On arrival at Chennai Airport, our representative will meet you and you will be transferred to Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram is a beautiful city located in Tamilnadu and is famous for its artistic and architectural excellence, sandy beaches and casuarinas trees. The city has been named after King Mahabali, who was killed by the Lord Vishnu. It is an ancient historic town and was a busy seaport during the time of Periplus (1st century CE) and Ptolemy (140 CE). Ancient Indian traders who went to the countries of South East Asia sailed from the seaport of Mahabalipuram. The modern city of Mahabalipuram was established by the British Raj in 1827. It has various historic monuments which where built largely between the 7th and 9th centuries, and it has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram was a flourishing port town of Pallava dynasty. The historical monuments of Mahabalipuram give a great opportunity to experience the ambience of bygone eras. On arrival check in at HOTEL for 02 nights. Day free to relax or for your own activities. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast proceed for Mahabalipuram sightseeing which includes Shore temples & Stone Monuments. The Shore Temple built during the reign of the Pallava King Rajasimha (c. 700 - 728), is considered the first stone temple in India, in the transitional period from ancient cave temples to mediaeval stone buildings. Its three sanctuaries are dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. There is a series of freestanding rock temples carved from scattered granite rocks (from one continuous underground rock) in a sandy place some hundreds meters south from the village of Mahabalipuram. Built in the 7th century the glorious temple has three shrines, one dedicated to Lord Shiva and others dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu appears in the reclining form on the Sheshanag. A distinguishing feature of the temple is that it is one of the oldest five storied rock-cut structural temple. The east facing shrine has the sun rays directly falling on the Shiva Linga. This ancient complex is an important pilgrimage site and a classic example of Dravidian architecture. Evening free to relax by the beach or for your own activities. Over night at hotel.
After breakfast check out from the hotel and drive to Pondicherry. Pondicherry covers an area of 480 sq km consisting of four coastal regions of Pondicherry, Karakkal, Yanam and Mahe. These were the French possessions situated on the eastern coast along the three states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala transferred to the Indian Union in 1954. Afternoon proceed for sightseeing to visit the places of Interest include Sree Aurobindo Asharm, the world famous Saint and Philosopher who came to Pondicherry and spent his life time here till death. Auroville, is designed by the French architect Roger Anger. After the sightseeing check into the HOTEL for 01 night. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast check out from the hotel & drive to Tanjore. On arrival check in at HOTEL for 02 nights. Tanjore was once the capital of Chola dynasty of temple builders who ruled South India between 10th and 14th centuries. Tanjore is the "Rice bowl of Tamil Nadu"; and is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Thanjavur is famous for its distinctive art style in painting, which is usually a combination of brazed and painted surfaces. These paintings have the figures and the background richly embellished with gold leaves and gems as ornaments. The town is well known for its historic traditions in art, music, dance and culture and also offers the right blend of modern entertainment. Rest of the day free to relax. Overnight at Hotel.
After breakfast proceed for Tanjavur sightseeing to visit The Nayak Palace, Brihadeeswara temple and Bronze casting by Tanjore craftsman. The Brahadeeshwara temple at Thanjavur - a UNESCO World heritage monument, is an architectural marvel and reflects the artistic skills of the imperial Cholas who ruled peninsular India in the early medieval period. Built by the Chola King Rajaraja-I in the 11th century, it is one of the tallest temples in the world. Thanjavur Palace and the Museum built by Nayaks and Marathas have an artistic elegance that speak of the town's heritage. The Palace houses an Art Gallery, a Library and a Hall of Music. The Art Gallery has an impressive collection of Chola bronze statues from the 9th and 12th centuries. Rest of the day free to relax. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast check out and drive to Madurai. Madurai known as the temple town of South India is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu. One of South India's great temple towns, Madurai is synonymous with the celebrated Meenakshi Temple. Situated on the banks of river Vaigai, Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil era more than 2500 years old. Madurai was an important cultural and commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. It was the capital city for the great Pandya kings. Its skyline is dominated by the 14 colorful gopurams (gateway towers) of Meenakshi Amman Temple. Covered in bright carvings of Hindu gods. On arrival check into HOTEL for 02 nights. Evening visit Meenakshi temple & witness the Pooja ceremony in the temple. Overnight stay at hotel.
After breakfast proceed for sightseeing including visit to Thirumalai Naicker Palace and Gandhi Museum. Thirumalai Nayak Palace of India is an example of architectural grandeur and was built by King Thirumalai Nayak in 1636 AD. The palace was designed by an Italian Architect and served as the residence of the King. It is situated at a distance of 2.5 km from the Meenakshi temple of Madurai. The palace is divided into two major parts, Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa, which include the royal residence, theatre, shrine, apartments, armory, palanquin place, royal bandstand, quarters, pond and garden. The Gandhi Museum of Madurai was established in the loving memory of the Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. It holds great historical importance and was set up by the Gandhi Memorial Trust after the assassination of Bapu in 1948. The museum has been set up in the Palace of Rani Mangammal of Nayak Dynasty. The palace was donated by the Tamil Nadu Government to the trust in 1955, to commemorate the contribution of Gandhi to India. In between the sightseeing you can enjoy the cycle rickshaw ride through the streets. Afternoon is free to relax and for your own activities. Overnight stay at Hotel.
After breakfast check out and you’ll drive through the cardamom hills to Periyar, one of the well maintained wild life sanctuary of South India. On arrival check in at HOTEL for 02 nights. The drive from Munnar to Thekkady will be an unforgettable experience through the cardamom hills and by the valleys and hills. This will be one of the best drive you can have during this tour. Apart from the wildlife in Periyar it is the best place in Kerala where you can see all the spices cultivated in natural surroundings. It is the prime place for the spice plantations like coffee, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, green pepper, areca nut, etc. Moreover the cardamom from Periyar is the best available in India and is world famous. After noon you will be taken to the nearby village where you can see the spices growing naturally. There will be also opportunities to taste some of the spices during the visit. Thereafter you can visit some of the spice markets also. Overnight at resort.
Morning you will be invited for a boat cruise in the lake to watch wild animals Boat cruises make the best option to check out the wilds of Periyar Sanctuary. Animals like Elephants, Wild Boar, and Sambar Deer can be spotted during the boat cruise. Most interesting wildlife experience here would be the sight of elephant herds playing in the lake. The sanctuary is a protected Tiger Reserve and don’t wonder if you see a lone tiger gently walking in the woods. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can see wild animals at close range sitting in the safety of a boat. Later return back to the resort. Later proceed to visit an Elephant place where you will get an opportunity to do the Elephant ride, enjoy Elephant bath and you can feed the Elephant also. Rest of the day free to relax and walk around the interesting place. Evening visit ‘Kathakali’ centre, where you’ll watch the interesting Kathakali costumes followed by performance. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast check out and drive to Kumarakom, one of the most beautiful backwater site in this state. Kumarakom is a paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways and canals adorned with white lilies. Kumarakom is a serenely beautiful and scenic backwater destination, a charming peninsula jutting into the ever-effervescent Vembanad Lake that is dotted with plenty of traditional rice boats and canoes, leaving a scene that is immensely pleasing to the eye. Kumarakom is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. The Vembanad Lake, the largest backwater in Kerala, is habitat for many marine and freshwater fish species and it teems with Karimeen (Pearl spot), shrimp (Chemmeeen in the local language) and prawns. Rest of the day is free to relax and for your own activities. On arrival check into HOTEL for 01 night.
After breakfast check out and drive to Alleppey. On arrival embark in a HOUSE BOAT to go for the cruise through the world famous backwaters of Kerala. Alleppey has a large network of canals and is a center for backwater cruises in our state. The famous Nehru Trophy Boat race - the most colorful of boat races is held here on the second Saturday of August every year. The cruise in a house boat through backwaters is an unforgettable experience and you can enjoy the real Kerala village life. These boats, originally known as Kettuvallam’s were used for carrying goods and there were only limited facilities available in the boats for stay and for food preparations. Now these boats are made very modern and the food prepared in the house boats are very special and is very tasty and fresh. During the cruise you will have opportunities to enjoy typical Kettuvallam meal. During the cruise you can see the ancient temples, floating markets, toddy shops, duck fields etc. as well as you will have stops to go for short walks through the villages. The villagers are normally pleasant and generous to the tourists. In between your cruise you can understand the real village life. Day is free to relax. Overnight in the houseboat.
Morning had a relaxed breakfast on board. After breakfast disembark and drive to Cochin. On arrival check in at HOTEL for 02 nights. Kochi – the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’ is one of the most interesting cities of South India and has one of the finest natural harbour in the world. From time immemorial, the Arabs, British, Chinese, Dutch, and Portuguese have left indelible marks on the history and development of Cochin. Over the years, Cochin has emerged as the commercial and industrial capital of Kerala and is perhaps the second most important city on the west coast of India (after Mumbai/Bombay). The ancient Temples, Churches and Synagogues in this district are of special interest to archeologists and historians. The Chinese fishing nets, the Jewish Synagogue, the Dutch palace and the Bolghatty palace in Kochi enrich the heritage of Kerala. After noon proceed for half day guided sightseeing which includes the visit to St. Francis church, Mattancherry palace, Jewish Synagogue and Chinese fishing nets. St Francis Xavier's Church at Fort Kochi is the oldest European church in India and was built in the year 1503, by the Portuguese traders. Today, it stands as the pride of Fort Cochin. It was here that the great explorer Vasco da Gama was buried first in 1562. His mortal remains were taken back to Portugal by his son 16 years later. Even though it is austere in its appearance, the Mattancherry Palace of Cochin has a quaint charm of its own. The credit for building this landmark monument partly goes to the Dutch, who captured Cochin city of Kerala during the pre-British period. The Jewish Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth Nations. Thus, it comprises the topmost slot in the itinerary of the tourists visiting the city. The synagogue has now a fascinating mixture of shops, warehouses and spice auction rooms around. The Chinese fishing nets make up a very popular tourist attraction since they are fixed land installations, which are used for a very unique and unusual method of fishing. After sightseeing return back to the hotel. Overnight at Hotel.
Day free for your own activities or walk around the interesting place. Evening proceed to Kalari centre to watch the Kalari martial arts demonstration. Kalaripayattu is an Indian martial art and fighting style that originated in modern-day Kerala. Kalaripayattu has different techniques like meipayattu (physical body exercise), vadipayattu (fight using sticks), valpayattu (fight using swords) and verumkaiprayoga (bare hand exercise). Overnight at Hotel.
After breakfast check out from the hotel and proceed to Cochin airport to catch flight after an ever memorable holiday in South India.
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