Day 01: Chennai
Arrive Chennai from your country, check in at Hotel for overnight stay.
Day 02: Chennai
Leave after breakfast for Chennai sightseeing - the first British major
settlement in India. Visit Kapleshwara Temple, St. Thomas Church, Art
Gallery, St. George Fort, Marina beach (2nd longest beach of the world
after California). Return to hotel for overnight stay.
Day 03: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram (130 km, 05 hours)
Morning leave for Mahabalipuram via Kanchipuram, once the Golden city
of India, to visit Shiv Kanchi and Vishnu Kanchi temples. Carry on the
journey to Mahabalipuram, arrive and check in at hotel for overnight
stay.
Day 04: Mahabalipuram
Morning visit at Pallave (6th-8th century) rock cut caves, Panch Ratha
Temple, 7th century shore temple. Here both Vishnu and Shiva are
enshrined under one-roof and soap stone workers in the market who
designs and made sculptures by chisel and hammer. Afternoon hang out at
sea beach. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 05: Mahabalipuram - Chidambram - Gangekondcholapuram - Tanjore
Morning leave for Tanjore, first stop at Chidambrum golden Natraja
temple. Then drive to Gangekondcholapuram, exciting Shiva Temple built
between 1012 AD and 1044 AD by King Rajendra I. The speciality of this
temple and 1000 years engineering is the rays of sun falls on Nandi
(bull) and it reflects and give light to the Shiva Lingam since sun rise
to sun set. Next stop is at Kumbakonam water tank; it is believed that
after every 12 years, 9 sacred holy rivers including holy Ganges are
meeting here. During those days, thousands of pilgrims dip into the tank
to wash their sins. Next stop at 13th century Shiva temple at Darasuram.
Finally reaches Tanjore, arrive and check in at Hotel for overnight
stay.
Day 06: Tanjore - Trichy (56 Km, 01.1/2 hours)
Morning Tanjore sightseeing - visit Brideshwarar Shiva Temple, built by
King Raja Rajan from the year 985 AD - 1010 AD. South Indian temples
usually have big gopurmas (towers), but this temple is parameter shaped,
65 meters high from the ground. This is one of the superb temple
architects of the Chola dynasty. Then visit Raja Rajan art gallery to
see bronze statures of 9th-16th century. Return to hotel. Drive to
Trichy after a brief rest, arrive and check in at hotel. Afternoon visit
to Srirangam Vishnu temple. It has 21 gopurmas (towers); one of the
gopurma is 73 meters, highest in India. Afterwards visit Rock Fort 83
meters above the ground having 344 steps to reach on the top to see
Vinayaka Temple. Return back to hotel for overnight stay.
Day 07: Trichy - Madurai (131 km, 3 hours)
Morning leave for Madurai, arrive and check in at hotel. Afternoon
visit at 16th century Thirumalai Nayak Palace. Then visit to Meenakshi
Temple; it has two main shrines; one is dedicated to goddess Parvati
(Meenakshi) and another to Sunereshwara (Shiva). The domes of both the
shrines are covered with heavy gold plates. Tourists can also see 1000
pillars hall built in 16th century by Nayakas with pure granite stones.
Return to hotel for overnight stay.
Day 08: Madurai - Periyar (140 km, 4 hours)
Leave for Periyar after breakfast at Hotel, arrive and check in at
Hotel Spice Village Holiday Resort. Afternoon a special visit to the
spices Garden to watch different varieties of spice plantations such as
cardamom, cinnamon, peeper, clove, vanilla, ginger, tea and coffee
plantations etc. Periyar is on 1000 meters above the sea level and is
rich in spice growing. 95% pepper in India is produced from here.
Vaskodegama was the first European landed at Malabar Coast in 1498 A.D.
in search of spices. Those days pepper was exported against the equal
weight of gold, so in the beginning of 15th century pepper was called
black gold. Afterwards visit Periyar Tiger Reserve by boat to watch
different varieties of animals such as tiger, panther, leopard, bison
spotted deer, barking deer, wild boar, groups of wild elephants and many
birds. Return to hotel for overnight stay.
Day 09: Periyar - Houseboat Cruise - Kumarakom
After breakfast drive to Kumarakon to board houseboat cruise to enjoy
the cruise in backwaters. This cruise is very exciting and sensational
to watch the real traditional Kerlan life that lives on the banks of
backwaters. Overnight with full meals at Houseboat cruise.
Day 10: Houseboat Cruise - Alleppey - Cochin (60 km, 01.1/2 hours)
Houseboat will drop you at Alleppey to board your vehicle and drive to
Cochin. Arrive and check in at hotel, afternoon visit Dutch Palace,
Jewish Synagogue, Chinese fishing nets and St. Francis Church, one of
the oldest Church built by the Europeans in 1503 A.D. Late afternoon
visit to watch traditional Kerlan Kathakali dances. Overnight stay at
hotel.
Day 11: Cochin - Kovalam (235 km, 5 hours)
Morning leave for Kovalam, arrive and check in at Hotel Samudra (KTDC)
to enjoy at sea beach till day 15.
Day 15: Kovalam (Trivandrum) - Chennai (By Flight)
Transfer to Trivandrum airport to board flight for Chennai. After
little sightseeing and dinner, transfer to Chennai International airport
to board flight back to your country with pleasant memories of South
India.
