Shore temples, seven rathas or temple chariots, a group of monolithic monuments & animal figures carved out of solid rock.    
Kanchipuram : Ekambareshwar Temple, Kailashnath Temple, Kamakshi Temple, the Vaikunthaperumal Temple, all built in the 7th and 8th centuries. With a weaving tradition dating back to the Pallava era (when silk was the royal cloth), Kanchipuram is justly famous for its particularly fine silk saris.
Pondicherry : Vardaraja Perumal Temple, Vedapureeswarar Temple & Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Sri Aurobindo Ashram.  
Tanjore or Thanjavur : Thanjavur temples, the Brahadeeswarar Temple.     
Thiruchirapalli or Trichy : Ranganathan Temple at Srirangam, 10 kms away from Trichy.  
Madurai : Meenakshi Sundareswara Temple, Tirumalai Nayak Palace & the Vandiyur Mariamman Tank.        

( Please note this is a private tour so if time permits you can add  some other places also in any city or at the time of traveling from one city to other )  

Given itinerary is an suggested itinerary for your idea only. This is suggested to send us E-mail or to give us a call so that our tour consultant can help you to arrange or customize your India trip as per your mind plan.

South India Grand Temples Tour ( 07 nights / 08 days )

Highlights of this tour / tour includes :

• 7 nights accommodation as per your choice of hotels with daily breakfast
• Meet and assist at the airport on arrival/departure
• Assistance on arrival, departure in all cities or places , at the time of check in ,     check out at
• Hotels and during introduce the local guides for sightseeing.
• Good air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking chauffer during your tour of     local sightseeing.
• Highly experienced local English speaking guide in Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Kaknchipuram, Pondicherry, Tanjore, Trichy ,     Madurai.

Package does not includes :

• Any meals except breakfast other than specified in " cost includes ".
  
• Entry fees to monuments.
• Any airfare.
• Cost of personal nature like beverages, laundry, tips , telephone bill and any other cost of personal nature.