SOUTH
INDIA HOLIDAY TOURS
Soothing
South Duration :16 Days/ 15 Nights
Destination
Covered: Madras, Mahablipuram, Pondicherry, Tanjore, Trichy, Madurai,
Periyar, Kumarakom, Cochin, Ooty, Mysore, Hassan, Banglore, Madras
Day
01 : ARRIVE MADRAS
Arrive Madras by International Flight Meeting
and assistance at the airport upon arrival and transfer to HOTEL. CHECK-IN
TIME 12 NOON.Afternoon, sightseeing tour of Madras to see some of the
highlights of India's fourth largest city. Visit the National Art Gallery
and Museum, which house some beautiful temple friezes and South Indian
bronzes; the Cathedral of San Thome; the Mylapore Temple, and St Mary's
Church. (Museums are closed on Friday and National Holidays).OVERNIGHT AT
THE HOTEL.
Day 02: MADRAS-MAHABLIPURAM Drive from
Madras to Mahablipuram enroute visiting Kanchipuram, known as the Golden
City of a Thousand Temples. This is one of India's sacred cities. Many early
styles of temple architecture may be seen here. Visit Ekambareshwar Temple,
Kailashnath Temple, Kamakshi Temple, the Vaikunthaperumal Temple, all built
in the 7th and 8th centuries. Kancheepuram has also long been famous for its
silk weaving.Continue your drive to Mahablipuram and upon arrival check-in
at: HOTEL Afternoon sightseeing tour of Mahablipuram - an ancient coastal
port - south of Madras. Here you will see many sculptures and temples of
typical South Indian architectural design; the Five Rathas - a group of
monolithic monuments and animal figures carved out of solid rock; the Shore
Temple, lashed by the waves of the sea; and the huge frescoe, "The
Penance of Bhagirath".OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 03 :
MAHABLIPURAM-PONDICHERRY Drive from Mahablipuram to Pondicherry
(105 kms/3 hours). On arrival check-in at: HOTEL.Afternoon sightseeing tour
of Pondicherry, visiting the Auroville. Conceived as a tribute to Sri
Aurobindo, Auroville is an entirely new concept in education and urban
living; Sri Aurobindo Ashram - known to the world over as "Centre of
Integral Yoga". It was founded by Sri Aurobindo, India's patrict
philosopher around 1920.OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day
04 : PONDICHERRY-TANJORE
Drive from Pondicherry to Tanjore (177
kms/5 hours). On arrival check-in at: HOTEL.Afternoon, city sightseeing tour
of Tanjore where you will stop to visit temples built during the 10th and
14th centuries. Later it became part of the Vijaynagar Kingdom, then passed
into the hands of the Marathas and went to the British.OVERNIGHT AT THE
HOTEL.
Day 05: TANJORE-TRICHY Drive from Tanjore to
Trichy (54 kms/1.5 hours).On arrival check-in at: HOTEL.Afternoon city tour
of Trichy (Tiruchirapalli). The Rock Fort rises abruptly to a height of 273
ft. A steep staircase cut into the rock leads upto the Fort. At the first
level are the remnants of a huge hall blasted into ruins in 1772. The next
storey is the Mathrubhuteshwarer Shrine dedicated to Shiva. Finally at the
top of the hill, the Ucchi Pillayar Koil- a Ganesh Temple offering a
commanding view of the city. OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 06
: TRICHY-MADURAI Drive from Trichy to Madurai (128 kms/3.5 hours).
On arrival check-in at: HOTEL.Afternoon, city sightseeing tour of Madurai,
visiting the Meenakshi Temple where Dravidian temple architecture maybe seen
in its exuberant baroque phase. Its Hall of a Thousand Pillars is fabulous
and is filled with worshippers at all hours of the day. Also visit the
Tirumal Nayak's Palace which is in a highly decorative monument at Thebes.
Its enormous roofted arcade supported by 48-foot-high stoned pillars still
stands; and griffins, lions and other monster gargoyles are to be seen
everywhere.OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 07 : MADURAI-PERIYAR
Drive from Madurai to Periyar (137 kms/4 hours).On arrival check-in at:
HOTEL.Afternoon game viewing by boat.Cruise in the Periyar Lake in the cool
surroundings and the panorama spreads around - tropical jungles, wild
Elephants, Indian Gaur, Monkeys, spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Wild Boar and
birds of myriad varieties. With an area of 777 sq km the wildlife sanctuary
lies at an elevation of 914 meters to 1828 meters above sea level on the
Periyar Lake in the hills of Western Ghats.OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 08 : PERIYAR-KUMARAKOM Drive from Periyar to
Kumarakom (115 kms/3.5 hours).On arrival check-in at: HOTEL OVERNIGHT AT THE
HOTEL.
Day
09 : KUMARAKOM-COCHIN
Breakfast on board.Morning backwater cruise
towards Alleppey (2-3 hours cruise). Arrive at Alleppey boat jetty and drive
to Cochin (56 kms/1.5 hours). On arrival check-in at: HOTEL.Afternoon free
for independent activities. Evening, witness the Kathakali dance
performance, performed by various artists. Kathakali is a traditional dance
form, depicting Indian epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata). The dancers are
dressed in very colorful and elaborate costumes. Their faces are painted to
depict various characters of these epics. This dance has a lot of facial
expressions and brisk, yet articulate body movements.OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 10 : COCHIN Morning, sightseeing tour of
Cochin, visiting the Jewish synagogue (closed on Saturdays), built over 400
years ago. It contains beautiful Belgian glass chandeliers, and is paved
with hand painted tiles from China. Visit the "Dutch Palace"
(closed on Fridays) with its wonderful murals depicting the entire story of
the Ramayana on its walls. See St Francis Church, (closed on Sundays) the
first European Church built in India.Afternoon free for independent
activities. OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 11 :
COCHIN-OOTY Drive from Cochin to Ooty (281 kms/7 hours). On arrival
check-in at: HOTEL.OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 12 : OOTY
Morning, city sightseeing tour of Ottacamund. Situated in the heart of the
Nilgiris (Blue Mountains), at a height of 2,287 m. (7,500 ft), it lies on a
pleatu and looks like a vast park. To the northwest of Ooty are splendid
downs resembling those of Sussex while to the west, south and southwest,
lofty hills add to the grandeur of the scenery. Visits the terraced
Botanical Gardens, which are a landmark in Ooty, have many rare trees and
flowering plants.Afternoon free for independent activities. OVERNIGHT AT THE
HOTEL.
Day 13 : OOTY-MYSORE Drive from Ooty to Mysore (158 kms/5
hours).On arrival check-in at: HOTELAfternoon, you will visit the beautiful
city of Mysore, that is known for its fine craftsmanship in wood, ivory,
sandal-wood, and for its silk. Visit the Maharaja's Palace which is lavishly
decorated in a mixture of styles. Also visit the Zoological Garden, Mysore
Arts & Crafts Center and then proceed to the Chamundi Temple on a hill
high above the city.OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 14 :
MYSORE-HASSAN Drive from Mysore to Hassan (115 kms/4 hours) enroute
visiting Somnathpur and Sravanabelagola.Somnathpur- this temple is dedicated
to Shiva and is a marvelous example of Hoysala architecture with exquisite
sculptures.Sravanabelagola - it is one of the oldest and most important Jain
pilgrimage centers in India and site of the huge statue of Lord Bahubali
(Gomateshvara) which, at 17 metres high and carved out of a single piece
rock, is said to be the world's tallest monolithic statue. It stands on top
of the rocky hill.Continue your drive to Hassan and upon arrival check-in
at: HOTEL.Afternoon sightseeing tour of Belur and Halebid, which is the
finest examples of Hoysala Art. The soft stone used by builders was
chiselled with extreme fineness for detail. The temple at Belur is famed for
its profusely ornamented exterior and the one at Halebid for its sculptured
figures and open air museum. Also visit the colossal monolithic Jain Statue,
57-ft high, which stands on top of a steep bare hill. OVERNIGHT AT THE
HOTEL.
Day 15 : HASSAN-BANGALORE Drive from Hassan to Bangalore (190
kms/5 hours).On arrival check-in at: HOTEL.Afternoon, city sightseeing tour
of Bangalore, known as the Garden City of India. Visit the lovely Lal Bagh
Gardens, which has one of the largest collections of exotic Indian tropical
and sub-tropical plants. You will also visit the Bull Temple. Drive past the
Vidhana Soudha and High Court.OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 16
: BANGALORE-ABROAD Transfer from hotel to the airport in time
for:Lv: Bangalore by International Flight.
Book This South
India Holiday Tours
South
India Splendor Duration :14 Days/ 12
Nights
Destination Covered: Madras, Banglore, Mysore, Coorg,
Hassanr, Cochin, Marari Beach, Alleppey, Kottayam, Periyar, Madurai, Madras
Day
01 : ABROAD-MADRAS
Day 02: ARRIVE MADRAS
Arrive Madras by Int .Flt. Meeting and assistance at the airport upon
arrival and transfer to HOTEL ACCOMMODATION IS RESERVED FROM THE PREVIOUS
NIGHT TO ENSURE IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY UPON ARRIVAL.
1030 hours - Brunch
at the hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Madras city starting with a
visit to Saint Mary's Church (1678 - 80), the spiritual and physical centre
of the original settlement and the oldest surviving building in the East
associated with the Anglican church. Visit the famous museum (Museums are
closed on Friday and National Holidays) that house a fantastic collection of
medieval artillery, regimental flags, weapons and armour. Also visit the St.
George Fort built in 1644 which lies on the sea shore immediately north of
the island. This now forms the nucleus of the Secretariat. Drive along the
Marina, which is one of the most beautiful marine promenades in the world
and contains a series of impressive private and public buildings. End the
tour with a visit to Kapaleshvara temple. This is the largest and the most
important Shiva complex in Madras. Evening return to Madras (64 kms).Evening
Classical dance show and dinner at Raintree Restaurant of Taj Connemara
hotel. OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 03 :MADRAS
Breakfast at the hotel.Morning excursion to Kanchipuram (70 kms). One of the
holy cities of Hinduism, is Kanchipuram.Important examples of Hindu temple
architecture spanning almost a thousand years are preserved at Kanchipuram.
Later drive to Mahablipuram (70 kms) for lunch at Hotel Temple Bay.After
lunch visit Mahablipuram. As the port of the Pallava rulers of Kanchipuram,
the site was of particular importance in the 7th -8th centuries. Most of the
Hindu monuments date from this period. They are particularly associated with
two Pallava rulers, Mamalla and Rajasimha. The rock-cut and monolithic
temples at Mahabalipuram are the earliest temples of monumental architecture
in Southern India. Most of the cave temples are excavated into the sides of
a granite hill, only a short distance from the sea. Shore temple at
Mahabalipuram is the first significant structural temple of the Pallava
period (8th century). Despite its general erosion, this is an impressive
monument with elegantly proportioned towers. DINNER & OVERNIGHT AT THE
HOTEL.
Day 04: MADRAS-BANGALORE-MYSORE Breakfast at the hotel.Transfer
from hotel to the airport in time for :
Lv: Madras at 1000 hours by
9W-445
Ar: Bangalore at 1045 hours.
Meeting and assistance upon
arrival at the airport and proceed for a PANORAMIC sightseeing tour of
Bangalore visiting the Lalbagh botanical gardens which lies on the southern
edge of the town and covers an area of 237 acres. Close by to the west is a
picturesque Elephant gate. A marble slab carries a fulsome Persian
inscription. Also visit the Jami mosque which was built by Tipu Sultan which
is a graceful affair with pierced minarets crowned by onion domes which
contain narrow staircases. The circuit ends at the Garrison cemetery that is
an appropriate place to contemplate the bloody history of Srirangapatnam and
to end the tour.Continue your drive to Mysore and upon arrival check-in at:
HOTEL DINNER & OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 05: MYSORE
Breakfast at the hotel.Morning, you will visit the beautiful city of Mysore,
that is known for its fine craftsmanship in wood, ivory, sandal-wood, and
for its silk. Visit the Maharaja's Palace which is lavishly decorated in a
mixture of styles. Also visit the Zoological Garden, Mysore Arts &
Crafts Center and then proceed to the Chamundi Temple on a hill high above
the city.Lunch at the hotel.Afternoon free till 1700 hours.1700 hours -
drive to the Brindavan Garden, beautifully illuminated daily, truly a
pleasure garden and attend a Musical fountain show.1900 hours- Return to
hotel.DINNER & OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 06:
MYSORE-COORG Breakfast at the hotel.Drive from Mysore to Coorg (110
kms/3 hours). On arrival check-in at: ORANGE COUNTY RESORT.Special Coorgi
lunch at the resort.Afternoon visit Coffee plantation and a processing
factory.On return walk around plantation where there is likely hood of
spotting wildlife like elephants, deer etc.DINNER & OVERNIGHT AT THE
RESORT. .
Day
07: COORG-HASSAN
Breakfast at the resort.Morning drive 32 kms
uphill to visit Mercara (capital of Coorg), where you see the local market,
Onkareshwara Hindu temple with Muslim architecture etc. Later drive to
Hassan (145 kms/3 hours). On arrival check-in at: HOTEL Late lunch at the
hotel.Rest of the day at leisure. DINNER & OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 08 : HASSAN-BANGALORE Breakfast at the
hotel.Morning sightseeing tour of Belur and Halebid which is the finest
examples of Hoysala Art. The soft stone used by builders was chiselled with
the same fineness of detail as is found in the ivory and wood craftsmanship
of the area. The temple at Belur is famed for its profusely ornamented
exterior, and the one at Halebid for its sculptured figures and open air
museum. Also visit the colossal monolithic Jain Statue, 57-ft high, which
stands on top of a steep bare hill. Lunch at the hotel.After lunch drive
from Hassan to Bangalore (187 kms/6 hours).On arrival check-in at: HOTEL
DINNER & OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 09 :
BANGALORE-COCHIN-MARARI BEACH RESORT Breakfast at the
hotel.Transfer from hotel to the airport in time for:
Lv: Bangalore at
1120 hours by IC-7537
Ar: Cochin at 1205 hours
Meeting and
assistance upon arrival at the airport and transfer to Cochin city for lunch
at Pandal Restaurant.After lunch sightseeing tour of Cochin, visiting the
Jewish synagogue (closed on Saturdays), built over 400 years ago. It
contains beautiful Belgian glass chandeliers, and is paved with hand painted
tiles from China. Visit the "Dutch Palace" (closed on Fridays)
with its wonderful murals depicting the entire story of the Ramayana on its
walls. See St Francis Church, (closed on Sundays) the first European Church
built in India.1630 hours - drive from Cochin to Marari Beach (75 kms/1.5
hours).On arrival check-in at: MARARI BEACH RESORT.DINNER & OVERNIGHT AT
THE RESORT.
Day
10 : MARARI BEACH
Breakfast, lunch & dinner at the resort.Day
free to relax at Beach or visit their health centre for Ayurvedic Herbal Oil
Massage.OVERNIGHT AT THE RESORT.
Day 11 : MARARI
BEACH-ALLEPPEY-KOTTAYAM-PERIYAR Early breakfast and drive to
Alleppey (15 kms) boat jetty to board boats for backwater cruise through
Vembanad Lake to arrive at Vembanad Lake Resort at Kottayam (2 hours cruise)
in time for sea food lunch served on Banana Leaf. Later drive to Periyar
(110 kms/3 hours).On arrival check-in at: HOTEL .Evening witness Kerala
style cookery demo in hotel followed by dinner.OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day 12 : PERIYAR-MADURAI Breakfast at the
hotel.Morning take a 1.5 hours boat ride on Lake Periyar to see the panorama
spreads around - tropical jungles, wild Elephants, Indian Gaur, Monkeys,
spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Wild Boar and birds of myriad varieties. With an
area of 777 sq. km the wildlife sanctuary lies at an elevation of 914 meters
to 1828 meters above sea level on the Periyar Lake in the hills of Western
Ghats.Return to hotel for Lunch.After lunch drive from Periyar to Madurai
(128 kms/3.5 hours). On arrival check-in at: HOTEL .Late evening attend
Pooja ceremony at Meenakshi temple.DINNER & OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.
Day
13 : MADURAI-MADRAS
Breakfast at the hotel.Morning, city
sightseeing tour of Madurai, visiting the Meenakshi Temple where Dravidian
temple architecture maybe seen in its exuberant baroque phase. Its Hall of a
Thousand Pillars is fabulous and is filled with worshippers at all hours of
the day. Also visit the Tirumal Nayak's Palace which is in a highly
decorative monument at Thebes. Its enormous roofted arcade supported by
48-foot-high stoned pillars still stands; and griffins, lions and other
monster gargoyles are to be seen everywhere.Afternoon transfer from hotel
to the airport in time for:
Lv: Madurai at 1415 hours by IC-672
Ar: Madras at 1505 hours.
Meeting and assistance upon arrival and
transfer from airport to HOTEL. (where 3-4 rooms reserved for wash and
change).Dinner at the hotel.After dinner transfer to the airport for flight
to onward destination.
Day 14 : MADRAS-ABROAD
Leave Madras by Intl.Flt.
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