Itenary Details

DAY01 Arrive Chennai

Arrive Chennai, Meet and greet on arrival and transfer to hotel. On arrival check in Hotel-Rest of the day free Chennai formerly Madras is the capital city of the Indian state Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal, it is the biggest industrial and commercial centre in South India, and a major cultural, economic and educational centre. Chennai architecture is a confluence of many architectural styles. From ancient Dravidian temples built by the Pallavas, to the Indo-Saracenic style of the colonial era, to 20th-century steel and chrome of skyscrapers. Overnight stay at hotel.

DAY02 Chennai-Mahabalipuram

After Breakfast enjoy a sightseeing tour, visiting Fort St George, San Thome Cathedral, the National Art Gallery and the Government Museum. Next, travel to Dakshinachitra - a unique heritage centre for the living traditions of art, craft and architecture of India.Afterwards journey to Mahabalipuram, once the main port of the Pallava Kingdom and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, this ancient city showcases some of India's finest rock-cut art and architecture.

Mahabalipuram lies on the Coromandel Coast which faces the Bay of Bengal. This is an elegant place to watch which a well established sea port was during the 7th and 10th centuries of the Pallava dynasty. This was the second capital of the Pallavas who ruled Kanchipuram. Formerly, mahabalipuram was known and called as Mahabalipuram. The former name of this place ‘Mahabalipuram’ has a history.On arrival check in Hotel Afternoon proceed for a sightseeing tour of Mahabalipuram which includes, Arjuna Penance,Shore temple and Five Rathas. Mahabalipuram was the earlier name of Mamallapuram because the demon king Mahabali was killed by Lord Vishnu. The name was changed later by the king of Pallava Narashima Varman who has got the title of Mamalla; the great wrestler.Mahabalipuram lies on the Coromandel Coast which faces the Bay of Bengal. This is an elegant place to watch which a well established sea port was during the 7th and 10th centuries of the Pallava dynasty. This was the second capital of the Pallavas who ruled Kanchipuram. Formerly, mahabalipuram was known and called as Mahabalipuram. The former name of this place ‘Mahabalipuram’ has a history.Evening visiting to an ARTISAN village to witness the engraving of sculptures in rock. Return back and overnight stay at hotel.

DAY03 Mahabalipuram-Kancheepuram-Mahabalipuram

After Breakfast proceed for a Day return excursion to Kancheepuram. Kanchipuram is known as the "city of a thousand temples". The 192 feet high temple tower of Ekamabaranadhar temple and the 100-pillar mandabam (building) in Varadaraja Perumal temple in this town are famous, and are considered marvels of the architectural techniques of the Vijayanagara dynasty. The British Viceroy Robert Clive, who is responsible for the British rule in India, had exclaimed the architectural techniques of Varadharaja perumal temple and presented a fabulous jewelry to this temple. Today, apart from its temples, this city is famous for Silk sarees. Return to Mahablipuram. Overnight stay at hotel.

DAY04 Mahablipuram-Pondicherry

After Breakfast drive to Pondicherry and on arrival check in hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Pondicherry.A French colony until 1954, this coastal town retains a number of colonial buildings, churches, statues, and systematic town planning, as well as urban architecture of the local Tamil style. As such the town has been dubbed "The Europe of India". The town struggles to preserve what little remains of the ambiance once created by this unique mix of cultural heritage.The Sri Aurobindo Ashram is a well known and wealthy ashram in India, with devotees from India and all over the world flocking to it for spiritual salvation. Its spiritual tenets represent a synthesis of yoga and modern science. The Ashram was founded in 1926 bySri Aurobindo Ghose, an Indian freedom fighter, poet, philosopher, and yogi.Overnight stay at hotel.

DAY05 Pondicherry-Chidambaram-Gangaikondacholapuram-Tanjore

After Breakfast drive Tanjore en route visiting Chidambaram. The town is believed to be of significant antiquity and has been ruled, at different times, The town is known for the Thillai Nataraja Temple, and the annual chariot festival held in the month of April.As per Hindu legend, god Shiva was strolling in Thillai Vanam,where resided a group of sages who believed in the supremacy of magic and that god can be controlled by rituals and mantras. Shiva wanted to test the sages and strolled in the forest with assuming the form of Bhikshatana The sages gathered all their spiritual strength and invoked a powerful demon a symbol of complete arrogance and ignorance. Shiva wore a gentle smile, stepped on the demon's back, immobilized him and performed the Ánanda Tandava (the dance of eternal bliss) and disclosed his true form. The sages surrendered and understood the ultimate realization that god cannot be controlled by the rituals.

GangaikondaCholapuram was erected as the capital of the Cholas by Rajendra Chola Iwho conquered a large area in South India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Sumatra, Kadaram (Kedah in Malaysia) at the beginning of the 11th century A.D. It occupies an important place in the history of India. As the capital of the Cholas from about 1025 A.D. for about 250 years, the city controlled the affairs of entire southern India, The Gangaikondaan temple is an architectural and engineering marvel because the shadow of the main tower never falls on the ground throughout the year.Proceed to Tanjore visiting Kumbakonam and Dharasuram Temples.

DAY06 Tanjore Visit & Over/Night Train Journey To Mysore

After Breakfast proceed for a sightseeing tour of Tanjore. Thanjavur is an important centre of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Great Living Chola Temples, which are UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, are located in and around Thanjavur. The foremost among these, the Brihadeeswara Temple, is located in the centre of the city. Thanjavur is also home to Tanjore painting, a painting style unique to the region. The city is an important agricultural centre located in the Cauvery Delta and is known as the "Rice bowl of Tamil NaduLate Afternoon Transfer to Tanjure Railway Station to connect Over Night Train Journey to Mysore.

DAY07 Arrive At Mysore

Mysore. On arrival at Mysore Railway Station meet and transfer to Hotel.The Kingdom of Mysore was ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty, except for a brief and illustrious period in the late 18th century when Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan were the distinguished rulers. Patrons of art and culture, the Wodeyars contributed significantly to the cultural growth of the city. The cultural ambience and achievements of Mysore earned it the sobriquet Cultural capital of Karnataka.

Mysore is called the City of Palaces because of several ornate examples in the city. Among the most notable are Amba Vilas, popularly known as Mysore Palace; Jaganmohana Palace, which also serves as an art gallery; Rajendra Vilas, also known as the summer palace; Lalitha Mahal, which has been converted into a hotel; and Jayalakshmi Vilas.[The main palace of Mysore was burned down in 1897, and the present-day structure was built on the same site. Amba Vilas palace exhibits an Indo-Saracenic style of architecture on the outside, but a distinctly Hoysala style in the interior.Even though the Government of Karnataka maintains the Mysore palace, a small portion has been allocated for the erstwhile Royal family to live in. The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion was constructed by Sri Chamaraja Wodeyar for his daughter Jayalakshammanni. It is now a museum dedicated to folk culture and artifacts of the royal family. After Breakfast proceed for a Day return excursion to Somnathpur and Srirengapatna. Somanathapur is a town located 35 km from the historic Mysore city. Somanathapura is famous for the Chennakesava Temple built by Soma, Dandanayaka (commander) in 1268 CE under Hoysala Empire King Narasimha III, when the Hoysalas were the major power in South India.The Keshava temple is one of the finest and most complete examples of Hoysala architecture and is in a very well preserved condition. The temple is in the care of the Archeological Survey of India as a protected heritage site.

Srirangapattana was the scene of the last and decisive battle fought between Tipu Sultan and a combined force of 50,000 men provided equally by the Nizam of Hyderabad and the East India Company under the overall command of General George Harris. This battle was the last engagement of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. The Battle of Seringapatam, 1799, was truly momentous in its historic effects.At the battle's climax, Tipu Sultan was killed within the fort of Seringapatam, betrayed by one of his own confidants; the spot where he ultimately fell is marked by a memorial. For the last time in history,Evening visit MYSORE PALACE and later visit the biggest and colour ful flower/fruits market in South India. Return to hotel for overnight stay.

DAY08 MYSORE-OOTY

Ooty  or Udhagamandalam, The "Queen of hill station" is the capital of Nilgiri district. It is one of the best tourist resorts. Nilgiris is called as "Blue Mountains".The name Nila, we know to have been used over 800 years ago since,the King of the Hoysalas Vishnu Vardhana, who ruled from 1104 to 1141 A.D. seized the Nilgiris Plateau.His general Ponisia recorded this fact in 1117 A.D. with mention of Todas.The name Nilgiri was due to the blue haze which envelopes the range with most distant hills of considerable size.This Nilgiri territory came into possession of East India Company as part at the ceded lands, held by Tipu Sultan, by the treaty of Srirangapatnam in 1799. Rev. Jacome Forico, a priest was the first European who visited Nilgiris in 1603 and released his notes about the place and people of Nilgiris. In 1812 surveyor William Keys and Macmohan visited the top of the plateau. In 1818, Wish and Kindersley. Again in May 1819 he came to the Hill of Ooty and began the construction of his bungalow at Dimbhatti (near Kotagiri), The first European dwelling on the hills. Then the Collector John Sullivan laid path from Sirumugai (near-Mattupalayam) to Dimbhatti in 1829 and the work was completed in May 1823. The Best route up to Coonoor was laid in 1830-32. Ootacamund remained still undiscovered.

After Breakfast drive Ooty en route visiting Chamundy Hill & Temple, Bandipur And Mudumalai Wild Life Sanctuary, On Arrival Check in at the Hotel. This Sanctuarys lies at an elevation of 1140 mts in the junction point of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and extends over and area of 321 sq.kms.A variety of habitats ranging from tropical ever green forest, moist teak forest, secondary grass lands and swamps are found. Panther, Sambar,spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Wild boar,Porcupine etc. The avifauna is varied with Minivets. Hornbills, Fairy Blue Birds, Jungle Fowls etc. The Reptilions are represented by Python, MonitorLizard, Flying Lizard, etc. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Ooty for visit Botanical Garden,Lake and Hill Stations etc.

Botanical garden:This garden was laid out earlier by Marquis of Tweedale, the then governor of Madras in 1847. This garden covers an area of 22 acres. A fossil tree trunk of 20 million years is preserved here. The flora of the garden consist of six section comprising varieties of tree species, grass carpet, variety of ferns, fashioned beds laid beds laid out in an Italian style, multi coloured flowering plants, house ferns and orchids and nurseries. This garden will create tourist's mind a memorable one. Return to hotel for overnight stay.

DAY09 Ooty-Cochin

Arrive Kochi-After Breakfast drive to Cochin ,or Kochi, more familiarly, Cochin is a city of many parts. Around for a long, long time, Kochi played a pivotal role in the development of shipping and trade in the region. Kochi's prime location on the west coast, its fine bay and protected harbor made it popular with seafarers and merchant ships who made frequent stops to stock up on spices, coffee and wood en route to the rich markets of Europe and West Asia. And so down the ages, Kochi prospered as a busy port city and commercial centre. Its seafront is still extremely relevant to Cochin and to India: In the evening, you will be taken to a Kathakali dance centre where you will witness the most elaborate of the dance forms in southern India. Overnight stay at hotel.

DAY10 Cochin City Tour-Alleppey Backwaters

After Breakfast proceed for the sightseeing tour by visiting Mattancherry and visit the oldest Jewish Synagogue (Closed on Fridays Saturdays & All the Jewish holidays) in India, built in 1568; it was destroyed by the Portuguese and rebuilt by the Dutch a century later. You will also visit The Dutch Palace (Closed on Fridays) ‐ which was built in 1555 Continue your drive to Chinese fishing nets. The cantilevered fishing nets line the entrance to the harbour mouth. Your next stop will be St. Francis Church, originally named after Santo Antonio and dedicated to him as the Patron Saint of Portugal; St. Francis Church is the first church to have been in the new European influenced tradition. Originally a wooden building was replaced by the present stone building. Vasco De Gamma died on the site in 1524.After Tour drive to Alleppey Check in House Boat.On arrival board in to a traditional Kettuvallam HOUSE BOAT for cruises and overnight stay . Houseboats in Kerala, are huge, slow-moving barges used for leisure trips. They are a reworked model of Kettuvallams , Kettu means "tied with ropes", and vallammeans "boat"), which, in earlier times,used carry rice and spices The popularity of Kettuvallams has returned in the function as major tourist attractions.Such a houseboat is about 60 to 70 feet (18 to 21 m) long and about 15 feet (4.6 m) wide at the middle. The hull is made of wooden planks that are held together by ropes of coconut fiber; the usual wood is 'Anjili'. The roof is made of bamboo poles and palm leaves. Cruises with all food and overnight stay on board.

DAY11 Alleppey-Kovalam

After Breakfast disembark from House boat and then drive to Kovalam. On arrival check in a Beach Resort.