12 Days/11 Nights

ITINERARY

Sightseeing of the famous World Heritage Monuments of 'The Shore Temple' (built in the 7th century), 'The Arjuna's Penance' (Bass Relief), 'The Five Rathas' (symbolises equality of men & women) and many other Cave Temples.
(Overnight at hotel in Mamallapuram)

After breakfast check out of the hotel and drive to Tiruvannamalai, an important Shivaite town of over a hundred temples. On arrival, check in to the hotel and later, proceed for sightseeing visiting the most outstanding temple: the Siva - Parvathi Temple of Arunachaleswar, which is said to be the largest in India. The main Gopuram is 66 meters and 13 storeys high, and there is a 1000-pillared hall.
(Overnight at hotel in Tiruvannamalai)

Check out of the hotel in the afternoon and drive to Pondicherry. On arrival check in to hotel. (Overnight at hotel in Pondicherry)

After breakfast, proceed for sightseeing of Pondicherry - a former French enclave that is especially famous because of the mystic Sri Aurobindo: followers founded temples, Ayurvedic clinics and a number of other businesses here. Pondicherry is a former French colony on the sea with French street names, croissants and Indian policemen in French-like uniforms. Visit to the Aurobindo ashram there. Later visit Auroville, 'the universal town'.
(Overnight at hotel in Pondicherry)

Departing after breakfast, we drive through unexplored villages to reach Vaitheeswaran Koil, a small village with a temple as the nucleus is home to the planet Mars. There is a strong belief among the locals that the Temple cures them of their ailments and the name means 'Temple of the Healer'. Palm reading is also famous there. An ancient form of astrology claims that all the facts of every human alive is available with them. This astonishes many who visit here and some are disappointed, as their leaf is not locatable. We stay here for one nights by a clean hotel near the temple.
(Overnight at hotel in Vaitheeswaran Koil)

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to Kumbakonam. Enroute visit of Gangaikondacholapuram, the famous Shiva temple with beautiful high towers full of small sculptures depicting stories of old epics. Then proceed to visit Darasuram temple (built in memory of the White elephant - AIRAVATH from the gods family), the temple has its original name as "Airavatheshwar temple". Further drive to Kumbakonam.
(Overnight at hotel in Kumbakonam)

Check out of the hotel after breakfast and drive to Tanjore. Enroute visit of the church "Our lady of Good Health" of Valankanni. The shrine here is dedicated to Our Lady of Health, the Madonna of Velankanni and is popularly known as 'Sacred Arogya Matha Church'. Virgin Mary is believed to have miraculous healing powers. Thousands of pilgrims belonging to various castes and communities flock daily to this 'Lourdes of the East', christians of course, but also hindus!
On arrival in Kumbakonam, check in to the hotel and after refreshment, proceed for a sightseeing tour of Tanjore 'the Chola citadel' visiting the world famous Brihadeshwar temple (which houses one of Asia's biggest nandis -bulls). The temple built by the cholas is very special for its architecture. The most exciting is that the temple does not have a shadow falling on the ground at any time of the day but it falls on its own body. Then visit the Bronze gallery at the Palace Museum. Further we visit a village on the outskirts of Tanjore to have a glance at people making Bronze Statues. (Overnight at hotel in Tanjore)

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to Trichy. On arrival, check in to the hotel. Then on proceed for a sightseeing tour of Trichy, a town situated on the banks of river Cauvery visiting the famous "Sriranganathaswami temple" at Srirangam. The most revered of the 108 pilgrimage shrines of Vishnu, and the largest temple complex in all India, it is surrounded by seven concentric walls (the outermost wall having a perimeter of over 3 kilometers) and 21 towers called "Gopurams". The most attractive among the Gopuras is the one at the entrance with lot of colors. It is one of the tallest among many other temple towers in Tamil Nadu. Srirangam enshrines a statue of Vishnu reclining on a great serpent. Then we visit the 'Rock Fort Temple' in the main town. A 437 rock-cut steps will take you to the Ganesh Shrine on top of this rock. A view of the entire Trichy town from here is breathtaking. (Overnight at hotel in Trichy)

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to reach the oldest city of Tamil Nadu, Madurai. On arrival, check in to the hotel. After a quick refreshment, proceed for the sightseeing of Madurai, visiting the Sri Meenakshi Temple, where thousands of priests and worshippers come daily, where people are blessed by a temple elephant and where astrologists read the stars and your hand. You can also get your fortune read by parrots that pick tarot cards out of a pile. All the believers bathe themselves in the temple baths. The temple houses a 1000-pillared hall, which is one of the major attractions. Later proceed to visit other places of interest such as the 'Gandhi Museum' & 'Mariamman Theppakulam'. Madurai is also a great place to look for bronze statues, carpets or other souvenirs. In the evening return to the Meenakshi temple for the ceremony with a fanfare, where God Shiva's statue is lead to the bedroom of his wife, Meenakshi.
(Overnight at hotel in Madurai)

After breakfast, proceed to Rameswaram. one of the most sacred towns of India, Rameswaram is well known for its temple corridor - the longest in India, the Bathing Ghat, Ganthamathana Parvatham, Kothandaramar temple, Kurusadai and other nearby islands - abundant with coral reefs and other marine wonders. The epic Ramayana hallows Rameswaram. A devout Hindu who visits Varanasi is expected to visit Rameswaram also for the culmination of his quest for salvation. Rama sanctified this place by worshipping Lord Siva after the war against Ravana. Therefore, it is held sacred by Sivaites and Vishnavites as well. It is required for hindus to bathe in the 21 wells of Rameshwaram to purify their karma and start anew with their next life. In the afternoon, drive back to Madurai. (Overnight at hotel in Madurai)

Morning at leisure. Check out of the hotel and board the flight to Chennai. On arrival at Chennai, connecting flight. The tour ends today with a transfer to the airport.