Tour Date
- Start : 9 February 2025
- End : 18 February 2025
State
- Thamilnadu ,India
9 Nights & 10 Days-Raining Temples
Closest Airport to begin : Chennai
Closest Airport to depart : Chennai
Day 9 February 2025
Place Chennai
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour`
Madras', christened to `Chennai' in 1996 – the old Tamil name. Founded by the British in 1640, Chennai is today the capital of Tamil Nadu & one of India's most prosperous & busiest cities. Chennai is the starting point for a trip across some of the finest sculpted & brilliantly carved temples in India & built during different periods of history, from ancient to current day modern. A couple of interesting forts, coupled with a visit to a former French Colony add to the variety
Day 10 February 2025
Place Chennai
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour
Chennai is renowned for the San Tome Cathedral containing a relic of St. Thomas – apostle of Christ & killed on a hill in Chennai in 72 C.E. The 7th century Kapaleeshwar Temple, Georgetown (Fort St George, attributed to the British), Chennai Museum housing a large collection of Bronze Statues & the Parthasarathi Temple rounds up a day of impressive sightseeing
Day 11 February 2025
Place Mahabalipuram
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour
Named after Pallava ruler, nicknamed Mamalla or the Great Wrestler, this sea shore town is acclaimed for 7th to 9th century monuments – like the Shore Temple, Arjuna's Penance (World Heritage site) & Pancha Ratha (Five Chariot) Temples.
Day 12 February 2025
Place Puducherry
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour
A former French settlement, Puducherry is a convenient base for visiting Auroville . Lined with avenues & boutique hotels, the Union Territory has rare French colonial buildings & long promenades. Be enthralled by a visit to Aurobindo Ashram founded by Aurobindo Ghosh –poet & philosopher & Ganesh Temple,Scared heart church & Promenade . Lunch best enjoyed at specialty cafes serving French & Creole as well as Asian cuisine & included.
Day 13 February 2025
Place Puducherry
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour
Visit Auroville where an international community lives & works together. If permitted, visit Mother's Shrine. Enjoy splendid views of Pondi Beach
Day 14 February 2025
Place Chidambaram
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour
Chidambaram, Kumbakonam & Darasuram – jewels in the Chola Heartland not to be missed. Acclaimed for its 12th century Nataraja Temple, the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is an artist's delight. Best known for the cosmic dance bronze statue of Shiva & the `lingam' in the inner most sanctum of this temple. The shrine at Saranagpani has a 44 meter tall entrance tower & is the largest temple at Kumbakonam. A huge sacred tank brings in thousands of devotees once every twelve years when the planet `Jupiter passes over Leo' & forms part of your sightseeing program. The trilogy of the Great Chola Temples ends at the superbly carved & decorated Airateswara Temple built during the 12th century at Darasura. Beautifully carved figurines, sculpted pillars, outstanding friezes on outer & inner walls dominate this impressive monument.
Day 15 February 2025
Place Chettinad
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour
Drive to Thanjavur & visit the mathematically correct 10th century Chola, Brihadeswara Temple, an engineering marvel. The temple has the highest tower (62 meters) in India. Built from an 80 tonne single block of granite, the dome had a 6.5 km ramp built to transport material to the top. A variety of sculptures and inscriptions dot the temple walls, most famous of which is dancers displaying the 81 different poses of the Bharat Natyam dance.Overnight at a mansion house in Chetinad, just 14 kms from Thanjavur. The land of Chettiars – rich merchants who were gem & salt merchants as well as ship chandlers, the community left its mark building huge mansions – embellished on the outside, but minimal & simple inside. Try out the delicately spiced Chettinad food served on banana leafs for dinner.
Day 16 February 2025
Place Madurai
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour
Life in Madurai centres around Meenakshi Temple built by the Pandya dynasty before being destroyed the Sultans & rebuilt by the Nayaks in the mid 17th century.
Day 17 February 2025
Place Madurai
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour
Teeming with gateways Meenakshi is one of the few temples dedicated to a female goddess. What distinguishes Meenakshi from the rest are the sculptures covering every nook & corner of the tall gopurams (gateways) that also served as watchtowers & are surrounded by high walls. Pilgrims converge in by the thousands, especially during January-February when the two idols of Sundareshwar & Meenakshi are taken to a water tank in a decorated raft to enable devotees get a view of the presiding deities. Later visit the 1000 pillared hall (985 pillars in actual) having many musical columns that resonate when tapped with classical music notes. Round off your trip with a visit to Nayak's Palace. Watch Madurai's history unfold in an impressive courtyard surrounded by stucco pillars.
Day 18 February 2025
Place Chennai
Mode Mini Coach
Highlights of your tour
Flight from Madurai to Chennai An engrossing journey comes to an eventful end.
Price per person on twin sharing basis USD 2900/-
Single Supplement USD 800/-
Inclusions
- Accommodation on twin/double sharing basis with breakfast & dinner at four star/ heritage hotels
- Domestic airfare – Madurai to Chennai
- Air-conditioned coach with chauffeur from Chennai Airport to Madurai Airport
- Sightseeing of monuments & local tours with English speaking guide
- Hector Dsouza will accompany this program
- SIM Cards worth Rs 2000 for your tour
- One culinary demo during tour
- Entrance fees to monuments
- Interaction with a Bharat Natyam Dancer – afternoon session
Exclusions
- Lunch
- Expenses of a personal nature
- Any item not specifically mentioned as `included' in tour program
- Any increase in taxes or fuel, leading to increase in surface transportation
- Optional items mentioned in program
Booking Terms & Conditions
- If you are interested, send us a deposit of USD 500 to block your seat. This amount is non-refundable
- If you are single & willing to share, we will help find you a person from the group also willing to share
- Balance payment to be made 75 days before tour commences