South India is a sprawling region
that comes packed with overwhelming depths of culture, religion,
festival and food. Where Mahabalipuram is famous for its
beautiful beaches, South
India is host to the most historic Indian temples such as
the great Meenakshi Temple in Madurai. Enjoy your journey
to South India, an amalgam of enriching sights, sounds and
experiences.
Day 1 - Arrive Chennai
Arrive Chennai and meet the SITA representative at the arrival hall.
Later drive to Mahabalipuram. Arrive Mahabalipuram and check-in at Hotel.
Overnight at Hotel in Mahabalipuram.
Day 2 - To Mahabalipuram - 90 Kms - 2 Hrs drive Morning proceed for sightseeing tour of Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram. Mahabalipuram, with its picturesque location on a rocky outcrop between the beach and a lagoon is a happy combination of history, good beaches, hassle-free tourism and fabulous fish and lobster! Despite the many visitors drawn-in by the former Pallava-dynasty town, the place is friendly and relaxed and the villagers are remarkably unperturbed by the large crowds. Mahabalipuram is renowned for its series of charming rathas and the spectacular carved relief depicting Arjuna’s Penance. The magnificent ShoreTemple, built by King Rajasimha in the seventh century, is a unique temple that houses the shrines of both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The Varaha Cave is a rock-cut mandapam (hall) with two incarnations of Vishnu — Varaha (boar) and Vamana (dwarf). The Krishna Mandapam (Hall) has a bas-relief of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan hill on his fingertips. Other important attractions of Mahabalipuram include the Mahishasuramardini Cave, Kotikal Mandapam, Ramanuja Mandapam, and the Dharmaraja Cave. Later visit Kanchipuram (64 Kms from Chennai), the ancient capital of the Pallavas. It is known as the city of 1000 temples that still has 124 shrines. The first temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was built here in the 7th & 8th century A.D. and has paintings on its walls. The Temples of Ekambaswara, Kailasanath, Sri Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for its silks.
Overnight at Hotel in Mahabalipuram.
Day 3 - In Mahabalipuram Full day will be at leisure to explore the city or relax at the beach.Overnight at Hotel in Mahabalipuram.
Day 4 - To Pondicherry - 165 Kms - 4 Hrs drive
Morning drive to Pondicherry. Arrive Pondicherry and check–in at Hotel. Later, proceed for the sightseeing tour of Pondicherry. Visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the final resting place of the founder of the Ashram, Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Also visit the Church Of The Sacred Heart Of Jesus with its stained glass windows built in Gothic style. The Pondicherry Museum, the Church of Our Lady of the Angels on Beach Rd. and the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception are other places of interest.
Overnight at Hotel in Pondicherry.
Day 5 - To Tanjore - 177 Kms - 4 Hrs drive
Morning drive to Tanjore. Arrive Tanjore and check-in at Hotel. Later, proceed for the sightseeing tour of Tanjore. You can see and visualize the history, religion and nature in all the places of attraction here. Tanjore is essentially a place for art lovers, especially those who love temple architecture and wonder about kings who erected these magnificent monuments. During their reign, the Cholas made significant contribution to the various fields of art and architecture. The famous Thanjavur style of painting was developed by Serfoji, the 19th-century Maharaja of Thanjavur. This distinguished art of Thanjavur is a combination of raised and painted surfaces. Krishna is the deity depicted here with his complexion shown as white rather than the traditional blue. The Brihadeeswara Temple, the beautiful Palace, the Art Gallery and the Saraswati Mahal Library are some of the other things to see in Tanjore.
Overnight at Hotel in Tanjore.
Day 6 - To Tiruchirappally (Trichy) - 54 Kms - 2 Hrs Drive Morning drive to Trichy. Arrive Trichy and check-in at Hotel. Later, proceed for the sightseeing tour of Trichy. Trichy has various sites within its proximity that you can visit. Most of the places here hold great historical importance. The Rock Fort Temple, an enchanting temple unique in its own way, makes for a must-visit site in Trichy. Moreover, the Tiruvanaikkaval temple, which is famous for its Siva Lingam and the seven Gopurams, is another pilgrimage site you can visit in Trichy. Later you will be driven to Pondicherry.
Overnight at Hotel in Trichy.
Day 7 - To Madurai - 128 Kms - 2 Hrs Drive Morning drive to Madurai. Arrive Madurai and check-in at Hotel. Later, proceed for the sightseeing tour of Madurai. Visit the great Meenakshi Temple, dedicated to the Consort of Lord Shiva, with its ten towering gopurams (temple towers) rising above the surrounding courtyards and countryside of lush green fields of rice and coconut palms. See the "Hall of a Thousand Pillars", built in 1560, which is a great work of structural engineering and art. Each pillar is a picture book in stone, depicting the whole range of human expression. Later, visit the Tirumalai Nayak Palace, a gracious building in the Indo-Saracenic style that is famous for the stuccowork on its domes and arches. Evening visit temple for the second time to attend temple ceremony.
Overnight at Hotel in Madurai.
Day 8 - To Periyar - 134 Kms - 4:30 Hrs drive Morning drive to Periyar. Arrive Periyar and check–in at Hotel. Later, proceed for the sightseeing tour of Periyar. Enjoy boat cruise on Lake Periyar in the National Park, which is known for herds of wild elephant, bison, deer and spectacular bird life. Evening proceed to visit the spice market. Overnight at Hotel in Periyar.
Day 9 - To Cochin - 185 Kms - 5:30 Hrs drive Morning proceed for the sightseeing tour of Cochin. This includes Fort Cochin, The Dutch Palace at Mattancherry, which is renowned for its wall murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana and The Jewish Synagogue at the heart of a town locally known as the Jew Town. Cochin also boasts of The St. Francis Church, the oldest European church in India and The Santa Cruz Basilica, which was originally built in 1557 by the Portuguese. Another tourist attraction is the Chinese fishing nets which are huge cantilevered fishing nets believed to have been brought by Chinese traders to Cochin.
Overnight at Hotel in Cochin.
Day 10 - To Ooty - 295 Kms - 7:30 Hrs drive Morning drive to Ooty. Arrive Ooty and check-in at Hotel. Later, proceed for the sightseeing tour of Ooty and its surroundings. Visit The Botanical Garden, which is an ideal tourist spot besides being a source of information about the region’s flora. Also visit the Ooty Lake. In addition, there are various other sites like Lamb’s Rock (8 km away from Coonoor), Kodanadu (16 km from Kotagiri), and Dodabetta Peak that offer fascinating views of the surrounding plains and hills.Overnight at Hotel in Ooty.
Day 11 - To Mysore - 160kms - 4.50 Hrs drive Morning drive to Mysore. Arrive Mysore and check-in at Hotel. Later, proceed for the sightseeing tour of Mysore. This includes the Maharaja’s Palace, built as recently as 1897; it is one of the biggest in India. Also, there is St Philomena’s Church, Sri Jauyachamarajendra Art Gallery housed in the Jagmohan Palace, which has a collection of exquisite paintings and Brindavan Gardens, which are illuminated for 3 days a week. Later visit Chamundi Hill, on top of which stands a temple dedicated to the Goddess Chamundeshwari, the royal family’s patron deity.
Overnight at Hotel in Mysore.
Day 12 - To Bangalore - 140kms - 3.50 Hrs drive Morning drive to Bangalore. Arrive Bangalore and check-in at Hotel. Later, proceed for the sightseeing tour of Bangalore. Visit Tipu Sultan’s Palace, originally built in mud in 1537 and rebuilt by Haider Ali a couple of centuries later, Bull Temple; enshrining a massive bull carved out of a single piece of Grey granite, Lalbagh Gardens; laid out by Haider Ali in the 18th century, Cubbon Park; laid out by the British in the 19th century and Vidhan Soudha; built in granite, which incorporates features of traditional Indian architecture.
Overnight at Hotel in Bangalore.
Day 13 - Leave Bangalore (By Flight) In-time transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.
