South India Temple Tour

Duration : 12 Nights/ 13 Days
Places to Visit : Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry - Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai - Rameshwaram - Kovalam - Trivandrum.

South India Temple Tour trails around the strong bastion of customs and traditions of peninsular region. The gopurams, mandapas, and lavish treasures, all form a part of South Indian Temples. Beginning from Chennai, the tour moves towards Kanchipuram - the Varanasi of South famed for 1000 Temples. The seven pagodas of Mahabalipuram also have a lot of temples to explore including Seashore Temple. The next halt at Pondicherry is the home of St. Aurobindo, Auroville, where harmony, tranquility and peace can be experienced on the rocky shore.
The next spiritual halt is in Chidambaram, famous for its Nataraja Temple. Tanjore’s Brihadeshwara Temple and Trichy’s Srirangam Temple also form an inevitable part of this tour. Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple and Rameshwaram form the apogee of South India Temple Tour with the impeccable architecture and associative legends. The tranquil beaches of Kovalam and Kanyakumari sum up the South India Temple Tour where one can sit and contemplate the whereabouts of life.

Day 1: Arrive Chennai
Arrive Chennai. On arrival at the airport, you will meet our representative and be transferred to hotel.
Overnight in Hotel.

Day 2: Chennai
After breakfast leave for city tour of Madras visiting the Museum to see the Art and Bronze Gallery (Closed on Fridays and Public holidays). Drive through the Flower and Fruit market, High court, Fort museum, Marina Beach, Santhome Cathedral and snake park.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 3: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram
Drive to Mahabalipuram (58 kms / 1½ Hrs) enroute visiting Kanchipuram - it is the ancient capital of the Pallavas famous as a city of 1000 Temples and still has 124 shrines. Temples of Ekambaswara, Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for its silks. On arrival, check in at hotel. Afternoon visit Mahabalipuram - it is famous for the seven pagodas. Here on the seashore is an interesting group of ancient rock hewn temples which are the examples of Dravidian style of Architecture.

Day 4: Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry
Drive to Pondicherry (134 kms / 3 ½ hrs) 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. Enroute visit Tiruvannaamalai - a pilgrim centre with an ancient temple of Lord Shiva. On arrival, check in at hotel.

Day 5: Pondicherry
Morning visit Aurbindo Ashram, the city of dawn, which is 10 Kms 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. Afternoon 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.

Day 6: Pondicherry - Chidamparam - Tanjore
Drive to Tanjore (196 kms / 5 hrs) enroute visiting Chidambaram also called 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. On arrival, check in at hotel. Afternoon visit Tanjore, once the capital of Chola Kings, has the Brahadeswara temple (or the big temple of God).

Day 7: Tanjore - Trichy
Drive to Trichy (55 kms / 1 hr). Upon arrival check in at hotel. Afternoon visit the Trichy city, shortname of Trichurapalli, situated on the banks of Kaveri River is a blend of history and tradition as well as pilgrim centre. Visit the famous Rock fort and its temple at a height of over 23mts. Also visit Srirangam and Jambukeshwar Temple.

Day 8 Trichy - Madurai
Drive to Madurai (142 kms / 4 hrs). Later check in at hotel. The ancient city of Madurai some 2600 years old is laid out in the banks River of Vaigai as a lotus flower with the Meenakshi temple in the centre. Afternoon,visit Meenakshi temple, King Tirumala's Palace, Great Tank and Gandhi museum.

Day 9 : Madurai - Rameshwaram
Morning drive to Rameshwaram (170 kms / 3 hrs) - 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 to battle of Sri Lanka. One of the twelve Jyotirlingam shrines is also well known for its magnificent corridors and the massive sculptured pillars lining them.

Day 10: Rameshwaam - Madurai - Trivandrum - Kovalam
Morning transfer to Madurai airport to connect flight for Trivandrum. Upon arrival Trivandrum, drive to Kovalam (16 kms / ½ hr). Afternoon relax on the beach.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 11 : Kovalam
Full day free to relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel.

Day 12 : Kovalam - Excursion of Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari- is the land's end of India where the water of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet. An important pilgrim centre of India, it is famous for the Amman Temples - a symbol of unity and sanctity - dedicated to the virgin Goddess, Kanya Kumari. To its South - East lies the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial, a blend of all the architectural styles of India. Evening watch the spectacular sunset. Drive back to Kovalam hotel.

Day 13 : Trivandrum / Out
Transfer to airport to connect flight for onward destination.

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