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This is a private trip, you can start on any date. You can even request to customize this itinerary.
Duration: 07 Nights/ 08 Days
Price: Starting USD 640 per person
Destination : Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Pondicherry, Tanjore, Trichy, Madurai
Region: South India
Validity: Till March, 2012
This the hub of South India tourism besides Kerala. Temples, Beaches, strong embodiement of religion and tradition in day to day living, shopping, intricate weaving, beaches, evidence of French influence on a port city, is all going to be a part of your experience on this trip. This brief journey will provide you an ample contrast from a North India and will allow you to see the diversity of the country.
Although this trip is generally done by people who are either on their second visit to India or the ones who are specifically looking to visit Chennai and around, a week here can be a good addition to North India trip if one wishes to see contrasting cultural diversity in India.
Day 01 : : Arrive Chennai
Arrive Chennai, as per your flight schedule, pick up from airport and transfer to hotel, after some rest, half day city tour to visit museum to see the Art and Bronze Gallery (closed on Fridays and Public holidays). Drive through the flower and Fruit Market, High Court, fort Museum, Marina Beach, Santhome Cathedral, evening free, Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 02 : : Chennai To Mahabalipuram
After breakfast, transfer from Chennai to Mahabalipuram, arrive and check in hotel, after some rest, day city tour to visit Mahabalipuram which was the main port of the Pallava dynasty and has exquisite rock-cut monuments, monolithic structures and basreliefs, evening free, Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 03 : : Mahabalipuram (Day trip to Kanchipuram)
After breakfast, full day trip to visit Kanchipuram, This golden city was one of the seven sacred cities of India and once had 1000 temples. Now only 20 remains. It is also famed for its hand-woven cottens and Kanchivaram silk. Visit Kailasanathar Temple, Ekambaranathar Temple, Kamakshi Amman Temple, Ulagalanda Peerumal Temple.
Later return back to Mahabalipuram, evening free, Overnight at the hotel.
Day 04 : : Mahabalipuram To Pondicherry
After breakfast, half day city tour to visit the Krishna Mandapam or Cave temple, Five Rathas Temple (Pancha Pandava Rathas), Shore Temple, ashed by the waves of the sea, which is a World Heritage monument. Afternoon transfer from mahabalipuram to Pondicherry, enroute visit Auroville. Arrive Pondicherry and check in hotel, take rest, Overnight at the hotel.
Day 05 : : Pondicherry To Kumbakonam
After breakfast, half day city tour to visit Aurobido Ashram which forms the nucleus of many activities and trade of Pondicherry. The Pondicherry Marine Drive, with a 1.5 kms lond promenade is the best place to stroll in on an evening. The Pondicherry Museum is a treasure trove of antique with a section on French India which is housed in rooms done up in typical French style. Archaeology, geology, sculpture, weapons, handicrafts and art are some of the other sections. Afternoon transfer from Pondicherry to Tanjore, enroute visit Chidambaram, Gangai kondacholapuram, Darasuram. Arrive Kumbakonam and check in hotel, evening free to take rest, Overnight at the hotel.
Day 06 : : Kumbakonam To Trichy
After breakfast, day city tour to visit Kumbakonam, later transfer to Trichy, on the way visit Brahadeeswarar temple, of Tanjore, this is a magnificient Shiva temple built in 1003 AD by king Rajaraja I, the Chola king and the Palace with the vast labyrinthian buildings, enormous corridors, big halls, watch towers, moat, fort and courtyards, Arrive Trichy and check in hotel, evening free, Overnight at the hotel.
Day 07 : : Trichy To Madurai
After breakfast, visit the ancient temples dedicated to Lord Ganapathy, the Rock Fort, 434 steps cut into the Rock side and interspersed which shrines, lead to the temple, yet another flight leads to the temple of Lord Shiva. Visit Srirangam a massive temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, later transfer from Trichy to Madurai, arrive and check-in hotel. After some rest, visit the Great Meenakshi Temple, dedicated to consort of Lord Shiva with its towering Gopurams (rising high above the surrounding country side). Later visit the Tirumala Nayak Palace - A gracious building in the Indo sacracenic style, famous for the Stucco work on its domes and arches, the Pazhamudir Solai Temple, and the Kallazhagar Koil, evening free, Overnight at the hotel.
All pricing is based on twin/double -sharing for two-guest traveling together (as this is a private trip, you can start on any date)
* Pricing may vary during Christmas and other Holidays/ Festivals in India.
Our Hotels for Budget tours come at 3 pricing levels- Basic, Standard and Comfort.
It is essential you read and review as much to make a decision on the choice of hotels.
Our luxury trips come with the choicest of 5 star hotels or luxury forts, palaces and camps. With a personal meet and greet at time of arrival to your check-in at the hotel, our representative will ensure you settle in well in your new environs. All our Luxury trips come with standard rooms in your selected 5 star hotel with care being taken to provide the hotels that match the international service standards and expectations. While some cities might not have a 5 star, care is taken to provide the best option available in such places.
Our Luxury trips come with a personal guide for each city you visit. A luxury vehicle in form of Toyota Innova is used for all transportation and sightseeing.
Our Opulent trips are for those who want to bask in Luxury. These are the most premium accommodations available coupled with an option to have a personal escort throughout your touring or have individual city guides. From the time you arrive till the time you leave, your personal escort ( or remotely assigned representative, in case you did not select personal escort) will see that all your demands are been met. While our luxury Toyota Van comes standard with all our Opulent Trips, you have the liberty to upgrade transportation to Mercedes S class or BMW for an additional price.
Our Opulent tours also include all domestic flights and entrance charges.
Comfort Trips are designed keeping in mind the guest who wants to have a hotel with all amenities and comfort.The guests who undertake such trips want to enjoy their hotels as well as sightseeing. Comfort is important and they are willing to pay a premium than encounter a surprise in not having what they expected. The guests who opt for Comfort trips are the ones who do not necessarily want to spend on a 5 star but yet want to enjoy more and less the same amenities as premium hotels.
The hotels we choose are well known brands ( international or local), premium boutique hotels or even a luxury homestay, depending on the choice of the guest. The hotels are selected to provide the best experience and mix of luxury and comfort at a price which is much less than our Luxury trips.
Other than the choice of hotels, our Comfort trips just like other Budget trips come with comfortable sedan and no guides.
Package Cost Includes:
1) Accommodation in A/c Room on twin sharing basis in the above mentioned hotels.
2) Daily breakfast in all the hotels.
3) All pick up, drop, transfers and sightseeing as per itinerary by A/c Indigo car, including all toll tax, parking and driver charges..
Package Cost Does Not Include:
1) Monument Entrance Fee, Camera Fee, Guide.
2) Items of personal Nature like Porterage, Tips, Laundry, Mineral Water.
3) All other items and services not mentioned above.
( Please note, Some suggested activities might already be included in the published price. Speak to our travel consultant for exact details )
While increasing this itinerary by a day or two is a good standalone option, the other good possibility is to add Kerala to this trip to create a 15-16 day itinerary covering the whole of South India. Another possibility is to add about 10-12 days in North with a week here to get a good 3 week diverse Indian cultural trip.
On Activity Level you could do the following :
