| Day 1 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Arrive Chennai - drive to Mahabalipuram |
| Duration | 60 KMS /1 Hr 30 Mints |
| Accommodation city | Ideal Beach resort Mahabalipuram http://www.idealresort.com/mahabalipuram |
| Meals included | Dinner |
| Description | On arrival at Chennai international airport you will be received and assisted driven to Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram is a small town on a strip of land between the Bay of Bengal and the Great Salt Lake, in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It’s known for its temples and monuments built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. The seafront Shore Temple comprises 3 ornate granite shrines. Krishna’s Butter Ball is a massive boulder balanced on a small hill near the Ganesha Ratha stone temple. On arrival check n to your Ocean front resort. |
| Day 2 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Mahabalipuram Sightseeing |
| Duration | Ideal Beach resort Mahabalipuram http://www.idealresort.com/mahabalipuram |
| Accommodation city | Kaav safari Lodge Kabini http://www.kaav.com/ |
| Meals included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Description | After breakfast proceed to Mahabalipuram Sightseeing. Mahabalipuram was a 7th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The name Mamallapuram is believed to have been given after the Pallavas king Narasimhavarman I, who took on the epithet Maha-malla (great wrestler), as the favorite sport of the Pallavas was wrestling. It has various historic monuments built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The massive rock sculptures carved into softly sloping hills, monolithic temples, ancient manmade caverns with incredible sculptures and the world’s largest bas-relief in stone, all combine to make Mahabalipuram a living museum. Lunch at Local Restaurant Visit the famous Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) Temples, the Penance of Bhagirath (also known as Arjuna’s Penance), the Shore Temple, the massive bas-relief Descent of the Ganges and the eight Mandapams (shallow halls carved out of sheer rock) are all located within the small coastal community. A captivating sight can be experienced from the beach twice a day as the local fisherman head out in their colorful fishing boats early in the morning and then again when they return in the afternoon with their catch. Return to hotel after the sightseeing. |
| Day 3 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Drive to Pondicherry , Sightseeing , Cycle Rickshaw ride |
| Duration | 100 KMS / 2 Hours |
| Accommodation city | Le Duplex http://www.sarovarhotels.com/le-dupleix-pondicherry/ |
| Meals included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Description | After breakfast, proceed to Pondichery. On arrival check in to your hotel. Lunch at hotel and later Proceed for a guided excursion of Pondicherry. Experience a cycle rickshaw ride through French colonial area. Pondicherry was a French colony for about two hundred and eighty years and became a part of India in 1954. Some claim that its history can be traced back to Agastya, South India's revered sage, who built his hermitage here many millennia ago. There is evidence that the Romans had a trading post here in the 1st Century AD. However, most of what a visitor will experience today has a distinct colonial flavor. The culture presents an unusual combination of European culture and Indian traditions - French is still spoken here in some parts of the population, along with Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and English. As you tour the city you will be captivated by its architecture as well as the friendliness of locals. Traces of the French colony still remain in its churches, cuisine, grid-pattern streets and colonial buildings. Dinner at Hotel. |
| Day 4 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Drive to Tanjore , Tanjore Sightseeing |
| Duration | 180 KMS/4 Hour |
| Accommodation city | Ideal River view http://www.idealresort.com/tanjore |
| Meals included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Description | After breakfast, Checkout and drive to Tanjore. On arrival check in to your hotel and lunch thereafter.
Later proceed for Tanjore sightseeing. Tanjore, an abode for Chola Temples, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and your day will start with a guided visit to the most amazing example of these, the Brihadishwara. This thousand-year-old awe-inspiring Temple Complex is constructed solely of granite, a material so hard that, with all our current technology, no architect today would even dream of building a structure with the incredible detail and mammoth scale of the Brihadishwara. These are just a few of the reasons why this monument is one of India’s most treasured architectural achievements. After your exploration proceed to Tanjore Museum. The Tanjore Museum has a fascinating collection of ancient temple stone sculptures and lost wax process bronzes, gathered from all over the region. The exploration of this museum is something that art lovers will really enjoy. Also visit Bronze carving centre at Tanjore. Evening return to your hotel and overnight stay. |
| Day 5 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Drive to Madurai , Light & Sound show, Palli arai ceremony |
| Duration | 200 KMS/4 Hours |
| Accommodation city | GRT Regency https://grthotels.com/madurai |
| Meals included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Description | Morning after breakfast proceeds to Madurai. Madurai is known as Athens of the East, Madurai is a place of great historical and cultural importance. It is the oldest city in Tamil Nadu and Madurai lies on the banks of the River Vaigai. It is one of the liveliest cities in South India it was originally known as Kadambavanam or the "forest of Kadamba" or the Nauclea kadamba. Once reached check in at the hotel. Lunch at hotel After a short break, proceed to Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal to experience famous Light & Sound show. Light and Sound show is the only one of its kind in South India, really is a boon to Madurai city. This show was established during 1981 when the fifth world Tamil conference was conducted. The show begins with the reverberating tribute to the King Thirumalai Naick. It deals with the important events which took place in the life of the King. His victories over the enemies, his love on art, and his deep sense of devotion to Goddess Meenakshi are narrated interestingly. Evening attend the iconic and impressive evening Palli Arai ceremony at the mammoth Sree Meenakshi Temple Complex with your guide. This elaborate and ritualistic ceremony has been written up in many international publications. You will be amazed by the incredible scale and colours that you are about to witness. Besides a glimpse of the ancient ceremony, this evening will give you a taste of what you will experience on the next day when you do a detailed tour of this awe-inspiring Temple complex. After the ceremony, return to your hotel and overnight stay. |
| Day 6 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Morning Flower market visit , Sightseeing , Drive to Thekkady |
| Duration | 150 KMS / 3 Hours 30 Mints |
| Accommodation city | Forest Canopy http://www.forestcanopy.in/ |
| Meals included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Description | Early morning proceed to visit the Local Flower market in Madurai. From this flower market, many varieties of flowers especially jasmine are exported to other parts of India as well as to countries like Germany, America and Italy. The jasmine of Madurai is at the top of the list because of its unique fragrance that is not found anywhere else. In Madurai, the jasmine flower is known as the Madurai malli. Though jasmine is the most popular flower in the flower market, other varieties of flowers are also available in the flower market of Madurai. For the jasmine and the rose, the Madurai flower market has also received an international recognition as both of these flowers are extensively used in the fragrance industry. The fashion house of Dior visits the Madurai Flower Market each year just to get motivated. It also uses these fragrances in its perfume creations. Return to hotel and enjoy breakfast. Later Proceed for a guided city tour of Madurai. By far the main attraction of Madurai is the great Sree Meenakshi Temple. This awe-imposing monument is the finest example of Dravidian temple architecture on this planet. Its Hall of a Thousand Pillars is a fabulous collection of elaborately sculpted and painted deities as well as other creatures from Hindu religious annals. The temple is always a beehive of activity as pilgrims from all over India come to seek the blessings of Meenakshi (Goddess Parvati) and Sundareswarar (Lord Shiva. The massive complex includes 14 magnificent Gopurams that jut into the sky from different parts of the temple. These Gopurams have thousands of elaborate sculptures carved into them and these have been colourfully painted. The most significant of these Gopurams are the two golden towers dedicated to the two main deities, the tallest one reaches 170 feet. Lunch at Local restaurant. Later Proceed to Thekkady. Arrive Thekkady and check in to your nature resort. You are now in the heart of spice country, and, if you breathe deeply, the air carries a faint aroma that will delight you. This is the heart of spice country and the mild and pleasant aroma from the surrounding plantations will fascinate you when you arrive. Periyar National Park is located around a picturesque artificial lake that was formed in 1895 by building a dam on the Periyar River. The terrain is hilly and the elevation of the park ranges from a few hundred feet to about 6,000 feet above sea level. The lake occupies the valleys of the thickly forested hills serving as a permanent source of water for wildlife in the Park. Although it falls under Project Tiger, the main attractions of the park are definitely elephants. Periyar is home to just under a thousand elephants and also more than 60 other mammal species including tigers, bison, deer, wild boar and wild dog. There are more than 300 species of birds, and even 160 species of butterflies. Prominent among the birds are Cormorants, Kingfishers, Darters, the great Malabar Hornbill, and the racket-tailed Drongoes. Unlike Ranthambore, your chances of seeing a tiger in this park are extremely slim. Thekkady is a great stopover on this itinerary for a variety of reasons, only one of them being the National Park. The Spice plantations are another reason to stop here, as is the fact that this rural area happens to be located in one of the most picturesque parts of the Western Ghats. |
| Day 7 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Boat ride, Plantation visit , Tribal heritage Museum visit ,Kalarippayattu show |
| Duration | |
| Accommodation city | Forest Canopy http://www.forestcanopy.in/ |
| Meals included | Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner |
| Description | Morning drive up to Lake Periyar and embark on a lake cruise on the spectacular lake. Periyar is a man-made lake that was created by the building of a dam in 1895. The scenery is both gorgeous and surreal, as ancient tree stumps still protrude from the waters of the 26-square-kilometer lake. Although Lake Periyar is officially a Tiger Reserve, chances of you seeing a big cat here are almost non-existent. What is very common is to see elephant herds as they come to the lake to drink, or as they traverse the terraced hills surrounding the lake. Wild boars are also a common sight. After Boating Visit a neighbouring spice plantation where an experienced naturalist will guide you through scores of different spice plants and illustrate their medicinal and gastronomical properties. Later visit Tribal Heritage Musuem. The Tribal legacy Museum hall worked inside the Mannan settlement including different kinds of relics identified with their old rural practices, wedding functions, social occasions, clothing regulation, customs and demise services is the center point of this ecotourism program. Show of angling gear, chasing weaponry, indigenous prescription and vessels, oats, therapeutic herbs, bamboo furniture and so forth are different attractions giving a peep into their unique culture. Lunch at Local restaurant Visit a neighbouring spice plantation where an experienced naturalist will guide you through scores of different spice plants and illustrate their medicinal and gastronomical properties. Evening, drive to nearby local theatre to experience Kalarippayattu show. Kalarippayattu is a martial art with a legacy of more than 3000 years, Kalarippayattu, the traditional martial art form of Kerala is regarded as the oldest and most scientific of all martial arts in the world. Unlike other martial art forms, the intense training of Kalarippayattu focuses not just on exercise and physical agility, but also on the energy system of the body. It is a perfect sync of both the body and the mind. Kalarippayattu combines a wide range of combat techniques from empty hand combat to a wide range of weaponry including long staff, short stick, curved stick, sword and shield, spear, mace and flexible sword (urumi). Agility and flexibility are the hallmarks of this legendary art form. After the performance, drive back to hotel. |
| Day 8 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Drive to Cochin |
| Duration | 180 KMS/4 Hours 30 Mints |
| Accommodation city | No 18 http://www.no18.co.in/ |
| Meals included | Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner |
| Description | Check out from your hotel after breakfast and enjoy the fascinating drive through the Western Ghats as you to head for Cochin. On arrival at Cochin you are assisted with check in to you resort. Evening walk in to nearby local theatre where you get to experience Kerala’s ancient performing art, a Kathakali dance performance. Kathakali literally means the art of storytelling through dance and the dance form is an ancient forefather of many Asian dance forms. Dinner at Hotel. |
| Day 9 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Cochin Sightseeing |
| Duration | |
| Accommodation city | No 18 http://www.no18.co.in/ |
| Meals included | Breakfast, Lunch , Dinner |
| Description | Start your day with guided exploration of the fascinating port city of Cochin and marvel in its culture and architecture, a result of centuries of various European influences combined with rich indigenous history. The guided tour begins from the Jewish Synagogue (closed on Fridays and Saturdays), which was built in 1568 and is still an active house of worship for the few remaining Jews in the area. Next to the synagogue is Cochin’s ancient and colorful Jew Street with its antique stores, souvenir peddlers and spice market. There is evidence of a Jewish presence in Kochi from 70 A.D. After the synagogue you visit the St. Francis Church, which was established by the Portuguese Franciscan friars in 1503. This is one of the first European churches built in India, and the famed Vasco Da Gama was buried in its courtyard for a few years before his remains were returned to Portugal. You now visit the famous dhobi Ghana in Cochin. Dhobi Ghana is an open air Laundromat in Fort Cochin India. The washers, known as dhobis, work in the open to clean clothes and linens from Cochin's hotels and hospitals. The origins of the dhobi khana lie in the colonial period, when British officers brought many Tamil villagers to Kochi to work as washer men. This Tamil community was first organised together in the 1920s, and came to be known as the Vannar community and has retained its cohesive identity over the years. This is what might possibly be the only Dhobi Khana (community laundry space) in Kerala, existing in the city successfully for many decades, thanks to a fair number of Kochi citizens who prefer their clothes washed by hand. Finally you visit the most photogenic of Cochin’s attractions, the Chinese fishing nets. Folklore will have it that these enormous nets (or at least their design) were brought here by famed Chinese Explorer Zhang He about 600 years ago. Local fishermen manipulate these massive nets with an ease that comes from centuries of practice – it is a vocation handed down by generations. The lowering and raising of the nets has a synchronicity and rhythm that is quite an amazing experience. Some of the nets are more than a century old as the fishermen patch them up and keep going. Finish your exploration with a short guided walk through Fort Kochi and experience the unique local culture and architecture – Fort Kochi is one of India’s best cities to explore on foot. You will be driven back to your hotel after your walk. |
| Day 10 | |
|---|---|
| From / to Subheading | Departure transfer to Cochin airport |
| Duration | 45 KMS/2 Hours |
| Accommodation city | NA |
| Meals included | NA |
| Description | Morning disembark from houseboat and transfer to Cochin airport. |
| General Info | |
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| Inclusions |
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| Exclusions |
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| Payment policy | If any specific to the itinerary (by default Lotus payment policy will be applied/displayed) |
| Cancellation policy | If any specific to the itinerary (by default Lotus cancellation policy will be applied/displayed) |
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