Tamilnadu
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Rich in culture and geographically diverse, tourists flock to Tamilnadu from all around the world every year in search of some of the world’s greatest collection of ancient temples including UNESCO Heritage Sites – “Living Chola Temples”, “Group of Monuments in Mahabalipuram”, “Nilgiri Mountain Railway” and “Sahyadri Mountains” (Western Ghats).
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Destination
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Departure
Tamilnadu -
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Airplane TransportBreakfastDeparture Taxes -
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5 Star AccommodationPersonal Guide
1
Day 1:Arrive into Chennai
- Arrive into Chennai International Airport (MAA), Chennai.
- You will be met by our associate chauffeur at the arrival hall and escorted to your pre-booked Hotel.
- Check-in to Hotel as per the standard check in time.
- Stay Overnight in Hotel.
2
Day 2: Chennai
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Meet our chauffeur and proceed for Chennai City Tour. Choose among the preferred sightseeing from the list below
- National Art Gallery and Museum.
- Kapaleeswarar Temple.
- St. Mary’s Church.
- Santhome Cathedral Basilica
- Return and Stay overnight at Hotel.
3
Day 3 :Chennai - Madurai (by Flight )
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Check out Hotel.
- Meet our chauffeur and proceed to Madurai. Based on your mode of travel, our chauffeur will either drop you at the Airport or drive you to Madurai.
- Arrive into Madurai.
- Madurai, formerly known as Madura, is in south-central Tamil Nadu state in southern India. It is located on the Vaigai River, about 48kms southeast of Dindigul. Madurai is the third most populous, and probably the oldest, city in the state.
- Check in to hotel.
- Rest of the day is free for own activities.
- Evening, amongst a frenzied crowd, witness an age-old religious tradition “The palliyarai Pooja” at “Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Thirukovil” (Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar Temple), one of the largest temple complexes in Tamil Nadu.
- An inexplicable momentum shrouded in mysticism, you will marvel the fascinating rituals and immersive musical performances amidst conch shells blown which begin the Night Ceremony at Meenakshi Amman Temple, where the idols of Sundareshwar (an avatar of Lord Shiva) and his consort Meenakshi (an avatar of Parvati), are carried in a riotous procession for a holy communion.
- Return and Stay overnight at Hotel.
4
Day 4:Madurai
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Proceed for a Madurai Sightseeing.
- Madurai Gandhi Museum.
- Sri Meenakshi – Sundareswarar Temple.
- Thirumalai Nayak Palace: 1.5 Kms from the Meenakshi temple, this palace was built in 1636 by the ruler Thirumalai Nayak. The imposing edifice is famous for the “Stuccowork” on its domes and impressive arches.
- Thirupparankundram Temple: 8Kms South of Madurai, the temple is one of the six abodes dedicated to Lord Murugan. The importance of this temple is that the marriage of Lord Muruga with Devayanai, the daughter of Indra, was celebrated here. The Cave shrines here are calculated as 8th-century creation of the Pandiyans. The Sanctum Sanctorum is carved out of a single rock and the temple is believed to be in existence for many centuries.
- Azhagar Kovil: About 21kms North East of Madurai stands a celebrated Vishnu Temple dedicated to Lord Alagar. The temple is situated on a hill amidst panoramic surroundings. The shrine is known as Alagarkoil and the hill, Solaimalai. Palamudirsolai, one of the six abodes of Lord Subramaniya is located atop the Hill.
- Return and Stay Overnight at the hotel.
5
Day 5: Madurai - Chettinad
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- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Check out Hotel.
- Meet our chauffeur and drive to Chettinad.
- The region of Chettinad comprises some 78 villages and towns in the Sivaganga district of eastern Tamil Nadu, dominated by the prosperous Nattukotai Chettiar community of businessmen and bankers. Karaikudi is the region’s principal town.
- Magnificent Mansions, Spicy Cuisine, and Antique Markets are sui generis to Chettinad.
- Large verandas, pillared passages, and rooms that can fit a thousand people are commonly found in the traditional mansions of Chettinad.
- Karaikudi is also home to Ayiram Jannal Veedu (the house with a thousand windows) but as it is lived in, tourists are not allowed to enter.
- Arrive into Chettinad. Check in to a heritage hotel converted from a Chettinadu Mansion.
- Later, proceed for Mansion hopping, the hilltop Thirumayam Fort, fifth-century Pillayarpatti Temple (12 km from Karaikudi).
- Explore antique shop which sells traditional vessels, furniture, woodwork and quirky items like an old biscuit tin, gramophone records, etc.,
- If interested, you can also visit tile workshops in Athangudi (15kms from Karaikudi) and see how a basic stencil, and the clever use of techniques and colours create phenomenal floor tiles in floral, geometric, and paisley patterns.
- Eventually, you can visit a Weaving center to purchase unique Chettitand Cotton Sarees.
- Return to Hotel and Stay overnight.
6
Day 6: Chettinad – Trichy
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Check out Hotel.
- Meet our chauffeur and drive to Thanjavur on route Trichy.
- In Trichy, witness Tiruchirappalli Rock Fort, a formidable structure carved into the very landscape. Perched 83m high atop the rock, it requires climbing over 437 stone-cut steps to reach the temple. The temple complex is composed of two parts – a Shiva temple (Thayumanaswamy) carved in the middle of the rock and a Pillayar (Ganesh) temple at the top portion of the rock. The Ganesh temple is much smaller with an access through steep steps carved on the rock and provides a stunning view of Trichy, Srirangam and the rivers Kaveri and Kollidam.
- The next stop is the impressive temple complex of Srirangam, dedicated to the Hindu god of Ranganatha, foremost of the eight self-manifested shrines (Swayam Vyakata Kshetras ) of Lord Vishnu. There are 21 magnificent and huge towers (Temple Gopurams).
- Afterwards, drive to Thanjavur (Tanjore) – Thanjavur was the capital of the great Chola (Cola) king Rajaraja I.
- Arrive into Thanjavur. Check in to Hotel.
- Stay overnight at Hotel.
7
Day 7:Thanjavur
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Meet our chauffeur. Head out to explore Thanjavur, an early capital of the Chola Empire from the 9th to the 11th century, and one of the most important cultural centers in India.
- Visit Cholas’ grand Brihadishwara Temple (Peruvudaiyar Kovil) considered the finest example of southern Indian architecture. Brihadishwara Temple is also known as Periya Kovil, RajaRajeswara Temple, and Rajarajesvaram. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Great Living Chola Temples”, dedicated to the god Shiva, and is perhaps the most dazzling in India with its high pyramid tower
- Visit city’s labyrinthine Royal palace, a mixed bag of ruin and renovation and superb art. You can see some of the world’s finest Chola bronzes. Seven different sections of the palace can be visited. The two don’t-miss sections are the Saraswati Mahal Library Museum and the Art Gallery.
- Eventually, return to Hotel and Stay overnight.
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Day 8:Thanjavur – Pondicherry
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Checkout Hotel.
- Drive to Pondicherry; en-route visit Airavateshwara Temple in Dharasuram and Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidamabaram.
- The Airavateshwara Temple was the last of the three Great Living Chola Temples to be included in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, in 2004. Airavateshwara Temple was built by Rajaraja II. The temple is a treasure trove of some of the most exquisite carvings in the region.
- Chidambaram is one of the Panchabootha Sthalas (five natural elements), where the Lord is worshipped in his manifestation as sky or Aagayam. The other four temples in this category are Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswara, Trichy (water), Kanchi Ekambareswara (earth)Kanchipuram, Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswara (fire), Thiruvannamalai and Kalahasti Nathar (wind), Sri Kalahasti.
- Continue to Pondicherry, the former French capital of the country. Arrive and Check in to Hotel.
- Stay overnight at Hotel.
9
Day 9:Pondicherry
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Head on to Visit
- Auroville Pondicherry
- Shri Aurobindo Ashram
- Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple
- French Quarter or White Town Heritage Walk
- Statue of Joseph François Dupleix (French War Memorial)
- Promenade Beach
- Return and Stay overnight at Hotel.
10
Day 10:Pondicherry – Mahabalipuram
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Check out Hotel.
- Take the coastal drive to the UNESCO-site town of Mahabalipuram, along the Bay of Bengal coastline. Mahabalipuram was a 7th-century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas. A seaside town endowed with intriguing beaches, Mahabalipuram is teeming with the wondrous remnants of historic eras.
- Check in Hotel and Head on to explore the town.
- visit the Shore Temple – a UNESCO world heritage and also counted as the finest example of Pallava architecture. It was built in 700 AD.
- Pancha Ratha – fine example of stone cut monolithic structures of ancient India.
- Krishna’s butterball – The single boulder uniquely balanced on an incline weighs 250 tons.
- Arjuna’s penance – The carvings on the wall depict scenes from the Mahabharata. The elephant carving at Arjuna’s penance is considered the best stone carving in India. Arjuna’s penance is also a part of the UNESCO world heritage sites of Mahabalipuram.
- Cave Temples – part of heritage monuments of Mahabalipuram. Most of these temples are carved out of single stones and some are located inside natural caves formed within these stones.
- Return and Stay overnight at Hotel.
11
Day 11:Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Make a day trip to Kanchipuram
- Once a capital of the Pallava dynasty, Kanchipuram is known as ‘the religious capital of the South’. 8th century CE Kailasanatha temple is one of the most impressive structures surviving from ancient India.
- Return and Stay overnight in Mahabalipuram.
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Day 12:Mahabalipuram
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Day at leisure to explore Mahabalipuram on Own
- Stay overnight at Hotel.
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Day 13:Mahabalipuram - Chennai Airport
- Have breakfast at Hotel.
- Check out from Hotel.
- Meet our Chauffeur and drive to Chennai International Airport (MAA) for your homebound flight.
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