South India Houseboat Vacation Trip

Houseboat Vacation Holiday Trip
Duration : 25 Nights/ 26 Days
Destination Covered : Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry - Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai - Kanyakumari - Kovalam - Trivandrum - Periyar - Kumarakom - Alleppey - House Boat - Cochin - Ooty - Mysore - Hassan - Bangalore

Day - 01 : Day - 01 ARRIVE CHENNAI

Upon arrival, traditional welcome and transfer to Hotel. Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 02 : CHENNAI

This morning we set out to explore the city of Madras. Visit the National Art Gallery Fort St. George, St. Mary's Church and the St. Thomas Cathedral and drive along the marina. Walk with our guide though some colourful market areas. Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 03 : CHENNAI - MAHABALIPURAM BY ROAD 60 KMS 2 HOURS DRIVE

After Breakfast we leave for Mahabalipuram . Upon arrival check in at your Pre booked Hotel . Rest of the Day - Free . Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 04 : MAHABALIPURAM

Morning Excursion to Kanchipuram, city of a thousand temples, Once the capital of Pallava, Kanchipuram still contains no less than 124 shrines. The temples were built mainly by two rulers, Mahendray and Mamalla Narashimha Parman. Typical of their architecture is the Kailasnatha Temple dedicated to Siva, believed to be 1200 years Old . Other important ones include the 16th Century Ekambasreshwar Temple, Kamakshi Temple, and Vaikunta Perumal. Kanchipuram is the centre of Silk weaving and is famous for its saris and materials. Afternoon we undertake a tour of Mahabalipuram , once the principal port of the Pallavas who ruled between the 06th and 09th Centuries AD. "The City of Seven pagodas". Is nothing less than a breathtaking display masterful sculpture carved out of solid rocks of granite, the Shore Temple - a plendid example of early temple construction in the south. Penance of Bhagirata the worlds largest bas - relief also known as "Argon's Penance'. Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 05 : MAHABALIPURAM - PONDICHERRY VIA TIRUVANNAMALAI BY ROAD 140 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE

After Breakfast we continue our drive towards Pondicherry, via Tiruvannamalai . Pondicherry Formarly a French colony which has settled in the early part of the 18th century. Places of interest are Sri Aurobindo Ashram Auroville - the brain child of the mother and designed by French Architect roger Anger, AuroVille was meant to be an experiment in international living where man and women could live in peace and progress harmony with each other above all creeds. Overnight at Hotel .

Day - 06 : PONDICHERRY - TANJORE BY ROAD 185 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE

Depart for Tanjore by road . Upon arrival Check in at your pre - booked Hotel . Thanjaur was the seat of the Chola Empire from the 10th to the 14th Centuries and it was a Chola King, Rajah Chola who built the greatest of its 74 temples, the Birhadeswara Temple which is more than 200 feet tall in the Dravidian truncated pyramid form, and has a huge lingam in its sanctorium. In the inner shrine of the temple, one sees India's second largest statue of Nandi the bull, the mount of the God Shiva. Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 07 : TANJORE - TRICHY BY ROAD 50 KMS 01 HOUR 30 MIN DRIVE

after Breakfast we continue our drive towards Trichy. Upon arrival checkin at your prebooked Hotel. Trichy's historic associations stretch from chola times to the 18th Century karnataka Wars, When Britain and France espoused the aspirations of rival princes. Afternoon we go for a city tour of Trichy visiting Rock Fort, Sirangam and Jambukeshwar Temples.Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 08 : TRICHY - MADURAI BY ROAD 172 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE

ToDay - we start our drive towards Madurai. Upon arrival at Madurai we checkinto out our prebooked Hotel. Overnight at Hotel

Day - 09 : MADURAI

ToDay - we visit Madurai whose history goes back to six centuries before Christ. The Pandyan rulers made this their capital until the 14th Century and the city flowered with the genius of its writers, builders, poets and academics. Then the Nayaks ruled Madurai from the middle of the 16th Century to 1743. The ten tall Gopurams of the Meenakshi Temple were raised during their dynasty. This is a huge compled of Temples. A thousand - pillared hall and a tank. A full Day - tour visiting the Meenakashi Temple, Palace of King Triumalay, the great tank, Gandhi Museum and Temple at Alaghat Koli enroute visiting Elephant Rock. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day - 10 : MADURAI - KANYAKUMARI BY ROAD ) 242 KMS 5 HOURS DRIVE

After breakfast we leave for Kanyakumari . Upon arrival check in at Hotel . Afternoon we visit Vivekanda Rocks and Temples Etc. Overnight at Hotel

Day - 11 : KANYAKUMARI - KOVALAM BY ROAD 93 KMS 3 HOURS DRIVE

After morning breakfast we depart for Kovalam . Kovalam is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and is most people's idea of paradise : a lazy blue sea lapping against golden sands fringed by swaying palms.Overnight at your Beach Resort

Day - 12 : KOVALAM

Day - at Lesiure. Overnight at beach resort

Day - 13 : KOVALAM - TRIVANDRUM - PERIYAR 260 KMS 6 HOURS DRIVE

After early morning breakfast depart for Periyar via Trivandrum . Afternoon we take a jeep ride to a nearby spice plantation. and take a boat ride on Lake Periyar to look for wild animals drinking or taking a dip in this 100 year old lake. Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 14 : PERIYAR - KUMARAKOM BY ROAD 135 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE

After Breakfast we continue our drive towards Kumarakom . Upon arrival checkin at Hotel. Overnight at Hotel

Day - 15 : KUMARAKOM

The Day - is for relaxing by the pool or taking a sunset cruise on a man - powered nice - boat. You may wish to visit the Ayurvedic centre for a herbal massage. In the Evening attend a demonstration of Kerala cuisine cooking. Overnight at Hotel .

Day - 16 : KUMARAKOM - ALLEPPEY - HOUSEBOAT

Morning ransfer to Alleppey to board House boat . Houseboats takes to a fascinating cruise at a leisurely and relaxing pace. There are halts in between to stretch your legs on the shore, take in a quick bottle of fresh sweet toddy from a local pub, or just climb up a coconut tree. Overnight in House Boat

Day - 17 : ARRIVE KOCHI

Disembark Houseboat and transfer to Kochi around 45 kms drive . Upon arrival check in at Hotel . Rest of the Day - Free. Overnight at Hotel

Day - 18 : KOCHI

Morning City tour of cochin visiting Jewish synagogue , Mattancherry palace, Chinese nets and backwaters etc. Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 19 : KOCHI - OOTY BY ROAD 280 KMS 8 HOURS DRIVE

Morning after an Early breakfast we start our drive towards Ootacamund most popularly known as Ooty. It is mostly referred to as the Queen of the Southern Hills stations.It drives its name from the Niligiri or the Blue Mountains - the name to the Hills by the inhabitants for more than 850 years because of the blue haze of clouds which envelope the hill slopes. Upon arrival we check into our prebooked Hotel. Over night at Hotel

Day - 20 : OOTY - MYSORE BY ROAD 155 KMS 5 HOURS DRIVE

ToDay - we drive around Ooty to visit the Botanical Gardens , Lake Doddabetta , Mukurti Peak the Pykara Dam and the sprawling Tea Plantation. and Later Drive to Mysore . Upon arrival check in at Hotel . Overnight at Hotel

Day - 21 : MYSORE

After a relaxed breakfast we drive for a morning sightseeing of the city of Mysore. Mysore a city of 17 Palaces - the Maharaja's City Palace being one of the largest in the country. ToDay - 's city tour include the zoological gardens, the Chamundi Temple, handicraft Centre and 22 kms away - the Brindavan Gardens, which are a sight by Day - and night. Evening visit to the gardens where there are many illuminated fountains. Overnight stay at hotel

Day - 22 : MYSORE - HASSAN BY ROAD 115 KMS 3 HOURS DRIVE

After breakfast we depart for Hassan .Upon arrival in Hassan we check into our prebooked Hotel. Hassan is the base of visiting the famous temples of Belur and Halebid. The temples which remained incomplete despite 80 years of labour, offers the finest workmanship in stone to the God.It is said that the temples here are even better than the famous Konark and the Khajuraho temples. Overnight at Hotel

Day - 23 : HASSAN - BANGALORE BY ROAD 190 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE

Morning Drive towards Bangalore . Upon arrival check in at your Prebooked Hotel . Bangalore most popularly known as the Garden City of India we take a city tour . The city is full of well laid out gardens. Wide tree lined avenues, imposing buildings and lively bazaars. Visit the Bull Temple, situated on a hill is one of Bangalore's oldest attractions . overnight at Hotel .

Day - 24 : BANGALORE - CHENNAI ( BY SHATABDI EXPRESS DEP 1625 HRS ARR. 2130 HRS)

Morning Free. Afternoon Transfer to Railway Stationt to board Shatabdi Express for Chennai . Upon Arrival Transfer to your Prebooked Hotel. Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 25 : LEAVE CHENNAI

Transfer to Airport to board Flight for onward Journey .