South India Temple Tour 5 Nights / 6 Days

After reaching Chennai Airport, you will be greeted by our representative who will escort you to the selected hotel. Once there, check-in and freshen up. Later, head out to explore the capital city of Tamil Nadu. This south Indian state is home to some of the fascinating and oldest remaining civilizations and heritage. You can find the yesteryears imprints at some of the prominent attractions like the Fort St. George. This English fortress is a 1640-built structure by the British East India Company. San Thome Cathedral is a 16th-century church built over the tomb of Saint Thomas.

St. Thomas Mount, on the other hand, is a charming church located on a small hillock in Chennai. An additional draw about this place is that you also get a lovely view from the hill. The National Art Gallery is a haven for art lovers. It treasures many attractions and it is tagged to be one of the most popular museums in India. It house of paintings dating back to 18th and 17th-century. Kapaleeshwar Temple is a Hindu religious place and its intricate design and colorful structure will baffle you at first glance. It is dedicated to the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva. Later, in the evening, you can visit Marina. It is a beautiful beach and the longest one in India. Do not attempt to swim since the current is strong and there are no lifeguards available on this beach.

After a busy day, head to the hotel for an overnight stay.

The next day, check out from the hotel in Chennai and leave for Mahabalipuram. En-route visit Kanchipuram. Also is known as Kanchi, Kanchipuram is a lovely place to visit in Tamil Nadu, especially for the pilgrims. It is considered a sacred site mainly because of its temples that are erected here. Amongst the many, the 8th-century Kailasanathar Temple is extremely famous. It is built with an intricate design all around the temple and features sandstone carvings. Kailasanathar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Besides, other beautiful temples you can visit are Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Ekambareswarar Temple, and Sakkiswarar Temple. After exploring the temples, continue your journey towards Mahabalipuram. It is a 7th-century port town which is famous for the beautiful rock-cut shore temples. After you arrive, you will be taken to the hotel to check-in.

You can rest for the day followed by an overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, you can start your day by going sightseeing around Mahabalipuram. This historic town is a narrow-body town stripped between the Bay of Bengal and the Great Salt Lake. Mahabalipuram is famous for Shore Temple, the Five Rathas and the monuments built by the Pallava Dynasty back in the 7th and 8th-centuries. Another fascinating attraction Mahabalipuram cradles is the Krishna's Butter Ball. It is a massive boulder which is balanced on a small hill. The old lighthouse is a lovely sight to awe at. It exudes a charming old-world appeal. The tour will also take you to see the Arjuna's Penance and the Tiger Caves. Later, head to the hotel and check out, you can then leave for Pondicherry, an Indian French Riviera. As you reach the small town, check-in at the hotel and rest for a while. Later, go for some exploration around the local markets.

Return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

After a hearty breakfast, head outdoors to explore Pondicherry and its serene surroundings. Pondicherry or Pondy as the locals would like to call it is one of South India's stunning destinations. You can't help it but find two dissimilar cultures infused in one. Pondicherry is where you'll find the Tamils speaking fluent French and the French-speaking fluent Tamil. This is because of the French colonization as you can see the majority of the streets and houses having deep French influences.

Visit the scenic coastlines which stretch to about 32 kilometers and also admire the palm fringes, fishing villages and calm backwaters in Pondicherry. Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville are two fascinating attractions. Auroville, in particular, is a land for spiritualists. It is said that the town belongs to humanity and that people from across the globe come here for spiritual awakening. After exploring Pondicherry and its surroundings, drive to Swamimalai. In between, you can visit Chidambaram and Gangaikonda Cholapuram, a temple town in Tamil Nadu. Later, on reaching your designated destination, Swamimalai, check-in at the hotel and freshen up. After a while, visit the Swamimalai Murugan Temple.

Return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

On day 5 of your South India Temple tour, leave the hotel after breakfast and drive to Tanjore. A beautiful city is best known for its many south Indian temples such as the Navagraha Temple. According to Hindu mythology, Navagraha Temple is dedicated to nine planets. And the nine planets are Surya, Chandra, Buddh, Mangala or Angaraka, Guru, Shani, Shukra, Rahu and Ketu.

After you reach the city, head straight to the hotel and freshen up. Later, go for sightseeing around Tanjore and explore the best attractions like Vijayanagar Fort, this fort was built by the Nayaks and it was also ruled by the Maratha during 1550 AD. Another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is Alangudi Temple. You can also sightsee other temples like Brihadeeswara Temple and the Chandra Bagawan Temple. Shiva Ganga Garden is a popular recreational park located within Vijayanagar Fort. You can enjoy the day at the park and unwind yourself from the religious temple exploration.

After Tanjore sightseeing, return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

On the final day of the South India Temple Tour, check out from the hotel after breakfast and head towards Madurai Airport to board the flight to your preferred destination.