Duration: 16 Days/15 Nights
South India Luxury Tours Programme : Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram - Bangalore -
Mysore - Ooty - Cochin - Alleppey - Thekkady - Madurai - Chennai
Day 01 Arrive Chennai
Luxury South India Tours, Arrive in Chennai . After completing
formalities with customs and immigration, you will be received by our
representative with Traditional Indian Welcome (with garlands). Transfer
to your hotel. Check in at hotel in Chennai.
The first British Warehouse came up in 1639 when the British acquired the
sandy beach from the local Nayaks on lease. It was called Madraspatinam
then. Later by 1654, the Fort St. George was built. Still later the
neighboring villages were included in the city which came either as grants
or gifts. Triplicane was rented from the Sultan of Golconda in 1676. In
1744 Robert Clive worked as a writer from the Fort, later to become a
military man of British Army. The Fort House, which housed the Governor
and his council, were added in the 17th Century, the Assembly Hall in 1910
and the Secretariat in 1925.
Day 02 In Chennai
Proceed for Luxury South India Tours of Chennai in the morning after breakfast. Santhome
Cathedral. Built by Portuguese in the 14th and 15th century, this
Cathedral is named after St. Thomas. Historically important, it is one of
the pilgrimages for the Christian community
Fort St. George, one the first few bastions built by the East India
Company, marks the beginning of Chennai as a modern city. It occupies a
place of pride and prominence in Chennai. This bastion achieved its name
from St. George, the patron saint of England. The state legislature and
the secretariat are located in Fort St. George. It houses the St. Mary's
church the oldest Anglican Church in India which was built in 1680 and the
tombstones in its courtyard are the oldest British tombstones in India.
The Fort Museum, once a building that housed Chennai's first lighthouse,
first commercial bank and first 'club', is now a well-kept repository of
tangible memories of early Madras.
Kapaleeswarar Temple Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kapaleeswarar temple has
inscriptions from the 13th century A.D. The temple 'Gopuram' (tower) is in
the characteristic Dravidian style of architecture. The walls and pillars
of temple have very delicate and intricate carvings, which depict the
scenes from Hindu mythology.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 03 Chennai - Mahabalipuram/
Kanchipuram - Chennai Excursion: By road full day excursion
South India Luxury Tour, Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed for Mahabalipuram by surface. Proceed
for sight seeing of Mahabalipuram - famous for the seven pagodas. Here, on
the seashore is an interesting group of ancient rock hewn temples, which
are the examples of Dravidian style of architecture.
Day 04 Chennai Bangalore ( Day Train)
South India Luxury Tour Package, After breakfast and proceed for The Railway station for the Train to
Bangalore. Reach in the afternoon.
Bangalore - where every season carries a holiday mood, a city called the
Garden City of India, a city which has identified it self as the Manhattan
of India, a city which keeps pace with the latest trends and fashion.
Bangalore is fast emerging as one of the most industrialized city in
India. The local Chieftain, KEMPE GOWDA, founded Bangalore in sixteenth
century. But Bangalore never came up on the scene till Tipu Sultan
converted it into the summer capital of Mysore. The Wodeyars also
contributed in developing the city through gardens and palaces they built.
To the British goes the credit of making it into an administrative center.
Day 05 Bangalore - Mysore By Road ( Approx
150 Kms / 03 Hours )
Proceed for city tour of Bangalore in the morning after breakfast.Drive to
Mysore. En-route proceed for sight seeing of Srirangapatanam. Reach Mysore
and transfer to hotel.
Mysore was ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty from the 15th century all the way
up to Independence in 1947, and as the former capital of a princely state,
the city is strewn with grand old palaces and other maharaja ex-haunts, as
well as monuments, statues, temples, gardens and parks. Mysore's strong
sense off tradition explodes during the Annual Dasara Festival, a
ten-day-long celebration in October. Everywhere you go in this city you'll
find yourself surrounded by the lingering aromas of sandalwood, Jasmine,
Rose, Musk, Frangipani and many others. Whenever you smell them again,
you'll be reminded this place. It is one of the major centers of incense
manufacture in India, and sources of small family owned agarbatti
(incense) factories are scattered all over the town, their products
exported all over the world.
Day 06 In Mysore
Luxury South India Tours, After breakfast, proceed for Sightseeing of PALACE. Built in around AD 897
in Saracenic style, the Mysore palace has both Hindu as well as Muslim
influences. The palace, designed by an English architect and completed in
1912, was built in place of an earlier palace, which was burnt down in
1897.
The main palace building is made of massive grey granite with a tower
covered by a gilded dome. Colours abound the palace architecture. The huge
rooms and the floor tiles are covered with colours like turquoise blue,
magenta, golden yellow and leaf green. The central hall, incredible in its
beauty, was used for marriages and other major gatherings. A temple is
also situated within the royal courtyard.
The palace also houses a museum, which has a collection of musical
instruments, children's toys, many paintings, costumes, weapons, etc.,
belonging to the Maharaja's family.
Day 07 Mysore - Ooty By Road ( Approx 150
Kms / 03 Hours )
South India Luxury Tour Package, After breakfast drive to Ooty. Aptly called the queen of southern hill
stations, Ooty (also Ootacamund or Udhagamandalam) is located in the
southern state of Tamil Nadu. The British Collector John Sullivan
discovered this place and had developed it to a summer resort for the
people of South India. This picturesque place nestles in an amphitheatre
created by four majestic hills namely the Doddabetta, Snowdon, Elk Hill,
and Club Hill. These hills are part of the Nilgiri ranges, which are
actually the meeting points for the Western and the Eastern Ghats. The
name Nilgiri or the Blue Mountains may have been derived from the fact
that when the funnel-shaped lavender-blue flowers blossom this picturesque
mountain range becomes covered with the colour of the blue lavender making
the entire mountain look blue. The original name of the hill station was
Udhagamandalam, but with the advent of the British, the name was shortened
to Ooty. Every year, it draws thousands of tourists who come to this place
to escape from the humid and dusty summer days of the plains.
Day 08 In Ooty
After breakfast proceed for Sightseeing of Ooty. Ooty Lake: Built in 1825,
the 2.5-km-long Ooty Lake is a place worth visiting. You can go for
boating and fishing in this lake. However, for fishing you need a prior
permission. A racecourse is also located near the lake. A mini-train takes
the visitors around the lake.
Lamb's Rock: About nine kilometres from Coonoor lies Lamb's Rock, a
viewpoint on a high precipice. The point offers stunning views of the
Coimbatore plains and the coffee and tea estates on the slopes.
Kodanadu View Point: On the eastern edges of the Nilgiris, at about 16 km
from Kotagiri, lies the Kodanadu View Point. You can get a panoramic view
of the tea estates and the Moyar River from either side of the road. There
is a watchtower from where you can view the Rangasamy peak and pillar.
Day 09 Ooty - Cochin By Road ( Approx 245
Kms / 06 Hours )
After Breakfast at hotel drive to Cochin. The eventful history of this
city began when a major flood in AD 1341 threw open the estuary at Kochi,
till then a land locked region, turning it into one of the finest natural
harbors in the world. Kochi thus became a haven for seafaring visitors
from all over the world and became the first European town-ship in India
when the Portuguese settled here in the 15th century.
In the evening enjoy a KATHAKALI DANCE with the make-up session also. This
would be an interesting cultural insight.
Day 10 In Cochin
After Breakfast proceed for the sightseeing of Cochin. A few interesting
sites included in the tour are the Chinese fishing nets along the Vasco Da
Gama Square, Santa Cruz Basilica, St. Francis Church, VOC Gate, Bastion
Bungalow etc. Apart from these architectural splendors, an array of
restaurants serving fresh seafood is also popular among tourists. The
Chinese fishing nets erected on teak wood and bamboo poles work on the
principle of balance. Records say they were first set up here between AD
1350 and 1450. Vasco Da Gama Square, the narrow promenade that parallels
the beach, is the best place to watch the nets being lowered and pulled
out of the sea.
Enjoy a private relaxing cruise in the harbor sipping some hot tea and
enjoying the sunset.
Day 11 Cochin - Alleppey By Road ( Approx
100 Kms /02 Hours )
After breakfast drive to Aleppey. Aleppey is one of the most important
tourist centers in the state, with a large network of inland canals
earning it the sobriquet "Venice of the east". These large networks of
canals provide Alleppey its lifeline. Alleppey was one of the busiest
centers of trade in the past with one of the best-known ports along the
Malabar Coast. Even today it retains its charm as the centre for Coir
carpet industries and prawn farming. Alleppey the ideal headquarters for
backwater tourism as well as for visits to the lovely church filled town
of Kottayam, and the town of Aranmula, famous for its historic Aranmula
Snake Boat Race, which is an annual event. After reach in Aleppey enjoy in
a Houseboat.
The backwaters act as a vital waterway for the transport of goods, people
and their produce are often the only link between isolated villages and
crowded towns. In Kerala, the total expanse of backwater stretches over
1500 km, with a network of 44 rivers, lagoons and lakes from north to
south. Alleppey, which forms the main part of this network, has the
peculiar geographical feature of having the water in level with the land.
This gives the advantage of getting a closer look at the village life on
shore while on a backwater ride.
Day 12 Kumarokom - Thekkady By Road (
Approx 175 Kms / 05 Hours )
After breakfast at boat cruise to Kumarokom. Disembark and drive to
Thekkady after a visit to the BIRD PARK. Pass through the rubber
plantations and tea gardens. Stop at the TEA FACTORY and see how tea is
processed.
The river Periyar is the longest river in Kerala. This is the only
perennial river in South India with clean water. The river occupies an
important place in the history of Kerala. In the Sangam age Tamil epics
such as Chilapathikaram, 'Akananuru', 'Purananuru' etc much has been said
about this mighty river, formerly known as the 'Choorni Nadi' or 'Thamraparni
Nadi' (Sukasandesam -stanza 66). A land route existed in the Sangam age
from Mussuris (present-day Kodungalloor) to Madurai, which passed near the
banks of the river Periyar. The capital of the old Chera Empire presumably
existed on the banks of the river Periyar. It is believed that there was a
flood in the 4th century AD that severely damaged the areas along the
Periyar and the people living there had to escape to safer locations,
abandoning their homes and livelihoods. The flood of AD 1341 resulted in
the closing of Kodungalloor port and the opening of a new port at Kochi.
The huge landslide that began in the high ranges as a result of the heavy
downpours sent massive flows of mud and sand which created an Island at
the 'Azhimugham' of the Periyar, which is now known as the Vyppin Islands.
Day 13 In Thekkady
Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed for the boat ride at Periyar. Today
you can visit the rare species of plants and animals. Take a jungle walk
and enjoy nature. Proceed to ABRAHAM'S SPICE GARDEN to see spice
plantations like cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, etc. In the evening visit
KUMILY MARKET to have a look at the processed spices and you can pick up
some to carry back home. They are all fresh and unadulterated.
Day 14 Thekkady - Madurai by Road ( Approx
170 Kms /03 Hours )
Breakfast will be at hotel and proceed to Madurai. Madurai is over 2500
years old and is the second largest city of Tamil Nadu - Ancient seat of
learning. The city is planned in the shape of a lotus.
Check into the hotel by noon. Freshen up and by afternoon visit the famous Madurai Meenakshi temple (dedicated to the consort of Lord Shiva with its towering GOPURAMS) - There are four entrances to this amazing temple complex set in 6 hectares. Beat some of the stone pillars in the complex with any hard object and feel incredible on hearing sweet metal sounds. The total number of pillars in the temple is a staggering one Thousand. If time permits enjoy a 'light & sound Panorama' in Thirumala Naik Temple (optional) or visit to Alagar hills & Thirupura Rock Temple.
Day 15 Madurai - Chennai ( Train )
After breakfast in hotel proceed for a short sightseeing tour of Madurai.
Transfer to the station in the afternoon for train to Chennai. Reach by
late evening. Freshen up at hotel and have dinner.
Day 16 Chennai - Overseas
Transfer to airport for early morning flight home with sweet memories of
India.
End Tours / Pearls Service
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