Duration : 19 Nights/ 20 Days
Places to Visit : Chennai - Pondicherry - Tanjore-Trichy - Madurai - Periyar - Varkala
- Alappuzha - Munnar - Cochin - Mumbai

Day 01 : Abroad - Chennai
Arrive Chennai International airport.
On arrival, the guest will be met by our representative and check in to the hotel.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 02 : Chennai
Madras - the sprawling and gracious city on the "Bay of Bengal" is the fourth largest city in India. Visit the Fort St. George once a stronghold of the British, San Thome Cathedral, Marina Beach and the beautiful Mylapore temple. Overnight at hotel

Day 03: Chennai - Pondicherry
After breakfast drive to Pondicherry (162 km), enroute visit Kancheepuram and Mahabalipuram.

Continue drive to Pondicherry.
Upon arrival in Pondicherry - check into the hotel

Overnight at hotel

Day 04 : Pondicherry
Afternoon tour of Pondicherry - visiting Botanical garden, Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus and Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Later visit township of Auroville or the city of Dawn. Designed by a French architect Roger Arger, it is an entirely new concept in education and urban living.

Overnight at hotel

Day 05 : Pondicherry - Tanjore
After breakfast drive to Tanjore (177 kms).
Upon arrival in Tanjore - check into the hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 06 : Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai
After breakfast drive to Madurai (178 kms) enroute visit Trichy

City tour of Trichy - visit the 'Rock Fort Temple' which 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 'Uchhi Pillayar Koil' - a Ganesh Temple offering a commanding view of the city.

Thereafter continue drive to Madurai.
Upon arrival in Madurai - check into the hotel

Evening visit of the Meenakshi temple - to attend the night ceremony at the temple at 9 PM. This is a ceremony that takes place every evening when the temple bronze of Lord Shiva is carried to the bedchamber of Parvati. The procession is accompanied by religious prayer and temple music.

Overnight at hotel

Day 07 : Madurai
Morning, visit the Meenakshi temple one of the biggest temple complexes in India - 46 ft. long by 790 ft broad built in the 17th Century.

Overnight at hotel

Day 08 : Madurai - Periyar
Morning drive to Periyar (177 kms)
Upon arrival at Periyar - check into hotel

Afternoon boatcruise on the Lake of the famous Periyar wildlife sanctuary to see wild life. Periyar Lake or reservoir created by a dam on Periyar River is the heart of the Wildlife Sanctuary wild elephants, Asiatic Deer, Black Buck and even Tigers come to shores of the lake for a drink.

Overnight at hotel

Day 09 : Periyar - Varkala
Morning drive to Varkala (220 km).
Upon arrival in Varkala - check into the hotel.

Afternoon visit the Portugese church of Anjengo dated to the time of occupation, which maybe the Elanchoros of the geography of Ptomempee (2nd century A.D.). Also visit the English Fort constructed in 1695 A.D. by the English 'East India Company', which play an important role in the war of Mysore in 18th century.

Overnight at hotel

Day 10 : Varkala - Alappuzha
Morning drive to to be at Alappuzha in time to witness the famous boat race.
Upon arrival to Alappuzha - check into the hotel

The Snake Boat Races of Kerala is a magnificent fiestas that brings alive the tranquil backwaters. Snake boat races are held in connection with Onam, the harvest festival in August/September. Scores of long snake boats and other smaller crafts participate in these events. It is the largest team sport in the world, a sport that signifies the excellent team spirit, integration and amity of the people of this backwater country.

Usually a snake boat is manned by four helmsmen, 25 singers and 100 - 125 oarsmen who row in unison to the fast rhythm of the vanchipattu (song of the boatman). Thousands of people crowd the water's edge to cheer the huge black crafts as they slice through the waters to a spectacular finish.

The snake boat races are preceded by colourful water parades.

Overnight at hotel

Day 11 : Alappuzha
Full day at The Snake Boat Race festival "Payippad Boat Race Payippad near Harippad Alappuzha District ".

Overnight at hotel.

Day 12 : Alappuzha
Full day sightseeing tour around Alappuzha area.

FISHING - Alappuzha is a great centre of fisheries. 'Chakara' a rare marine phenomenon in which a large number of fish throng together in the early days of May to August is a peculiarity of Purakkad, one of the main fishing centres on the coast of the Arabian Sea. This is in fact a fishermen's fiesta.

COIR - The district is the major centre of coir and allied products. There are about 4000 production units including a few big factories with mechanized looms. Alappuzha retains monopoly in coir production and exports.

AMBALAPPUZHA-SREEKRISHNA TEMPLE - Amabalappuzha Sreekrishna Temple on the Kollam-Alappuzha Highway is called the Dwaraka of the South. It is frequented by thousands of devotees especially during the annual festival, which falls in April every year. 'Ambalappuzha palpayasam' the devotional delicacy of the temple is renowned for its unique taste. Ambalappuzha is also famous for the traditional visual martial art of Kerala, Velakali.

KARUMADI - Karumadi, three Kms. east of Ambalappuzha, has a statue of Budha called Karumadikuttan, a perennial source of interest for the tourists.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 13 : Alappuzha
Aranmula Boat Race Aranmula, Pathanamthitta

Here are some of the most exhilarating moments from one of Kerala's most popular water fiestas. The Aranmula vallomkali, held on the Aranmula river in Pathanamthitta district, is part of the Onam celebrations. Unlike the other boat races of Kerala, is not a contest but a retracing of a ritualistic journey undertaken to the Aranmula temple in days gone by.

Traditionally, the Thiruvonasadya (the grand Onam feast) was the ritual offering to the deity of the temple. Vegetables, cereals and other provisions for this elaborate feast were brought to the temple in a procession of snake boats. The vallom (canoe) carrying the offerings was called the Thiruvonachilavuthoni (literally, the canoe that carries the offerings for the Thiruvonasadya).

Today, the Aranmula Vallomkali, held on the Uthruttathi asterism (the deity's birthday) of the month of Chingam, is conducted along the route traced centuries ago.

Thousands of excited people throng the waterside to cheer the majestic crafts that slice through the waters with hundreds of oarsmen roaring in rhythm to the boatmans songs.

The oldest boat races still conducted with much enthusiam are the Champakulam vallomkali and the Payippadu vallomkali held in Alappuzha district. The excitement growing social participation, in these water fiestas have led to similiar sporting events being organised at various other locations in the state. Among these are the Nehru Trophy Boat Race which is today a national event, the Neerettupuram vallomkali held on the river Pamba and the Pulinkunnu vallomkali on the Pulinkunnu river.

Overnight at hotel

Day 14 : Alappuzha - Munnar
Morning drive to Munnar (180 km)
Upon arrival in Munnar- check in to the hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 15 : Munnar
Morning, visit Ervikulam National Park (16 kms) - it is the home of the endangered Nigiri Tahr (a type of mountain goat) that roams on a stretch of grassland or is seen climbing the pinnacles of the undulating hills.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight at hotel

Day 16 : Munnar - Cochin
Morning drive to Cochin (160 km)
Upon arrival in Cochin - check into hotel

Evening witness the Kathakali dance performance - Kathakali is a unique dance which has a 2000 year old history with more than 100 different 'mudras' or gesture depicting deities, demons, heroes, heroines and kings - each based on episodes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana, the two epic Indian myths.

Overnight at hotel

Day 17 : Cochin
Morning tour of Cochin or "Kochi"- the palm green, commercial captial of Kerala is known as the "Queen of the Arabian Sea". From time immemorial, Arabs, Chinese, Dutch, British & Portuguese seafarers followed the sea route to Kochi & left their impression on the town. Modern Kochi is thus a splendid mosaic of these myriad influences. Visit the Dutch Palace, the Jewish Synagogue, the Church of St. Francis, the Bolghatty Palace & the famous Chinese fishing nets.

Afternoon free for a stroll in Jew town

Overnight at hotel

Day 18 : Cochin - Mumbai
Late morning transfer from hotel to the railway station for train to Mumbai.

Leave: Cochinat 1030 hrs by IC-166
Arrive: Mumbaiat 1215 hrs
On arrival in Mumbai, the guests will be met by our representative and transferred to the hotel Rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight at hotel

Day 19 : Mumbai
Morning, one hour boat ride across Mumbai Harbour brings you to the lush green Elephanta Island. Here, visit some of the huge and intricately carved Elephanta Caves that date back to the 8th century. The rows of massive columns cut into solid rock from three magnificent avenue leads to the outstanding three-headed sculpture representing Brahma-the Creator, Vishnu-the Preserver and Shiva-the Destroyer. Dedicated to Shiva, the beauty and power of these phenomenal sculptures depicting the various manifestations of Shiva is overpowering.

Afternoon, City tour of Mumbai - the great port city with its Victorian Gothic buildings from the British Raj Era mingling with the modern. The tour includes Gateway of India overlooking the Harbour, the Towers of Silence, Marine Drive and the Dhobi Ghat, the unique and colourful outdoor 'laundry'. Also visit Mani Bhawan, a small museum dedicated to the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi, and the bustling Crawford Market.

Later in late evening transfer to the International airport for your flight back home.

Day 20 : Abroad - Mumbai
Depart : Mumbai.


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