South India Tour 21 Day ItineraryVerified
Arrive Chennai, Welcome and assistance upon arrival at the airport. Later transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day free for leisure. Overnight stay in Chennai.
Highlights
Ekambareswara Temple
Panch - Mukhi Hanuman Temple
Itinerary
Day 1, Chennai Arrival (By International Flight)
Chennai
Arrive Chennai, Welcome and assistance upon arrival at the airport. Later transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day free for leisure. Overnight stay in Chennai.
Day 2, Chennai Sightseeing (Local)
Morning after breakfast drive for Chennai sightseeing. Kapaleeswarar temple is one of the prominent Shiva temples in India situated in Mylapore, Chennai. Here Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kapaleeswar [self-manifested] and Goddess Shakthi [Uma] as Karpagambal. There is a story behind how the place got the name Mylapore and the same story is the root of this magnificent pilgrim center. According to the legend, Goddess Karpagambal [Uma] wished to know the meaning of the five lettered divine mantra “Na Ma Shi Va Ya”. She pleaded to Lord Shiva to teach her the true meaning of the mantra along with the significance of sacred ash. He agreed and once while he was teaching the same to Uma Devi, her eyes fall upon a beautiful peahen dancing and lost her concentration. Lord Shiva displeased by her, cursed her to become a peahen. In order to free herself from the curse she was asked to go to Earth and do penance on him. Therefore, Goddess Karpagambal worshipped the Shivalinga under the Punnai tree here where the temple stands. Pleased by her devotion, Lord Shiva freed the Goddess from the curse and she regained her original form. This is how the place came to be known as Mylapore [Mail - Peahen] where Goddess Karpagambal in her peahen form worshipped the Shivalinga and freed herself from the curse. Night stay in Chennai.
Day 3, Chennaito Pondicherry via Mahabalipuram (By Surface)
Morning after breakfast checkout from hotel and drive for Mahabalipuram. Visit Ekambareswara Temple (Kanchipuram) on the way. Mamallapuram, or Mahabalipuram, is a town on a strip of land between the Bay of Bengal and the Great Salt Lake, in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It’s known for its temples and monuments built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. The seafront Shore Temple comprises 3 ornate granite shrines. Krishna’s Butter Ball is a massive boulder balanced on a small hill near the Ganesha Ratha stone temple.
Day 4, Pondicherryto Trichi
Morning after breakfast checkout from hotel and drive for Trichy.Start a day tour with the visit of famous Rockfort where you can have a good panoramic view of the city. Have a stop at 'Amma Mandapam' - the holy banks of River Cauvery, where you can see the Hindu rituals after the cremation. It's quite interesting to see the ritualsperformed by the Hindus with the help of the priest. Then proceed to visit the famous Vishnu temple in Srirangam, the most important pilgrimage centre for the Hindus. Then have a drive to visit the famous Jambukeshwara Temple where Lord Shiva signifies one of the five elements of Nature "Water". Service Ends. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 5, Trichi to Rameshwaram (By Surface)
Morning after breakfast, checkout then drive to Rameshwaram.visitPanch - Mukhi Hanuman Temple: Lord Hanuman, Lord Adivaraha, Lord Narasimha, Lord Hayagriva and Lord Garuda are the five faces that were revealed by Lord Hanuman at the sacred site, where the present day temple stands. Another attraction of the temple is floating stone used for building temporary Sethu Bandhanam to reach Lanka. Overnight in Rameshwaram.
Day 6, Rameshwaram (Local)
Morning after breakfast visit Dhanushkodi Temple: The southernmost tip of Rameshwaram is known as Dhanushkodi, where Kothandaramaswamy temple is located. The place was often ruined by cyclones but never displaced a single stone of the temple and of faith, thus. The place is where Vibhishana, brother of Ravana surrendered to Lord Rama. Enchanting location make the visit to the place and the temple as pious as God has made it. Tirtham: Various temples were erected to honor those who had a left a lesson to learn from the epic of Ramayana and that includes- Agni Tirtham - A large lake and 22 wells with uniquetasting waters make it an important pilgrim place where they believe to get cured by the curative properties. Ram Tirtham (Gandamadana)- worshipped by many communities of south India. Lakshman Tirtham - Built inside Rameshwaram to give the brother of the Lord the place he rightly deserved helping his brother in the holy war against Ravana. Jatayu Tirtham - Commemorates the memory of Eagle God who assisted Lord Rama in his fight for Devi Sita. Kaveri and Jada Tirtham - A place is meant to worship for god Kapardikeshwar and a Peepal tree representing all the deities. In the late afternoon come to Madurai.
Day 7, Rameshwaram to Madurai (By Surface)
After breakfast today, proceed for sightseeing tour of Madurai. In the evening visit the Meenakshi Temple to attend the "Aarti" ceremony. Meenakshi temple. This shrine that dates back to over 2500 years is considered as old as the city it adds shine to, etched on the southern bank of River Vaigai, Meenakshi is an avatar of Goddess Parvati the consort of Lord Shiva. Also known as Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, it is believed that it is the same place where Lord Shiva (Sundareswarar) and Goddess Parvati(Meenakshi) tied the knot. Donning the Dravidian style of architecture, this temple was once considered to be counted among the ' Seven Wonders of the World'.The Tirumalai Naikkar Palace, Alakar Koil etc.. Overnight in Madurai.
Day 8, Madurai to Kanya Kumari(By Surface)
After early breakfast check out from hotel and drive to Kanyakumari, on arrival check into Hotel. Afternoon proceed for sightseeing of Kanyakumari – visit Suchithram Temple, Devi.Kanyakumari Temple, Vivekananda Rock, Gandhi Memorial and Triveni Sangam. Evening watch the most beautiful Sunset of Kanyakumari. Overnight stay at the Hotel in Kanyakumari.
Day 9, Kanya Kumari to Kovallam(By Surface)
Morning after breakfast, check out from the hotel and drive to Kovallam. Upon arrival check in at the hotel and rest day free for leisure. It is one of the most admired cities of Kerala and is renowned as its commercial and industrial capital. Swarm of tourists visit kovallam every year for its mixed culture and well-known tourist attractions. It houses many cathedrals, beautiful beaches, serene backwaters, amazing waterfalls and lush coconut grooves. The city is frequented by holiday makers, honeymooners, nature lovers and adventurous souls. The city has a strong network of transport, connecting the city to all major cities around the world. Hop, Skip, and Jump away from the Lighthouse Beach, Hawa, commonly known as the Eve’s Beach, is a beautiful sight to behold especially during the night when the serene moonlit dances on its waves. Overnight stay in hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 10, Kovalam to Trivandrum (By Surface)
Morning after breakfast, check out from the hotel and drive to Thiruvananthapuram (or Trivandrum) is the capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala. It's distinguished by its British colonial architecture and many art galleries. It’s also home to Kuthira Malika (or Puthen Malika) Palace, adorned with carved horses and displaying collections related to the Travancore royal family, whose regional capital was here from the 18th–20th centuries. Overnight in hotel.
Day 11, Trivandrum to Alleppey(By Surface)
After breakfast get driven to Alleppey. On arrival, embark on a Houseboat for an overnight cruise through the palm-fringed canals of Alleppey. Watch the Paddy fields, village folk; relax on board hearing lullaby of the wind and waves. This mysterious strip of emerald green land is stuffed with endless miles of placid backwaters that appends to its charm. Cruise till 18:00 hrs by when the houseboat halts in the lake for overnight stay. This journey is considered to be one of the best attractions. The house boat is fully furnished with a double-bedrooms, sundeck, private balcony and a kitchen. It also comprises a chef, Oarsmen & cabin assistant. The materials that go into the making are all local and Ecofriendly bamboo poles, coconut fiber ropes, bamboo mats, coir carpets etc. Lunch, Dinner & Overnight stay.
Day 12, Alleppey to Kochi (By Surface)
Morning after disembarking from the boat, visit Nagaraja Temple & Murugan Temple, the Chinese fishing nets and best of Kochi. In the evening visit one of the best cultural centre to witness traditional Kathakali dance show and before the show see the artist, doing special make-up etc. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 13, Kochi to Munnar (By Surface)
Morning after breakfast proceed to Munnar. Throughout the journey enjoy beautiful streams small waterfalls, Rubber, Pepper cardamom and Tea plantations and thick forests; God has blessed his own country with incomparable beauty. Trip of Munnar -which is a nature lover's paradise with endless teagardens lakes on western ghat hills; basically it is a tea town. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 14, Munnar (local)
Morning after breakfast visit Munnar. Covering - Mattupetty Lake & Dam, Echo Point, Kundale Lake, Blossom Garden, Pallivasal/Pothamedu, Rajamalai - offering a spectacular view, Eravikulam Wildlife sanctuary, home of Nilgiry Thar (very rare mountain goat), considering the ecological faunal, floral, geo- morphological and zoological significant & Tea plantation. Mattupetty is located 13 km away from Munnar. Here you can enjoy the greenish valleys and feel the fabulous climate around. The main attraction of Mattupetty is the dam and the lake here. The dam of Mattupetty is a storage concrete gravity dam. The dam was constructed under the Pallivasal Hydroelectric project in the late 1940s, for the purpose of water conservation and power generation. Now the dam is a vital source of electricity generation in Munnar and also a haven for many wild animals and birds due to its constant water availability. Mattupetty is also known as ‘cattle village’, the name which came from the famous Indo Swiss farm project or Livestock project. The project was launched in the year 1963 as part of the bilateral agreement between India and the Swiss government. You can see hundreds of varieties of high yielding cattle in this farm. The sight of the cattle grazing freely on the hills of the wide farm is a unique experience which any tourist can have ever in his life. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 15, Munnar to Coimbatore (By surface)
Morning after breakfast drive to Coimbatore Aadiyogi . The Adiyogi statue is a 34-metre tall (112 ft), 45-metre long (147 ft) and 25-metre wide (82 ft) steel statue of Shiva with Thirunamam at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the "Largest Bust Sculpture” in the world. Designed by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, it weighs around 500 tonnes. Adiyogi is located at the Isha Yoga Center. Its height, 112 ft, symbolizes the 112 possibilities to attain to moksha (liberation) that are mentioned in yogic culture, and also the 112 chakras in the human system. A linga called Yogeshwar Linga was consecrated and placed in front of the statue. The Indian Ministry of Tourism has included the statue in its official Incredible India campaign. It is also the venue of a light and sound show on Shiva as a yogi, inaugurated by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. After that drive back to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 16, Coimbatore to Mysore (By Surface)
After breakfast, check out the hotel and proceed to Mysore, en-route visit Srirangapatna, a historical place. Afternoon at Mysore. On arrival at Mysore, check in to the hotel. Then visit to Mysore Palace, one of the prime attractions of Mysore city and visit to Mysore Zoo, where you can view some of the rare species of wildlife. Evening visit to world famous Brindavan Gardens (KRS) expanded over 150 acres. The musical fountain and light show adds attraction to the garden. Then return back to the hotel and over night stay at Hotel.
Day 17, Mysore to Bengalore(By Surface)
Morning after breakfast drive to Bengalore, visit Lalbagh, Lalbagh Botanical Garden is located in Bangalore and is nationally and internationally renowned centre for botanical artwork, scientific study of plants and also conservation of plants. A heaven for all nature lovers, Lal Bagh covers an area 240 acres in the heart of the city and has nearly 1,854 species of plants. It was commissioned by Hyder Ali in 1760 and completed by his son Tipu Sultan. The garden features rare plants of French, Persian and Afghani origin and has attained the status of a Government Botanical Garden. The Lal Bagh Rock which is over 3000 million years old is found here and is a major tourist attraction. Church Street - Church Street in Bengalore is one of the busiest and most beloved streets, named after St. Mark’s Cathedral. It is lined with gift shops, music shops, bookstores, restaurants and cafes, some of them being the oldest in the city, all selling a wide variety of products and tasty treats. There are days when artists set up shop out on the streets and sell their work that includes paintings, photo frames, posters and handmade items. There are arcades for children and adults to play at and tattoo parlours too. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 18, Bangalore Sightseeing (Local)
Morning after breakfast drive to options to visit1)Bannerghatta National Park is a sanctuary for a large variety of flora and fauna. Spread over a massive area of around 104.27 sq. km, this national park was established in the year 1971. The park itself has a number of establishments within its confines, which includes the country's first butterfly park as well.2)Other attractions here are ten Reserve Forests of Anekal Range of the Bangalore Forest Division, an aquarium, a zoo, Children's park, Crocodile Farm, Snake Park and Prehistoric Animals' Park. What's more, you can get up close and personal with the wondrous wildlife here by the means of a jungle safari, which is a popular activity to pursue here. The best part about Bannerghatta National Park is the small welldefined zones for animals that almost guarantees that you will spot the animals. People go in caged vehicles (buses/safari).3)Bangalore Palace - The Majestic Bangalore Palace preserves in it the spice of old regal opulence. The Majestic Bangalore Palace preserves in it the spice of old regal opulence. Currently the central attraction in Bangalore, the palace was built in the year 1878. Chamarajendra Wadiyar's British Guardians bought the original property in 1873 from the principal of Bangalore Central High School, Rev, J Garret, from his funds. The palace is extraordinarily vast and spread across 45,000 square feet. A mixture of Tudor and Scottish Gothic architecture have resulted into the grand palace that we see today. The wooden structure of the palace along with the beautiful carvings both inside and outside showcases the royal culture in different ways. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 19, Bengaluru to Goa (By Flight)
Early morning after breakfast, checkout then drive to the airport catch flight to Goa. Upon arrival meet our assistant at Goa Airport and drive to hotel. On reaching check in at the hotel and have some rest. After the rest visit Fort Aguada, Candolim beach, Calangute beach, Anjuna beach, Baga Beach and Vagator Beach. Enjoy the waves of the different beaches and then do some shopping. Later drive back to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 20, Goa Sightseeing (By Surface)
Morning after breakfast proceed to visit major tourist attractions of Goa covering places like Anjuna Beach, Colva Beach, Basilica de Bom Jesus, Church & Convent of St Francis of Assisi and the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Mangueshi temple. After this also visit Panjim, the former capital of Old Goa. In the evening take a leisurely walk to the market and shop for traditional spices and cashews at the local bazaar. In the evening drop to Goa airport to catch flight for Cochin. Upon arrival meet our assistant at the airport and drive to hotel. On reaching check in at the hotel and Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 21, Goa Departure
Tour Completed with Pleasant and Almighty Blessings…