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South India Tour

Destination : Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry - Trichy - Madurai - Periyar - Allepy - Cochin - OOty - Mysore .
Duration : 15 Days 14 Nights

DAY 01 ARRIVE CHENNAI
Arrive Chennai
You will be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel for one night

DAY 02 CHENNAI - MAHABALIPURAM
Drive from Chennai to Mahabalipuram (about 4 hours drive)
Check in at your hotel for two nights

Enjoy a visit to Mahabalipuram & the Crocodile bank.
(To see the 10th century Pallava Dynasty Shore Temple & Rock carvings)

A few miles south of Chennai, at Mahabalipuram, on the sandy shores of the Bay of Bengal, a beautiful group of rock-cut monuments evokes the past. Seventh-century carvings of the Pallava dynasty include a series of freestanding boulders carved to resemble small temples and animals. Rock-cut caves and a masterful stone bas-relief are nearby. The 'Penance of Arjunas' relief, cut on two huge rocks, shows scores of figures of deities, people and animals including, according to one interpretation, the emaciated figure of Arjuna, the great warrior of the Mahabharata, standing on one leg and doing penance, praying to Lord Shiva for the strength to destroy his enemies. Sadhus of today perform this exact act of sacrificial devotion. On the adjacent beach stands one of South India's oldest temples, the Shore Temple, its foundations washed for twelve centuries by the frothy sea.

DAY 03 MAHABALIPURAM
Enjoy an excursion to Kanchipuram and the temple at Tirukkalikundram.
This relaxing coastal village some 57 kms south of Chennai (Madras) is world famous for its romantic shore temples, which have World Heritage listing and are probably the most photographed monuments in India. The village was once the second capital and port of the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram, but today it's a favourite travellers' haunt with the fascinating remains of a 1300-year-old Indian kingdom. The temples are refreshingly uncluttered. Highlights include Arjuna's Penance, the mythical story of the River Ganges carved in relief on the face of a huge rock; eight mandapams (shallow rock-cut halls) with figure sculptures; the Rathas, architectural prototypes of all Dravidian temples; and the beautiful wind and sea-ravaged shore temples, which represent the final flowering of Pallava art.

DAY 04 MAHABALIPURAM - PONDICHERRY
Drive from Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry (about 3 hours drive) enroute a short stop at the temples of Kumbakonam
Check in at your hotel for one night
Enjoy sightseeing tour of Pondicherry

Pondicherry is a union territory which lies within the state of Tamil Nadu. The inherent ambience of Pondicherry becomes most evident in the oldest part of the town which flanks the seashore boulevard. Quiet beaches and peaceful resorts to the north and south balance the towns bustling, yet easy going life. But Pondy hasn't only its own special attractions to offer.

Colonial buildings which trace back to the 18th century, line along a grid of straight clean streets and house the French institutions, private homes and businesses, and the sprawling premises of the famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram. The visitor is greeted by mellow colours of cream, yellow, pink and grey with flamboyant bougainvillea bursting over gates and compound walls of cool courtyards.

DAY 05 PONDICHERRY - TRICHY
Drive from Pondicherry to Trichy via Tanjore (about 5 hours drive)
Tanjore was once the capital of the Chola kings, and is the cultural capital of the region. Tanjore reached its pinnacle of glory under the later Cholas (10th to 14th century), who were great temple builders, and developed the art of making bronze figures.
Check in at your hotel for two nights

DAY 06 TRICHY
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Trichy
(Including the Rock Fort and Srirangam temples)

Situated on the banks of River Cauvery, Tiruchirapalli is the fourth largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu. Trichy came to be occupied in turn by the Nayaka of Madurai, the Marathas, the Navabs of Carnatic, the French and finally the British. Trichy is fine blend of tradition and modernity built round the Rock Fort.

DAY 07 TRICHY - MADURAI
Drive from Trichy to Madurai (about 4 hours drive) via Chettinadu (explore on your own)
Check in at your hotel for one night
Enjoy a sightseeing of the town in the morning.
(Including the famous Meenakshi Temple and the busy bazaars)

The life of Madurai revolves around the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple. This magnificently carved temple is the main attraction of Madurai and its huge Gopurams towers over the city. Meenakshi Temple as a t