Chennai to Cochin Temple & Backwater

Arrive ChennaiArrival Chennai airport assistance and transfer to hotel.

Later city tour of Chennai. Visit Fort St. George & Museum - It was built by the British East India Company in 1640 AD. The fort is believed to be the first establishment of the British in India. Kapaleeshwarar Temple a Hindu temple dedicated to lord Shiva, Semmozhi Poonga a beautifully landscaped botanical garden. Dakshina Chitra a living history museum & Arulmigu Sri Parthasarathy Temple an 8th-century Hindu Vaishnavite temple dedicated to the Lord Vishnu. Later walk on Marina beach.Overnight at Hotel

Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram (120kms/ 3hrs approx)Breakfast at hotel drive to Mahabalipuram via visiting Kanchipuram - the City of Thousand Temples.

Visit Kailasanathar 8th century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, noted for its architecture and sculptures. There are 58 small shrines situated around the main shrine as compound wall. Ekambareswarar temple another ancient temple dedicated to Siva. The 2500-year-old mango tree inside the temple has 4 branches each yields different varieties of mangoes. Varadharaja temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, noted for its wonderful sculptures. Vaikundhaperumal temple dedicated to lord Vishnu, it is also one of the 108 Divyadesams. Kamakshiamman temple dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi the presiding deity, one of the holy Sakthi worship places in India. Optionaly visit Handloom industry famous for handloom Silk Sarees the main profession of people in Kanchipuram.

Continue drive to Mahabalipuram check in at hotel.

Later visit Monolithic Temples locally known as Rathas. They were executed by chiseling out the exterior face of the boulder. Shore Temple built with blocks of granitein in 7th century the temple complex consisting of two Siva temples and a carving of Anantasayana Vishnu. It is one of the oldest structural stone temples of South India and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. Cave Temples cut and decorated with panels in the Mamalla style of the Pallava period in the 7th century. Remnants seen in the caves also indicate that they were plastered and painted when built. Krishna's Butterball a gigantic granite boulder resting on a short incline. Rest time free & easy to relax.Overnight at hotel.

Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry (120kms/ 3hrs approx)Breakfast at hotel, drive to Pondicherry check in at hotel.

Later visit Aurovil founded in 1968 by the spiritual leader Mirra Alfassa as a town where people from all over the world could live in harmony. Its focal point is the Matrimandir, a futuristic, spherical temple covered in gold discs. Pondicherry Museum an art and history museum especially noted for its collection of fine lost wax bronzes form the period of the Chola Empire. The Museum's collection includes 81 Chola bronze sculptures, ranking as one of the largest collections of Chola bronzes. Later walk in French Colony. Pondicherry has some of the finest examples of old French culture with a hint of Tamil influence in its visual aesthetics. Observe and get inspired by the architectural beauty of the French part of the town while enjoying a cup of coffee and some deserts along the way. Customise your walk with your guide to cover French consulate, French Institute, Raj Nivas, Bharati Park (Aayi Monument), Government Square, Beaches, Monuments, Churches, French schools.

Evening to relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel.Overnight at hotel.

Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Gangaikonda Cholapuram - Darasuram - Thanjore (180kms/ 4hrs approx)Breakfast at hotel, drive to Thanjore. Enroute visit Chidambaram Nataraja Temple which is dedicated to the Nataraja the dancing posture of Lord Shiva. Further drive & visit Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple - The temple complex includes Nandi Mandapa, Alankar Mandapa, Maha Mandapa, Mukha Mandapa and Ardha Mandapa. Continue drive & visit Darasuram Temple - a storehouse of art and architecture. The temple has some exquisite stone carvings. Continue drive to Thanjore check in at hotel.Overnight at hotel.

Thanjore - Trichy - Chettinad (140kms/ 3hrs approx)Breakfast at hotel. Visit Brihadeshwara Temple & Fort - built by great Chola king in the 10th century. It is an outstanding example of Chola architecture and is listed in UNESCO world heritage site. Thanjavur Palace & Museum - The palace houses an art gallery, a library and a hall of music. Art Gallery - in the Palace there are a number of granite and bronze statues of the Chola period. Saraswathi Mahal Library - another section of the Palace is the library where over 30,000 palm leaf and paper manuscripts in India and European languages are preserved.

After sightseeing drive to Trichy. Visit Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple - there are 22 gopurams including India’s tallest (72 meters, 13 storey high). Many people have had a hand in its construction, including the Cheras, Pandyas, Cholas, Hoysalas and rulers from Vijayanagar. Rock Fort Temple -The 83m high Rock Fort is the only outcrop in the otherwise flat land of the city. The rock is one of the oldest in the world-approximately 3.800 million years, which makes it as old as the rocks of Greenland and older than the Himalayas. Also visit Tiruvanaikkaval the Jambukeshwara temple, dedicated to Shiva, and it houses five concentric walls, and seven gopurams.

Afterward drive to Chettinad check in at hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax.Overnight at hotel.

Chettinad - Madurai (90kms/ 2hrs approx)Breakfast at hotel. Sightseeing in Chettinad - the region is well known for its 19th-century mansions, whose wide courtyards and spacious rooms are embellished with marble and teak. Construction materials, decorative items, and furnishings were mostly imported from East Asian countries and Europe. The marble was brought from Italy, chandeliers and teak from Burma, crockery from Indonesia, crystals from Europe and wall-to-wall mirrors from Belgium. Many of these mansions were built using a type of limestone known as karai. It is estimated that 11,000 such mansions still remain—about half the number that existed 100 years ago. They were built by men who once traded in everything from salt to gems, with countries like Burma, Malaysia and Singapore. Much of their profits went into building these grand residences, which used to be called natukottai or regional fort. But in the mid-20th century, most Chettiar families moved to cities. Their palatial homes were left in the custody of caretakers, who maintained them for those rare occasions, such as weddings or Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival, when the family came to visit.

Visit few massions open for tourist like Chettinad Mansions, Chettinad Palace and few Chettinad Temples like Vairavan Kovil Temple, Karpaga Vinayakar temple, Kundrakudi Murugan temple, Kottaiyur Sivan temple.

Afternoon drive to Madurai check in at hotel. In the evening visit the famous Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple to attend the Aarti (Prayers) witnessing interesting rituals and ceremonies.Overnight at Hotel

Madurai - Munnar (160kms/ 3hrs approx)Breakfast at hotel, city tour of Madurai. Visit Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple one of the largest temple complexes in India built between the 16th and 18th centuries. Apart from the estimated 33 million sculptures there, the temple is absolutely absorbing with the endless rounds of ceremonies, prostration of countless devotees and glittering market stalls. Tiruparankundram Murugan Temple a Hindu temple and one of the Six Abodes of Murugan, built in rock-cut architecture by the Pandyas during the 6th century. Also visit the Tirumal Nayak’s Palace a highly decorative monument. Its enormous roofed arcade supported by 48 foot high stone pillar, still stands.

Afternoon drive to Munnar, check in at hotel. During the British rule in India, Munnar was the summer resort of the Government officials. The natural beauty, calmness and mild cold climate throughout the year make it the favorite tourist places. The tea estates, hills, lakes and forests inside Munnar range expose its beauty.Overnight at hotel.

Munnar - Alleppey (165kms/ 4hrs approx)Breakfast at hotel drive to Alleppey, embarks at the houseboat. The day for the journey of backwaters in the boat, through the tropical countryside enchanting backwaters of Alleppey. While sailing enjoy palm fringed narrow canals winding through the vast expanse of paddy fields and the neat tiny hamlets lined up along either side of the canals the panoramic sights one can never forget. The Chinese fishing nets, the reminiscent of our past trade links, are also found on the way. Flocks of duck swimming around the banks and tiny birds flying across the sky remains as enduring pictures reflecting the charm of this tourist land, you can also enjoy fishing from the houseboats, evening enjoy sunset from the sun-deck of the houseboats. The Houseboats have generated electricity; sitting cum dining area, separate bedroom with attached English toilets, sun deck and fully loaded kitchen with a Chef, and Driver.Overnight at the houseboat.

Alleppey – Cochin (60kms/ 1.30hrs)After breakfast, disembark from the houseboat and drive to Cochin check in at hotel. Later city tour of the Cochin. Visit Fort Cochin famous for Chinese fishing nets, scenic beaches and architectural style of ancient buildings. At St. Frances Church see the town of Vasco da Gama. The Jewish Synagogue, built in 1568 in the old part of Mattancherry Town, one of the oldest lively synagogues. Mattancherry "Dutch" Palace which has an incomparable collection of huge Kerala Temple murals, exhibits & portraits. You may also visit the famous Hill Palace Museum, the largest archaeological and heritage museum in Kerala. Bolgatty Palace the oldest living Dutch palaces outside Holland, now converted into a heritage hotel. Willingdon Island a man-made island created in 1933 with wonderful walkways and jetty’s. In the evening, enjoy the Kathakali Dance, one of India's most famous Classical dances with lavish costumes, exotic makeup & Masks intensifying the beauty of the dancer’s intricate moments.Overnight at hotel.

Cochin – Departure (flight)Breakfast at hotel, as per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.