Morning half day tour of Chennai; tour includes a visit to the Government Museum and Art Gallery, to see the art and bronze gallery, (closed on Fridays and public holidays) and also a visit to the famous 16th century Kapaleeshwarar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, sacred to Tamil Shivaties. Non-Hindus are only allowed up to the outer courtyard. Drive past Fort St. George, Marina Beach and San Thome Cathedral.

Post visit drive to Mahabalipuram. On arrival check in at hotel.

Mahabalipuram, located 60 km south of Chennai, is the embodiment of poetry in stone, with its magnificent rock temples and carvings. Witness the Five Rathas (chariots), ceremonial chariots, rock-cut monoliths, named after the five Pandavas. Visit the Shore Temple, a UNESCO Heritage site, which is located by the sea and surrounded by gardens designed in accordance with the Dravidian style of architecture. Also see Arjuna’s Penance (Descent of the Ganges) which is a giant bas-relief with detailed carvings showcasing figures from the Mahabharata, and family of elephants and monkeys. In addition to ancient archaeological wonders, salty air and coastal beauty, there’s also the traveller hub of Othavadai and Othavadai Cross Sts, where restaurants serve pasta, pizza and pancakes, and shops sell Tibetan trinkets.

Overnight at hotel.

Morning excursion of Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram is one of Hinduism’s seven most sacred cities. This “Golden City of a Thousand Temples” dates back to the early Cholas in the 7th century AD.  Only around 70 temples of the original 1000 old temples are still intact and the most famous of them is the Kailasanatha Temple built with sandstone in the early seventh century A.D. Kanchipuram is famous for its silk weaving and a visit to the nearby villages to see the craftsmen at work on their looms is a rewarding experience.

Afternoon city of Mahabalipuram.  Explore this ancient seaside town said to be a sculptor’s delight, boasting of some of India’s most sublime rock – cut art, for which it is a World Heritage Site. Mahabalipuram is also referred to as the “open air museum” due to the presence of so many architectural marvels.

Visit the seven pagoda – style shore temples, Rathas, Arjuna’s Penance, Krishna Mandapa, Shore Temple, Mahishasurmadini Cave, Varaha Mandapa and Mandapams, lashed by the waves of the sea and the seven rathas or temple chariots, a group of monolithic monuments & animal figures carved out of solid rock, the earliest known examples of Dravidian architecture. The only Shore temple which remains here is the spectacular two – spired shrine, unique because it houses both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu in its sanctum – sanctorum.

Overnight at hotel.

Morning drive to Pondicherry. On arrival check in at hotel.

Pondicherry’s history can be traced back for thousands of years, to its origins with Saint Gasthya, a revered sage. A Roman settlement existed here 2000 years ago, and in colonial times, it was the theatre for battles between the British and the French, eventually becoming the capital of French India. We visit Auroville, an ashram dedicated to peace and harmonious living that was founded by Sri Auribindo, a revered saint and philosopher. After his death, his French companion Mirra Alfassa, better known as “The Mother,” ran Auroville.

Afternoon city tour of Pondicherry whose association traces its origin to Saint Agasthya, the revered sage of the South.  Visit the Pondicherry museum which has rooms furnished with period furniture of French India. The Museum is located on Saint Louis Street (Closed on Mondays). The museum is located in the former Law Building. The museum has a collection of rare bronzes and stone sculptures from the Pallava and Chola dynasties and artifacts excavated from Arikamedu (an ancient port just 7 kms. from city that had trade links with the Roman empires).

Also visit the Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus, this white and brown neo-gothic church is one of Pondicherry’s finest Catholic churches. It was built by French missionaries in the 1700’s in a contrasting Neo-Gothic manner, with towers flanking a central gable and stained-glass windows on the side. The church has an imposing entrance and the beautiful stained-glass panels depict incidents from Jesus Christ’s life. Further along the southern boulevard is the cemetery which has some interesting tombs with ornate marble decorations.

Overnight at hotel.

Morning drive to Thanjavur enroute visiting Chidambaram.

Chidambaram is also known as Thillai, since the place was originally a forest of the thillai, botanically known as excecaria agallecha shrubs. It is an important pilgrim centre and a holy place for Saivites as the famous Nataraja Temple is located here. Dedicated to Lord Nataraja, this ancient temple of the Cholas is unique not only it is devoted solely to the art of Bharatanatyam, but also it is one of the rare temples where Shiva is represented by an idol rather than the customary lingam. Spread over an area of 40 acres with a gopuram on each side, the temple is distinguished by five sabhas or courts.

Post visit drive to Thanjavur. On arrival check in at hotel.

Thanjavur is famous for its Brihadeeswara Temple, whose beautifully sculpted gopurams (or towers) are over 90 ft high (27 m). The gopurams leads to a vast courtyard in which the main temple is guarded by two sentries, carved out of single stones. Facing the sanctum is a statue of Nandi, the bull, and Shiva’s favourite vehicle. Corridors around the sanctum contain sculptures and recently discovered Chola-dynasty frescoes.

The Palace and the remains of the surrounding fort can still be seen. Although members of the former royal family still occupy part of the Palace, it is today primarily an art gallery.

Overnight at hotel.

Full day city tour of Thanjavur and Trichy.

Morning tour of Thanjavur visiting beautiful Chola temple of Brihadeeshwara. The temple is capped with monolithic cupola made of a single granite block weighing 80 tons. The Brihadeeshwara temple, called the Big Temple, is dedicated to Lord Siva. It was built by the great Chola King Raja 1 (985 -1012 A.D). it is an outstanding example of Chola architecture. Recognizing its unique architectural excellence, UNESCO has declared it a World Heritage Monument.

Just 1 km away from the Brihadeeshwara Temple is a magnificent palace, surrounded by huge fort walls. Dating back to the 14th century A.D., it was built partly by the Nayaks and partly by the Marathas. The Maratha royal family resides in this palace. It is a fascinating building with huge corridors, spacious halls, decorated rooms, tall observation towers, beautiful stucco works, wonderful fresco painted walls and ceilings, an underground tunnel and intricate carvings. The royal family’s sacred “Chandramaulessshwarar Temple” is located within the palace walls.

Later proceed to visit Trichy. Tiruchirappalli, situated on the banks of the river Cauvery is the fourth largest city in Tamil Nadu. It was a citadel of the early Cholas which later fell to the Pallavas. Trichy is a fine blend of tradition and modernity built around the Rock Fort. Apart from the Fort, there are several Churches, Colleges and Missions dating back to the 1760s. The town and its fort, now in Trichy were built by the Nayaks of Madurai. This city has given great Tamil scholars whose contributions to the Tamil literature have been very significant.

Overnight at hotel.

Morning drive to Madurai. On arrival check in at hotel.

Known as the Temple City, Madurai was the capital of the ancient Pandya kingdom. It was during the long reign of the Nayaks (10th-18th century) that the magnificent Meenakshi Temple was constructed.

Afternoon visit the Thirumalai Nayak Palace, a palace in Indo-Saracenic style built in 1636, with huge domes and 240 columns rising to 12 m, a beautiful garden and a attached museum. The celestial Pavilion, an arcaded octagonal structure is curiously constructed in brick and mortar without any supporting rafters. Later visit Meenakshi – Temple, an outstanding example of the Dravidian temple architecture from the Vijay nagar kingdom. Meenakshi, the fish eyed goddess and the consort of Shiva has a temple to the south and Sundareswarar (Shiva) a temple to the west. Its nine “Gopuram”-Temple towers (23-30m) have wonderful stucco images of gods, goddesses and animals from the Hindu mythology. It is one of the largest temple complex in India built between the 16th and 18th centuries. Apart from the estimated 33 million sculptures there, the temple is absolutely absorbing with the endless rounds of ceremonies, prostration of countless devotees and glittering market stalls.

Evening attend temple ceremony at Meenakshi Temple. The enormous temple complex is dedicated to Shiva, known here as Sundareshvara and his consort Parvati or Meenakshi. The original temple was built by Kulasekara Pandya, but the entire credit for making the temple as splendid as it is today goes to the Nayaks. The Nayaks ruled Madurai from the 16th to the 18th century and left a majestic imprint of their rule in the Meenakshi – Sundareswarar Temple. The temple complex is within a high-walled enclosure, at the core of which are the two sanctums for Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, surrounded by a number of smaller shrines and grand pillared halls. Especially impressive are the 12 Gopuram. Their soaring towers rise from solid granite bases, and are covered with stucco figures of deities, mythical animals and monsters painted in vivid colors.

Overnight at hotel.

Early morning visit Flower market. Later drive to Periyar. On arrival check-in at hotel.

Wildlife Sanctuary one of India’s biggest wildlife sanctuaries covering 777 sq. Km (300 Sq. miles) is a Tiger Reserve. Its centerpiece, the man-made Periyar Lake at the height of 2000 ft. covers 26 sq. km, running through the forests of the Western Ghats in Kerala. The lake is an important source of water for the many wild animals.

The Best time to visit Periyar is between October and May. The best chance of watching animals is during the hot months of march, April and May, when water gets low and the grass dries out, animals especially elephants come down to the Periyar lake to bath & frolic in the water with the young ones.

On arrival check in at hotel.

Later in the evening take a spice plantation tour to see crops of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, tea estates etc. on your way back to the hotel, you could stop at the local market and pick up some fragrant spices.

Overnight at hotel.

Morning drive to Kumarakom, on arrival check in at hotel.

Evening enjoy the Sunset cruise by using common boat from hotel through the backwater of Vembanad Lake.

NOTE: The sunset cruise is subject to weather condition on the particular day.

Overnight at hotel.

Morning visit at Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, located on the banks of the Vembanad Lake, to see bird viewing where numerous species of birds, including Darters, Bitterns, Brahminy kites, Marsh Harries, Teals and several varieties of Herons roost are found. For an inquisitive bird watcher, it is always advisable to carry their binoculars at all times.

Post visit embark houseboat and sail towards Alleppey followed by lunch.

Disembark houseboat & drive to Cochin. On arrival check in at hotel.

If Kerala is India’s most beautiful state, which many tourists believe, then the lovely port of Cochin is its jewel. It has been variously hailed as Queen of the Arabian Sea, Venice of Orient, etc. Some choose to call it simply a museum city for its rich past and colorful present. Cochin displays a blend of peoples and architecture.  It is one place where you can see a Jewish synagogue, Portuguese churches, Dutch architecture, a couple of mosques, Hindu temples and Chinese fishing nets all in one day.

Evening watch Kathakali Dance show, Let the magic of this unique art form envelope you as you watch the emotions displayed by the performing artistes. One of the most interesting aspects of Kathakali is its elaborate make-up code. The dance-drama is arresting because of its elaborate get-up as much as the theme – stories from the epics – and its execution. The artistes wear flamboyant costumes and use a highly developed language of gestures to convey entire sentences and stories. The body movements and footwork are very rigorous. Witness India’s most spectacular Dance Drama based on stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Overnight at hotel.

Sightseeing tour of Cochin: Oasis state of Kerala & on to the Malabar Coasts & Kochi (formerly Cochin), one of the India’s most colorful cities. This inter, connected series of Islands & shoreline presents a vivacious blend of Cultures & Religions; Visit to Fort Cochin & St. Frances Church to see the town of Vasco da Gama. We also see the Jewish Synagogue & the Mattancherry “Dutch” Palace. This evening a memorable experience in any journey. In Kerala is a Boat Trip along the Palm Fringed Lakes & Backwaters of the Area; we enjoy this extraordinary excursion today. As we sail along the shady canals we see cantilevered Chinese fishing nets. From our launch, we enjoy use of narrow produced – Laden dugouts & the everyday life of families living on narrow spits of land between the waters.

Overnight at hotel.

In time assisted departure transfer to the airport to connect flight for onwards journey.

(No accommodation envisaged in Cochin on this day)