Duration : 15 Nights / 16 Days
Places Covered : Bangalore - Hassan- Mysore - Wayanad- Cheruturuthi - Cochin- Houseboat - Munnar- Periyar - Madurai- Trichy - Tanjore - Chidambaram - Darasuram - Pondichery- Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram - Chennai
DAY 01: BANGALORE - HASSAN 187 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE
On arrival at Bangalore you are met and driven to Hassan.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 .On Arrival check in at Hotel . Afternoon Visit Halebid, Belur, Sravanabelagola, Halebid is the sister temple of Belur, Built in the 12th Century from soft soapstone and depicts the entire Hindu Pantheon, Sravanabalagola is the shine to the jain Saint Gaomateswara, carved in 983 AD out of solid rock , 500 rock hewn steps lead up to it. Religious rituals involve bathing the statue in milk and rose petals.Overnight at Hotel.
DAY 02: HASSAN - MYSORE 115 KMS 3 HOURS DRIVE
Morning drive to Mysore.On arrival check in at hotel. 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 03:MYSORE - WAYANAD 140 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE
Wayanad,One of the fourteen districts in Kerala , is situated in an elevated picturesque mountainous plateau in Western Ghats. Providing a panorama of undulating mist clad hills and dales, Wayanad is blessed with a unique geographical position. Luxuriant plantations of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber are strewn all over the hills of Wayanad. Situated at a height of 700-2100 m above sea level, it is bound on the east by the Nilgiris. Afternoon Excursion to Edakkal Caves. Overnight at hotel
DAY 04: WAYANAD
Full day sightseeing tour of Wayanad visiting pookat lake, kuruvadweep, chembra peak, etc. Overnight at Hotel.
DAY 05: WAYANAD - CHERUTHURUTHI 160 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE
Morning drive to Cheruthuruthy is one of the most famous places in Kerala. It is a home to Natya Kala Mandalam, the revered place for traditional art forms of Kerala. This dance place features three main parts which include aniyara or green room, rangam or stage, and the space on front and side of it meant for the audience, and the mridanga-patha or the place for drum. You will also get an opportunity to visit local potters and weavers of this place who are famous for their excellent art. Afternoon sightseeing tour. Overnight at hotel
DAY 06: CHERUTURUTHI - COCHIN 111 KMS 02 HOURS DRIVE
Morning drive to Cochin .Afternoon city tour of Cochin covering the famous Bolgatty Palace, St. Francis Church - the oldest European Church built in 1503, a Jewish Synagogue and the Dutch Palace now called Mattancherry Palace.Evening kathakali Dance show at Cochin.Overnight at hotel.
DAY 07: COCHIN - HOUSEBOAT
After breakfast, transfer to the Houseboat Embarkation point. The Kerala houseboats used to form an inseparable ingredient of the way of life in Kerala, this traditional boat is locally called as Kettuvallom. Check-in to the exclusive houseboat. Your private boat will be facilitated with bed rooms, bath rooms, living area, sun deck, dining and beautiful corridor. This full day cruise will include all your meals and an overnight stay on board. A Journey through the curving and winding Kerala backwaters in houseboats of Kerala is an experience of returning to nature. Full day cruise and over night stay onboard. The boat will be anchored in the lake for overnight stay
DAY 08: HOUSEBOAT - MUNNAR 135 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE
Morning drive to Munnar, where sprawling tea plantations, picture book towns, winding lanes, trekking and holiday facilities make it a unique experience. This hill station was once the summer resort of the erstwhile british empire in south india Check in to your resort and get ready for the special trip to Pothamedu for an excellent view of the tea, coffee and cardamom plantations in Munnar. The breathtaking scenery here is ideal for trekking and long mountain walks. Return to the resort in the evening.Overnight at Hotel
DAY 09: MUNNAR -THEKKADY 110 KMS 3 HRS 30 Min. DRIVE
This morning after an Early Breakfast breakfast, visit Mattupetty famous for its highly specialized dairy farm, the Indo-Swiss live stock project. Onwards from the farm you proceed to Mattupetty lake and dam, which is a very beautiful picnic spot. You could enjoy boating in the lake and view mountains and landscapes from afar. Onwards proceed to Echo point famous for the natural echo phenomenon and then to Top Station offering marvellous views of Munnar valley below .Afternoon Drive to thekkady nestled in spice and rubber plantations on the way visiting Idukki dam. Upon arrival check in at hotel. Periyar wildlife sanctuary is home to nomadic tribes of wild elephant, boar, deer and more. Evening go for boat cruise in the lake to watch wild animals.Overnight at Hotel .
DAY 10: PERIYAR - MADURAI 145 KMS 4 HOURS DRIVE
Today we start our drive towards Madurai. Upon arrival at Madurai we checkinto out our prebooked Hotel. Afternoon 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 11: MADURAI - TRICHY 128 KMS 3 HOURS DRIVE
After breakfast 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 12: TRICHY - TANJORE 54 KMS 01 HOUR DRIVE
Morning drive to 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 13: TANJORE - CHIDAMBARAM - DARASURAM - PONDICHERY
After breakfast drive to Pondicherry enroute visitng the Brass factory at Kumbakonam , Darasuram and Chidambaram 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. On Arrival check in at Hotel . Evening visit Auroville - a unique experiment in international living and in creating a new environment where men and women of all nationalities live together in harmony. Overnight at hotel.
DAY 14: PONDICHERRY - MAHABALIPURAM 100 KMS 02 HOURS DRIVE
Morning short sightseeing tour of Pondicherry and drive to Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram and check in at hotel. Afternoon visit the city - built in 7th century, earlier called 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.Over night at hotel.
DAY 15: MAHABALIPURAM - KANCHIPURAM - CHENNAI 70 KMS 02 HOUR DRIV E
After breakfast drive to 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 paintings on the walls.Temples of Ekambaswara , Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for its silks. later drive to Chennai . Overnight at hotel.
DAY 16: LEAVE CHENNAI
Transfer to aiport to board flight for onward journey.
