Itinerary

(Day 1) –Arrive at Trivandrum airport
Meet and assist on arrival and transfer to the hotel in Kovalam.

Later in the day proceed for a visit to the Padhmanapuram Palace. A magnificent wooden palace of the 16th century, Padmanabhapuram Palace lies at the land's end of mainland India. An enticing piece to any lover of art and architecture this old palace of the Rajas of the erstwhile Travancore (1550 to 1750 AD) is a fine specimen of Kerala's indigenous style of architecture. The antique interiors are replete with intricate rosewood carvings and sculptured decor. The palace also contains 17th and 18th century murals.

(Day 2) – Kovalam
Stay within the hotel and enjoy the day at leisure

(Day 3) –Transfer to Alleppey– 200 Kilometers 4 hours

Alleppey is abackwater town on the banks of the Punnamada lake. The day is at leisure, exploring small water canals surrounded by lush green paddy fields and swaying palms. Overnight at the hotel.

(Day 4) -10th August – Check inn to a houseboat – Alleppey – Kumarkaom route on the backwaters

Check inn to a houseboat - Board the Houseboat by noon  and cruise through the tranquil backwaters,wider and narrow canals passing by lush green paddy fields,villages,temples, churches,rustic houses etc. giving you opportunity to view the life on thebackwaters –it beats at its own gentle rhythm.You will step into a different world altogether - this will surely be the highlight of the tour.

(Day 5) – Transfer to Fort Cochin.

Being a major harbor from the times of the British and Portuguese, Cochin has a rich heritage of forts, churches and temples. A visit to these ancient marvels gives you an overview of the political, religious and commercial developments of the city. Some of the major attractions of the city are the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, St. Francis Church, and the Chinese Nets.

(Day 6) – 12th August – Fort Cochin Sightseeing

Being a major harbor from the times of the British and Portuguese, Cochin has a rich heritage of forts, churches and temples. A visit to these ancient marvels gives you an overview of the political, religious and commercial developments of the city. Some of the major attractions of the city are the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, St. Francis Church, and the Chinese Nets.

The city has three distinctive regions – Ernakulam, the modern region to the East, and the older districts of Mattancherry and Fort Cochin located on a peninsula in the west. The easiest way to get around is by ferry, or by walking through the narrow roads and over bridges. 

Spend time walking through the old sections. The walking tour will take us to; Jew Town, including the Pardesi Synagogue; the Mattancherry Palace, known locally as the Dutch Palace; Fort Cochin, reminiscent of European streets and houses.

Late afternoon proceed to witness the Chinese Fishing Nets on the northern shore of Fort Cochin; and St Francis Church, near to a typical English village green. A highlight is watching the fishermen working the nets (which operate on a weight system) as the sun is setting (Your Guide will be with you for the entire day)

In the evening proceed to the cultural center to enjoy "Kathakali Dance Show. India's most spectacular Dance Drama based on stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata. The dancers are elaborately made up with paint and masks, accompanied by drummers and musicians."

(Day 7) Transfer to Periyar – 200 Kilometers – 4 hours

The Periyar protected area lies in the middle of a mountainous area of the Cardamom Hills in the district of Iddukki. On arrival check inn at the resort. In the evening go for a guided spice plantation tour.

(Day 8) Visit Periyar wildlife Sanctuary in a motor boat.

Boat ride in the periyar reservoir - It is an enriching experience to take a boat cruise along the Periyar Lake. Boat cruise along the banks of Periyar near to the Periyar National park is one of the major attractions. If you are a keen observer you might get to see the spotted tigers, playful elephants or the red eyed bisons.

(Day 9) Transfer to Munnar – 130 Kilometers 3 hours

Munnar, once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Govt. in South India, is located at the confluence of 03 rivers as the very name signifies. The sprawling tea plantations and picturesque towns make Munnar a popular hill resort town in South India. Check inn at the hotel, in the afternoon visit the town and the Tea museum. Visit the Tea museum – Visit a working model of a small tea factory close to Munnar town where the factory also functions as a museum displaying old machinery and information about the history of tea plantations in Munnar.

(Day 10)Transfer to Kodaikannal – 200 Kilometers

Kodaikanal is one of the most popular hill resorts in India. It is a charming hill station, stands amidst sylvan beauty on the southern crest of the upper Palani Hills near Madurai in Tamil Nadu. With its rocks, woods, lovely lake and bracing air, Kodaikanal is an ideal hill resort for the tourists.

(Day 11) Transfer to Madurai – 100 Kilometers 2 hours

Temple City of Madurai is one of the oldest cities in South India, Madurai has been the centre of learning and pilgrimage for centuries. Spread along the rocky banks of the river Vaigai in the state of Tamil Nadu, this modern industrial city is today famous as a temple town. The history of Madurai dates back to prehistoric times. Archaeological evidences unearthed from this region suggest the existence of settlements in the Megalithic Age and the Neolithic Age. Madurai also finds mention in many ancient texts and especially the Puranas, where sage Agastya eulogizes the greatness and glory of the city. In the afternoon visit the city.  One of the most important places of Hindu pilgrimage, the Meenakshi- Sundareswarar temple is located at the heart of the city and is the hub of the religious and cultural life of the city. Built by Kulasekara Pandya in the pre-Christian era, the temple was in ruins before it was rebuilt by Tirumalai Nayak. Spread over six hectares, the temple is an outstanding example of Vijayanagar temple architecture. The sculpted pillars in the Ashta Shakti Mandapam inside the Meenakshi temple tell the story of the beautiful princess of Madurai and her marriage to Lord Shiva.

(Day 12) Transfer to Chettinad – 100 Kilometers 2 hours via Tricy
The Temples of Chettinad, originally built by early Tamil dynasties like the Cholas, the temples of Chettinad stand testimony to the spiritual beliefs of its denizens. Scattered over the whole place, each temple has its own tank called oorani where water lilies are grown, and used for holy rituals. Even today much of Chettinad's daily tidings are centered around the festivities around the temple. Among the many famous temples, a few are Vairavan Kovil temple, Karpaga Vinayakar temple, Kundrakudi Murugan temple, Kottaiyur Sivan temple, Kandanur Sivan Temple.

Trichy is located on the Bank of River Cauvery which contains fine temples and important historical monuments. Dominantly important -Rockfort has given the name to it as” Rock city”.Not only, has rockfort added waitage to this place. Tricy called as Thiruchirappalli locally derived its name due to Jain associataion with this plae. Buddhism and Jainism thrived in Tamil Nadu before the renaissance of Hinduism in the form of the Bhakti cult which popularized Saivism and Vaishnavism and exterminated these anti-Hindu religions. 

(Day 13) Transfer to Tanjore – 190 Kilometers 3.5 hours

Drive to Tanjore. The place is famous for its temple complex where the renowned Nataraja Temple is housed.  Arrive Tanjore in the afternoon to check in at your hotel.   It is primarily a place for the art lovers, especially for those who love temple architecture and wonder about kings who erected these magnificent monuments. During their reign, the Cholas made significant contribution to the various fields of art and architecture. The BRIHADEESWARA TEMPLE, the wonderful PALACE, ART GALLERY and the SARASWATI MAHAL LIBRARY are some of the other things to see in Tanjore

(Day 14) Transfer to Pondicherry enroute Chidambaram Kumbakonam and darasuram 220 Kilometers 5 hours
Chidambaramis famous for its NATARAJA TEMPLE.   Chidambaram is a temple town situated in Tamil Nadu. The place is famous for its temple complex where the renowned Nataraja Temple is housed.

Kumbakonam dates back to the Sangam period and was ruled by the Early Cholas, Pallavas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Pandyas, the Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Thanjavur Nayaks and the Thanjavur Marathas. It rose to be a prominent city between the 7th and 9th centuries AD, when it served as a capital of the Medieval Cholas. The town reached the zenith of its prosperity during the British Raj when it was a prominent centre of European education and Hindu culture; and it acquired the cultural name, the "Cambridge of South India".

Darasuram -  The town is known for the Airavateswara temple constructed by the Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century AD. The temple is a recognised UNESCO World Heritage monument.

Arrive at Pondicherry and check inn at the hotel

(Day 15)In pondicherry
In the morning drive to Pondicherry (or Puducheri) meaning ’the new settlement’. It was a French settlement comprising of Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam besides Pondicherry. A unique thing about Pondicherry is that it spreads into several states. Pondicherry has a special ambience, not felt anywhere else in India. It is a blend of spiritual aura, French colonial heritage, Tamil culture and the cosmopolitan flair of many nationalities in a small but varied town. The inherent ambience of Pondy, as it is fondly called, becomes most evident in the oldest part of the town which flanks the seashore boulevard. Colonial buildings, some which trace back to the 18th century, line along a grid of straight. During your afternoon tour visit SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM, where Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived for the most parts of their lives.  The PONDICHERRY MUSEUM is home to some of the most exquisite collections on architecture and sculpture. Pondicherry also has a pleasant beach alongside promenade and historical monuments.

(Day 16) Transfer to Mahabalipuram 150 Kilometers 3 hours

After breakfast proceed with a tour of Mahabalipuram and check inn at the hotel
Mahabalipuram with its picturesque location on a rocky outcrop between the beach and a lagoon is a happy combination of history, good beaches, hassle-free tourism and fabulous fish and lobster.  It is renowned for its series of charming RATHAS and the spectacular carved relief depicting ARJUNA’S PENANCE. The magnificent SHORE TEMPLE built by king Rajasimha in the seventh century houses the shrines of both Shiva and Vishnu while the Varaha Cave is a rock-cut mandapam with two incarnations of Vishnu—Varaha and Vamana—besides scenes of kings and queens. The KRISHNA MANADAPAM has a bas-relief of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan hill on his fingertips.

(Day 17) Transfer to Chennai via Kanchipuram 200 Kilometer 4 hours
Kanchipuram is fabled city of a thousand temples. There are 650 stone inscriptions here belonging to different dynasties. The temples reflect the maturity and efflorescence of Pallava art and the ornate and often imposing embellishments were produced later by the Chola, Vijayanagar and Chalukyan kings. There is solemn grandeur, a grandiosity of vision and ornamental excess in the temples here.

Chennai was developed as a British trading post, and as such, most of its attractions have a distinct colonial influence. Stretched over an area of 13 km, MARINA BEACH is the second longest beach in the world. The ST. GEORGE FORT, built in 1653, is currently used as the state government/’s secretariat. SAN THOME Cathedral was built around 14th/15th century and is another colonial structure worth visiting.  Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the KAPALESHWAR TEMPLE is the oldest temple in Chennai.

(Day 18) early morning check out and transfer to the Airport early in the morning.