Duration: 11 Nights / 12 Days
Places Covered: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mamallapooram - Tiruvannamalai - Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai - Trivandrum
Day 1: Chennai
Arrive
Chennai - the gateway to southern India, established in 1639 by the East India
Company, is one of the oldest cities of the country. Assistance and transfer
to hotel. Dinner and overnite at hotel.
Day 2: Chennai
After breakfast, proceed to Tirupathi. In the evening return to Chennai for dinner and overnite stay.
Day 3: Chennai/Kanchipuram/Mamallapooram
After breakfast drive to Kanchipuram is the ancient capital of the Pallavas famous as a city of 1000 Temples and still has 124 shrines. The first temple dedicated to Shiva was built in the 7th and 8th century and has paintings on the walls. Temples of Ekambaswara , Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for its silks. Lunch at local restaurant and later drive to Mamallapooram and check in at hotel.
Afternoon visit the city. Dinner and overnite at hotel.
Day 4: Mamallapooram/Tiruvannamalai/Pondicherry
After breakfast drive to Tiruvannamallai(112kms/03hrs)- a pilgrim centre with an ancient temple of Lord Shiva. After lunch at local restaurant, proceed to Pondicherry (131kms/ 3.5hrs), 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. Legend says that Pondicherry is the place where St.Agasthaya settled down. Checkin ,dinner and overnite at hotel.
Day 5: Pondicherry
After breakfast drive to visit
Aurbindo
Ashram, the city of dawn, which is 10kms north of Pondicherry. This ashram promotes
Aurbindo's ideas in bringing about a synthesis of Yoga and modern science, so
as to unite the spirit and matter. After lunch at hotel, visit Auroville - a
unique experiment in international living and in creating a new environment
where men and women of all nationalities live together in harmony. Dinner and
overnite at hotel. Day 6: Pondicherry/Chidambaram/Tanjore
After breakfast drive to Chidambaram(65kms/1.5hrs) also called as Thillai, which has the famous Nataraja temple with the root of the sanctum-sanctorum covered with golden plates is located in the centre of the town covering an area of 40 acres. In this temple, postures from the Bharatnatayam form of dance are depicted in sculpture. Natraja is Lord Shiva as a cosmic dancer. After lunch at local restaurant, drive to Thanjavur (104kms/03hrs) enroute visiting the Brass factory at Kumbakonam. Tanjore once the capital of Chola Kings, has the Brahadeswara temple(or the big temple of God).
Day 7: Tanjore/Trichy
After breakfast leave for Trichy, short name of Trichurapalli, situated on the banks of Kaveri River is a blend of history and tradition as well as pilgrim centre, it is famous for Ranganath temple at Srirangam. Checkin at hotel. After lunch city tour visiting Rock fort and its temple at a height of over 23mts. Also visit Srirangam and Jambukeshwar Temple. Dinner and overnite at hotel.
Day 8: Trichy/Madurai
After
breakfast proceed to Madurai and checkin at hotel. Dinner and overnite at hotel.
Day 9: Madurai
After breakfast proceed to Rameshwaram- the most sacred temple town of India is an island hallowed by the epic Ramayana, where Lord Rama is said to have visited before going into battle of Srilanka. Legend has it that Lord Rama sent Hanuman to Mount Kailash to bring a Lingam for worship when he set foot after defeating Ravana. Return to Madurai for dinner and overnite stay at hotel.
Day 10: Madurai/Trivandrum
After breakfast drive to Trivandrum and check in at hotel. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 11: Trivandrum
Evening enjoy the beautiful sun set and later return to Trivandrum. Dinner and overnite at hotel.
Day 12: Trivandrum/ Back Home
After breakfast transfer to airport to connect flight for onward journey. End of our services.
