Spices & Temples of South India

Day 01 Arrive Chennai Upon you arrival in Chennai you will meet our representative and transferred to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 02 Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram After having your morning breakfast you will embark on a full city tour of Chennai - the sprawling and gracious city on the 'Bay of Bengal' which is also the fourth largest city in India. Visit the Fort St. George declared a national heritage in 1948 and most of its buildings have been converted into government offices, notably the Legislature and Secretariat. Chennai is one of the biggest cultural, economic and educational centre in South India. Visit the famous San Thome Cathedral, a Gothic-style Catholic church said to house the remains of St. Thomas, the 'Apostle of India', who passed away at nearby St Thomas Mount in 72 A.D. In the Afternoon take a drive to Mahabalipuram (58 kms) enroute visit Kanchipuram. Kanchipuramis a famous temple city in the Indian state of Tamil Naidu. It is famous for both its temples, many of them extraordinarily well preserved and for its hand-woven silks. Kanchipuram is considered one of the seven holiest cities to the Hindus of India and it is the only one related with both Shiva and Vishnu. Take a holistic tour of Ekambareshwar Temple, Kailashnath Temple, Kamakshi Temple, theVaikunthaperumal Temple, all built in the 7th and 8th centuries. Continue onwards with your journey to Mahabalipuram. Upon arrival in Mhabalipuram, check into the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 03 Mahabalipuram Embark on a morning sightseeing tour of Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram is well known for its unique 7th-century Shore Temple, beautiful beach and some of the most mystic rock-cut temples in the world. Located on the coastline of the Bay of Bengal, Mahabalipuram was already a famous seaport in the 1st century AD. This town was a workshop for temple construction. Take a tour of the seven pagoda-style shore temples, pounded by the waves of the sea and the seven rathas or temple chariots, a group of colossal monuments & animal figures engraved out of solid rock, the earliest known examples of Dravidian architecture. Return to the hotel. Afternoon at leisure for own activities. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 04 Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry In the Morning after the morning breakfast checkout andtake a road journey to Pondicherry (180 kms). This charming and wellrestored former French colony displays a Mediterranean aura, with its beautiful streets and whitewashed houses. Upon arrival in Pondicherry, check into the hotel. Later proceed for the famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram whose founder Sri Aurobindo emerged as a new type of thinker, one who combined in his vision - alacrity of the West with illumination of the East. Take a tour ofAuroville or the 'City of Dawn' - Designed by a French architect Roger Arger, it is a universal city-in-the-making whose purpose is human unity in the broadest sense of the word. Also visit the Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, this church is noted for its gothic architecture and stained glass panels which portray the entire life of Jesus Christ. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 05 Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Tanjore Morning breakfast, checkout and drive to Tanjore (230 kms) enroute visit Chidambaram. Chidambaram – is renowned for its beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in the enchanting form of the Cosmic Dancer Nataraja. It is one of the few temples, which allows non-Hindus to visit the inner shrine. The uniqueness of the temple is its presiding deity - the Akasha Lingam or the ether lingam. The four tall entranceways have engravings of the famous South Indian dance, Bharatanatyam. Later on drive to Tanjore.Upon arrival, check into the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 06 Tanjore After the morning breakfast embark on a sightseeing tour of Tanjore. Tanjore was once the capital of the Chola Empire from the 10th to the 14th centuries. A Chola king, Raja Chola, built one of the greatest of the empire's 74 temples; the Brahadeeswarar temple is an outstanding example of the Chola architecture. Guarding the inner shrine of the temple is the huge statue of Nandi, the Bull. The courtyard walls of the sanctum are covered with wall paintings from the Chola and Nayak periods, comparable to the famous Ajanta cave frescoes. Afternoon at leisure and relaxation for own activities. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 07 Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai After the breakfast proceed to Trichy (54 kms from Tanjore) for sightseeing tour. Trichy - visit the 'Rock Fort Temple' which rises abruptly to a height of 273 ft. A steep staircase cut into the rock leads to the Fort. At the first level are the leftovers of a huge hall blasted into ruins in 1772. The next storey is the Mathrubhuteshwarer Shrine devoted to Shiva. Finally at the top of the hill, the 'UchhiPillayarKoil' - a Ganesh Temple offering aimpressive view of the city. Later drive to Madurai (190 kms). Upon arrival in Madurai, check into the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 08 Madurai After the morning breakfast visit the Meenakshi temple one of the biggest temple complexes in India dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi (the consort of Lord Shiva) and Lord Shiva. The high point of the Meenakshi temple is Hall of a "Thousand Pillars", built in the 16th Century which is as great a work of structural engineering as it is of art. Also take a tour of the palace of Tirumala Nayak which is an example of the architectural mastery of the Nayaks - a unique amalgam of Hindu and Saracen architecture. In the evening visit of the Meenakshi temple and attend a night ceremony at the temple at 9 P.M. This is a ceremony that takes place every day in evening when the temple bronze of Lord Shiva is carried to the bedchamber of Parvati. The procession is accompanied by religious prayer and temple music. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 09 Madurai - Periyar Morning breakfast, checkout and drive to Periyar (180 kms). Sprawling across the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats, Thekkady is the home to one of the largest wildlife reserves in India. Alive with exotic flora and vibrant wildlife, it is the perfect getaway tucked away among hills Upon arrival in Periyar, check into the hotel. Take an afternoon boat ride on the Lake of the famous Periyar wildlife sanctuary to see wild life. Periyar an artificial lake or reservoir created by a dam on Periyar River is the heart of the Wildlife Sanctuary where wild elephants, Asiatic Deer, Black Buck and even Tigers come to the banks of lake to drink water. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 10 Periyar - Kumarakom In the morning after breakfast, checkout and take a journey through the winding "Ghats" lined with prosperous tea plantations & then arrive the mesmerizing countryside of low-lying palms and paddy fields to Kumarakom (140 kms). Kumarakom-is a beautiful backwater village on the shores of the enthrallingVembanad Lake, criss-crossed with meandering waterways and ancient cottages. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 11 Kumarakom - Cochin Morning at leisure for own activities and for revitalizing. Drive to Cochin (85 kms) in the afternoon. Upon arrival in Cochin, check into the hotel. Cochin is the Commercial capital and the most cosmopolitan city of Kerala, Kochi, in Ernakulam is also known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea.
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12 Cochin Morning breakfast and proceed for sightseeing tour of Cochin - the palm green, commercial capital of Kerala which has one of the finest natural harbor. From time immemorial, Arabs, Chinese, Dutch, British & Portuguese seafarers followed the sea route to Kochi & left their everlasting impression on the town. Modern Kochi is thus considered splendid amalgam of these uncountable influences. Take a tour of the Dutch Palace, the Jewish Synagogue, the Church of St. Francis & the famous Chinese fishing nets. In the afternoon witness the Kathakali dance performance - Kathakali is a unique dance which has a 2000 year old history with more than 100 different 'mudras' or gesture depicting deities, demons, heroes, heroines and kings. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 13 Cochin - Onward journey Morning breakfast, checkout and transfer to the airport for your onward journey.
Depart: Cochin.