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Day 1) Arrive at Chennai Airport and travel the 60 km to Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram was the major seaport of the ancient Pallava kingdom based at Kanjipuram. Now it is one of South India's most visited historic sights with rocky out carp between the beach and the lagoon. You can spend your time visiting the magnificent temple and ancient history. Some of the major sights are the Shore temple, the Five Rathas known for their marvelous rock carvings and more.
Day 2) Travel to Kanjipuram - 70km distance, 2 hours' drive. Optional day tour or check out from Mahabalipuram and explore the Golden City temples. Kanjipuram was the capital of the Pallava dynasty during the 6th to 8th centuries. You can cover all the important temples and sights in one day: the Ekambareswara temple, the Kamakshi Amman temple, the Vaikunta Perumal temple, the Kailasanatha temple, the Varadaraja Perumal temple and more.
Day 3) Pondichery. Travel 130 km distance to Pondichery, the former capital of the French territory in India.The town is laid out in a grid pattern. The French quarter is separated from the Tamil section of the city by a canal. The Manakula temple is a major tourist destination and pilgrimage site.
Day 4) Drive to Tanjore 160 km, 4 hours' drive. Enroute visit Chidambaram to explore the great temple complex of Nataraja, Lord Shiva as the dancer of the universe. This temple is a major highlight of Dravidian architecture in South India.
Day 5) Tanjore sightseeing.Tanjore was the capital of great Chola Empire and later of Tanjore Nayakas and Maratha rulers. The Chola kings built most of the Tanjore temple. The Chola's also constructed temples in Thiruvaiyaru, Gangaikondacholapuram, Darasuram and contributed the enormous temple complex in Trichy.
The Brihadeswara temple is one of the most prized architectural sights in South India and a UNESCO world heritage monument. If you're lucky, you might also witness an elephant blessing ceremony.
Day 6) On the way to Madurai, visit Trichy which was the capital of early Chola's in the 3rd century B.C. It passed through the hands of the Pallava's, the medieval Cholas, the Pandya's Delhi sultanate and Vijayanagar before. The Madurai Nayaks really brought it to prominence making it a capital in the 17th century and building its famous rock temple.
Trichy is situated on the banks of the rivers Kavery and Kollidam flowing around the Srirangam Island where the Ranganatha Swamy temple stands.
Day 7) Full-day sightseeing in Madurai.
The history of the city goes back to the 6th century B.C. Ancient Madurai is famous for the writers and poets during the last of periods of Sangam (Tamil Academy) nearly 2000 years ago. The Pandyan's major power from 6th century to the beginning of 10th century made Madurai their capital. The Vijayanagar kings were great builders and preserved and enriched the architectural heritage of the town. The Nayaka's laid out the old town in the pattern of a lotus surrounding the Meenakshi temple which stands at the center. Some of the major sights are Meenakshi Amman temple, Thirumalai Nayak's Palace and Mariyamman Theppakkulam.
Day 8) Head to Kerala State. Periyar is the border between Kerala and Tamilnadu and is home to one of the most famous wildlife sanctuary with large numbers of elephants, sambar, wild goar and barking deer as well as 35 to 40 hard to spot tigers. In 1895, a lake was created by the British inside the wildlife sanctuary. Boating facilities are available to see the wild animals.
Day 9) Full-day sightseeing in Periyar, jungle safari, trekking, walking, cultural programs and more.
Day 10) Travel to Alleppey and enjoy the backwaters. Alleppey has a large network of canals passing through the town and is a major center for backwater cruises and the venue for spectacular snake boat races. There are two options for the accommodation: resort or houseboat.
Day 11) Travel to Cochin 70 km. Cochin is one of South India's most interesting towns with a rich history. There are many attractions to explore and many historic buildings to admire such as the St. Francis church, the Santa Cruz Cathedral, the Chinese fishing nets, the Dutch palace, the Synagogue and more.
Day 12) Full-day sightseeing in Cochin. Enjoy an afternoon of shopping and a seafood dinner at one of the many restaurants serving fresh fish and seafood.
Day 13) Drop off at the airport. Leave India with wonderful memories from your tour.
This tour can be customized according to your wishes as far as duration and destinations. Let us know how much time you have available and where you want to go and leave the rest to us. We will design an itinerary specific for you and your group that you will always remember as a great experience in South India.
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