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Holiday Themes
FIRST TIME VISITORS
- Indian Temples and Spice Tour
- Backwater tour with Enchanting
- First Timer Tour in India
- North India Heritage Tour
- Rural and Rustic Rajasthan
- South India with Elephanta Tour
- The Deccan Plateau Explored Tour
- Royal Rajasthan & Elephanta Cave
- Taj Mahal with Ajanta Ellora Tour
GROUP TOURS
- Golden Triangle with Ranthambhore
- Royal Rajasthan with Pushkar
- Rural and Rustic Rajasthan
- Signature North India Tour 2011
FAMILY HOLIDAYS
- Colors of India
- Golden Triangle with Ganges
- Golden Triangle with Samode
- Incredible Experience Tour
- Luxury Golden Triangle with Neemrana
- Rajasthan Forts Palaces with Goa
- Signatutre North India Tour
WILDLIFE TOURS AND SAFARI
- Fascinating Tigers of India
- Mystical India Tours with Wildlife
- North India Birding Tour
- White Tiger Country Bandhavgarh
- Wildlife Tour of India
South India with Enchanting Karnataka
Travel Duration: 14Nights & 15Days
Covered Destinations: Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Trichy, Tanjore, Madurai, Thekkady, Kumarakom, Alleppey, Cochin, Mumbai.
Tour Type: Personalized Tour with the Private Assistance
Highlights of the Tour
Chennai is considered as the "Gateway to the South". It has a culture that is quite different from that of northern India. The temples are torchbearers of the glorious heritage of this Tamil region, and are repositories of the magnificent art forms that evolved over several centuries. Explore the uncharted south and bask in the splendor this serene travel destination. You shall be acquainted with the best of Tamil Nadu as the tours to Tamil Nadu have been planned to explore Tamil Nadu in a unique and distinguished manner. Hence, Tamil Nadu is all ready to mesmerize you as you enter the Southern Zone!! So, have an enjoyable vacation availing the best Tour Packages designed specially for Tamil Nadu. And now move to Kerala, the Gods Own Country, to experience the magic backwaters tour. The land of the green and the serene Kerala offers an amazing array of the backwaters to explore. The breathtakingly beautiful destinations are the true storehouses of the nature at its best. The glorious sunsets, the waxing moonlights, the floating ducks, the breathtaking palms and the stunning waves make the backwater destinations the most sought after in kaleidoscopic Kerala.
Special Activities Included
- Meet and Assist our company representative in every destination before reaching.
- Accommodation can be availed on the basis of Double or Triple Sharing, Sightseeing Tours as mentioned in the Travel Plan.
- Comfortable and air-conditioned SUV 4WD always at your disposal, from first to last day of tour in India.
- Our Tour Guides are a team of knowledgeable and quite articulate professionals, who enjoy taking visitors around. They speak
- English, Spanish, German and Russian as mentioned Travel Plan.
- Daily Buffet Breakfast in the Hotel as per the chosen Accommodation.
- Excursions to Dakshinchitra, Kanchipuram and Tanjore.
- Visit all temples with our company representative.
- Visit wildlife sanctuary in Thekkady and Kumarakom.
- Take a boat ride into the Wildlife Sanctuary in Thekkady.
- Kath kali Dance program in Cochin.
- Air Conditioned Overnight Houseboat Cruise from Kumarakom to Alleppey.
- In Mumbai, trips to lively beaches will acquaint you with the lives of people and olden charms of Maharashtra.
- Mumbai Bazaar walks.
- Explore Beach life in Mumbai style.
- Visit Elephanta Caves in Mumbai. Toll Taxes, Driver Allowance and Parking are included during the Tour.
- Mineral water in the Transport during the whole Tour.
- All applicable taxes and service charges.
- All prevailing taxes like Luxury Tax in all Hotels and expenditure tax wherever applicable.
Detailed Travel Plan
Day 01: Arrival at Chennai Airport
On arrival in Chennai, you will meet the representative at the airport. Please keep a watch for him as soon as you collect your luggage and walk towards the exit gate in the arrival terminal (we request you not to leave the terminal building until the representative contacts you). Assistance and transfer by car to the hotel where room is reserved for immediate check-in.
In the afternoon, you will go for a tour of the Chennai city. You will be taken on a visit to Kalakshetra. It is the renowned cultural center established by Rukmini Devi Arundale and Theosophical Society with its huge Banyan tree (Theosophical Society of India was founded by Dr Annie Besant).
You will stay overnight at the Hotel.
Day 02: Chennai Mahabalipuram (En-route visit Dakshinchitra)
By Surface: 58 kms, 1 hrs.
After breakfast at the Hotel, you will be driven to Mahabalipuram. On the way, you will visit Dakshinchitra. On arrival in Mahabalipuram, you will be transferred to the Hotel where room is booked for you. You will be provided with the schedule for the sightseeing tour of the city.
Mahabalipuram:- This is one of historys intriguing enigmas. Mahabalipuram was also called Mamallapuram. It was a developing port town of the Pallava rulers of South India who created fabulous open-air museum of sculpture under the vault of a burning sky. However, this is the only data that you will get to know about this place. What was the purpose behind this whole exercise, and, more important, why all the royal patronage this place enjoyed suddenly disappeared, no one actually has any answer. A stay at Mahabalipuram Resorts will take you close to its historical past.
In the afternoon, you will take a tour of Mahabalipuram. Visit Arjunas Penance: Arjunas Penance, an enormous relief made on two huge boulders, is the universe itself in stone, throbbing with a vastness of conception and The Varaha Cave: a small rock-cut mandapam (hall), is a faceted and finished gem with two incarnations of Vishnu-Varaha (boar) and Vamana (dwarf). About 5 kilometers north of Mahabalipuram, you will come across another cave called Tiger Cave. The rock-cut cave dates back to 7th century. Do check the Rathas: A group of structures lying at the southern extreme of Mahabalipuram, admist casuarinas trees, are the famous Rathas (chariots), Krishna Mandapam: The Krishna Temple is one of the earliest rock-cut temples of Mahabalipuram and Shore Temple: The windswept and surf beaten Shore Temple, the mute tireless sentinel of the shore, is the ultimate expression of Mahabalipuram.
You will stay overnight at the Hotel.
Day 3: Mahabalipuram Kanchipuram Mahabalipuram
After breakfast, you will be taken on an excursion to Kanchipuram. It is a city of a thousand temples.
A 65-kilometre stretch of sun-dried road will connect you to Kanchipuram from Mahabalipuram. Kanchipuram is the fabled city of a thousand temples. There are 650 stones inscription in Kanchipuram belonging to different dynasties. The temples here reflect the maturity and efflorescence of Pallava art. The elaborate and ever impressive embellishments were later added by the Chola, Vijayanagara and Chalukyan emperors. There is a solemn grandeur, a grandiosity of vision and ornamental excess in the temples here. A disembodied otherworidly stillness impregnates their vast inner domains where time is a captive fugitive. You will have so many temples to visit here which range from The Ekambaranathar temple, the Kailasanatha temple and Sri Varadaraja temple to Sri Vaikuntaperumal temple among many others. The city itself is dedicated to the presiding deity, Sri Kamakshi (one with eyes of love) at the Kamakshi temple. In Sanskrit, Kanchi is translated to mean girdle. The poets have allegorically characterized the city as a girdle to the earth.
Overnight stay will be at the Hotel.
Day 04: Mahabalipuram - Trichy
By Surface: 354 kms, 7 or 8 hrs.
After breakfast at Hotel, you will be driven to Trichy. Reach Trichy. You will meet our company representative and with his help check-in at the Hotel. He will give you the schedule for the sightseeing city tour.
Trichy:- The Day starts with a sightseeing tour of Trichy visiting the Rock Fort Temple and the Ranganathswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu and comprising of a series of walled courts with 21 towers.
Stay overnight at the Hotel.
Day 05: Trichy Tanjore - Madurai
By Surface: 150 kms, 3 hrs.
After breakfast, you will be driven to Madurai. On the way, you will visit Tanjore by road. In Tanjore, you will get to se the World heritage Brihadishvara temple.
Reach Madurai and meet our company representative. He will help you check-in at the Hotel where a room is booked for you. Get the sightseeing tour schedule of the city.
Madurai:- Madurai is an old traditional town. The city is best known for the Meenakshi Temple which boasts of thousand-pillared hall and nicely carved columns.
Stay overnight at the Hotel.
Day 06: Madurai
After breakfast at Hotel, you will tour Madurai with a professional guide. He will give you all the information about sightseeing and the city.
In Madurai:- you will visit the Meenakshi Temple which is a fine example of Dravidian architecture, the Tirumala Nayak Palace which is a beautiful building made in the Indo saracenic style and the Alagar Hills and the Tirupara Kundran Rock temple in the morning.
Stay overnight at the Hotel.
Day 07: Madurai Thekkady
By Surface: 160 kms, 3 hrs
After breakfast, you will be driven to Thekkady by road. Reach Thekkady and meet our company representative. He will help you check-in at Hotel where a room is booked for you. Get the schedule for the sightseeing tour of the city.
Thekkady:- Thekkady is best known for serving as a home to Asian Elephants. Take a late afternoon boat ride into the Wildlife Sanctuary. You will come across Periyar which is a pleasant place to find respite from the madding crowds of the cities and towns. Periyar is a place to enjoy cruise on the lake and jungle walk with a chance to spot the wild animals. Set high in the ranges of the Western Ghats, in Kerala, is the Periyar famous for its National Park and Tiger Reserve. The park is dotted with lake in the centre. Formed with the building of a dam in 1895, this reservoir meanders around the contours of the wooded hills, providing a perennial source of water for the local wildlife. Herds of elephant and sambar, gaur and wild pigs wander down to the lakeside and can be observed from the launches that cruise the lake.
Stay overnight at the Hotel.
Day 08: Thekkady
After breakfast, you will visit the Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
Visit the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary found near the plantations in the rich jungles of Periyar in Thekkady. It is one of the world's most attractive natural wildlife. The sanctuary covers 777 sq.km area. About 360 sq. km area of the jungle is covered with thick evergreen forest. Noted for its geomorphology, diversity of wildlife and scenic beauty, the Reserve attracts visitors from all over the world.
The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar adds to the charm of the park. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. Major attraction of Periyar comprises the herds of wild elephants that come to the lake to play.
Overnight stay will be at the Hotel.
Day 09: Thekkady Kumarakom
By Surface: 185 kms, 4 hrs
After breakfast at Hotel, you will leave for Kumarakom city by road. On arrival in Kumarakom, you will meet our company representative. He will transfer you to the Hotel for check-in.
Kumarakom forms a part of Kerala's rice bowl, the Kuttanand region which is the ideal destination for the backwater cruises. The Backwaters of Kumarakoram make for an exciting backwater tourist destination. It will be a delightful experience to view the lush paddy fields, sprawling mangrove forests and palm trees by the sea shores from the cruise. This little village is an island of paradise, untouched by time.
On this day, you will get to see the wildlife with our company representative during the Sightseeing tour of Kumarakom.
Major Attractions of Kumarakom City
Water Bird Sanctuary: here you will come across a 14 acre long bird sanctuary. It is situated on the eastern banks of the Verbanad Lake. The sanctuary is a home to diverse species of birds including the migratory ones. You can spot the water fowls, water ducks, cuckoos, wild ducks, egrets, darters, herons, teals, and the migratory Siberian cranes here. Nearby lies the rubber plantations in Kottayam where the churches are also grand.
Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls: The Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls are situated at a distance of 18 km from the town of Kottayam. These make for interesting picnic spots too. It will account for a wonderful experience to see streams of silver cascades of water flowing down from the height of the`100 feet.
You will stay overnight at the Hotel.
Day 10: Kumarakom - Alleppey
By Overnight Houseboat: A/C Houseboat.
On the 03rd Day of your Kumarakom Alleppey Tour includes an Overnight houseboat cruise across the Vembanad Lake.
In the morning, you will leave for Alleppey Kumarakom. Embark on houseboat on arrival. You will have traditional lunch on Board. Cruise through various villages.
The Houseboat cruise journey is considered to be one of the best attractions. The house boat has single and double bedrooms, sundeck, private balcony and a kitchen. Chef, Oarsmen and cabin assistant are also present aboard. The houseboats are built of local and Eco friendly bamboo poles, coconut fiber ropes, bamboo mats and coir carpets.
Overnight stay will be at Houseboat.
Day 11: Alleppey Cochin
By Surface: 63 kms, 1 hrs
After breakfast at Hotel, you will be driven to Cochin. Reach Cochin and meet our company representative. Check-in at the Hotel where room is reserved for you.
Kochi (colonial name Cochin) is a vibrant city situated on the south-west coast of the Indian peninsula in the breathtakingly scenic and prosperous state of Kerala, hailed as 'God's Own Country'. Its strategic importance over the centuries is underlined by the sobriquet Queen of the Arabian Sea. Cochin is also addressed as the Gateway to Kerala sometimes.
Enjoy the Kathakali show. It is the classical dance drama program of Kerala. Later, you will come back to the Hotel. Rest of the day will be free to spend at leisure.
Overnight stay will be at the Hotel.
Day 12: Full day sightseeing as the Gateway of Kerala (Cochin)
After breakfast, our professional guide will furnish you with the city information. He will acquaint you with tourist attractions too.
Atrractions of Kochi (Cochin)
Being a major harbour 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. You will feel delighted to pay visits to the Dutch Palace, Fort Kochi, St. Francis Church, Jewish Synagogue, Dutch Cemetery, the Chinese Nets, Santa Cruz Basilica, Hill Palace Museum and Willingdon Island.
Overnight stay will be at the Hotel.
Day 13: Cochin Mumbai
By Flight: SG 112, Dep: 11:30, Arr: 13:20
After breakfast at Hotel, you will be transferred by our company representative to the airport for the flight to Mumbai. On arrival in Mumbai, you will be received at the International Airport by our Company representative.
Private Assistance with our company representative:- Please keep a watch for him as soon as you collect your luggage and walk towards the exit gate in the arrival terminal. (We request you not to leave the terminal building until the representative contacts you). Assistance and transfer by car to the hotel where room is reserved for immediate check-in.
The city of Mumbai is believed to be given as a dowry to Charles II of England by Portuguese when he married Catherine. The group of seven islands was leased to the East India Company who offered freedom of business and religion to persons who came and settled here. Initially, the city witnessed a small population of few Parsis and Gujarati only. But, later a sizeable population began to thrive here. This was way back in the 17th century. Today also Mumbai is a city of migrants. People from all over the country have come and settled here. This gives the society of Mumbai a multi-lingual and multi-cultural colour.
You will be taken on a visit to Gateway of India, Fish Aquarium, Prince of Wales Museum (closed on Mondays), Jain Temple, and Hanging Garden on the slopes of Mahabar Hills. From hanging gardens, you can bask in the mesmerizing views of Marine Lines and Chowpatty Beach. Mani Bhawan (Where Mahatma Gandhi used to stay) and Dhobi Ghat are the other interesting sites. Also drive past Afghan church, Flora Fountain (Bombay nerve-centre), colourful Crawford Market and Marine Drive.
You will stay overnight at the Hotel.
Day 14: Bollywood city (Mumbai)
After breakfast at the hotel, you will be taken on an excursion to Elephanta Caves.
Elephanta Caves: The Elephanta caves are a great tourist attraction in the vicinity of the large Mumbai metropolis. The Elephanta Island is located at a distance of about 10 kilometres away from the gateway of India at Mumbai. These caves are much talked about for the rock-cut temples that date back to the 5th century CE. The Elephanta island was so named by the Portuguese, after the statue of an elephant near the landing area of the island. These rock cut temples are dedicated to Shiva Mahadev and are absolutely eye catchy.
Overnight stay will be at the Hotel.
Day 15: Mumbai Home
After breakfast, our company representative will drive you to the International Airport for the flight to your next destination with the sweet memories of India Tour. Please allow a minimum of 2 hours for flight check-in formalities at the airport. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home on behalf of Castle & King Team!
