Day 01 Arrive Delhi
Arrive Delhi.
Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel by an
airconditioned transport.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 02 Delhi - Agra
Breakfast at
hotel.
Morning combined city tour of New & Old Delhi by an
airconditioned transport with
English/language speaking guide
visit Qutab Minar, India Gate (War Memorial),
Lakshmi Narayan Temple - a modern Hindu Temple,
drive past President's House,
Parliament House
and Secretariat Buildings. Also visit Raj
Ghat and Shanti Vana the cremation sites
of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, Jama Masjid and
drive
past Red Fort and Chandni Chowk.
Afternoon leave Delhi by an airconditioned transport for Agra.
Arrive Agra and check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 Agra - Delhi
Breakfast at
hotel.
Morning city tour of Agra by an
airconditioned transport with English/language
speaking guide
visiting the world famous Taj Mahal built by the
Mughal Emperor
Shah Jehan in 1630 for his queen Mumtaz Mahal to
enshrine her mortal remains.
Also visit the Agra Fort containing
the Halls of Private and Public audience and other
palace.
Afternoon leave Agra by an airconditioned transport
for Delhi.
Arrive Delhi and check in at hotel.
Overnight at
hotel.
Day 04 Delhi - Chennai
Breakfast at
hotel.
In time transfer to airport to connect flight for Chennai.
Arrive Chennai. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to
hotel.
Afternoon city tour of Chennai by an
airconditioned half day sightseeing tour, visiting Gandhi Memorial,
Kala Kshetra, Mylapore temple and Marine beach.
Overnight at
hotel.
Day 05 Chennai - Tirupathi - Chennai (154 Kms)
Breakfast at hotel.
Full day excursion to
Tirupathi Tirupathi is a temple town known for the famous ancient
temple of Lord Venkateswara (Lord of seven hills or Balaji, as he is
affectionately known ) on the top of the 860mts high Tirumala hills.
The temple of Lord Venkateswara is not only believed to be amongst the
oldest temples in the country, but also the richest of them all
.Legend has it that Lord Venkateswara borrowed money from the divine
treasurer Kubera for his wedding expenses. He is still paying back
this debt which is why the pilgrims donate generously to the temple
funds.
In the evening return to Chennai.
Overnight at
hotel.
Day
06 Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram
Breakfast at
hotel.
Morning leave Chennai by an
airconditioned transport for Mahabalipurm enroute visiting
Kanchipuram:- is the ancient capital of the Pallavas famous
as a city of 1000 Temples and still has 124 shrines. The first temple
dedicated to Shiva was built in the 7th and 8th century and has
paintings on the walls. Temples of Ekambaswara , Kailasanatha, Sri
Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also
famous for its silks.
Arrive Mahabalipuram and check in at hotel.
Afternoon city tour of Mahabalipuram
by an airconditioned transport with English/language speaking guide,
Mahabalipuram:- this ancient Pallava port, is today the sight of
several antique sculptural marvels. In this ancient seaside town ,
shrines and huge sculptures cut-out of rocks more than 1200 years back
during the reign of Pallava Kings in the region can be seen. The rock
carvings depicting mythological episodes - of demons, Gods and animals
in battle and others - are truly poems in stone. The only shore temple
which remains here is the spectacular two - spired shrine, unique
because it houses both Lord Shiva and the Lord Vishnu in its
sanctum-sanctorum.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 07 Mahabalipuram - Tiruvannamallai -
Pondicherry
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning
leave Mahabalipuram by an airconditioned transport for Pondicherry
enroute visiting Tiruvannamallai(112kms/03hrs)- a pilgrim centre with
an ancient temple of Lord Shiva, which carries a strong whiff of the
French presence in India. This erstwhile French colony on the east
coast of South India merged with the rest of the country in 1954.
Legend says that Pondicherry is the place where St.Agasthaya settled
down.
Arrive Pondicherry and check in at hotel.
Overnight at
hotel.
Day 08 Pondicherry - Chidambram - Tanjore
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning visit Aurbindo Ashram, the city of
dawn, which is 10kms north of Pondicherry. This ashram promotes
Aurbindo's ideas in bringing about a synthesis of Yoga and modern
science, so as to unite the spirit and matter.
Afternoon
leave Pondicherry by an airconditioned transport for Tanjore enroute
visiting Chidambaram(65kms/1.5hrs) also called as Thillai, which has
the famous Nataraja temple with the root of the sanctum-sanctorum
covered with golden plates is located in the centre of the town
covering an area of 40 acres. In this temple, postures from the
Bharatnatayam form of dance are depicted in sculpture. Natraja is Lord
Shiva as a cosmic dancer.
Arrive Tanjore and check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 09 Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai
Breakfast at hotel.
Monring city tour of
Tanjore by an airconditioned transport with English/language speaking
guide. Tanjore once the capital of Chola Kings, has the Brahadeswara
temple(or the big temple of God).The temple tower rises to a height of
15mts from a square base of 29 mts and then tapers off, making a total
of 66mts.
Afternoon leave Tanjore by an
airconditioned transport for Madurai enroute visiting Trichy, short
name of Trichurapalli, situated on the banks of Kaveri River is a
blend of history and tradition as well as pilgrim centre, it is famous
for Ranganath temple at Srirangam. Visit Rock fort and its temple at a
height of over 23mts. Also visit Srirangam and Jambukeshwar Temple
with English/language speaking guide.
Arrive Madurai and check in
at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 Madurai (Excursion - Rameshwaram, 154kms
/ 04hrs)
After breakfast proceed to Rameshwaram- the most
sacred temple town of India is an island hallowed by the epic
Ramayana, where Lord Rama is said to have visited before going into
battle of Srilanka. Legend has it that Lord Rama sent Hanuman to Mount
Kailash to bring a Lingam for worship when he set foot after defeating
Ravana. As Hanuman did not return when the auspicious hour was
approaching, Sita made a sand Lingam so that worship could be
performed in time, which is where the present day Ramanatha Swamy
Temple stands close to sea on the eastern side of the island. One of
the twelve Jyotirlingam shrines is also well known for its magnificent
corridors and the massive sculptured pillars lining them.
Evening
return back to Madurai.
Day 11 Madurai - Chennai - Back Home
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning city tour of
Madurai by an airconditioned transport with English/language speaking
guide visiting Meenakshi temple, King Tirumala's Palace, Great tank
and Gandhi museum.
Late afternoon transfer to
airport to connect flight for Chennai.
Arrive Chennai and proceed
to International airport to connect flight for onward destination.