Day 01 : Arrive Chennai
Arrive
Chennai by international flight. Assistance on arrival and transfer to the
hotel for overnight stay.
Day 02 : Chennai
After breakfast, proceed the tour of Chennai, includes Victoria Art
Gallery, Bronze Gallery and Madras Museum. Continue your drive though Egmore
to George Town stopping at Fort St. George, housing the State Parliament.
Located within the ramparts of the fort is St. Mary's Church, the oldest
Anglican church in Asia, consecrated in 1680 AD. The fort museum features
relics of the raj. Drive along Marina Beach, visiting San Thome Cathedral.
Your final stop is colour Kapaleeswarar Temple, devoted to Lord Shiva.
Overnight in Chennai.
Day 03 : Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram - Chennai
Full day Excursion to Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. Kanchipuram (58 kms),
one of the seven secred cities of India. Visit three of the best temples -
Kailasanatha & Ekambareshwara, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and
Vaikuntaperumal dedicated to lord Vishnu. Kanchipuramis also renowned for
its silk. Continue on to the ancient Pallavan port of Mamallapuram. Later
visit the seventh century rock hewn monuments. The shore temple. Overnight
in Chennai.
Day 04 : Chennai - Pondicherry
After breakfast, drive to Pondicherry, which is 132 kms and 3 hrs drive. A
very miniscule point in the vast east coast of India. On arrival Check-into
Hotel. Afternoon sightseeing visit of Shri Aurobindo Ashram. The ashram
retreat was founded in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo after whose death the spiritual
authority passed to one of his disciples, a French woman known as the
Mother. The Mother was also instrumental in founding the city of Dawn
Auroville, 10 km from Pondicherry. Its original charter aimed at creating a
city of the future where people from India and abroad could live and work
together in a spiritual environment. Overnight at Pondicherry.
Day 05 : Pondicherry - Tanjore
Morning
drive to Tanjore 175 km, 04 hrs drive, visiting en-route temple or Lord
Natraja at Chidambram. On arrival, check-in at the hotel. Later proceed for
sight seeing of Tanjore, the home of Carnatic music, musical instruments,
dance and traditional hadicrafts we will visit Brihadeshwara Fort &
Temple, which is an Chola architectural marvel. Also you will visit
Thanjavur Palace & Museum, which houses a library, museum and art
gallery. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 06 : Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai
After breakfast, drive to Trichy 201 km and 04 hrs and on arrival, visit
Srirangam 5 kms from Trichy, located in an island is Srirangam. Surrounded
by the Kaveri water is a 600 acre island town enclosed within the seven
walls on the gigantic Sri Ranganathaswami temple. There are no less than 22
gopurams, one of which is the tallest in India. The 72 m high 13 tiered
gopuram dominates the landscape for miles around. The Rock Fort situated on
the banks of the Kaveri river, Trichy's most famed land mark is an 84 m high
rock, one of the oldest in the world aprox.3,800 million years. The
attraction is not for fort itself but the temple at the summit. 344 steps
hewn out of rock lead to the top where are the inscriptions dating back to
the 3rd century B.C. Later drive to Madurai and on arrival, check-in at the
hotel. Overnight stay.
Day 07 : Madurai
After breakfast, Madurai, known as Athens of the East, it is the second
largest city on the banks of the River Vigai. The city believed to be more
than 2500 years old. The city got its name from the drops of nectar
(Mathuram) that fell from Shiva's locs when he came to bless its people for
constructing a temple for him. Madurai where the people wake up at the chant
of hymns is proud of magnificent 'The Meenakshi-Sundareswara Temple. Of its
12 gopurams, four of the tallest stand at the outer walls of the temple. The
48.8 m high southern gopuram is the most spectacular and have over 1500
sculptures. Visit Shree Meenakashi temple, a riotously baroque example of
dravidian architecture. Tirumalai Nayak Palace, build in 1636 in
Indi-Saracenic style, and the Gandhi Museam, containing memorabilia of the
father of the nation. Continue to Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank. Built in 1646,
the tank is fed by underground channels from the Varigai River. Overnight in
Madurai.
Day 08 : Madurai - Kanyakumari
Drive
to Kanya Kumari, 280 km and 05 hours drive. Arrive Kanyakumari, check into
hotel. Evening watch spectacular sunset from the beach. Overnight at hotel.
Day 09 : Kanyakumrai - Kovalam
Morning visit Kanya Kumari. The tip of peninsular India where 3 seas
-Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal meet. Visit Kanyakumari
Temple, Gandhi Memorial, Vivekananda Memorial. Afternoon drive to Kovalam
enroute visiting Padmanabhapuram Palace_well known for wooden works. Check
into hotel for overnight stay.
Day 10 : Kovalam
Day free to relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel
Day 11 : Kovalam - Trivandrum - Periyar
Morning drive to Periyar (195 kms / 4 hrs) enroute visiting Trivandrum.
Periyar, spread over an area of 777 sq km, this sanctuary has about 35
tigers and leopards. However, sighting a tiger in Periyar is a fortune for
one out of thousand. The park encompasses a 26 sq km artificial lake and is
the home of sambars, wild boars, elephants and antelopes which can be
occasionally seen on the banks of the river during a boat cruise. Periyar,
otherwise, blessed by Nature has enormous tea, coffee, pepper and cardamom
plantations and is lush green. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 12 : Periyar
Morning boat cruise on Lake Periyar to view wildlife. Afternoon visit spice
plantations
Day 13 : Periyar - Kumarakom
After breakfast, drive to Kumarakom, 136 kms and 03 hrs. Afternoon visit
Kumarakom Bird sanctuary. Overnight at hotel.
Day 14 : Board houseboat
Morning free to explore the place. Morning embark
Kerala Houseboat "Kettuvalam"
at Kumarakom. While sailing through canals and backwaters you can enjoy
natural beauty of Kerala and village life. All meals and dinner on board.
Day 15 : Arrive Alleppey - Cochin
After
breakfast, leisurely cruise towards Alleppey finishing point jetty.
Disembark the houseboat. Upon arrival drive to Cochin, 9:30 hours and drive
to Cochin. Rest of the day free. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 16 : Cochin
Morning sight seeing of Cochin including Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue,
Chinese Fishing nets, St. Francis Church etc. Afternoon free. Evening
witness the Kathakail Dance Show.
Day 17 : Cochin - Ooty drive
After breakfast, drive to Ooty, 280 kms and 06 hrs drive. Upon arrival
transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day is free for leisure. Overnight stay
at the hotel.
Day 18 : Ooty
After breakfast, sight seeing of Ooty, an integral part of the great
plateau occupying the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats. Located at
2240m above sea level, Ooty is the headquarters of the Nilgris district.
Apart from coffee and tea plantations, trees like confiers, eucalyptus, pine
and the wattle dot the hillside in Ooty and its environ. The places of
interest in Ooty include Botanical Gardens where "summer Festival"
is held each during the month of May: the artificial lake and Dodabetta Peak
which is the highest point in the district at a height of 2623m. 17 km from
Ooty is the first of these hills stations. Coonoor is a small town with an
equable climate that has made it popular as hill resort. Tea and Tourism
Festival is held here during Dec-Jan. the main attraction is the Sim's Park,
a small well maintained botanical garden that has several varieties of
plants not to be found in other hill stations. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 19 : Ooty - Mysore
After breakfast, drive to Mysore, 155 kms and 03 hrs drive. On arrival,
check-in at the hotel. Later proceed for sightseeing tour of Mysore. Mysore,
770 m above sea level, this imperial city was the erstwhile capital of the
Wodeyars. The legend takes its name from a famous demon called Mahishasur, a
great warrior who ruled as a tyrant until he was killed by the goddess
Chamundeshwari. Visit the palace of the Maharaja built in 1911 - 1912. The
palace is of harmonious syntheses of the Hindu and saracenic styles of
architecture with archways, domes, turrets, colonnades and sculptures which
are magnificent. Visit the Art Gallery; drive up to Chamundi hill to see
Chamundeshwari Temple and a panoramic view of Mysore. On the way back, see
the Nandi Bull. Overnight in Mysore.
Day 20 : Mysore
Full
day tour visiting Mysore Palace, St. Philomena's Church, Shri
Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery, Mysore Zoo, Chamundeshwari Temple, Krishna
Raja Sagar Dam, Vrindavan Garden, Srirangpattnam, Sangam Ranganathittu,
Somnathpur, Cauvery Fishing Camp etc. Overnight at hotel
Day 21 : Mysore - Bangalore
Morning drive to Bangalore (140 kms / 3 hrs) and visit Bull Temple, Fort &
Tippu's Palace, Ulsoor Lake, Lal Bagh, Venkatappa Art Gallery, Cubbon Park,
Vidhana Soudha, Venkatappa Art Gallery etc.
Day 22 : Bangalore / Out
Transfer to airport to connect flight for onward destination.
