Arrive Chennai. Met and transferred to hotel.PM Sightseeing of Chennai covering Fort St. George, Government Museum, Kapaleeshwar Temple and Marina Beach.Fort St. George: this fort is one of the finest representation of British Military's Construction in India. The fort was the centre from where Robert Clive, the founder of British Empire began his empire building process.Government Museum: one of the great museums of India established in 1857. Exquisite carvings, authentic relics, sculptures and other interesting collections can be found here.National art Gallery: has a finest collection of old paintings.Kapaleeshwar Temple: this temple was constructed in the 13th century BC. This is a live example of the architectural skills of the Dravidians. Overnight Chennai.
Drive to Mahabalipuram (50 Kms. / 2 hrs.) enroute visiting Kancheepuram Temples. On arrival check into hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.Overnight Mahabalipuram.
AM Sightseeing of Mahabalipuram covering Arjuna's Penance, Shore Temple and the Five Rathas.Arjuna's Penace : This sculptured marvel, is an enormous relief made on two huge boulders. One of the biggest open-air rock canvases in the world, this bas-relief is 31m long and 9m high. The surface of the rock has detailed carvings, showing the most endearing and natural rendition of animalsShore Temple : It is one of the oldest temples in south india nestling on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, was once a port of the Pallavas consisting of two Siva temples and a carving of Anantasayana Vishnu. This historic monument built largely between the 7th and the 9th century has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Five Rathas : The five rathas are Dharmaraja Ratha, Bhima Ratha, Arjuna Ratha, Draupadi Ratha and Nakul Sahadev Ratha. These are monolithic temples, each created in a different style, They are also known as the Pancha Pandava Rathas, and the fort of the rathas are supposed to have been scooped out of a single rock formationPM At leisureOvernight Mahabalipuram.
AM Drive to Pondicherry (160 kms/ 3 hrs). Arrive and check in to hotel. PM At leisure Overnight Pondicherry.
AM Sightseeing of Pondicherry covering Aurobindo Ashram & Auroville.Aurobindo Ashram is the soul of Pondicherry. It was founded by the great spiritual leader Sri Aurobindo Ghose in 1926 and now houses his samadhi as well as that of The Mother, his main disciple. The ashram attracts thousands of visitors of all nationalities.PM FreeOvernight Pondicherry.
AM Drive to Swamimalai (130 Kms. / 3 hrs.) enroute visiting Chidambaram & Gangaikondacholapuram temples. On arrival check in to hotel.Gangaikondacholapuram : The beautiful town of Gangaikondacholapuram was constructed on the banks of the river Ganges by the Chola King Rajendra I to commemorate his victory over the kingdoms bordering it. The rock carvings here are bold and make an impact with their keen sense of detailing and style.Overnight Swamimalai.
AM Drive to Tanjore (36 kms. / 45 mins) via Darasuram temple. On arrival check into Hotel.The Darasuram temple is a fine testimony to the skill and craftsmanship of 12th century Chola architects. The temple is covered with exquisite sculptures of Lord Siva in all his magnificence.Overnight Tanjore.
AM Sightseeing of Tanjore covering Brihadeshwara Temple and Library and later drive to Chettinad (65 Kms. / 2 hrs.)Brahadeeswara Temple : Built by the Chola King, Raja Raja I in the 10th century AD. The temple has a gigantic Mahalingam and the second largest monolithic Nandi in India. Besides this, it has a gigantic 14-tiered pyramid-shaped tower over the temple sanctum, 64.8m tall with a square base topped by huge monolithic granite cupolas. Its unique construction ensures that the shadow of the cupola never falls on the ground.Overnight Chettinad
AM Sightseeing of Chettinad and later drive to Madurai visiting The Rockfort Temple and Srirangam Temple in Trichy enroute (210 kms. / 6 hrs.)The Rockfort Temple : This magnificient temple is dedicated to Lord Siva, his consort Parvathi and Lord Ganesha. Built on an 83m high rock that dates back to 3800 million years ,it offers a spectacular view of the city. Climbing up the 437 steps cut into the rock face is a picturesque and spiritual experience as several small shrines dot the way.Srirangam Temple : A Marvel of South Indian architecture and spread over an astounding 2.5 sq.kms with 21 huge gopurams. The temple was built between the 14th and 17th centuries on an island in the Cauvery. It boasts of the world’s largest temple tower,a mammoth 13-tiered, 72 mt marvel! It is known as the Raja Gopuram and has a gleaming golden dome which is plated with pure gold leavesOvernight Madurai.
AM Sightseeing of Madurai covering Temple, Tirumalai Nayak Palace and Theppakulam.Evening visit the Meenakshi Temple for Puja ceremony.Meenakshi Temple : The Madurai Meenakshi Temple is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi, the protectress of Madurai. Built in the 16th Century by Tirumalai Nayak, it is spread over 350 hectares. Enclosed by walls, each has a nine-storey gopuram which is adorned by thousands of intricately carved celestial and animal figuresTiurmalai Nayak Palace : One of the grandest monuments in Madurai and a stunning piece of Indo-Saracenic architecture. It was built in the early 17th century by Tirumalai Nayak with the finest of craftsmen. The massive columns and finely carved arches and ceilings envelop the viewer in a sense of awesome grandeur.Overnight Madurai.
AM Drop to Airport to connect flight onward destination.
