Day
1: ChennaiOn arrival in Chennai you will be met by our
representative and will transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
Days
2 & 3 : Chennai - Mahabalipuram (60 kms/1.5 hrs)AM 0900 Hrs
after breakfast we take you for a brief city tours covering Fort St
George and St. Mary's church. Later we take you on a short drive
Mahabalipuram to visit the 7th century Shore Temples of South India, the
monolith temples, Arjuna's Penance, Krishna Mandapam and the Five
Rathas. Overnight stay in Mahabalipuram.
Days 4 - 7:
Mahabalipuram - Tiruvannamalai (129 kms/3 hrs)AM 0900 Hrs after
breakfast check out from the hotel & we drive you down to
Tiruvannamalai via Kanchipuram.In Kanchipuram you can visit the
Kailasanath Temple( dedicated to lord Shiva),the Ekambaranatha
temple,Vaikuntha Perumal temple, Varadaraja temple, the Kamakshi Amman
temple and the many 'gopurams'( pyramid shaped tower gateways to the
Dravidian age temples).In Tiruvannamalai, visit the holy mountain
Arunachala (important pilgrimage center of Tamil Nadu).The Karthigai
Deepam festival has a big flame lit atop the Thiruvannamalai hills which
attracts a huge crowd of devotees. There are beautiful sculptures on the
pillars and idol lingam. Take part in enjoying the ashram life at
Ramanna Maharishi's ashram at the base of the mountain. Overnight stay
in Tiruvannamalai.
Days 8 & 9 : Tiruvannamalai -
Pondicherry (89 kms/2 hrs)AM 0900 Hrs soon after breakfast
check out from the hotel & drive down to Pondicherry. On arrival
check into the hotel. Later we drive you to Gingee Fort and on to
Pondicherry where we take you to a sightseeing tour of the Sri Aurobindo
Ashram founded by the philosopher in 1920 and later led by Mirra Alfassa
his French companion; the Pondicherry museum, Promenade beach, Bharti &
Bhartisadan memorial museum, Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and
Auroville (, the city of dawn), the botanical garden, Villaiayanur
temple and the Mansion of Ananda.Overnight stay in Pondicherry.
Day
10 : Pondicherry - Chidambaram-TanjoreAM 0900 Hrs check out
from the hotel after breakfast and we drive to Chidambaram (61 kms/1.5
hrs) to see the Nataraja temple (where Shiva is depicted as the COSMIC
DANCER),the 9th century Shiva temple and the exquisite emerald lingam
statue. Then drive on further to Tanjore (90 kms/2 hrs) and visit the
Brihadiswara temple, Schwartz church and Saraswathi Mahal library.
Overnight stay in Tanjore.
Day 11 : Tanjore - Trichy(48
kms/45 min)AM 0900 Hrs check out from the hotel after
breakfast. We take you to Trichy,on arrival check in the hotel. Later we
take you to visit the Ranganatha Vishnu temple and the Rock Fort temple
overlooking the Cauvery delta. Overnight stay in Trichy.
Day
12 : TrichyAM 0900 Hrs after breakfast we take you to Father
Bede Griffith's ashram near Trichy,where you would find an amalgamation
of Catholicism & Hinduism in his teachings. Overnight stay in
Trichy.
Day 13: Trichy - Madurai (21 kms/35 mins)AM
0900 Hrs check out from the hotel after breakfast. Drive down to Madurai
to see the beautiful Sri Meenakshi temple, Tirumalai Nayak Palace, the
Mari Amman Tepakkulam Tank, Gandhi museum and the Temple art museum.
Overnight stay in Madurai.
Day 14 : Madurai - Kanyakumari
(240 kms/6 hrs)AM 0900 Hrs check out from the hotel after
breakfast and we drive you to Kanyakumari where you can enjoy the sunset
and sunrise where the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean meet
,and the different colours of the sand would leave you spell bound.
Visit Vivekenanda and Gandhi Memorials along with the breathtaking
statue of Tiruvallavur.Overnight stay in Kanyakumari.
Day
15 : Kanyakumari - Kovalam (74 kms/2 hrs)AM 0900 Hrs check out
from the hotel after breakfast and we take you down to Padmanabhapuram
Teak Palace, Napier museum,Kuthiramalika museum and then continue on to
Kovalam. On arrival check into the hotel. Overnight stay at Kovalam.
Days
16 & 17 : KovalamAM 0900 Hrs Full day rest and leisure at
Kovalam Beach. Overnight at Kovalam. Enjoy a boat cruise among the
palm-fringed waters of the beach. Ovenight stay in Kovalam.
Day
18 : Kovalam - Houseboat (190 kms/4.5 hrs)AM 0900 Hrs after
breakfast check out from Hotel and we drive down to Alleppey ( 195 Kms /
5.5 Hrs ). On arrival board on to the house boat from the jetty. Rest of
the day at leisure on the House Boat. Sit back and relax while the boat
cruises through the narrow serene backwater canals of Kumarakom &
Alleppey. Lunch, Evening Tea/Coffee with snacks, dinner and Overnight
stay on House Boat.
Day 19 : Houseboat - Cochin (95 kms/3
hrs)AM 0900 Hrs after breakfast check out from the hotel and we
drive you down to Cochin. Evening watch a breathtaking Kathakali dance
performance. Overnight stay at Cochin.
Day 20 : CochinAM
0900 Hrs after breakfast we take you for a full day sightseeing around
Cochin . Visit: The Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, Jews Street,
St.Francis church, Chinese fishing net & The indo-Portuguese Museum.
Overnight stay in hotel. Cochin.
Day 21 : Cochin - Trichur
(55 kms/2.5 hrs)AM 0900 Hrs after breakfast check out from the
hotel for a drive to visit Kerala Kalamandalam,one of the most revered
places for the traditional art forms of Kerala. The Kalamandalam is the
cradle of Kathakali training in India, which imparts training in
Mohiniyattam, Panchvadyam, Kootiyattam, Thullal, etc. Visit Guruvayur:
Guruvayoor is one of the most sacred and important pilgrim centers of
Kerala. Its main attraction is the Sree Krishna temple. According to
belief, the temple is the creation of Guru, the preceptor of the Gods,
and Vayu, the God of winds. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple.
Overnight at Calicut.
Day 22 : DepartureAM : At
leisure, later we will pick up from Hotel and transfer you to
Cochin-airport / Railway station. End of Tour / services.
Happy
Tour Ending.