16 Days |
IOYO - 45
South India is endowed with a wide mélange of temples. These temples manifest the unique culture of South India as well as feature splendid architecture and awe-inspiring designs. You must go for the South India Temple Tour from Chennai if you wish to connect with the Almighty. The Tamil Nadu Temple tour of 16 days with Kerala and Bangalore has been crafted taking into consideration all your preferences and tastes so that you can enjoy your journey to the fullest.
During this tour of South India, you will be visiting several famous temples such as Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple, Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Sri Kailasanathar Temple, Ekambareswarar Temple, Annamalaiyar Temple, Meenakshi Temple, etc. These temples are not only religious centres to seek spirituality but also provide you with a lot of information related to the history and culture of the region. Besides visiting temples, you can explore other tourist destinations in southern towns. The destinations that you will visit during this tour include Chennai, Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram, Tiruvannamalai, Yercaud, Trichy, Thanjavur, Madurai, Munnar, Kumarakom, Alleppey, Cochin, Calicut, Mysore, and Bangalore.
Moreover, you can also enjoy the major tourist attractions of Kerala during this tour. You can have a one-of-its-kind experience of staying in a houseboat amidst the languid backwaters. On the other hand, you can come across the tourist spots like churches, mosques, temples, synagogues, etc. In a nutshell, this tour will provide you with an unforgettable experience of visiting South India and you will take home a lot of memories from this tour.
You will begin your sightseeing programme from today. You will be taken to Kanchipuram by road. During your sightseeing in Kanchipuram, you will encounter a few known temples, like the Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple, the Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Sri Kailasanathar Temple, Ekambareswarar temple, and the Shiva temple. If you are interested in buying sarees, then you can purchase some beautiful Kanchipuram silk and sarees. After your tour of Kanchipuram, you will proceed to Mahabalipuram. You will stay overnight in Mahabalipuram.
Highlights: Kanchipuram - Visit Siva, Ekambareswara, Sri Kailasanathar, Sri Vardaraja Perumal, Sri Kamakshiamman Temples.
Today you go around Mahabalipuram for a tour and later driven from Mahabalipuram to Tiruvannamalai via road. Your afternoon tour of the city will take you through the cave temples and mandapams. You will be marveled at the carvings and the architecture you will witness at the cave temples. You will see the bas-relief of Arjuna’s Penance, and the five chariots that are carved out on one rock. Other than that, you will visit the Twin Structure of the Shore Temple, that is carved out on granite. Later you will drive to Tiruvannamalai. You will stay overnight in Tiruvannamalai.
Highlights: Visit the Shore Temple, The bas relief Arjuna's Penance, The five chariots, etc. Later tour of Tiruvannamalai.
You will visit Tiruvannamalai in the morning. You will be driven to the Annamalaiyar Temple where you can explore the temple and discover the architectural magnificence of ancient India. After you have done the sightseeing in and around the Annamalaiyar Temple, you will head back to your hotel. You will be driven to Yercaud later in the day, and spend the night at Yercaud.
Highlights: Tour of Yercaud.
The fourth day of your Tamil Nadu spiritual tour itinerary includes your tour of Yercaud, which is popular among the tourists for its scenic beauty and natural charm. You will visit the National Orchidarium and Botanical Garden which is home to about three thousand trees and eighteen hundred shrubs. The wildlife at the Botanical Garden is just as appealing as the vegetation around this area. Bison, deer, rabbits, foxes, mongooses, and squirrels can easily be seen here. You will later visit the Pagoda Point. You can spend the afternoon at leisure, or visit the other nearby areas. You will then be driven to Tiruchirapalli where you will spend the night.
In the morning, you will go around on tour of the Tiruchirapalli city. You will visit the Rock Fort and the Danish Church. You will spend the discovering these two places and exploring the architectural expertise of ancient kingdoms. Later, you will drive to Thanjavur where you will spend the night.
Highlights: Tiruchirapalli - visit the Danish Church and Rock Fort temple complex.
You will be driven around Thanjavur in the morning. You will be taken to the Brihadeeswarar Shiva Temple. The amalgamation of the Indian and Egyptian architectural techniques at the temple will leave you pleasantly surprised. The paintings from different eras on the walls of the temple will further make your tour interesting. You will also be taken to the Thanjavur Maratha Palace, Raja Raja Chola art gallery which has a vast collection of stone and bronze idols, and the Saraswati Mahal Library which contains more than thirty thousand manuscripts written on the palm leaf and paper. You will be taken to your Madurai after the sightseeing in Thanjavur. You will stay overnight in Madurai.
Highlights: Tanjore - visit the Brihadeeswara Shiva Temple, Thanjavur Maratha Palace, Saraswati Mahal Library and the Raja Raja Chola art gallery.
The entire sixth day is meant for a tour of Madurai. The sightseeing in Madurai includes Meenakshi Temple, Tirumala Nayak Palace, Alagar Hills, and Tirupara Kundran Rock Temple. The day would be spent seeing the pillars with life-like features in the Hall of the Meenakshi Temple and the mysterious pillars in the outermost corridors that consist of musical pillars. You will also visit the Thirumalai Nayak Palace which is famous for its arches and domes.
You will later be taken to Munnar. Watching the vast tea plantations in this area will be a pleasure to your eyes. While resting in your hotel room, make a list of places that you might want to visit. Anamudi, the highest peak in South India, and the different wildlife sanctuaries form significant places of attraction. Include them in your list and make preparations for the same. You will spend the night in Munnar and continue your journey the following day.
Highlights: Madurai - Visit Meenakshi Temple, Tirumala Nayak Palace, Alagar Hills and Tirupara Kundran Rock temple.
You have an entire day free in Munnar. Today, you can visit the nearby areas of Munnar. Atukkad Waterfalls and Chithirapuram are the two nearby places that you must visit. Floriculture Centre is another destination that you will find attractive due to its variety of flower and herbal plants species. An elephant ride at the Elephant Arrival Spot will fill your day with fun and frolic. Top Station would give you a spectacular view of the Western Ghats. Also, Munnar is home to numerous waterfalls and animal sanctuaries, and you can visit one these to make your day a memorable one. After returning to your hotel room, you will spend the rest of your night in Munnar.
Highlights: Tour of Munnar.
In the morning you will be taken to Alappuzha. The picturesque town, crisscrossed with canals offers you backwaters, beaches, and lagoons, which are any traveler’s dream. You can enjoy a cruise in the backwaters which will prove an unforgettable experience. If you are visiting the place in August, you can watch the Nehru Trophy Boat Race held on the Punnamada Lake on the second Saturday of August, every year. Another significant place that you would want to visit is Kuttanad, that is home to endless paddy fields and lush green coconut palms. You can spend the rest of the day at leisure. You will spend the night at Alleppey.
Highlights: Enjoy the greenery on the route.
At Alappuzha, you will hire a houseboat in Kerala’s backwaters. Spending a night in the houseboats in Kerala’s backwaters is a great experience and a very memorable one. You will spend the night on board the houseboat.
Highlights: Night on board a houseboat.
On the eleventh day of your Tamil Nadu Temple tour with Kerala and Bangalore, you will be driven from Alleppey to Kochi. You can enjoy the rich culture of the city while going around the town and the impressions that have been left on the history of Kochi by the Arabs, Portuguese, British, Dutch, and everyone else who set foot in the city. Since there is so much to see in Kochi, you can retire to your lodge early in the evening to pursue your journey later the next day. You will spend the night in Kochi and resume your journey in the morning.
This day of the trip is reserved for the morning city tour of Kochi. You will be taken to some of the famous spots in Kochi which include the Portuguese churches, mosques, and temples along with the Jewish synagogue. You will also get a chance to see the Chinese style fishing nets which are usually seen in Kerala. While you can take the afternoon off and have some rest, you have the option of visiting some of the other popular destinations in Kochi. You can visit the Kochi Fort, Hill Palace, Marine Drive, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi International Marina, Cherai Beach, etc. Night at Kochi.
Highlights: Kochi - Visi the Portuguese churches, mosques, temples and a Jewish synagogue.
Today you will be taken from Kochi to Kozhikode, via road. You will be taken around historic temples and churches in the city. Your tour of Kozhikode includes Kappad, Pazhassiraja museum which houses Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings, the Science Planetarium, and the Dolphin’s Point. You will stay overnight in Kozhikode.
Highlights: Tour of Kozhikode.
In the morning, you will be taken to Mysore. There is a lot for you to see at the city of palaces. In the afternoon, you will be taken to the Mysore Palace. The arches, domes, turrets, colonnades, and sculptures will truly amaze you. From there you can visit the art gallery. A drive to the Chamundi hill will lead you to the Chamundeshwari Temple. From the mountain, you will be greeted by the panoramic view of the city of Mysore. While you are on your way back to Mysore, visit the Nandi bull.
The afternoon is free in Mysore. However, you can visit the Krishnarajasagar dam and the Brindavan Gardens. You can also take a stroll to any local Mysore market and look for the “Mysore silk” if you want, as Mysore is home to these fabrics. You will spend the night in Mysore.
Highlights: Mysore - Visit the Mysore palace, art gallery, Chamundi hill, Nandi bull, etc.
Today you will be driven to Bangalore where you will be taken to important places of interest. Significant tourist spots in Bangalore include Lal Bagh and Maharaja’s Palace. You will come across numerous temples during your morning tour of Bangalore. The trip to Lal Bagh will give you a tour of the most extensive collection of tropical plants, with over a thousand species of flora and trees over a hundred years old. The trip to the Bangalore Palace will help you draw out the similarities with the Windsor Castle in England. After that, you can drive past various government buildings. You will report to your hotel, and make preparations for the departure scheduled for the next day. You will stay overnight in Bengaluru.
Highlights: Bengaluru - Visit the Lal Bagh, Maharaja's Palace, Temples, etc.
Today is the last day of your Tamil Nadu Temple tour with Kerala and Bangalore. You will be taken to the airport for your return flight which will mark the end of your South India Holiday Tour.