Soul of the South - South India’s Timeless Treasures Tour

Arrive Chennai. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel.

Chennai - More than a city, Madras is a potpourri of impressions: a fistful of colour, a whiff of jasmine, the rustling of silk. It brings to mind the subtle, intricate variations of classical music, the evocative grace of Bharatanatyam and spontaneity of bronzed Dravidian faces. Stray images chase one another: bold colour drawn into the pleats of the Kancheepuram sari; a neat, swaying, ebony plait crowned with a spray of flowers; complicated and exuberant sculpture lacing temple walls. The gateway to the south and the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu, Madras or Chennai is a vibrant metropolis and a combination of old world charm and modern day efficiency.

Lunch at hotel and afternoon city tour of Chennai. Your tour of the city starts by visiting fort St. George, the seat of the state government and the legislative assembly. The fort was built in 1652 by the British East India Company. The fort contains the fort museum with its collection of memorabilia of the East India co. Also see St. Mary`s church the oldest surviving Anglican church in India. Very near to Fort St. George is the Indo Saracenic High Court building, said to be the largest judicial building in the world after the Courts of London. Opposite to the high court lies the beautiful Marina beach. Proceed on to the Kapaleeswarar temple, a pure Dravidian temple and one of the most ancient in Madras. Drive on to the Government museum with its galleries off chola Bronzes. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Morning, after breakfast, depart for Pondicherry enroute visiting Mahabalipuram. Lunch at a restaurant in Mahabalipuram during the visit. Visit the magnificent rock temples and carvings in Mahabalipuram. Five Rathas (chariots), ceremonial chariots, rock-cut monoliths, named after the 5 Pandavas. The Shore Temple by the sea surrounded by gardens designed according to descriptions of the original layout from ancient times. Built in sandstone in the 7th century, Bhagiratha’s Penance is a bas- relief (27 to 9m) sculptured on the face of two enormous adjacent rocks, depicts, the penance of Arjuna, myraid characters from the Mahabharata, realistic life-size figures of animals, gods and saints watching the descent of the river goddess Ganga to earth. Later proceed to Pondicherry. On arrival check in at hotel.

Pondicherry was a French settlement that comprised Pondy, Yanam, Karaikal, and Mahe. There is a strong influence of French culture on Pondicherry town, especially on it's architecture. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Pondicherry.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram was founded in 1920 when Sri Aurobindo reached Pondicherry, a French colony and put in place his ideas of peaceful community. The ashram, for long, was run by his French companion Mirra Alfassa, universally known as the Mother. The ashram houses the samadhi of Sri Aurobindo and the mother and opens to everybody for fixed hours every day. Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus built in the Gothic style, this massive church is one of the most beautiful churches in Pondicherry. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Morning after breakfast depart for Tanjore en route visit Kumbakonam & Darasuram.  Kumbakonam is noted for its innumerable temples with their colourful semi-erotic sculptures. Sarangapani Temple is the largest Vishnu temple and Kumbeshwara is the largest Shiva temple there. Visit the famous Airavatesvara temple in darasuram. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, It is said that the King of Death, Yama also worshipped Shiva here. This temple is a storehouse of art and architecture and has some exquisite stone carvings. On arrival check in at hotel in Tanjore.

Thanjavur was the ancient capital of the Chola kings.  The Cholas' turn for empire building came between 850 and 1270 AD and at the height of their power. Probably the greatest chola emperors were Raja Raja who was responsible for building the Brihadishwara Temple (Thanjavur main attraction) and his son Rajendra whose navy competed with the Arabs for controls of the Indian Ocean trade routes. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Morning after breakfast depart for Madurai. On arrival check in at hotel in Madurai.

Madurai - Situated on the banks of river Vaigai, Madurai is more than 2,500 years old and has a rich cultural heritage and history. Madurai was an important cultural and commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. Madurai was the capital city for the great Pandya kings.

Lunch at hotel and afternoon Visit the Meenakshi Temple & Tirrumalai Nayak Palace. In the evening, visit the Meenakshi temple to attend ceremony every evening where the marriage of Meenakshi (Parvati) and Sundareshwara (Lord Shiva) is solemnized. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Morning after breakfast depart for Periyar. On arrival check in at hotel in periyar. The name Periyar, brings to mind images of elephants, unending chains of hills and spice-scented plantations. Moreover, the flora and fauna of the Periyar wildlife sanctuary is absolutely thrilling. The wildlife sanctuary here is the natural habitat of a wide variety of animal species.

Lunch at hotel and afternoon enjoy boat ride at lake Periyar and view the wild life. The Periyar lake is a paradise for the nature lovers. It gives you an opportunity to observe the wild animals roaming in the jungle. The greatest attraction of Periyar lake, however, is the herds of wild elephants that come down to play in the lake. Other attractions of the sanctuary are the sambhar, bison, spotted deer, tigers, leopards, Malabar flying squirrels, stripe necked mongooses, etc. There are over 260 species of birds here including Nilgiri wood pigeons, blue-winged parakeets, white bellied tree pies, laughing thrushes and fly catchers. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

After breakfast check out of the hotel and proceed to visit spice plantation. Later drive to Kumarakom, and on arrival check in at hotel. Kumarakom slumbers on the banks of the famous Vembanad lake, which is a part of Kuttanad. The Vembanad lake with its majestic canals, streams and distributaries along its banks weave an intricate and enchantingly beautiful web. The gorgeous green of the fringed palms ripple in the blue waters and blend into wavelets. The entire state of Kerala is blessed with plenty of rivers and the resources of many are still untapped. The waterways of Kerala which play a main role in the economy of the state links remote villages and islands with the main land. The water ways provide a cheap and economical mode of transport. The water ways of Kuttanad is now a big attraction for tourist. It is incredibly different experience to cruise in the backwaters in country boats, absorbing the beauty of Kerala villages. The scenery flashes up vivid contrasts of breath-taking greens and deep blues. Lunch at hotel and rest of day at leisure. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

After breakfast leisurely check out & board the houseboat around 1200 hrs. Rest of the day on board and enjoy the cruise through the beautiful Vembanad lake. Modern-day Kettuvallams called houseboats carry furnished bedrooms, toilets, living area, kitchen and tourists can laze on cushions. Sections of the carved roof of wood and plaited palms open out to provide shade and allow an uninterrupted view. Most of the boats are poled by local oarsmen. Some are powered by engines. Gliding on serene backwaters, visitors can witness an unspoilt Kerala. Lunch will be served at houseboat. Dinner and overnight on board.

After breakfast on board disembark at Alleppy and proceed to Mararikulam. Lunch at hotel and rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Lunch, dinner and overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Late morning drive to Cochin and check in at a hotel. Kochi, also known as Cochin, is a major port city on the west coast of India by the Arabian Sea and is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. Kochi is often called by the name Ernakulam, which refers to the mainland part of the city. Heralded as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading center on the west coast of India from the 14th century. Occupied by the Portuguese Empire in 1503, Kochi was the first of the European colonies in colonial India. It remained the main seat of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa was chosen instead. The city was later occupied by the Dutch and the British, with the Kingdom of Cochin becoming a princely state.

Afternoon proceed for the visit Fort Kochi with the first stop being the St. Francis church, India’s oldest European built church. Strung out along the tip of Fort Kochi the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets provide an interesting sight. The next stop on your tour of Fort Kochi is the Mattanchery palace, the home of the former Raja (King) of Cochin. The palace houses an interesting collection of murals from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata etc. Also visit the Jewish Synagogue – constructed in 1568, it is one of seven synagogues of the Malabar Yehudan people or Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin. Evening Kathakali dance. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel and transfer to airport to fly to Bangalore. Upon arrival at Bangalore airport, meet our representative, followed by a transfer to hotel. Experience this Cosmopolitan city with its lovely parks, long avenues of blossomed trees and impressive Victorian-era architecture. Later in the afternoon explore this city starting with the visit of the elegant Tipu Sultan’s Palace – a fine specimen of military architecture from 18th century, notable for its teak pillars and ornamental frescoes. Continue to the Dravidian-style Bull Temple built in the 16th-century, Evening at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, continue drive to Mysore, the ‘City of Palaces’, is royalty and magnificence embodied, overflowing with history, sprawling gardens and tree-lined boulevards. One of South India’s most fascinating cities. Late afternoon visit to the colourful Devarajan market and also visit Chamundi temple, overlooking Mysore from the 1062 metre summit of Chamundi hill. Visit the Maharajah's palace, Constructed in Indo-Saracenic style, the magnificent Mysuru palace is the official residence of the Wadiyar dynasty. Back to hotel and  overnight  stay.

After breakfast departure for Hassan , the name of the town derives from the name of the goddess Hassanamba. The city was founded by Channa Krishnappa Naik in the 11th century. En-route visit at Shravanabelagola, The Gommateshwara Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage destinations) in Jainism. The 58-feet tall monolithic statue of Gommateshwara is located on Vindyagiri Hill, It is considered to be the world's largest monolithic statue. The base of the statue has an inscriptions in Prakrit, dating from 981 AD.Continue drive to Hassan, Check in Hotel. Afternoon free at leisure. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, sightseeing tour of Belur and Halebid. This day is spent visiting sites of two major Hindu arts especially of the Hoysala dynasty. A few kilometres from Hassan, Belur is the first site built by the Hoysala dynasty (11tha nd 12th century). The many and admirable reliefs recount scenes of battle between the Cholas and  Vishnuvardhana. At Halebid, the temple Hoysaleshwara appears like a jewel in the quality of its sculptures. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast proceed to Chikamagalur, Check-in hotel. In the evening, have a visit to coffee plantation and Hirekolale lake.  Overnight stay at the hotel.

Leisurely stay at Chikamagalur.
Optional activities: Jeep ride to the coffee plantations. Visit to Mullayanagiri peak.

Moring after breakfast, you will be transferred to Hampi, the World Heritage Centre. En-route visit Chitradurga Fort, continue drive to Hampi. Check in at your hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Optional activities : Visit to the Kishkinda Trust, a social welfare organisation. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, stroll through the Hampi ruins.  Most of the important structure and ruins are located in two areas, which are generally referred to as the Royal Centre and the Sacred Centre.  The Royal Centre contains structures that seem to have been palaces, baths, pavilions, royal stables and temples for ceremonial use.  The Sacred Centre is situated on the banks of the holy Tungabhadra river.  Visit Vithala temple and Virupaksha temple. Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to Bangalore airport to connect flight to home.