Table of Contents:-
Day 01 – Chennai arrival – drive Mahabalipuram
Day 02 – Pondicherry
Day 03 – Tanjore
Day 04 - Chettinad
Day 05 -
Madurai
Day 06 – Thekkady / Periyar
Day 07 – Alleppey / Kumarakom ( House boat )
Day 08 – Fort Cochin
Day 09 – Calicut
Day 10 – Ooty
Day 11 – Mysuru Day 12 – Mysuru
Day 13 – Hassan
Day 14 – Bangalore airport
Arrive in Chennai. Head to Mahabalipuram.Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 2 :- Mahabalipuram-Pondycherry
Discovery of Mahabalipuram (UNESCO), the ancient golden city of the Pallava dynasty, which radiated as far as Cambodia and Indonesia in the 8th century: the bas-relief of the descent of the Ganges to earth, the five Rathas, a set of monolithic temples carved in stone, and the astonishing Temple of the Shore. Continue to Pondicherry, (Possibility to visit Auroville) check-in at the hotel and lunch. Then visit this old French trading post with its strong charm: Sri Aurobindo's ashram and the Church of Our Lady of the Angels in the old colonial city, and the colourful market of the Tamil quarter. Rickshaw ride and return to the hotel. (B.D+Lunch+Sun)
Day 3:- Pondycherry-Chidambaram-Gangakundacholapuram-Darasuram-Tanjore.
In the morning, drive to Thanjavur. En route, visit Chidambaram is the superb temple of Nataraja dedicated to Shiva, one of the jewels of Dravidian architecture. Then stop in Gangakondacholapuram to visit the temple of Brihadishwara and finally we stop in Dharasuram to visit the temple of Airatesvara, a superb example of Chola architecture of the twelfth century. We continue to the city of Thanjavur, the former capital of the Chola dynasty, under whose reign the great Dravidian architecture was born, famous for its high gopurams. Overnight in Tanjore.
Day 4 :- Tanjore-Chettinad
In the morning discover the marvellous Shivaist temple of Brihadishwara (UNESCO), another masterpiece of Dravidian architecture during the Chola era.Discovery of the marvellous Shivaite temple of Brihadishwara (UNESCO), another masterpiece of Dravidian architecture during the Chola era.Detour and continue Drive to Trichy and visit the extraordinary temple of Vishnu on the island of Sri Rangam, in the middle of the Kaveri River and continue to Chettinad, a picturesque region renowned for its delicious cuisine, handicrafts and small old-fashioned palaces in the Art Deco style, built at the end of the 19th century by the Chettiars, noble merchants who made their fortune in the teak and spice trade. Overnight in Chettinad.
Day 5 :- Chettinad - Madurai
Departure to Madurai
, the ancient capital of the Pandya dynasty and major temple city in South India.On the way, visit a traditional tile factory. And continue to Madurai.Lunch and then visit the Indo-Muslim palace of Thirumalai Nayak and discover the formidable temple of Meenakshi, one of the most exuberant in Tamil Nadu, iA sanctuary topped with towers with polychrome sculptures, where a captivating fervour reigns. Also visit the Flower and Vegetable Market. Evening dinner at the Rooftop Restaurant with the view of Gopuram from Temple. Overnight at Hotel Madurai.
Day 6 :-Madurai-Periyar Drive to Periyar
health resort (1,200 m), in the temperate hills of Kerala. Check-in at the hotel, late lunch and visit to a spice garden, of which the region is one of the world's leading producers. In the evening, there is a show of Kalaripayattu, the traditional martial art of Kerala. Overnight in Periyar.
Day 7:- Periyar- Alleppy "House boat "
"Houseboat" on the "backwaters"
Road to the plain of Palai, which is home to rice fields as far as the eye can see, countless coconut palms and small peaceful villages. We board a traditional houseboat, greeted by the crew, composed of the captain, the cook, and the "mate". Sailing on the canals, lagoons and lake of Vembanad. We enjoy the serene atmosphere that reigns over these calm waters. You have to imagine a kind of Venice under the tropiques, a city of liquid boulevards, where boats come and go constantly, which the boatmen lead by pushing from the bottom with long bamboo poles. On the banks, we come across antique houses made of teak, mahogany and rosewood; villages blooming with hibiscus, bougainvillea, shimmering green rice fields, and eternal coconut palms. Meals and overnight stay on board (double room with ). Full board.
Day 8 :- Houseboat - Fort Cochin
After breakfast Drive to Cochin, a former trading post founded in the 16th century by Vasco da Gama and for a long time a hub of the spice trade on the Malabar coast. Check-in at the hotel, lunch and visit of this pleasant and mixed city: the Saint Francis Church, the oldest European church in India, the curious Chinese fishing diamonds, the synagogue in the antique dealers' quarter (subject to opening) and the Dutch Palace, with its beautiful frescoes telling the great episodes of the Ramayana. This is followed by the Kerala Traditional Dance Show "Kathakali". Dinné, In a restaurant by the sea. Overnight in Fort Cochin.
Day 9 :- Fort Cochin-Calicut
Head to Calicut, on the road to Guruvayur you visit the Elephant Firm.The road continues to Calicut
and the evening free to enjoy the pladge by the Arabi Sea. Overnight in Calicut.
Day 10:- Calicut-Ooty Head to Ooty
. In the evening, enjoy the "Toy Train" in the Nilgiri mountain. Overnight in Ooty.
Day 11:-Ooty-mysuru
Drive to Mysuru.Dejourn to mysuru
and Departure for the hill of Chamundi, on the heights of the city. Stop at the temple of the goddess Durga and the imposing statue of Nandi, Shiva's sacred bull.At the end of the day, walk through the Devaraja market, between mountains of flowers and pyramids of spices, incense sellers and Sandalwood Merchants. In the evening, head to the Maharajah's palace to attend his theatrical illumination... A good-natured show that is always eagerly awaited! (Possible only on Sunday evening)
Day 12 :- Mysuru
Excursion to Somnathpur to visit the 13th century temple dedicated to the god Chinakeshwa. Then we go to Srirangapatnam and discover the summer palace of Sultan Tipu, whose frescoes tell the story of the struggle of the Sultan (and his French allies!) against the British Raj and the descendants of the Hindu dynasty of the Wodeyar at the end of the 18th century. A look at the Gumbaz, the mausoleum of the Sultan and his family. Continue the visit of the Maharajah's palace, built at the end of the 19th century by an Irish engineer, in an equally grandiose Indo-Saracenic style... Overnight in Mysuru.
Day 13 :- Mysuru-Hassan
On the road to Hassan, stop at the hill of Sravanabelagola and its sanctuary housing the huge monolithic statue of the Jain saint Gomateshvara, 17 m high and dating from the 10th century (access, barefoot, by a staircase of 600 steps). Lunch in Hassan and departure to Belur and visit the temple of Chennakeshava, built in the 12th century in honor of Vishnu and a masterpiece of the Hoysala artists. Continue to Halebid and the Shaivite shrine of Hoysaleshvara, another jewel of the Hoysala builders.
Day 14 :-Hassan-bangluru
In the morning drive to Bangluru
