Tamil Nadu and Kerala Tour – 14 Days from Chennai to Kochi

DAY 1 : Arrival at Chennai International Airport

Tamil Nadu welcomes you all for your trip to South India Tour!! On your arrival at Chennai, you will be received and transferred to the hotel. In the afternoon start your Chennai Metropolitan City Tour. You can visit the famous Fort St. George. It was built in 1640 by the British East India Company. It also encompasses other historic monuments such as St Mary's Church & St George Fort Museum. Also visit the renowned Marina Beach. It is the 2nd longest beach in the world with sandy foreshore. Have a short drive to visit the St. Thomas Church where the Basilica was built over the tomb of St.Thomas, one among the three in the World.  Then have a visit to the famous Kapaleeswarar Temple dedicated for Lord Shiva. Return back to the hotel and relax. Overnight stay in Chennai

DAY 2 : Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram

This morning start your Temple Tour towards "Kanchipuram". Kanchipuram city offers many stunning religious and historic monuments that have mesmerized visitors for centuries. Visit Ekambareswarar Temple, the largest temple in the city. One of the major attractions of the temple include the 1000-pillar hall, the majestic outer stone wall, the 5 spacious corridors, and the 57 m high Gopuram. Then have a short drive to Kailasanathar Temple one of the ancient site built in 8th century. Then proceed to Mahabalipuram and check-in to the hotel. Overnight stay in Mahabalipuram

DAY 3 : Mahabalipuram

This is the day to enjoy the UNESCO World Heritage Monumental Sites Tour in Mahabalipuram, also called Mamallapuram is a historic town that finds mention in ancient Hindu mythology and legends. It was a bustling port city from 1st century BC till the time of the Pallavas in 9th century BC. Present day Mahabalipuram is a modern town replete with the glorious vestiges of its heritage. You can experience the competitive art works like Sea Shore Temple, Five Rathas (Five Chariots), Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butter Ball, Varaha Cave. These are the monuments included in UNESCO's heritage site lists. One more night stay in Mahabalipuram

DAY 4 : Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry

Finish your breakfast and drive to Pondicherry, the French Colony. Now renamed as 'Puducherry', the cobbled streets fringes by mustard-yellow and sky blue colonial townhouses and named in French give you an impression that you are no longer in a small town in South India, but that is only the Old City - the part that was under French rule till 1954. Check-in to the hotel and late you can start your Pondicherry City Tour by having a visit to the famous spots like Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Church of sacred heart and Notre Dame Des Anges. In the evening, you can have a rickshaw ride through French colonies and commercial streets. Overnight stay in Puducherry

DAY 5 : Pondicherry - Gangaikonda Cholapuram - Darasuram - Thanjavur

Finish your breakfast and drive to have a Sculptural Tour on the way to Thanjavur. Enroute stop and visit Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple. The person who can be credited with the erection of this temple is King Rajendra Chola, son of Raja Raja Chola. Rajendra built this temple to recreate his father's achievement, the Brihadeeswara Temple of Thanjavur. Do check-in to the hotel and in the evening visit Darasuram Temple. This temple is a storehouse of art and architecture and has some exquisite stone carvings. Although this temple is much smaller than the Brihadeeswara Temple or the Gangaikondacholapuram Temple, it is more exquisite in detail. This is because this temple is said to have been built with nitya-vinoda, 'perpetual entertainment', in mind. Both the above said temples are enlisted in UNESCO heritage site. Continue your drive to Thanjavur and have a rest. Overnight stay in Thanjavur

DAY 6 : Thanjavur - Trichy

Start your day to enjoy the Heritage Tour in Tanjore. Call it Thanjavur, Tanjore or colloquially the 'Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu' a name it gets for being one of the county's largest producers of rice, the ancient capital of the Chola Dynasty is full of aesthetic beauty. After the breakfast, visit the famous Thanjavur Art Gallery which houses the collection of sculptures and statues, Saraswati Mahal Library Museum, Brihadeeswara Temple also known as Big Temple which is one of the World Heritage Monuments built by the chola dynasty in the 10th century. Have a short drive to Trichy.

Tiruchirapalli lies at the geographical center of Tamil Nadu, and may have been the capital of the early Cholas in the 3rd century. It went from the early Cholas to the Pallavas, medieval Cholas, Pandyas, the Delhi Sultanate and Vijaynagars before reaching its zenith under the Madurai Nayaks in the 17th century. In the afternoon proceed for the Spiritual Tour in Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world. In the evening visit the famous Rockfort Uchchipillayar Temple of Tiruchirapalli which is built on a 273-foot high rock that is estimated to be at least a billion years old. Though you need to climb around 400 steps to reach atop, it is a worthy effort to take the snaps of the entire city. Overnight stay in Trichy

DAY 7 : Thanjavur - Chettinadu

Start your drive to have a Traditional Tour at Chettinad, the native land of Tamil Nadu's rich merchant community 'Chettiars' (The Nagarathars) who were businessmen travelled far to make their fortunes. The houses built in the early 20th century reflect the social, ritual needs of the community as well as shows the economic status. The houses remain closed but still in use for any family ceremonies. Some of the interesting activities to do are Village visit by bullock cart, ceramic tiles making in Athangudi village, Weaving centre, Public School etc. Overnight stay in Chettinadu

DAY 8 : Chettinadu - Madurai

Like Varanasi in North, the ancient city of Madurai is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. This is the day to feast your eyes with the Heritage Tour in Madurai. Visit the famous Thirumalai Nayaka Palace built in 16th century with grand pillars is the most attractive one. The palace, built in 1636 by King Thirumalai Nayak, was considered an architectural marvel during its construction. It has a fusion of Dravidian and Islamic styles of architecture. In the evening, visit the Meenakshi Amman Temple dedicated to Goddess Parvati and a thousand pillared hall with eye-catching sculptures. Overnight stay in Madurai

DAY 9 : Madurai - Thekkady

One of Kerala's most beautiful and amazing destinations is Thekkady, located in the Idukki district. Thanks to its location on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border which enables Thekkady to enjoy a cultural and ecological mix. You can have a boat ride in forest lake of Thekkady. Continue for Spice Plantation tour. Have guided walking tour through Spice Plantations that help you to know about the medicinal values of spices like Cardamom, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Green Chillies etc. Overnight stay in Thekkady

DAY 10 : Thekkady

Explore the Wildlife Tour by do some activities like Trekking, Jeep Safari, Elephant Ride, Traditional Kerala Martial Show called 'Kalaripayattu' etc. One more night stay in Thekkady

DAY 11 : Thekkady - Alleppey Houseboat

This is the day to enjoy the Alleppey House Boat Tour. Alappuzha (Alleppey) is the hub of Kerala's spectacular backwaters and home to a vast network of waterways. The town center is busy, and the number of canals is not really enough to earn it the 'Venice of the East' tag, but just outside the town center, towards the beach or the backwaters, Alappuzha presents a different sight altogether. Check-in to the houseboat and finish your lunch there itself with a typical Keralan cuisines. Cruise through Vembanadu Lake by houseboat till evening where the boat will stick in one place. You can finish your dinner in the boat and your sleep will be in an air-conditioned houseboat. Overnight stay in Alappuzha

DAY 12 : Alappuzha - Kochi

After the breakfast, checkout from the houseboat and drive to Kochi. Start your drive to enjoy the Cochin City Tour. Located in Ernakulam district, Kochi is also known as the 'Queen of the Arabian sea' and it is the commercial capital of Kerala. In the late afternoon have a visit to some important monuments and churches belongs to 15th and 16th centuries. First visit the St. Francis Church, the oldest protestant church built by the Portuguese in 1510, where you can see the tomb of a Portuguese Sailor Vasco-da-gama. Then visit Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, a Catholic Church and Chinese Fishing nets. Overnight stay in Kochi

DAY 13 : Kochi

Continue your Cochin City tour by starting your visit to the famous Mattancherry Palace which was originally built by the Portuguese. Later, in 17th century, the Dutch modified it and presented it to the Raja of Kochi. Located next is the Jewish Synagogue built in 1568, is magnificently decorated by Chinese tiles and Belgian chandeliers. Have a stroll along Marine Drive, the long tree-lined coastal pathway that lines the backwater is well worth the time spent, especially late afternoon. The bustling backwaters, dotted with fishing boats, speedboats, ships, tankers and passenger boats, can be observed from this walkway that lines the coast. Also don't miss to witness the traditional Kathakali dance show in the evening. One more night stay in Kochi

DAY 14 : Departure from Kochi

This day you will be ended up with Tamil Nadu and Kerala Tour Memories. You will be transferred to Cochin International Airport, Kochi as per your flight schedule back to home!