South India Tour
 Duration
: 20 Nights / 21 Days
Destinations Covered : Chennai - Mahabalipuram
- Kanchipuram - Pondicherry - Swami Malai - Tanjore - Tirchy
- Madurai - Rameshwaram - Kodaikanal - Kanya Kumari - Kovalam
- Periyar - Kottaym - Alleppey - Ooty - Coonoor - Mysore - Srirangapatnam
- Hassan - Belur - Bangalore - Sravanbelgola - Mumbai
Day 01 Chennai
Begin Your tour
Arrive into Chennai.
Welcome to your 'Best of South India'. On arrival in Chennai,
you will be met and transferred by Vardhman's representative
to your hotel.
Afternoon city sightseeing tour of Chennai. City tour of Chennai,
visiting museum to see the Art and Bronze Gallery. (Closed on
Fridays and Public holidays). Drive through the Flower and Fruit
market, High court, Fort Museum, Marina Beach, San Thome Cathedral
and Snake Park.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 02 : Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram-Chennai
Today you drive to Mahabalipuram after visiting Kanchipuram
on the way.
Enroute Visit Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram is the ancient capital of the Pallavas famous
as a city of 1000 Temples and still has 124 shrines. The first
temple dedicated to Shiva was built in the 7th and 8th century
and has paintings on the walls. Temples of Ekambaswara, Kailasanatha,
Sri Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram
is also famous for its silks.
Later in the evening drive back to Chennai.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 03 : Chennai - Pondicherry
After breakfast drive to Pondicherry and transfer to your
hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Pondicherry.
Formarly a French colony which has settled in the early part
of the 18th century. Places of interest are Sri Aurobindo
Ashram Auroville - the brain child of the mother and designed
by French Architect roger Anger, AuroVille was meant to be
an experiment in international living where man and women
could live in peace and progress harmony with each other above
all creeds.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 04 : Pondicherry - Swami Mailer
Pondicherry-Swami Mailer, 166 km Drive to Swami Mailer
ethnic Village Resort visiting en-route Chidambram and Gangaikonda
Cholapuram.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 05 : Swami Malai - Tanjore - Trichy
This morning after a leisurely breakfast we will proceed
to Tanjore after visiting Srirangam and Trichy on the way.
Visit Trichy and Srirangam
Srirangam: 5 kms from Trichy, located in an island is Srirangam.
Surrounded by the Kaveri water is a 600 acre island town enclosed
within the seven walls on the gigantic Sri Ranganathaswami
temple. There are no less than 22 gopurams, one of which is
the tallest in India. The 72 m high 13 tiered gopuram dominates
the landscape for miles around.
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.
Trichy - Visit Temples, Forts etc.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 06 : Trichy - Madurai
This morning you drive to Madurai and transfer to your
hotel. Relax for a while. Later proceed for the sightseeing
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.
City tour of Madurai
Visit the great Meenakshi Temple dedicated to the consort
of Lord Shiva with its towering gopurams – (rising high
above the surrounding countryside). Later, visit the Tirumala
Nayak Palace – a gracious building in the Indo-Saracenic
style, famous for the stucco work on its domes and arches.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 07 : Madurai - Rameshwaram or Kodaikanal- Madurai
Madurai Day at leisure - optional Day trip to visit Rameshwaram
or Kodaikanal.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 08 : Madurai - Kanya Kumari - Kovalam
This Morning after breakfast drive to Kanya Kumari(Cape
Comorin), the last end of India where three Oceans meet. Continue
drive to Kovalam on arrival and check into your hotel.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 09: Kovalam
Morning drive to Kovalam, the international beach Resort
with full of Coconut trees.
Kovalam is an internationally renowned beach of Kerala, with
three adjacent crescent beaches. Kovalam has been a favorite
haunt of tourists, especially Europeans, since the 1930s.
A massive rocky promontory on the beach has created a beautiful
Bay of calm waters ideal for sea bathing. The leisure options
at this beach are plenty and diverse - sunbathing, swimming,
herbal body toning massages, special cultural programs, Catamaran
cruising etc. Evening enjoy the beach.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 10: Kovalam - Periyar
After breakfast drive to Periyar. Afternoon boat cruise
on Lake Periyar to view wildlife.Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 11: Periyar - Kottayam
Early Morning, drive to Alleppey and on arrival, switch
over to the House Boat and cruise along the backwaters, passing
through paddy fields, villages, market etc. The cruise is
through `Kuttanad' literally meaning the land which is lower
than the sea level but is kept intact by its bunds and dikes.It
is the `rice bowl' of Kerala. The rice fields are very beautiful
and this lush land and surrounds governs the placid way of
life of the people who live on the backwaters.
Overnight : Houseboat
Day 12: Alleppey - Cochin
Arrive Alleppey-Cochin At noon time, disembark Houseboat
at Alleppey and proceed to Cochin.Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 13: Cochin
This morning after breakfast, proceed on a city tour of
Cochin
Cochin - the palmgreen commercial town of Kerala has one of
the finest natural harbours in the world.
The Chinese fishing nets can be seen at the entrance of the
harbour. The Chinese through trade contact taught this technique
of catching fish.
Evening witness Kathakali Dance Show in a Theatre.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 14: Cochin - Ooty
This morning after breakfast Drive to Ooty and check-in
at the hotel.Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 15: Ooty - Coonoor-Ooty
Ooty Full day sightseeing of Ooty and Coonoor.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 16: Ooty - Mysore
This morning drive to Mysore and transfer to hotel.
Visit Vrindavan Garden Like Mughal Pattern, Vrindavan Garden
is built step by step below the dam. Fountain, Flower beds,
topiary-all have made the environment beautiful and romantic.
In the evening the garden is illuminated and it looks more
beautiful and also the fountains of the garden are operated
rhythymically with music.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 17: Mysore - Srirangapatnam
Mysore Morning visit Somnathpur Temple Afternoon visit
Srirangapatnam.Evening back to your hotel.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 18: Mysore - Hassan
After breakfast Drive to Hassan and check-in at the hotel.
Afternoon visit Belur and Halebid Temples.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 19: Hassan - Sravanbelgola-Bangalore
After breakfast depart for Bangalore.
Enroute visit Shravanbelgola
The name conjures up images of great monolithic statue of
Gomateshwara or Lord Bahubali. The colossal statue, carved
from granite is the worlds tallest images creation of art
which is 58.6 feet in high. Chavundandaraya, the Ganga general
is said to have taken the enormous task in establishing the
statue on the to of Vindhyagiri hills. The statue established
around 1000 years back is a symbol of peace, tolerance and
nonvoilsence. The statue is clearly visible from a distance
of 15 km. One has to climb hundreds of steps chiseled out
in the rock to reach the statue. There are two hillocks in
Shravanabelagola- Vindhyagiri or Doddabetta and Chandragiri
or Chikkabetta. Vindhyagiri is the larger of the two where
the statue is located, over looks Chandragiri, where large
number of basadies including Chavuvdaraya basadi, Chandragupta
basadi, Parshwanatha basadi, Bhadrabahu cave, Mahanavami mantapa
etc are situated.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 20: Bangalore-Mumbai
This morning after breakfast transfer to Bangalore airport
to board flight for Mumbai. On arrival at Mumbai Airport,
you will be met and transferred by our representative to your
hotel. Later proceed on a city tour of Mumbai.
Visit Gateway of India, Prince of Wales Museum, Hanging Gardens
on the slopes of Malabar Hills offering nice view of Marine
Lines & Chowpatty Beach, Kamla Nehru Park, Mani Bhawan
(where Mahatma Gandhi used to stay) and then to Dhobi Ghat.
Also visit Afgan Church, Flora Fountain (Bombay nerve centre),
Colourful Crawford Market and Marine Drive.
Overnight :Hotel
Day 21: Mumbai
This morning after breakfast transfer to the International
airport for your onward destinations with sweet and unforgettable
memories of ''South India Tour" escorted by Vardhman Vacations.
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