This tour introduces you with the architectural glory of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. One can discover the presence of magnificent temples having historical significance along with the modern beliefs of the pilgrims. From the hustling & bustling of the Chennai city, Tamil Nadu surprises visitors with its mammoth monuments, timeless temples, fabulous wildlife & scintillating sculptures. On this tour discover the marvellous architecture of the temples at Madurai and Tanjore, explore the bungalows of rich merchants in Chettinadu (in between Thanjavur to Madurai) and fall in love with the quaint French town of Pondicherry.
Day 01Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Arrive Delhi
Day 02Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Delhi City Tour
Day 03Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Delhi to Chennai (By Air)
Day 04Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chennai City Tour
Day 05Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chennai to Kanchipuram (90 Kms/ 2 Hrs) to Mahabalipuram (70 Kms/ 1.5 Hrs)
Day 06Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry (100 Kms/ 2 Hrs)
Day 07Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pondicherry
Day 08Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pondicherry to Thanjavur (200 Kms/ 4.5 Hrs)
Day 09Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thanjavur to Trichy (60 Kms/ 1 Hr)
Day 10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Trichy to Madurai (150 Kms/ 3 Hrs)
Day 11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Madurai to Delhi
Day 12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Delhi Airport Departure
Day 01Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Arrive Delhi
On your arrival at Delhi airport, meet our representative (preferred language speaking) and greeted with a warm welcome with garlanding. Then our representative will escort you to the pre-booked hotel. Arrive hotel & fulfil check-in formalities. Spare little time with our representative to provide brief information about the tour.
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 02Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Delhi City Tour
This day introduces you with the city Delhi where you can witness a unique blend of the traditional and cosmopolitan styles. Delhi is a city that bridges two different worlds. Old Delhi, once the capital of Islamic India, is a labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with crumbling havelis and formidable mosques. In contrast, the imperial city of New Delhi created by the British Raj is composed of spacious, tree-lined avenues and
After breakfast gather at hotel’s lobby & proceed for guided city tour of Delhi including Jama Masjid followed by Rikshaw ride, Raj Ghat, Humayun’s Tomb – the first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, drive past through India Gate & Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s House), Akshardham Temple (closed on Mondays) – A Hindu temple which exemplifies traditional Hindu culture and architecture. 7000 artisans were involved in the construction of the temple aided by 3000 volunteers.
At last visit Qutab Minar to experience night view (visit permitted till 9 pm). The Qutub Minar is a towering 73-meter-high tower built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in 1193. The tower was built to celebrate Muslim dominance in Delhi after the defeat of Delhi’s last Hindu ruler. This tower is the highest tower in India, complete with five storeys and projecting balconies. The first three storeys of the Qutub Minar are made of red sandstone and the last two are made of marble and sandstone.
Apart from the tower, the Qutub Minar complex comprises of the Quwwat-us-Islam Mosque (the first mosque to be built in India), a 7-metre-high iron pillar, the tomb of Iltutmish, Ala’i-Darwaza and the Ala’I Minar. After sightseeing return to your hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 03Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Delhi to Chennai (By Air)
After breakfast, check out from hotel & proceed for Delhi airport to board flight for Chennai, located
on the Coromandel Coast, is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, a State of the Indian Sub-continent. It is the gateway to southern India, established in 1639 by the East India Company, is one of the oldest cities of the
Day 04Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chennai City Tour
After breakfast enjoy a sightseeing tour of Chennai city, visiting Kapaleeswarar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and one of the oldest temples in Chennai , The St. George Fort, built in 1653, is currently used as the state government’s secretariat; Santhome Cathedral was built around the 14th-15th century and is another colonial structure worth visiting.
Day 05Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chennai to Kanchipuram (90 Kms/ 2 Hrs) to Mahabalipuram (70 Kms/ 1.5 Hrs)
After breakfast, check out from hotel & proceed to Kanchipuram to visit a stunning set of temples, 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 also justly famous for its fine silk saris each embellished with stunning patterns. In 2005, “Kanchipuram Silk Sarees” received the Geographical Indication tag, the first product in India to carry this label.
After visiting Kanchipuram, continue your journey to Mahabalipuram (Also known as Mamallapuram). On arrival in Mahabalipuram, transfer directly to your hotel and check-in. Later, take a sightseeing tour of this World Heritage city that boasts of some of India’s most sublime rock-cut art. 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 and animal figures carved out of solid rock, the earliest known examples of Dravidian architecture, deserve special mention. They were constructed in a single century-long burst of creative enthusiasm. Later, drive back to hotel & Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 06Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry (100 Kms/ 2 Hrs)
After breakfast, check out from hotel & proceed to visit The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology is one of the largest reptile zoos in the world. It is spread over eight and a half acres of land and is home to over 2500 reptiles. Here you can get an opportunity to meet with distinct species of reptiles in their natural habitat.
After visiting Crocodile farm, proceed to visit Pondicherry, which was the capital of the French colonies in India since the 17th century. Arrive Pondicherry & check-in at hotel. In evening, you can take a stroll at one of the beaches of Pondicherry & visit the local markets.
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 07Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pondicherry
After breakfast proceed for sightseeing tour of this former French enclave which today is an interesting mix of Gallic charm and Tamil influences. Start with a visit to Aurobindo Ashram and the city of Auroville. In order to book a meditation session at Auroville, one needs to make an advance booking by visiting the centre & presence for the person is a must (one can apply for a day prior while approaching for Pondicherry).
Day 08Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pondicherry to Thanjavur (200 Kms/ 4.5 Hrs)
After breakfast check out from hotel & proceed for Thanjavur, one of the districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in South-eastern India. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Great Living Chola Temples, which are UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, are located in and around Thanjavur.
Arrive Thanjavur & check-in at hotel.
Afternoon proceed for sightseeing tour of Thanjavur. Major attractions include Brihadeeswarar Temple and Thanjavur Palace. The Brihadeeswarar Temple built by Raja Chola I, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This spectacular temple is over 1000 years old and is one of the largest temples in India. Using the same construction techniques used by the ancient Egyptians to construct the pyramids, this architectural masterpiece with its bronzes and handicrafts make Tanjore one of the highlights of a visit to South India. The tower of the temple is built so the shadow of the Cupola never falls on the ground.
Thanjavur Palace is a fascinating and rich piece of history famous for its library and museum of artefacts. Overnight, stay at hotel.
Afterwards visit Thanjai Mamani Koil near Thanjavur is a set of three Vishnu temples, together called a Divyadesam. It is among the 108 such more temple premises in India. The temple has a local origin myth that has its roots in one of the many canonical myths about Lord Vishnu.
After sightseeing return to hotel & Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 09Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thanjavur to Trichy (60 Kms/ 1 Hr)
After breakfast check out from hotel & transfer to Trichy. Arrive Trichy & check-in at hotel. This afternoon takes a sightseeing tour of the erstwhile capital of the mighty Chola dynasty in the medieval period. In the 18th century it witnessed the Carnatic wars fought between the French and the English. Lord Robert Clive’s house is a point of attraction as is the Danish Church.
Day 10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Trichy to Madurai (150 Kms/ 3 Hrs)
After breakfast check out from hotel & set out by road for the temple city of Madurai, also an important cultural and commercial hub as far back as 550 AD. In the afternoon you visit one of the most important and holies of all temples, Meenakshi Sundareshwar. This temple complex is one of the largest in India built between the 16th and 18th centuries. Apart from the estimated 33 million sculptures there,
Day 11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Madurai to Delhi (By Air)
After breakfast check out from hotel & proceed for Madurai airport to board flight for Delhi. On arrival at Delhi airport, meet & greet by our representative. Then our representative will escort you to the pre-booked hotel. Arrive hotel & fulfil check-in formalities.
Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Delhi Airport Departure
This is the last day of the tour & it’s time to say Goodbye to India. The morning is at leisure. Your escort and vehicle are at your disposal. Later, depending on the time of your international flight you are assisted with your transfer to the airport for your homebound journey.
