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DAY 01 ARRIVE CHENNAI TO MAHABALIPURAM by surface
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| Meet and assistance on arrival at CHENNAI and
drive to your hotel at MAHABALIPURAM. Arrive and check-in at the hotel. |
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| DAY 02 IN MAHABALIPURAM |
| Mahabalipuram with its picturesque location
on a rocky outcrop between the beach and a lagoon is a happy combination
of history, good beaches, hassle-free tourism and fabulous fish and lobster.
It is renowned for its series of charming RATHAS and the spectacular carved
relief depicting ARJUNA'S PENANCE. The magnificent SHORE TEMPLE built by
king Rajasimha in the seventh century houses the shrines of both Shiva and
Vishnu. The KRISHNA MANADAPAM has a bas-relief of Lord Krishna lifting the
Govardhan hill on his fingertips. Return to your hotel late in the afternoon
for overnight stay. |
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| DAY 03 MAHABALIPURAM - PONDICHERRY
by surface |
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After breakfast drive to Pondicherry, a French colony on
the coastline of India. During your afternoon tour visit SRI AUROBINDO
ASHRAM, where Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived for the most parts of
their lives. The PONDICHERRY MUSEUM is home to some of the most exquisite
collections on architecture and sculpture. Pondicherry also has a pleasant
beach alongside promenade and historical monuments.
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| DAY 04 PONDICHERRY - THANJAVUR by
surface |
This morning we drive to Tanjore. Arrive Tanjore
and check in at your hotel. It is primarily a place for the art lovers,
especially for those who love temple architecture and wonder about kings
who erected these magnificent monuments. During their reign, the Cholas
made significant contribution to the various fields of art and architecture.
The BRIHADEESWARA TEMPLE, the wonderful PALACE, ART GALLERY and the SARASWATI
MAHAL LIBRARY are some of the other things to see in Tanjore. |
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| DAY 05 IN THANJAVUR |
| Morning proceed for a full day excursion to
Trichy. In Trichy visit ROCK FORT, from where the view is spectacular. The
VINAYAKA TEMPLE at the top is reached by climbing a tunnel in rock. Half
way up is the SRI THAYUMANASWAMY TEMPLE, dedicated to Lord Siva having a
100-pillar hall and a Vimana covered with gold. Also visit TIRUVANAIKKAVAL
or JAMBUKESWARA TEMPLE named after the elephant , which is believed to have
worshipped Lord Siva here. Installed under an ancient Jambu tree, the lingam
is partially submerged by water and meant to represent God incarnate as
water. Later return to Thanjavur. Evening at leisure. Overnight at the hotel. |
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| DAY 06 THANJAVUR - MADURAI by surface |
| Drive today to the temple city of MADURAI. In
Madurai the architectural marvels of the temples and the exquisite sculptures
fascinate all those who have a look at them. You can also participate in
the many festivals and regale in the rich tradition of the locals. Some
of the major attractions in the city are the MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, TIRUMALAI
NAYAK MAHAL, GANDHI MUSEUM, KOODAL AZHAGAR TMEPLE, VANDIYUR MARIAMMAN TEPPAKULAM
etc. |
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| DAY 07 MADURAI - PERIYAR by surface |
| Today we drive from the busy and bustling temple
town of Madurai to the quiet jungle resort of PERIYAR. It is one of the
finest sanctuaries for studying the Indian Elephant in its home. Arrive
and check-in at your hotel. In the afternoon you will be taken around to
see some spice plantations. Overnight is at the hotel. |
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| DAY 08 PERIYAR - KOVALAM by surface |
| Early morning proceed for boat ride in the Lake
Periyar to see the wildlife in the park. Drive to TRIVANDRUm and enjoy a
quick tour. Dating back to 1880, the NAPIER MUSEUM building is a combination
of the Kerala, Mughal, Chinese and Italian architectural styles. The building
has a unique natural air-conditioning system. The SRI CHITRA ART GALLERY
houses paintings from the Mughal, Rajput and Tanjore schools of art.. Later
continue your drive of another 30kms to arrive at your beach resort. Evening
is at leisure to explore the beaches. Overnight is at the hotel. |
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| DAY 09 KOVALAM - ALLEPEY by surface |
| We take another drive today to the backwaters
of Alleppey. On arrival in Alleppey you will be taken to your House Boat.
Each boat has a fully equipped kitchen and an experienced cook to prepare
authentic Kerala cuisine with seafood specialities and fresh vegetables.
The waterways of Kerala play a major role in the economy of the state as
they link remote villages and islands with the mainland. Overnight is on
board. |
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| DAY 10 ALLEPPEY - COCHIN by surface |
| You will get up early today by chirping of birds
and occasional ripples in the water. Your breakfast will be cooked before
your eyes by your expert boat-crew. After breakfast check out of the houseboat
and drive down to Cochin. Being a major harbor from the times of the British
and Portuguese, Cochin has a rich heritage of forts, churches and temples.
Arrive and check-in at the hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure. |
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| DAY 11 IN COCHIN |
| Breakfast followed by a sightseeing tour of
Cochin visiting the Dutch Palace, (Closed on Fridays), Jewish synagogue
(closed on Friday & Saturdays), Chinese fishing nets & St. Francis
Church. Dutch Palace was built by the Portuguese and presented to the Raja
of Cochin in 1555 AD. The Jewish Synagogue, built in 1568 AD, Fort Kochi,
St. Francis Church, and the Chinese Nets. Later drive to Mattencherry area
to stroll in the animated bazaar. Afternoon is at leisure to explore this
ancient port town. In the evening there is a visit to the cultural centre
to see the traditional dance form of Kathakali. Overnight is at the hotel. |
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| DAY 12 TO CALICUT (by train) &
TO VYTHIRI by surface |
| In time transfer to the railway station to board
your day train fro Calicut. Meeting and assistance on arrival and drive
to Vythirir. Arrive and check-in at the hotel.. |
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| DAY 13 IN VYTHIRIR |
| This morning we will visit EDAKKAL CAVES (27
kms) in the Ambukuthy Mountains are not caves in the right sense. It is
only a cleft in reality. It is a cleft of about 96ft. long & 22ft. wide
in the rock. There are some interesting carvings of pre-historic age. This
location is of breathtaking beauty. We will also visit SUCHIPARA about 22
kms from Kalpetta and you have to take a serpentine road through tea gardens
to reach it. At places en route the terrain runs deep and untamed - shoes
with a good grip are an absolute necessity. On return from Lakkdi, we can
stop at POOKOTE LAKE, where URUVU ECO SHOP is a must for two dozen varieties
of products made of bamboo. |
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| DAY 14 VYTHIRI - OOTY by surface |
| A long and winding drive will bring you today
to Ooty in the heart of the NILGIRIS mountains. Arrive late in the afternoon
and check in at a local hotel. Rest of the day is free to unwind. The BOTANICAL
GARDEN is an ideal tourist spot besides being a source of information about
the region's flora. For those who like to enjoy boat rides and fishing,
a visit to the OOTY LAKE is a must. Overnight |
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| DAY 15 IN OOTY |
After a very early breakfast, enjoy a spectacular
train ride from Udhaghamandlam (the rail head for Ooty) to Conoor. The train
starts from Mettupalayam at 0745hrs and goes up to Ooty via Conoor. We will
be boarding this train on its return journey. Departure at 0915 hrs, Arrival
1025 hrs. In Conoor, you will again switch over to your bus, to return to
OOTY.
Also called Udhagamandalam, Ooty is nestled on the Nilgiri Range at the
junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats of peninsular India. The town
is set at an altitude of 2286 meters (7500 feet). The area was discovered
in 1821 by British soldiers and became a popular summer hill retreat. The
Ooty Botanical Gardens were established back in 1847 and boasts over 650
species of plants and creates an excellent base from which to explore the
flora and fauna of the Ghats. |
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| DAY 16 OOTY - MYSORE by surface |
| Drive to the sandalwood city of MYSORE today.
Arrive in the afternoon and visit local bazaars to see the colorful fruit
market. In the evening we will take you to the terraced BRINDAVAN GARDENS.
Here the well- manicured steps are bordered by water- courses. Musical fountains
with soft colored lights add to the visitor's delight. The view of the gardens
during the nights is a thing to be seen. |
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| DAY 17 MYSORE - CHENNAI by train |
| The city of Mysore offers a visitor an insight
into the lifestyles, cultures and traditions of its erstwhile rulers. On
the top of the hill stands the temple dedicated to the Goddess Chamundeshwari,
the royal family's patron deity. About 15 km from the royal city of Mysore
lies the town of SRIRANGAPATNAM. There are many interesting places here
of which the summer palace of Tipu Sultan is a must visit. 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. In the afternoon take SHATABDI EXPRES
train (1410- 2115 hrs) to Chennai. Meeting and assistance on arrival and
transfer to the International airport to board your flight for onward destination.
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Hotels
Mahabalipuram, 2 nights at Fortune Chariot Beach Resort (4 star beach front)
Pondicherry 1 night at Le Dupleix Heritage hotel (in old town)
Thanjavur 2 nights at Oriental Towers (modern 3 star)
Madurai 1 night at Hotel Sangam (downtown)
Periyar 1 night at The Wildernest
Kovalam 1 night at Uday Samudra (Beach front 3 star)
Alleppey 1 night at House Boat (Air-conditioned )
Cochin 2 nights at Old Courtyard Heritage (hotel in Fort area)
Vythiri 2 nights at Vythiri Resort 3 Star (hotel in forest)
Ooty 2 nights at Holiday Inn (mModern 4 star)
Mysore 1 night at Sandesh The Prince
Chennai - No Hotel (in transit)
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