Pilgrimage Tour Packages India
south India Pilgrimage Tour
Duration: 14 Nights 15 Days
Destination covered: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram
- Chidambram - Gangekondcholapuram - Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai - Periyar - Kumarakom
- Alleppey - Cochin - Kovalam - Chennai
Day 01: Chennai
Fly from your country to Chennai, arrive & check in your hotel.
Overnight at
Hotel.l
Day 02: Chennai
Breakfast & leave for sightseeing of Chennai, the first British major settlement
in India. Visit Kapleshwara temple, St. Thomas Church, Art Gallery, St. George Fort,
Marina beach ( 2nd longest beach of the world after California ). Overnight
at Hotel
Day 03 : Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram ( 130 Km, 05 hours )
Morning leave for Mahabalipuram enroute Kanchipuram, once the Golden city of India
to visit Shiv Kanchi and Vishnu Kanchi temples. Continue your drive to Mahabalipuram,
arrive & check in at Hotel. Overnight at Hotel
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Day 04: Mahabalipuram
Morning visit 6-8th century Pallave rock cut caves, Panch Ratha temple, 7th century
shore temple where both Vishnu & Shiva are enshrined under one roof and soap stone
workers in the market who designs and made sculptures by chisel & hammer. This is
very special to see. Afternoon free to enjoy at sea beach. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 05: Mahabalipuram - Chidambram - Gangekondcholapuram - Tanjore
Morning leave for Tanjore, your first stop will be at Chidambrum golden Natraja
temple. Afterwards drive to Gangekondcholapuram exciting Shiva temple built from
1012-1044 AD by Kind Rajendra I. The speciality of the temple and 1000 years engineering
is the rays of sun falls on Nandi ( bull ) and it reflects and give light to the
Shiva Lingam since sun rise to sun set. Your next stop will be at Kumbakonam water
tank, it is believed that after every 12years 9 scared holy rivers including holy
Ganges are meeting here. During those days thousands of pilgrims dip into the tank
to wash their sins. Next stop at 13th century Shiva temple at Darasuram. Finally
reach to Tanjore, arrive and check in at your hotel . Overnight at hotel
Day 06: Tanjore - Trichy ( 56 Km, 01.1/2 hours )
Morning sightseeing of Tanjore visiting Brideshwarar Shiva Temple was built by King
Raja Rajan from the year 985 - 1010 AD. As usual South Indian temples have big Gopurmas
( towers ) but this temple is parameter shaped, 65 meters high from the ground.
This is one of the superb temple architect of the Chola dynasty. Afterwards visit
Raja Rajan art gallery to see bronze statures of 9-16th century. Return back to
Hotel and after some rest drive to Trichy, arrive & check in at Hotel. Afternoon
visit Srirangam Vishnu temple has 21 gopurmas ( towers ), one of the gopurma is
73 meters highest in India. Afterwards visit Rock Fort 83 meters above the ground
having 344 steps to reach on the top to see Vinayaka temple.
Overnight at hotel
Day 07: Trichy - Madurai ( 131 Km, 03 hours )
Morning leave for Madurai, arrive and check in at Hotel Taj Garden Retreat similar.
Afternoon visit 16th century Thirumalai Nayak Palace. Afterwards visit biggest Meenakshi
temple, the temple has two main shrines one is dedicated to goddess Parvati ( Meenakshi
) and another to Sunereshwara ( Shiva ). The doms of both the shrines are covered
with heavy gold plates. You can also see 1000 pillars hall built in 16th century
by Nayakas by pure granite stones.
Overnight at hotel
Day 08: Madurai - Periyar ( 140 Km, 04 hours )
Breakfast at Hotel and leaver for Periyar, arrive and check in at Hotel Spice Village
Holiday Resort. Afternoon a special visit to the spices Garden to watch different
varieties of spice plantations such as cardamom, cinnamon, peeper, clove, vanilla,
ginger, tea and coffee plantations etc. Periyar is on 1000 meters above sea level
and is rich in spice growing. 95% pepper in India is produced from here. Vaskodegama
was the first European landed at Malabar coast in 1498 A.D. in search of spices.
Those days pepper was exported against the equal weight of gold, so in the beginning
of 15th century pepper was called black gold. Afterwards visit Periyar Tiger Reserve
by boat to watch different varieties of animals such as tiger, panther, leopard,
bison spotted deer, barking deer, wild boar, groups of wild elephants and many birds.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 09: Periyar - Houseboat Cruise - Kumarakom
After breakfast drive to Kumarakon to board houseboat Cruise to enjoy the cruise
in backwaters. This cruise is very exciting and sensational to watch the real traditional
Kerlan life who lives on the banks of backwaters. Overnight with full meals
at Houseboat cruise.
Day 10: Houseboat Cruise - Alleppey - Cochin ( 60 Km, 01.1/2 hours )
Houseboat will drop you at Alleppey to board your vehicle & drive to Cochin. Arrive
and check in at Hotel Casino or similar, afternoon visit Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue,
Chinese fishing nets and St. Francis Church, one of the oldest Church built by the
Europeans in 1503 A.D.
Late afternoon visit to watch traditional Kerlan Kathakali dances.
Overnight
at Hotel.
Day 11: Cochin - Kovalam ( 235 Km, 05 hours )
Morning leave for Kovalam, arrive & check in at Hotel Samudra ( KTDC ) to enjoy
at sea beach Overnight at hotel
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Day 12: Kovalam
Full day relaxation on Kovalam. Overnight at hotel
Day 13: Kovalam
After morning breakfast transfer to Trivandrum airport to connect your flight for
onward destination