South India Dravidian with Kerala Tour

Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel. Hotel check in time 1200 Noon.Chennai - the capital of Tamil Nadu is the 4th largest city in India and a major commercial centre in South India. This city was the first British major settlement in India. Known as the ‘Gateway to South’, Chennai presents culture that is distinctly different from North. Evening visit local market or free for own activities.Overnight at hotel.

Morning city sightseeing tour includes a visit to the Government Museum and Art Gallery, to see the art and bronze gallery (closed on Fridays and public holidays) and also a visit to the famous 16th century Kapaleeshwarar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, sacred to Tamil Shivaties. Non-Hindus are only allowed up to the outer courtyard. Later drive past Fort St. George, Marina Beach and San Thome Cathedral.
Later depart by surface for Mahabalipuram, on arrival check in at hotel.Overnight at hotel.

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

Morning city tour of Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) . It occupies a stunning position on a rocky outcrop between the beach and a lagoon. Built by the Pallava rulers in the seventh century, the complex comprises of 14 cave temples, nine monolithic "Rathas", three stone temples and two relief-sculptured rock panels. These two rock panels give a graphic description of Arjuna's penance when he prayed for the powers of Shiva and forms the largest Bass Relief in the world. Particularly of interest is the shore temple built on the water's edge with an east facing altar designed to catch the rising Sun. This has now been declared a World Heritage Site.

Later visit Kancheepuram, located around 64 Km from Chennai, is one of Hinduism's seven most sacred cities. This "Golden city of a Thousand Temples" dates back to the early Cholas in the 7th century A.D. Only around 70 temples of the original 1000 old temple complex are still intact and the most famous of them is the Kailasanatha Temple built with sandstone in the early seventh century A.D. Kanchipuram is famous for its silk weaving and a visit to the nearby villages to see the craftsmen at work on their looms is rewarding experience. Overnight at hotel.

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

Morning depart for Pondicherry. on arrival check in at hotel.
Afternoon.Visit Pondicherry whose association traces its origin to Saint Agasthya, the revered sage of the South. Visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram - the final resting place of Sri Aurobindo, a Saint-cum-Yogi who synthesized yoga and modern science. It is also the final resting place of the 'Mother'. Overnight at Hotel .

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

on arrival check in at hotel.
Afternoon visit Thanjavur (Tanjore) - famous for the Brihadeeswara Temple has gopurams over 90 ft. (27 m) high and are exquisitely sculpted. They lead to a vast courtyard in which the main temple stands guarded by two sentries carved out of single stones. Facing the sanctum is a nandi (bull) Shiva's favourite vehicle. The corridors around the sanctum have many sculptures as well as Chola frescoes which were recently discovered. The Palace and the remains of the fort that surround it can still be seen. Members of the former royal family of Thanjavur still occupy some apartments in the inner recesses but the Palace is now mainly used as a art gallery.Overnight at hotel.

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

On rout Visit the island of Srirangam across the River Kaveri - 3 miles (5 km) away. The temple here is practically a town in itself with several residential streets within its 1 sq. mile together
with a number of shopping streets. Its annual winter festival attracts thousands of devotees. The visitor can wander around freely in most parts of the temple.Continue drive to Madurai, on arrival check in at hotel.
Overnight at Hotel.

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

After Breakfast visit Great Meenaskhi Temple Dedicated to the consort of Lord Shiva with its towersing Gopurams, rising high above the surrounding township. Later visit the Tirumala Nayak Palace - a gracious biulding in the Indo-Saracenic style, famous for the stucco wrok on uts domes and arches. Also visit the Algar Hills and Tirupara Kundran Rock Temple. Evening enjoy the night closing ceremony of the temples ( Hotel/Temple/Hotel by Auto Rickshaws )Overnight at Hotel.

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

Morning depart for Periyar by surface, on arrival check in at hotel. Late afternoon visit to sanctuary with boat cruise. One and Half boat trips on the lake are the usual way of touring the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in the Thekkady district of Tamil Nadu bordering with Kerala, Periyar Wild Life Sanctuary is one of the most important and frequently visited in India. It conveniently falls between journeys from different parts of Tamil Nadu to important tourist destinations in Kerala. Trips along the large artificial lake surrounded by dense forests is by itself value for money besides offering the opportunity to view wild life specially elephants, wild boar, sambar, etc.Overnight at Hotel.

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

Morning depart for Munnar, on arrival check in at hotel. Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. 1600 m above sea level, this hill station was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India. Sprawling tea plantations, picture-book towns, winding lanes and holiday facilities make this a popular resort town. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji. This flower that bathes the hills in blue every twelve years, Munnar offers a breathtaking view of the hills draped in folds of green carpet of tea gardens. Beyond the rolling hills discover the rich tropical forests abounding in exotic flora & fauna. It is here that you will find the Anamudi peak, the highest peak in the Western Ghats, in South India. It's serene atmosphere, silver streams and pleasant climate welcomes you to have a whiff of the cool mountain breeze. A quaint little town that exudes a rare old world charm and strangely reminds one of the days of the Raj in its elegant splendour.
Overnight stay at the Hotel.

Activities : Hill Stations & Valleys

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

Morning depart by surface of Cochin, on arrival check in at hotel.Kochi (colonial name Cochin) is a vibrant city situated on the south-west coast of the Indian peninsula in the breathtakingly scenic and prosperous state of Kerala, hailed as 'God's Own Country'. Its strategic importance over the centuries is underlined by the sobriquet Queen of the Arabian Sea. Informally, Cochin is also referred to as the Gateway to Kerala.Afternoon tour of the satellite towns of Kochi (Cochin) and Ernakulam comprises visits to the Dutch Palace, the Jewish Synagogue - (which remains closed on Saturdays) St. Francis Church and the Santa Cruz Basilica. While driving along the coastline, at the Harbour's mouth, one can also view the unique and still-in-use "Chinese Fishing Nets" which were introduced by the Chinese traders in the 14th Century. The tour ends in the Fort Kochi area where you can walk through the historical Dutch and Portuguese buildings. Some parts of this nearly 500-year-old Fort are still amazingly well preserved. In evening enjoy Kathakali Dance; is the ancient classical dance from of Kerala which is a grand mix of dramatics, vocal and instrumental music, dancing and mine. Overnight at hotel.

Activities : Hill Stations & Valleys

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

Morning depart for Alleppey by surface, on arrival check in at house boat. House boat jetty to board house boat (Kettuvallom) on the World famous Backwaters of Kerala. Boat cruise on the backwaters gives an opportunity to behold the great charm of this city that nature has endowed upon it. You get pretty and intimate vignettes of local life and people living in these backwaters. Lunch & Dinner at House Boat Overnight stay in Houseboat.

Activities : House Boat

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast

After breakfast cruise till Allepey jetty, disembark house boat and drive to Kovalam, On arrival check in at hotel Today you are free at Kovalam beach. Overnight at hotel.

Activities : House Boat

Today you are free at Kovalam beach. (No transport service on this day) Overnight at hotel. Breakfast at hotel Hotel check out time 1200 noon In time transfer to Trivandrum airport to connect flight for onwards journey.(No accommodation on this day).

Activities : House Boat