South at it Best

17 Nights 18 Days

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Cities : Alleppey, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Kanchipuram, Kumarakom, Madurai, Mahabalipuram, Mysore, Pondicherry, Thanjavur, Thekkady

Day 1
Chennai: Arrive Chennai. You will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Chennai.

Day 2
Chennai: Proceed for a full-day tour of Chennai. Visit Fort St George… built in the 17th century, this fort houses St. Marys Church and a museum. St. Marys Church is the oldest Anglican Church in India. Visit the Kapeeleshwara Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Gopuram, or entrance tower, has a profusion of sculptured images depicting stories from Puranic legends. Next, visit the San Thome Cathedral, named after St Thomas, the doubting discipline of Jesus Christ. Visit the Government Museum, featuring sections including archeology, zoology, botany, anthropology etc. Later, drive past Marina Beach, the second longest beach in the world. Overnight in Chennai.

Day 3
Mahabalipuram:Drive to Mahabalipuram (65 kms / 1.30 hrs approx), enroute visiting Kanchipuram. Visit the Ekambaranathar Temple , where Shiva is worshiped as Prithvi (earth), one of the five basic elements of the physical world. Proceed to the Vaishnavite Vaikunta Perumal temple, with its famous battle scenes depicting Pallava valor. Also visit the Varadharaja Perumal Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Visit the Kamakshi Temple, dedicated to Kamakshi, one of the forms of the goddess Parvati. Evening visit of the Kailasanatha Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Arrive Mahabalipuram and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Mahabalipuram.

Day 4
Pondicherry: Proceed for a half-day tour of Mahabalipuram. Visit the Panch Rathas or Five Ratha temples…. of the nine monolithic rock-cut temples found in Mahabalipuram, the most important are these, dedicated to the five Pandava brothers from the epic Mahabharata. Visit Arjuna’s Penance, the massive rock cut bas relief sculpture. Later, visit the Shore Temple … a five-storied structure made out of finely cut granite, and one of the earliest and most important structural temples. Afternoon, drive to Pondicherry (90 Kms / 2 hrs approx.). Arrive Pondicherry and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Pondicherry.

Day 5
Thanjavur: Proceed for a half-day tour of Pondicherry. Visit the Shri Aurobindo Ashram. This world-renowned ashram was founded in the year 1926, by Shri Aurobindo, along with The Mother (Mira Alfassa). Later, visit the Government Museum… this multipurpose museum houses sculptures from Pallava, Chola and Vijaynagara temples. Thereafter, drive past the beach promenade. Drive to Thanjavur (210 kms / 3.5 hrs approx), enroute visiting Gangaikondacholapuram and Airavateshwar Temples, both important Chola period structures. Arrive Thanjavur and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Thanjavur.

Day 6
Madurai: Drive to Madurai (140 kms / 2.5 Hrs approx), enroute visiting Trichy. The town and its fort were built by the Nayaks of Madurai. Visit the Rock Fort Temple, a spectacular monument perched on a massive rocky out crop which rises abruptly from the plain to tower over the old city. At the very top is the ancient temple dedicated to Ganapati. Arrive Madurai and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Madurai.

Day 7
Madurai : Proceed for a full-day tour of Madurai. Visit the Meenakshi Temple- the heart and lifeline of the 2500 year old city of Madurai. The complex houses 14 magnificent Gopurams or towers, including two golden Gopurams for the main deities. Next, visit the Gandhi Memorial Museum at the Tamukkam Palace. Proceed to the Palace of Tirumalai Nayak, an Indo-Saracenic building constructed in 1523. Continue to the Koodal Azhagar Temple, one of the 108 temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. In the evening, re-visit the Meenakshi Temple to witness the evening prayer ceremony at the temple. Overnight in Madurai.

Day 8
Thekkady: Drive to Thekkady (160 kms / 4 hrs approx). Arrive Thekkady and check in to your hotel. Proceed to visit Thekkady wildlife sanctuary, where herds of wild elephants have made Thekkady Lake their favorite haunt for frolicking in the water. Evening take a spice plantation tour. Spices found in here include pepper, clove, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, vanilla and curry leaves. Enjoy an elephant ride in Thekkady. Overnight in Thekkady.

Day 9
Kumarakom: Drive to Kumarakom (140 kms / 3.5 hrs approx). Arrive Kumarakom and check in to your hotel. Proceed for a tour of Kumarakom bird sanctuary. An ornithologists paradise, the sanctuary is spread across 14 acres, and is the favourite haunt of local birds like Waterfowl, Cuckoo, Owls, Egrets, and Wood Beetle. Overnight in Kumarakom.

Day 10
Alleppey: Drive to Alleppey (35 kms / 1 hrs approx). Arrive Alleppey and board your houseboat. Alleppey, "Venice of the East" has a large network of backwater canals that meander through the town and surrounding villages. Overnight on houseboat.

Day 11
Kochi: Drive to Kochi (65 kms / 1.30 hrs approx). Arrive Kochi and check in to your hotel. In the evening, witness a Kathakali dance performance. The style dates back to the seventeenth century and is deeply rooted in mythology. Overnight in Kochi.

Day 12
Kochi: Proceed for a full-day tour of Kochi. Visit Fort Kochi… walk to the church of St Francis, the oldest European-built church in the country. Continue with a visit to Mattancherry, where you will visit the historic synagogue in the Jewish Quarter. You will also visit the Mattancherry or Dutch Palace, with its fine collection of mural paintings depicting scenes from the Hindu epics. Evening, drive past the amazing Chinese Fishing Nets. Also drive past Willingdon Island. Overnight in Kochi.

Day 13
Ooty: : Drive to Ooty (300 kms / 8 hrs approx), known as the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’. Nestled in the Nilgiri Hills, it is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level. Arrive Ooty and check in to your hotel. In the evening, proceed for a toy train ride. Overnight in Ooty.

Day 14
Ooty: Proceed for a full-day tour of Ooty. Ooty is a feast for the eyes, with its lofty, eucalyptus covered mountains, dense forests, and acres and acres of tea estates. Enjoy a stroll around the Botanical Gardens, covering an area of 22 acres. Visit Ooty Lake, and Doddabetta Peak… the highest point (2623 meters) in the Nilgiris, at the junction of the Western and Eastern Ghats. Overnight in Ooty.

Day 15
Mysore: Drive to Mysore (135 Kms / 4 hrs approx). Arrive Mysore and check in to hotel. Afternoon proceed for a half-day tour of Mysore. Visit Mysore Palace… it is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. Next, visit Chamundi Hill. Half-way up to the top is Nandi, Lord Shivas Bull- a majestic monolith. Overnight in Mysore.

Day 16
Bengaluru: Drive to Bengaluru (145 kms / 3 hrs approx), enroute visiting Srirangapatnam, an island fortress-city of great religious, cultural and historic importance. It was Tipu Sultan’s capital. Arrive Bengaluru and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Bengaluru.

Day 17
Bengaluru: Proceed for a full-day tour of Bengaluru, also known as ‘The Garden City’. Visit Cubbon Park, the 120-hectare park located near the Vidhan Soudha… a lush, grassy expanse of rolling lawns with colourful flowerbeds. Take a tour of the Vidhana Soudha- it houses the Legislative Chambers of the state government. Also visit the Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens. Next, proceed to the famous Bull Temple, dedicated to Nandi Bull. Built in the Dravidian style, the temple houses a huge monolithic idol of Nandi. Conclude you tour with a visit to Tipu Sultan’s Fort, the summer residence of Tipu Sultan. The Palace inside the fort is carved out of teakwood with decorated pillars, concave arches and balconies. Overnight in Bengaluru.

Day 18
Onwards: Proceed to the airport to board the flight for your onward destination.

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