Tour Itinerary

DAY 1: Arrival in Chennai – Heritage Introduction

Activities:
Airport pickup & hotel check-in
Marina Beach drive
Kapaleeshwarar Temple (Dravidian architecture)
San Thome Basilica
Drive through Fort St. George (outside view)
Local Experience:
• South Indian filter coffee tasting at a traditional coffee house
• Evening light classical music show (optional)
Accommodation:
• Premium: Residency
• Luxury: GRT Grand

DAY 2: Chennai – Mahabalipuram (1.5 hrs) – UNESCO Monuments

Activities:
Drive to Mahabalipuram
Check-in & relax
Visit:
Shore Temple (UNESCO)
Arjuna’s Penance
Five Rathas
Butter Ball (gentle walking)
Local Experience:
• Stone carving workshop visit – watch artisans at work
• Sunset at Shore Temple – photography opportunity

Accommodation:
• Premium: Grande Bay Resort And Spa
• Luxury: Accord Kaldan Samudhra

DAY 3: Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry (2 hrs) – French Quarter

Activities:
Drive to Pondicherry
Walk through French Quarter (White Town)
Visit: Notre Dame des Anges Church
Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Promenade Beach
Local Experiences:
• Pondicherry Heritage Walking Tour
• Traditional Creole lunch in a colonial villa
• Evening Auroville handicrafts & boutique shopping
Accommodation:
• Premium: Grand Hotel D’ Europe
• Luxury: Maison Perumal

DAY 4: Pondicherry – Culture & Crafts

Visit: Pondicherry Museum
Bharathi Park
Crafts Village (artisan interactions)
Local Experience:
• Handmade paper factory visit in Auroville
• Cycle rickshaw ride in White Town
• Optional: Meditation session at Aurobindo Ashram
Accommodation:
• Premium: Grand Hotel D’ Europe
• Luxury: Maison Perumal

DAY 5: Pondicherry – Tanjore (Thanjavur) (4 hrs) – Chola Heritage

Activities:
Scenic drive to Tanjore
Check-in at heritage hotel
Visit Brihadeeswarar Temple (UNESCO)
Explore the ancient Chola bronze-casting art
Local Experience:
• Tanjore painting workshop visit
• Evening Bharatanatyam performance (subject to schedule)
Accommodation:
• Premium: Great Trails
• Luxury: Svatma

DAY 6: Tanjore – Palace, Art & Countryside

Activities:
Tanjore Palace & Art Gallery
Saraswati Mahal Library
Countryside drive to see traditional rice fields
Local Experience:
• Pottery demonstration
• Taste traditional Tanjore Thali lunch
• Village visit to see kolam (rice flour art)

Accommodation:
• Premium: Great Trails
• Luxury: Svatma

DAY 7: Tanjore – Madurai (3.5 hrs) – Temple City Welcome (Vanakkam Madurai Experience)

Activities:
Drive to Madurai. Check-in & rest
Evening visit to Meenakshi Amman Temple (outer corridors)
**Local Experience – “ Vanakkam Madurai ”
A curated cultural experience that includes:
• Traditional aarti welcome
• Wearing a flower garland
• Introduction to Madurai culture, temple traditions & food
• Short storytelling session on Madurai’s legends
Accommodation:
• Premium: Heritage Madurai
• Luxury: Heritage Madurai

DAY 8: Madurai – Temple, Market & Heritage Activities

Activities:
Full visit of Meenakshi Amman Temple (East Tower, shrines, corridors), Tirumalai Nayakkar Palace
Gandhi Museum (optional)
Madurai Activity Highlights:
• Madurai Walking Tour
• Banana market
• Flower market (early morning optional)
• Local sweet shops (Jigarthanda tasting)
> Cooking Demo at a Local Home – learn Tamil dishes
> Evening Temple Ceremony (Palliyarai Pooja) – a spiritual ritual
Accommodation:
• Premium: Heritage Madurai
• Luxury: Heritage Madurai

DAY 9: Departure from Madurai

Breakfast at hotel. Airport transfer