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Trip
Duration : 14 Nights /15
Days
Places Covered :
Mumbai - Cochin - Periyar -
Madurai – Tanjore - Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry -
Chennai - Bangalore - Mysore - Hassan - Bangalore
Day1 - Arrive Mumbai
Traditional welcome on arrival at Mumbai and transfer to
hotel.
Day2 - Mumbai – Cochin (flight)
After breakfast, transfer to airport to catch flight to Cochin.
The city is located on the western coast and is a major
commercial and industrial hub of the Kerala state and is famous
for its spices, silks, ivory and sandalwood. On arrival transfer
to hotel followed by a boatride through Cochin’s
backwaters. Evening free for leisure. Overnight at hotel.
Day3 - Cochin - Periyar (185 kms / 5 hrs)
After breakfast, a half-day guided tour of the city visiting Fort
Kochi, with its European heritage, St. Francis' Church, Chinese
fishing nets, Dutch palace and Jewish Synagogue. After lunch,
drive on to Periyar. Evening free to shop at the handicraft and
spice shops that stretch all the way from Kumily to Periyar (4
kms). Overnight at hotel.
Day4 - Periyar
Take an early morning boat ride on the Periyar Lake. After
breakfast, the day is free to opt from the many activities
conducted by the Periyar Tiger Reserve: Nature Walk, Jungle
Patrol, Bamboo Rafting, Border Hiking or a Bullock cart ride
exploring rural Kerala. Overnight at hotel.
Day5 - Periyar – Madurai (137 kms / 4 hrs)
After breakfast, visit the Tribal Heritage Museum and then
proceed to Madurai. The ancient temple town of Madurai is
nowadays renowned for its textile mills, engineering industries
and large university areas but its significance on the tourist
map is mainly because of the Meenakshi temple. Afternoon visit
the Temple which dominates the city skyline by its towering
gopurams. End the evening with a visit to the Tirumalai Naik
Palace, built in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. The
Palace authorities also conduct a Sound and Light show, which add
to the significance of the palace (optional). Overnight at
hotel.
Day6 - Madurai – Trichy – Tanjore (198
kms)
Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Trichy (142 kms / 4 hrs). A guided
visit to the Rockfort temple and Srirangam Temple. Then proceed
onto Tanjore (56 kms / 1 hr). Tanjore is one of the most green
and enchanting districts and is the Rice Bowl of the state. On
arrival, check into hotel. Evening free. Overnight at hotel.
Day7 - Tanjore – Pondicherry (177 kms / 3.5 hrs)
Breakfast at hotel. Half-day guided tour of the Brahadeeswara
Temple, built in the 10th century AD and an outstanding example
of the Chola (dynasty) architecture. Later visit the Palace,
built by the Nayaks and renovated by the Maratha dynasty. It
dates back to the 1550s and houses an art gallery, a library, a
hall of music and the Schwartz Church. In the afternoon, drive to
Pondicherry. On arrival check into hotel. Evening free to walk
bustling market streets. Overnight at hotel.
Day8 - Pondicherry
After breakfast visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the museum.
Then spend a day on the beach. In the evening visit Auroville the
City of Dawn. It is a unique township, which started as an
experiment for celebrating unity in diversity. Located a few
kilometers from Pondicherry, at the center of the township stands
Matrimandir built in the form of a globe. Visit the Matrimandir
during the meditation time for a truly spiritual experience.
Return to Pondicherry. Overnight at hotel.
Day9 - Pondicherry – Kanchipuram –
Mahabalipuram (175 kms)
After breakfast, drive to Kanchipuram - the erstwhile capital of
the Pallavas and Cholas. Visit its numerous temples dedicated to
various gods and goddesses. It is also home of weavers of the
famed Kanchipuram silks. Lunch at Kanchipuram. Evening drive to
Mahabalipuram. On arrival check into the hotel. Overnight at
hotel
Day10 - Mahabalipuram – Chennai (60 kms / 1.5
hrs)
Breakfast at hotel. Mahabalipuam, declared a world heritage site,
too was part of the Pallavas dynasty and exhibits some of the
most outstanding examples of the Dravidian style of art and
architecture. A full day guided tour of Arjuna’s Penance,
the rock cut caves, the Krishna Mandapam, the famous rathas and
the Shore Temple. Evening drive to Chennai. On the way visit
Dakshinchitra, a unique heritage village offering an insight into
the lifestyles of diverse people of South India. Overnight at
hotel.
Day11 - Chennai – Bangalore (flight)
After breakfast, a half-day guided tour of Chennai visiting The
Fort Museum, Valluvar Kottam and Kalakshetra. Late afternoon
catch a flight to Bangalore. On arrival check into hotel. Evening
free for leisure. Overnight at hotel.
Day12 - Bangalore – Mysore (140 kms / 3 hrs)
After breakfast, drive to Mysore via Srirangapatnam.
Srirangapatnam was the capital of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, who
later fought the British. Visit Tipu's summer palace, Daria
Daulat, which has now been turned into a museum. On arrival at
Mysore check into hotel. Evening drive to the Krishna Raja Sagar
Dam and the Vrindavan Garden. The gardens are famous for its
dancing musical fountains. Overnight at hotel.
Day13 - Mysore – Hassan (115 kms / 2 hrs)
After breakfast, a full day guided tour of Mysore - the legendary
city of palaces and perfumes-sandalwood and jasmine. Visit the
Mysore Palace, St. Philomena’s Church, Shri
Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery and Chamundeshwari Temple. In the
evening drive to Hassan. Overnight at hotel.
Day14 - Hassan
After breakfast, a guided tour of Belur and Halebid. Both were
capitals of the Medeival Hoysala Kings who built the exquisitely
carved temples in the 12th & 13th centuries. Visit the
Channekeshava Temple in Belur and the Hoyasaleswara temple in
Halebid. Return to Hassan. Overnight at hotel.
Day15 - Hassan – Bangalore (187 kms / 4 hrs)
After breakfast, drive to Bangalore via Sravanabelgola. The place
is an important Jain pilgrimage center and is famous for the
statue of Lord Bahubali (Gommateshwara). The 17-meter high statue
of Bahubali is said to be the tallest monolithic structure in the
world. On arrival at Bangalore check into hotel for wash-n-change
and transfer to airport to catch connecting flight.
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