Day 01 : Arrive Chennai
Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel.

Chennai :
The present gateway to the South is about 350 yrs old. Chennai is ever growing, changing and pulsating with new activities. Capital of Tamil Nadu, it is the fourth largest cities in India.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 02 : Chennai
After breakfast proceed for half day city tour visiting museum to see the Art and Bronze Gallery (closed on Fridays and Public holidays). Drive through the flower and Fruit Market, High Court, fort Museum, Marina Beach, Santhome Cathedral.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 03 : Chennai - Mahabalipuram enroute visting Kanchipuram (58 kms)
After breakfast drive to Mahabalipuram enroute visiting Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram :
The golden city was one of the seven sacred cities of India and once had 1000 temples. Now only 20 remains. It is also famed for its hand-woven cottens and Kanchivaram silk.

Visit Kailasanathar Temple, Ekambaranathar Temple, Kamakshi Amman Temple, Ulagalanda Peerumal Temple.

On arrival in Mahabalipuram check-in at the hotel.

Mahabalipuram :
It was the main port of the Pallava dynasty and has exquisite rock-cut monuments, monolithic structures and basreliefs. It is also a beach resort

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 04 : Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry by surface (138 kms)
After breakfast proceed for half day city tour visiting the Krishna Mandapam or Cave temple. The Krishna Mandapam has a bas relief scene of Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana to protect a crowd of his kinsmen from anger of the rain God, Indra. Later visit Five Rathas (Pancha Pandava Rathas) - monolithic temples sculpted out of rock in 7th century influenced by Buddhist architecture in resembling the Vihara (monastery) and chaitya hall (temple). The piece de resistance is Arjuna's penance, the world's largest bas relief. Also visit the famous Shore Temple - Sculpture on rock, lashed by the waves of the sea, which is a World Heritage monument.

Afternoon depart by surface for Pondicherry enroute visiting Auroville.
Auroville literally means the 'City of Dawn', named after Sri Aurobindo.It proposes to realize this unity in diversity and not in uniformity. It will bring together those who believe in a progressive universal harmony and want to work for it. In fact "the first condition for living in Auroville is to be convinced of the essential unity of mankind and the will to collaborate in the material realization of that unity

On arrival check-in at the hotel.

Pondicherry a former French colony, presents an unusual combination of European culture and Indian traditions. An added attraction is the township of Auroville, an oasis of peace and enlightenment. Another hallowed spot is Aurobindo Ashram which draws devotees from all over the world.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 05 : Pondicherry - Tanjore by surface (177 kms)
After breakfast proceed for half day city tour visiting Aurobido Ashram which forms the nucleus of many activities and trade of Pondicherry. The Pondicherry Marine Drive, with a 1.5 kms lond promenade is the best place to stroll in on an evening. The Pondicherry Museum is a treasure trove of antique with a section on French India which is housed in rooms done up in typical French style. Archaeology, geology, sculpture, weapons, handicrafts and art are some of the other sections.

Afternoon depart by surface for Tanjore enroute visiting Chidambaram, Gangai kondacholapuram, Kumbakonam, Darasuram

Chidambaram :
It is regarded the holy town of great importance, as it is believed to be the sacred sight with center or navel of the universe, connecting the heaven, the earth and the subterranean world of Patala is the place where lord Shiva is believed to have performance of joy.
Visit the Nataraja Temple and the Vaitheeswaran Koil

Gangai kondacholapuram The name is formed from a string of four words, working backwards, meaning the city (puram) of the Cholas to which was brought (konda) the Ganga (river). Rajendra I was a mighty Chola ruler and, like his predecessor Rajraja, his overriding concern was to expand the territorial boundaries of his empire. In one expedition he took his army successfully along the east coast of India up to the Ganga. While it is an ancient practice for all pilgrims to return home with a jar of Ganga-jal, it is said that Rajendra Chola brought back with him enough holy water from the Ganga to fill the temple tank.

Kumbakonam :
Kumbakonam is the temple city of South India situated in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. It is a fertile area on the banks of river Cauvery and one of its tributaries Arasalaru. The city is famous for the MAHAMAHAM festival that is celebrated once in 12 years in the Mahamaham tank located in the heart of it. Kumbakonam is flooded with temples of large size. There are as many as sixty temples, in and around Kumbakonam within 40 Kms. of radius.

Darasuram :
The name Darasuram is said to be a corruption of the original name Rajarajapuram, and this temple - smaller than the Periya Kovil and Gangai Konda Choleeswaram dates back to Raja Raja II's period (12th century AD). The Periya Nayaki Amman temple stands out as a separate temple because the outer walls of the temple have disappeared with the passage of time, unlike the original Periya Kovil in Thanjavur. Darasuram is described as a sculptor's dream re-lived in stone. The front mandapam itself is in the form of a huge chariot drawn by horses. Paintings and sculptured panels abound here, causing this shrine to be a veritable storehouse of art. The Vimanam is only about 80 feet in height. In front of the temple are stone panels which produce tones of varying pitches when struck.

On arrival in Tanjore check-in at the hotel.

Modern Thanjavur (Tanjore) :
It is a fertile plain which is referred to as the 'rice bowl' of Tamil Nadu. Located on the eastern cost of central Tamil Nadu, it has the distinction of having been the capital of the Cholas, one of the greatest dynasties of the South. The Cholas were great temple builders an Tanjavur bears witness to this being dotted with no fewer than 74 temples - the most famous of which is the Brahadeeswarar temple, a World Heritage monument.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 06 : Tanjore
After breakfast proceed for sightseeing visiting Brahadeeswarar temple, this is a magnificient Shiva temple built in 1003 AD by king Rajaraja I , the Chola king and the Palace with the vast labyrinthian buildings, enormous corridors, big halls, watch towers, moat, fort and courtyards.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 07 : Tanjore - Trichy by surface (55 kms)
After breakfast drive to Trichy and check-in at the hotel.

Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) :
It is situated in central Tamil Nadu, on te banks of the Cauvery river. It is 320 km from Madras and 150 kms from Madurai. It as a Chola citadel during the Sangam Age and was also briefly ruled by the Pallavas and the Pandyas. Today, Trichy is a blend of history, a pilgrim center and a thriving commercial city.

After breakfast proceed for city tour visiting the ancient temples dedicated to Lord Ganapathy, the Rock Fort, 434 steps cut into the Rock side and interspersed which shrines, lead to the temple, yet another flight leads to the temple of Lord Shiva. Visit Srirangam a massive temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu which contains within its walls a bazaar as well and the Samayapuram Mari Amman Koil.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 08 : Trichy- Madurai by surface (142 kms)
After breakfast drive to Madurai and check-in at the hotel.

Madurai It is the oldest city in Tamil Nadu. Madurai lies on the banks of the River Vaigai the Temple and the old city are on the southern bank while modern Madurai with its textile mills, engineering industries and large university sprawls around.

Afternoon proceed for sightseeing visiting the Great Meenakshi Temple, dedicated to consort of Lord Shiva with its towering Gopurams (rising high above the surrounding country side). Later visit the Tirumala Nayak Palace - A gracious building in the Indo sacracenic style, famous for the Stucco work on its domes and arches ,the Pazhamudir Solai Temple, and the Kallazhagar Koil.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 09 : Madurai drop to airport
In time transfer to airport