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Reach at International Airport and you will meet our company representatives here. Get transferred to your hotel and take rest. Chennai is the capital city of south Indian state of Tamil Nadu and is an important tourist destination of India. It is famous as the Gateway to South India. Chennai is a famous city for its rich and interesting historical and cultural tradition and heritage. The hundreds of ancient temples and historic monuments with amazing architecture will amuse you here. Have your dinner and stay overnight at Chennai.
Day 2: Chennai to Mahabalipuram to Kanchipuram
Chennai to Mahabalipuram to Kanchipuram
Have your breakfast and take a full day excursion to Kanchipuram (76 km / 1½ hrs). Mahabalipuram is a city that has two most popular temple town of Tamil Nadu. It is an ancient 7th century port town of Tamil Nadu, on whose shore the magnificent rock cut and monolithic temples are located. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will visit the famous Arjuna's Penance, the Shore Temple and the Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) that once belonged to the legendary Pandavas.
Kanchipuram is the ancient capital of the Pallavas, famous for the city of 1000 temples. Famous for silk and splendid temples, you will see the amazingly beautiful temples of Kanchipuram celebrated for their architectural affluence. The sarees of Kanchipuram, made from pure silk, are famous not only in India but also among foreign tourists. Lord Shiva temple in Kanchipuram is as old as about the 7th and 8th century. Have a sightseeing tour and your lunch at Kanchipuram. Later, you will take a drive to Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram. You will return to Chennai by the evening. Have your dinner and stay overnight at Chennai.
Day 3: Chennai to Pondicherry
Chennai to Pondicherry
Have your breakfast and take a drive to Pondicherry (170 km / 5 hrs). Pondicherry is an attractive city that takes you back on the ride to past as soon as you enter here. It was a former French colony and now a Union Territory of India near Tamil Nadu. Pondicherry still carries a strong trace of the French presence in India. It is evident through its white French style houses and straight cross ending roads. Pondicherry is a holy place where St. Agasthaya and Shri Aurobindo once came down.
Reach at Pondicherry and check in the hotel. Take an afternoon sightseeing tour to Pondicherry. First of all, make a visit to the eminent Aurobindo Ashram that still promotes the ideas of Shri Aurobindo about Spirituality, Yoga and Modern Science. Make a brief visit to Auroville, an exclusive experiment in international living. It creates a new environment where men and women of all the nationalities assemble together in great harmony. Have your dinner. Your overnight stay will be at Pondicherry.
Day 4: Pondicherry to Swamimalai
Have your breakfast and take a drive to Swamimalai (166 km/5 hrs). On the route, you will visit the memorable Chidambaram and Gangaikonda Cholapuram. They date back to Chola period sculptural monument.
Chidambaram is called as Thillai and is most visited for the Nataraja Temple. The sculptures of the temple draw the postures from the traditional dance of India, Bharatnatayam. You will reach the Swamimalai temple and check in the Sterling Ethnic Village Resort. You will enjoy comfortable accommodation here and different dinner themes here. The concerts that take place here are well thought out and greatly enjoyable. The facilities for Yoga and Ayurveda are also availed at the resort. Have your dinner and stay overnight at the resort.
Day 5: Swamimalai to Tanjore to Trichy
Swamimalai to Tanjore to Trichy
After breakfast, take a drive to Trichy (91 km/2 hrs). On route, you will take a visit to Tanjore, the ancient and attractive capital once ruled by the Chola Kings. Tanjore is famous for the temples and paintings. You will also visit the Brihadeeswarar temple. Pay your reverence to a great Shiva lingam and the stone sculpture of Nandi bull, the lord's vehicle.
Move on to Trichy and check in the hotel. Trichy, also famous as Trichurapalli, is a modern city of Tamil Nadu. It is also one of the most religiously sacred towns of South India. Have your lunch. Take a sightseeing tour of Trichy. You will visit the two popular temples, Rock Fort temple and Sri Ranganathaswamy temple and one other, Sri Jambukeshwara Temple. Have your dinner and stay overnight at Trichy.
Day 6: Trichy to Madurai
Have your breakfast and move on to Madurai by road (140 km - 4hrs). Madurai is the erstwhile capital city and still the famous tourist city of Tamil Nadu in South India. Reach Madurai and check in the hotel.
In the afternoon, you will visit the popular Meenakshi Temple, built in an attractive style with multi color sculptures. You will also visit Mariamman Teppakulam or Great Tank and the Palace of Tirumalai Nayak. Again visit the Meenakshi Temple in the evening for the prayer ceremony. Stay overnight at Madurai.
Day 7: Madurai to Rameshwaram to Kodaikanal
Take your breakfast and have full day at leisure. You have an option to enjoy a full day excursion to Rameshwaram or Kodaikanal. Rameshwaram is a pious pilgrimage destination for the Hindus. It is the other southern tip of India, near to the neighbor country of Sri Lanka. Rameshwaram is closely connected to the great Indian epic Ramayana and derives its name from Lord Ram. Pay your reverence at the famous Ramanathaswamy Temple located close to sea. You will return to Madurai in the evening. Stay overnight at Madurai.
Day 8: Madurai to Kanyakumari to Kovalam
Have your breakfast and move on to Kovalam by road (285km-7hrs). Visit Kanyakumari on route. It is one of the most important pilgrim centers of India. Located at the southern most point of India Indian subcontinent, it is also the meeting point of Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Ocean.
Visit the Kumari Amman Temple, dedicated to the virgin Goddess from whose name Kanyakumari has got its name. Visit Vivekananda Rock Memorial, where great Indian thinker and spiritual leader, Vivekananda used to meditate. The beaches of Kanyakumari are great and clean with steady waves. In the evening, you will enjoy a spectacular view of the sunset at the horizon.
Continue your journey to Kovalam, one of the finest beach destinations of south India. It is popular for the clean and beautiful beach that looks picturesque with its enchanting environs of lush coconut palms. Reach Kovalam and check in the hotel. Stay overnight at Kovalam.
Day 09: Kovalam
Have your breakfast at the hotel and your rest of the day will be at leisure. Enjoy relaxing and sunbathing around the cool golden beaches of Kovalam. Stay overnight at Kovalam.
Day 10: Kovalam to Periyar
Have your breakfast at hotel. You will take a drive straight to the heart of wildlife, at the Periyar National Park (276 km/7hr). Reach Periyar and check in the Forest Lodge or Resort and relax. In the afternoon, you will enjoy the memorable and fun filled boat cruise on the Periyar Lake to view the wildlife and natural splendor. Stay overnight at the Forest Lodge or Resort.
Day 11: Periyar to Kottayam to Alleppey
Have your Breakfast at the Lodge. Later, you will take a drive to Kottayam (115 km / 4 hrs). Reach at Kottayam and board Kettuvallom, the luxury Houseboat that offers a best medium to sail at the backwaters. Enjoy your sailing during the day on the calm and heavenly backwaters of Kerala. Have your dinner and stay overnight on the Houseboat.
Day 12: Alleppey to Cochin
Reach Alleppey in the morning and set down of the Houseboat. Move on to Cochin in the afternoon (56 km/1 hr) by road. Cochin, also known as Kochi, is today one of the most important tourist destinations and IT cities of India. It is a significant historical city of Kerala also with rich past. Cochin is also popular for exceptionally wonderful and remarkable backwaters and beaches. Reach Cochin and check in the hotel. In the evening you will have some leisure time. Have your dinner and stay overnight at Cochin.
Day 13: Cochin
Have your breakfast at the hotel and enjoy your sightseeing tour to Cochin. Visit the popular Mattancherry Palace or Dutch Palace. Also visit and note the remarkable architecture of St. Francis Church and Jewish Synagogue. See the big and spectacular Chinese Fishing Nets at the popular Vasco Da Gama Square. In the evening, you will enjoy a Kathakali Dance Show in the Theatre. Stay overnight at Cochin.
Day 14: Cochin to Ooty
Have your breakfast at the hotel. Take a drive to Ooty (280 km/7 hrs). Reach Ooty and check in the hotel. Also known as Udhagamandalam, Ooty is considered to be the "Queen of southern hill resorts". It is located at the altitude of 7,350 ft. above the sea level amongst the scenic environs of Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu. Ooty is one of the most beautiful and delighting hill stations of South India. Ooty is known for its cool and pleasant weather and environs. Enjoy the breathtaking scenic beauty of Ooty Botanical Garden, Ooty Lake and valleys. Stay overnight at Ooty.
Day 15: Ooty to Coonoor to Ooty
Have your breakfast and your full day at leisure. Discover and enjoy the bewitching natural beauty of Ooty that never ever fails to attract. Enjoy horseback ride, scenic points, visit sprawling tea plantations and velvety hayfields of Ooty and more.
In the afternoon, you will enjoy the excursion to Coonoor. Make a visit to Sims Park and enjoy walking through the tea estates. Take a drive to the Lambs' Rock and enjoy the spectacular view of the plains. In the evening, you will return to Ooty. Stay overnight at Ooty.
Day 16: Ooty to Mysore
Have your breakfast and take a drive to Mysore (155 kms). Reach Mysore and check in the hotel and relax. Mysore is an erstwhile capital city of the Wodeyar dynasty. It is popularly known as the City of Palaces. It offers a perfect blend of traditional royal grandeur and modernity. Mysore is indeed worth to be counted as the most beautiful and best planned cities of India.
In the afternoon, you will enjoy the half day sightseeing tour of Mysore. Take a trip to the royal Mysore Palace, beautiful and spectacular Brindavan Gardens, Krishnaraja Sagar Dam, the Jaganmohan Palace, St. Philomena's Church, and the Chamunda Devi temple at Chamundi Hills. Stay overnight at Mysore.
Day 17: Mysore to Srirangapatnam
Post breakfast, move on to take a morning visit to the Somnathpur Temple. Mark the unique architecture of the temple and pay your homage to the deity. In the afternoon, you will take an excursion to Srirangapatnam. Srirangapatnam is at the distance of 15 kms from Mysore. It is popular the most for ancient kings Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan's island fortress. Also see the Ranganathaswamy Temple. Stay overnight at Mysore.
Day 18: Mysore to Hassan
Take your breakfast and drive to Hassan (150 km). Reach Hassan and check in the hotel. In the afternoon, a visit to the Hoysala Temples of Belur and Halebid will be arranged. They are a wonderful complex of temples where you will get the chance to see unique architecture. Stay overnight stay at Hassan.
Day 19: Hassan to Sravanbelgola to Bangalore
Post breakfast, take a drive to Bangalore (186 km). You will reach Sravanbelgola on route. Sravanbelgola is a sacred Jain site, most visited by the pilgrims to take the darshan of the extraordinary 18-meter high huge statue of the naked male figure of Gomateshvara. It is one of the largest freestanding sculptures in India, located on the Indragiri hills.
Reach Bangalore and check in the hotel to relax. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a sightseeing tour to Bangalore. Make a visit to the best attractions of Bangalore, including Cubbon Park, Vidhan Soudha, Tipu's Fort & Palace, Lal Bagh and more. You will enjoy shopping expenditure at M.G Road. Stay overnight at Bangalore.
Day 20: Bangalore
Get timely transfer to airport and take a flight to Mumbai. Reach Mumbai, check in the hotel and relax. In the afternoon, you will enjoy the sightseeing tour of Mumbai. Visit the popular Gateway of India and other exciting attractions of Mumbai. Stay overnight at Mumbai.
Day 21: Mumbai - Departure
Have your breakfast at the hotel. Get a timely transfer to the international airport for a flight to the forward destination. Go back home with sweet memories of incredible India. | 