South India Temple Tour by Cultural India Tours

Tour Itinerary

Places to See: Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Tanjore - Tirchy - Madurai - Chennai

Duration : 7 Days

Day 1: Chennai. Arrive Madras by international flight. Assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour. Madras, the capital city, popularly regarded as the 'Gateway to the South' represents a culture that is distinctly different from that of northern India.

Day 2: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram. Morning drive to Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram, 70 kms west of Mahabalipuram, this city of thousand temples lies. One of the seven sacred cities of Hindus, it was the capital of the early Cholas as far back as the 2nd century BC. Kanchi was a major seat of Tamil learning as well as an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus. Overnight at the hotel in Covelong.

Day 3: Mahabalipuram - Tanjore. An early departure for Tanjore visiting enroute Pondicherry. Pondicherry - Although the French influence is gradually fading, Pondicherry retains a few Gallic accents. Pondicherry's main sights are the Rai Nivas, the Sacred Heart Church and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.

Day 4: Tanjore - Trichy. Morning sightseeing tour of Tanjore. Tanjore - The home of Carnatic music, musical instruments, dance and traditional handicrafts, Tanjore (Thanjavur) is famous for the Brahadeeswarar Temple. The temple constructed more than a thousand years ago by the Chola King Raja Rajan is an architect's marvel.

Day 5: Trichy - Madurai. Morning visit Rock Fort Temple. 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 6: Madurai - Chennai. Morning sightseeing tour of Madurai 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 yeras old. The city got its name from the drops of nectar (Mathuram) that fell from Shiva's blocs 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.

Day 7: Madurai - Chennai. Transfer to the airport for flight to Madras.