Day - 1 » Departure from Country
Departure from your own Country.
Day - 2 » Arrive Chennai(Madras)
Arrive Chennai(Madras). Transfer to Hotel. Overnight Chennai(Madras).
Day - 3 » Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram
Full day tour of Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram (Checkout from the hotel
at 1200 hrs).
Kanchipuram (64 kms from Chennai(Madras)) is the ancient capital of the
Pallavas famous as a city of 1000 Temples and still has 124 shrines. The
first temple dedicated to Shiva was built in the 7th and 8th century and has
paintings on the walls. Temples of Ekambaswara, Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi
and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for its
silks.
The city of Mahabalipuram is famous for the seven pagodas. Here on the
seashore is an interesting group of ancient rock hewn temples which are the
examples of Dravidian style of Architecture. Evening transfer to
rail-station for Trichy night train. Night on board.
Day - 4 » Trichy
Morning arrive Trichy and transfer to hotel. Afternoon tour of Trichy.
Trichy was the citadel of the Chola dynasty in the medieval period. In the
18th century it witnessed the Carnatic wars fought between the French and
the English. Lord Robert Clive's house is still there to see and so is the
Danish Church. The Rock-Fort is the landmark of Trichy. A climb of 434 steps
leads to the ancient temple of Ganapati on top and a further climb to a
Shiva temple. Overnight Trichy.
Day - 5 » Madurai
Morning drive to Madurai visiting Tanjore enroute. At Tanjore, the beautiful
Chola Temple of Brihadeshwara is capped by a monolithic cupola made of a
single granite block weighing 80 tons which was taken to the top with the
help of a 6 km long ramp, an old technique used by the Egyptians for
building pyramids. Its bronzes and handicrafts make Tanjore one of the
highlights of a visit to South India. Overnight Madurai.
Day - 6 » Madurai
Morning visit the great Meenakshi Temple dedicated to the consort of Lord
Shiva with its towering gopurams (rising high above the surrounding country
side). Later, visit the Tirumala Nayak Palace - A gracious building in the
Indo saracenic style, famous for the Stucco work on its domes & arches.
Also visit the Alagar Hills and Tirupara Kundran Rock temple. Afternoon
free. Overnight Madurai.
Day - 7 » Periyar
Morning drive to Periyar National Park . Set up in 1934,it extends to 777
square kms & forms part of the high mountain ranges, the Western Ghats.
Wild life can be seen while cruising on Periyar Lake in a motor boat.
Amongst the animals which can be seen are elephants, wild boar, sambar,
tiger, leopard, wild dog, langur monkeys, etc. Overnight Periyar.
Day - 8 » Cochin
Drive to Cochin. Overnight Cochin.
Day - 9 » Cochin
Morning tour of Cochin. Cochin is the natural harbour created by the famed
underwater Malabar mud-banks whose quality ensures that the rougher the seas
are outside the calmer the waters are within the Harbour. Vasco-de-Gama
placed it on the world map. It has a Jewish synagogue, Portuguese churches,
mosques & Hindu temples. Watch the Chinese Fishing Nets. Afternoon free.
Overnight Cochin.
Day - 10 » Flight for Bangalore
Morning transfer to airport for Bangalore flight. Arrive Bangalore and
drive directly to Mysore. Overnight Mysore.
Day - 11 » Belur - Halebid
Full day excursion to Belur and Halebid. The Chenna Kesava temple of Belur
built 900 years ago is an exquisite example of Hoysala art. Halebid's 12th
century Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples are master pieces of Hindu art.
On the return, if time permits, visit Sravanbelgola. At Sravanbelgola, hewn
out of a single rock and visible from a distance of 25 kms is the statue of
Lord Gomteshwara which is bathed with milk and honey once every 12 years.
Overnight Mysore.
Day - 12 » Mysore
Morning 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 upto Chamundi hill to see
Chamundeshwari Temple and a panoramic view of Mysore. On the way back, see
the Nandi Bull. Afternoon free. Overnight Mysore.
Day - 13 » Chennai
Transfer to rail-station for Chennai(Madras) train. Arrive and transfer to
Hotel.
Day - 14 » Chennai
Morning free. Check-out at 1200 hrs. Transfer to airport for return flight.
