South India Festival Tour
Duration: 6 Nights / 7 Days
Places Covered: Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Tanjore - Tirchy - Madurai
- Chennai
Day 1: Chennai
Arrive Madras by international flight. Assistance on arrival and transfer to
the hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour. Madras, the capital city, popularly regarded
as the 'Gateway to the South' represents a culture that is distinctly different
from that of northern India.
Day 2: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram
Morning drive to Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram, 70 kms west of Mahabalipuram, this
city of thousand temples lies. One of the seven sacred cities of Hindus, it
was the capital of the early Cholas as far back as the 2nd century BC. Kanchi
was a major seat of Tamil learning as well as an important place of pilgrimage
for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus.
Overnight at the hotel in Covelong.
Day 3: Mahabalipuram - Tanjore
An early departure for Tanjore visiting enroute Pondicherry.
Pondicherry - Although the French influence is gradually fading, Pondicherry
retains a few Gallic accents. Pondicherry's main sights are the Rai Nivas, the
Sacred Heart Church and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
Day 4: Tanjore - Trichy
Morning sightseeing tour of Tanjore. Tanjore - The home of Carnatic music, musical
instruments, dance and traditional hadicrafts, Tanjore (Thanjavur) is famous
for the Brahadeeswarar Temple. The temple constructed more than a thousand years
ago by the Chola King Raja Rajan is an architect's marvel.
Day 5: Trichy - Madurai
Morning visit Rock Fort Temple. The Rock Fort situated on the banks of the Kaveri
river, Trichy's most famed land mark is an 84 m high rock, one of the oldest
in the world aprox.3,800 million years. The attraction is not for fort itself
but the temple at the summit. 344 steps hewn out of rock lead to the top where
are the inscriptions dating back to the 3rd century B.C.
Later drive to Madurai and on arrival, check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay.
Day 6: Madurai - Chennai
Morning sightseeing tour of Madurai Madurai, known as Athens of the East, it
is the second largest city on the banks of the River Vigai. The city believed
to be more than 2500 yeras old. The city got its name from the drops of nectar
(Mathuram) that fell from Shiva's locs when he came to bless its people for
constructing a temple for him. Madurai where the people wake up at the chant
of hymns is proud of magnificent 'The Meenakshi-Sundareswara Temple.
Day 7: Madurai - Chennai
Transfer to the airport for flight to Madras.
