South India Tour From Chennai
Duration : 15 Night/16 Days
DAY 01 ARRIVE AT BANGALORE /
On arrival at Bangalore Airport, meet and transfer to hotel for 01 night
stay. Bangalore, often referred to as the 'Garden City' is known for its
numerous parks and avenues. Afternoon, sightseeing tour of Bangalore
covering Tipu Sultan's Palace, Bull Temple, Lalbagh Gardens, Cubbon Park&
Museum and Vidhana Soudhawhich houses both the State Legislature and the
Secretariat. Overnight stay at Bangalore.
DAY 02 BANGALORE - MYSORE /
After breakfast, drive to Mysore. The capital of a
former princely state, Mysore is a city of palaces and gardens and is
famous for its silk, sandalwood and jasmine. En route, visit Summer Palace
of Tipu Sultan, Srirangapatnam and Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary. On
arrival, check into the hotel for 02 nights. Evening free to explore the
colorful bazaars. Overnight stay at Mysore
DAY 03 MYSORE /
Morning, city tour including Mysore Maharaja's
Palace, which is one of the biggest in India. Later, visit the Nandi Bull
and Chamundi Hills. Rest of the day, free to relax. Overnight stay at
Mysore.
DAY 04 MYSORE - OOTY /
After breakfast, proceed to Ooty, referred to as the
'Queen of Blue Mountains' and located at a height of 2,286 m. On arrival,
check into the hotel for 01 night stay. Afternoon, visit popular
attractions including the Botanical Gardens, Lake Doddabetta, Mukurti Peak
and tea plantations. Overnight stay at Ooty.
DAY 05 OOTY - COCHIN /
Morning, you can opt for a toy train ride through
the hills. Drive to Cochin and on arrival, check into hotel for 02 nights'
stay. Cochin, the 'Queen of the Arabian Sea' has one of the finest natural
harbors in the world. The ancient churches, palaces and synagogues in this
city are famous. Evening, go for a motorboat cruise to watch the sunset
and the Chinese fishing nets. Overnight stay at Cochin.
DAY 06 COCHIN /
After breakfast, go for half-day sightseeing tour of
Cochin covering the Dutch Palace (closed on Fridays), which was built by
the Portuguese in 1555 and was presented to the Raja of Cochin as a
gesture of goodwill. The Jewish Synagogue (closed on Fridays & Saturdays)
was originally constructed in 1568, but was destroyed by Portuguese in
1662.Thiswas rebuilt two years later when the Dutch took over Cochin. The
St. Francis Church, said to be India's oldest European-built church was
constructed in 1503. Having died in Cochin in 1524, Vasco da Gama was
buried here for 14 years before his remains were taken to Lisbon.Afternoon
at leisure. Late evening, drive to the Cultural Centre to enjoy the
Kathakali dance show. Overnight stay at Cochin
DAY 07 COCHIN - ALLEPPEY /
After breakfast, drive to Alleppey where you will
check into a Houseboat at 1200 hrs for night cruise towards Kumarakom.
Alleppey has large networks of canals and is the centre for backwater
cruises in our state. During the cruise, you can stop for short walks
through the nearby villages, enjoying local life. Meals will be served on
board. Overnight stay in Houseboat.
DAY 08 ALLEPPEY - KUMARAKOM /
Arrive at Kumarakom around 0930 hrs after a relaxing
breakfast on board. Check into the backwater resort for O1 night stay.
Rest of the day at leisure for own activities. You can opt for an
Ayurvedic Full Body Massage at the resort. Overnight stay at Kumarakom.
DAY 09 KUMARAKOM - THEKKADY /
Early morning, you can opt to visit the nearby bird
sanctuary. After breakfast, drive to Thekkady, the land of unending chains
of hills and spice scented plantations. It houses the famous wildlife
sanctuary in South India and has also been declared as a Tiger Reserve. On
arrival, check into the hotel for 02 nights' stay. Afternoon, visit the
spice plantations and the Kumily town. Overnight stay at Thekkady.
DAY 10 THEKKADY /
Morning at leisure and is free for own activities.
You can soft trek through the forest or go for an elephant ride.Evening,
you can enjoy boating through Lake Periyar to watch the wildlife. This is
the only sanctuary in India where you can view wildlife at close quarters
from the safety of a boat. Overnight stay at Thekkady.
DAY 11 THEKKADY - MADURAI /
After an early breakfast, drive to Madurai. Known as
the temple town of South India, Madurai is the second largest city in
Tamil Nadu. On arrival, check into the hotel for 01 night stay. Afternoon,
for sightseeing tour of Madurai. Madurai is famous for the Meenakshi
Temple, with its towering gopurams and rare sculptures. Other important
attractions include Thirumalai Naicker Palace, Koodal Azhagar Temple and
the Gandhi Museum. Evening, visit Sri Meenakshi Temple and attend the
Pooja ceremony. Over night stay at Madurai.
DAY 12 MADURAI - TRICHY - TANJORE /
After an early breakfast, drive to Tanjore-en
route visiting Trichy. Morning, visit the magnificent Rock Fort that
dominates the city. 437 steps cut out into the rock side and interspersed
with shrines, lead to the Vinayaka Temple built at its highest point. The
ascent is climaxed by a magnificent view of the sacred Kaveri River. At a
lower level along the rock is the Tayumanaswamy Temple dedicated to Lord
Shiva. Later, visit Sriranqam, a massive temple on an island in the
Cauvery and dedicated to Lord Ranganathaswamy. The temple has 21
magnificent gopurams and is adorned with exquisite sculptures. Proceed to
Tanjore and check into the hotel for 02 nights. Overnight stay at Tanjore.
DAY 13 TANJORE /
After breakfast, go for sightseeing tour of Tanjore.
Tanjore was once the capital of Chola dynasty, that ruled South India
between 10th and 14th centuries. Visit the most spectacular Brihadeeswara
Temple, capped by a monolithic cupola made of a single granite rock
weighing 80 tonnes. The temple itself is decorated with carved panels
depicting mythological events. Later, visit Saraswathi Mahal Library and
the Art Gallery with its large collection of chola bronzes. Overnight stay
at Tanjore.
DAY 14 TANJORE - PONDICHERRY /
After an early breakfast, drive to Pondicherry. En
route, visit Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram. On arrival, check into
the resort for 02 nights' stay. Pondicherry is a charming coastal town
with a few enduring pockets of French culture and an ashram. Check into
the hotel for01 night. Afternoon to explore the nearby places including
the Auroville, Pondicherry Museum and the Botanical Garden. Evening to
relax at the beach. Overnight stay at Pondicherry.
DAY 15 PONDICHERRY - MAHABALIPURAM - CHENNAI /After
breakfast, drive to Chennai. En route, visit Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram
was once a flourishing port of the Pallavas of ancient India. The
monuments and sculptures here are world-renowned. Visit the Shore Temple,
Arjuna's Penance and Artisans Village at Mahabalipuram. Later proceed to
Chennai and check into the hotel for 01 night. Overnight stay at Chennai.
DAY 16 DEPART FROM CHENNAI
/ Morning at leisure. Later, transfer to Chennai Airport for your flight
back home.
