Southern Granduer Holiday

15 Days/14 Nights: ( Chennai – Pondicherry- Chettinadu-Madurai-Periyar-Houseboat-Cochin-Conoor-Mysore-Bangalore Departure)

Day 01: Arrive Chennai

Arrive Chennai Airport. You will be met by your driver and representative and transferred to hotel. Stay at Hotel for one night. Afternoon enjoy a sightseeing tour of Chennai with a guide. You will visit places like St. Thomas Cathedral, Fort St. George, Marina beach, markets etc.

Day 02: Chennai – Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry

Morning after breakfast check out from the hotel and leave for sightseeing tour of Mahabalipuram with a guide. This lovely seaside capital was the capital of the Pallavas dynasty. You could visit the shore temple, the largest bas-relief in the world called Arjuna’s Penance and the famous and beautiful Five Rathas (Chariots) are what will be most eye-catching. Arjuna’s Penance, a complicated piece of work on a vertical rock is one of the best preserved. Later drive to Pondicherry ( 2 Hrs). Stay at Hotel for 2 nights. Rest of the day at leisure.

The capital of the Union Territory of Puducherry, Pondicherry is a former French colony and is now among the chief tourist destinations of South India. This coastal town was a French colony till 1954 and still retains many colonial buildings, churches, statues and the systematic town planning by the French and is often called the Europe of India because of its town planning. Although a small town, the town contains an interesting mix of Indian and French colonial heritage and a number of tourist destinations

Day 03: Chennai–Pondicherry

Morning enjoy a guided walking tour of Pondicherry. You will visit Sri Arabindo Ashram and Handmade paper making factory, Pondicherry Museum, Church of Sacred Heart Jesus and later enjoy a stroll through the beach road and old streets of town.

Day 04: Pondicherry- Tanjore – Chettinadu

After an early breakfast drive to Tanjore (4 Hrs) visiting the temples at Darasulam enroute. The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is a well-preserved example of 12th century Chola architecture.

On arrival at Tanjore visit the world famous Brihandeswara Temple with a guide. The most important tourist attraction in Tanjore is the 10th century Brihandeswara Temple – dedicated to Lord Shiva with a huge Shiva Lingam and a stone sculpture of the Nandi Bull. The Temple has been included in the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Monuments. Later drive to Chettinadu ( 2 Hrs). Stay at Hotel for 2 nights.

Chettinadu is the homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiyar, a prosperous banking and business community, many of whose members migrated to South and Southeast Asia, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Chettinadu is well known for its Chettinadu cuisine, Mansions, and Temples.

Day 05: Chettinadu

Today evening enjoy a sightseeing tour of the local town. You could visit the Chettinadu Raja’s Palace, local handmade tile making, Saree Weaving and a daily local market.

Day 06:  Chettinadu-Madurai

Morning drive to Madurai ( 2 Hrs): Madurai is famous for Meenakshi Temple, the largest temple in South India. The city of Madurai was originally built in the shape of a lotus flower, centred on the celebrated Sri Meenakshi Temple. The rich cultural heritage and striking architectural leads many Indians to refer to the city as the ‘Athens of the East’. You will also visit Teppakulam tank, remains of palace, cloth bazaar etc. Stay at Hotel for one night.

Afternoon enjoy a sightseeing tour of Madurai with a guide. You will see the famous Meenakshi Temple, the largest temple in South India, Madurai Palace remains, Gandhi Museum & Teppakulam tank. The city of Madurai was originally built in the shape of a lotus flower, centred on the celebrated Sri Meenakshi Temple. The rich cultural heritage and striking architectural leads many Indians to refer to the city as the ‘Athens of the East’. You will also visit Tiruprakundam temple later.

Day 07:  Madurai-Periyar

Morning after breakfast drive to Periyar ( 5 Hrs). Stay at Hotel for 2 nights. A deluxe grade resort set in the concepts of a tribal village. Cottages built in the style of tribal huts, the roof thatched with the same elephant grass used in tribal huts, woven in the same traditional techniques. Evening enjoy a cookery show on couple of Indian Dishes at the resort restaurant.

Day 08: Periyar

Afternoon enjoy a boating in lake Periyar to spot wild animals. The artificial lake in the sanctuary was formed by the construction of the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River. The wildlife can be viewed at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. The herds of wild elephant that come to water on the banks of the lake are a major attraction. The sanctuary is home to herds of elephants, sambars, tigers, gaurs, lion tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs.

Morning enjoy a guided spice plantation, where you can see the locally grown spices in Periyar like cinnamon, cardamom, pepper cloves etc. You will have a person to explain how they are grown, harvested and processed. Later enjoy an elephant ride through spice plantation.

Day 09: Periyar – Alleppey

Morning drive to Alleppey ( 2 Hrs). By noon board your one bedroom House boat (AC Deluxe, All Meals) for overnight   cruise on the Vembanad Lake. These boats are made in the traditional style but have modern en-suite facilities. This cruise on the Backwaters of the Vembanad Lake lets you have a look at the vast expanse of waterways and the village life. Lunch Dinner and breakfast will be served on the board. The boat anchors by 1800 Hrs and it will be stationary till next day early morning. They switch on the air-conditioning during the bed time from 2000- 0630 Hrs. Overnight on boat.

Day 10: Alleppey-Cochin

Morning you will be dropped at boat jetty. You will be met by our driver and transferred to Cochin ( 4 Hrs) . Fort Cochin is the home to some of the oldest European architecture in India and has been a significant settlement ever since Cochin Harbour was discovered. Unlike the bustling Ernakulum, the twin cities of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry have preserved an extraordinary wealth of early colonial architecture spanning the Portuguese, Dutch and the British eras a crop unparalleled in India. Stay at Hotel for 2 nights. Rest of the day at leisure.

Day 11: Cochin

Enjoy a guided sight-seeing tour of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry. You will visit St. Francis Church, the oldest church built by Europeans in India where the Vasco Da Gama was buried, Chinese fishing nets, Fish markets and later you go to Mattancherry to see the Jewish Synagogue, quarters, old spice markets and spice warehouses. Evening enjoy a Kathakali Dance performance in a near-by theatre.

Kathakali dance performance, the ancient pantomime dance drama of Kerala. The performance is for about 2 and half hours, with an hour of make-up, a short introduction about the dance and an hour of dance performance.

Day 12: Cochin-Coonoor

Morning after breakfast drive to Conoor (7 Hrs). Stay at Hotel for the night

Coonoor is the second largest hill station known for its tea estates located in the Nilgiri hills. It is famous for its verdant environs and for a variety of wildflowers and birds. Sims Park is major attraction with rare variety of plant species. Rest of the day at leisure.

Day 13: Coonoor-Ooty-Mysore

Morning you will be transferred to Conoor Railway Station. Board Nilgiri Toy Train to Ooty ( 1 Hr). Driver will pick you from Ooty Railway Station and you will be transferred to Mysore   ( 4 Hrs).

Mysore, the capital city of the Wodeyar Dynasty has always enchanted its admirers with its quaint charm, rich heritage, magnificent palaces, beautifully laid-out gardens, imposing buildings, broad shady avenues and sacred temples. There’s an old world charm about the city that reaches out and leaves no one untouched. Stay at Hotel for 2 nights. Evening visit the famous Devaraja daily vegetable and fruits market with your driver.

Devaraja market is an apt place to get a flavour of the local people’s daily life. With more than 100 years of history, this market is well knitted into the heritage of Mysore. This is a good sample of a traditional Indian market place that is colourful, noisy, vibrant and a tad chaotic. There is no concept of ‘cold storage’ here; everything is raw, straight from the farm to the market to the homes.

Day 14: Mysore

Morning leave for guided sightseeing tour of Mysore. You will visit the magnificent Mysore Palace-a kaleidoscope of stained glass, mirrors & gaudy colours, Chamundi hill and the Nandi Bull. The tour also includes visit to Srirangapattanam to see Tipu Sultans Summer Palace & Fort.

Day 15: Mysore-Bangalore

By noon you will be transferred to Bangalore Airport ( 4 hrs). Like all good things, your tour in India comes to an end but you will always carry with you memories of this unique and unforgettable holiday experience. You will be transferred (3 Hrs) to Bangalore  Airport to board your flight back home.