A tropical paradise,
Kerala is a perfect
blend of culture & nature, snuggled cosily between the deep, infinite waters
of Arabian Sea & the lush green Western-Ghats throws open the spellbinding
world of palm fringed beaches, backwaters, mountains & islands. Come &
savour its enticing vistas
Tour Duration : 18 Nights/19 Days
Places to Visit : Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry
- Tanjore - Madurai - Periyar -
Kumarakom - Houseboat - Marari - Cochin - Mumbai
Day 1 : Abroad - Chennai
Arrive at Chennai international airport. On arrival in Chennai, the guests will
be met by our representative and transferred
to
hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 2 : Chennai - Mahabalipuram -- Later morning sightseeing tour city
City tour of Madras - is the fourth largest city in India. The sprawling
city, which is divided in two by the Cooum River, has few tall buildings to
mark the impression of an easygoing market town. Visit the Fort St. George -
still surrounded by cannon-proof walls. The fort was rebuilt several times between
1642 when its original bastions were completed and 1749 when the French left,
it remains - moats and all - pretty much today as when first made the seat of
empire. Declared a national monument in 1948, most of its buildings have been
converted into government offices, notably the Legislature and Secretariat.
At various times the fort was home of Robert Clive, Elihu Yale and Sir Arthur
Wellesley. Within the fort, visit the little St Mary's Church the oldest Protestant
church east of the Suez and the first Anglican one in India.
Later drive to
Mahabalipuram enroute visiting
Kanchipuram.
KANCHIPURAM - known as the Golden City of a Thousand Temples, is one
of the oldest towns in India. It is famous for both its temples, many of them
remarkably well preserved and for its hand-woven silks. Kanchipuram is one of
the seven sacred cities of India and it is the only one associated with both
Shiva and Vishnu. Visit Ekambareshwar Temple, Kailashnath Temple, Kamakshi Temple,
the Vaikunthaperumal Temple, all built in the 7th and 8th centuries. With a
weaving tradition dating back to the Pallava era (when silk was the royal cloth),
Kanchipuram is justly famous for its particularly fine silk saris, embellished
with stunning patterns. Upon arrival check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 3 : Mahabalipuram -- Morning sightseeing of
Mahabalipuram
MAHABALIPURAM - is famous for its unique 7th-century Shore Temple, a
lovely beach and some of the most beautiful rock-cut temples in the world. Situated
on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, Mahabalipuram was already a famous seaport
in the 1st century AD. This, town was a workshop for temple building. Visit
the seven pagoda-style shore temples, lashed by the waves of the sea and the
seven rathas or temple chariots, a group of monolithic monuments & animal
figures carved out of solid rock, the earliest known examples of Dravidian architecture.
They were constructed in a single century-long burst of creative enthusiasm,
starting in the reign of Narasimhavarman 1 (AD 630-68). Afternoon free on the
beach.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 4 : Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry -- Morning drive to Pondicherry (140
kms)
PONDICHERRY - which was a far-flung outpost of the French maritime empire
until the 1950s,. It is so different from the rest of Tamil Nadu that one feels
that one has entered another country! This busy coastal town is divided roughly
into two: the old White Town of elegant French houses, restaurants & administrative
buildings and the Black Town west of the canal where India takes over again.
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.
Upon arrival in Tanjore - check into the hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 5 : Pondicherry - Tanjore -- Morning drive to Tanjore (160 kms).
Upon arrival proceed for sightseeing tour TANJORE
TANJORE was the capital of the Chola Empire from the tenth to the fourteenth
centuries. A Chola king, Raja Raja Chola, who held the throne from 985 to 1016,
built the greatest of the empire's 74 temples, the Brahadeeswarar, with its
soaring tower over the inner sanctum. This tower rises more than 62 meters (200
feet). On its dome rests a single block of granite weighing 80 tons.
Upon arrival check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 6: Tanjore
Relax at hotel to enjoy the facilities such as Ayurvedic massages, cooking demonstration,
etc.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 7 : Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai -- Morning drive to Madurai (195 km),
en route visit Trichy
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 up to 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 dive to Madurai
Upon arrival in Madurai - check into the hotel.
In
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 8 : Madurai - Periyar
Morning tour of Madurai - It's one of the most pleasant Indian cities, and has
a charming situation on the River Vaigai, fringed by lush paddy fields and coconut
groves. Visit to
Meenakshi temple - this is Madurai's greatest landmark,
a city within a city that includes not only temples but also a fascinating bazaar
that is bustling from dawn to nightfall. See the famous
'Hall of a thousand
Pillars' - a testimony to the exuberance of Dravidian architecture, the
Shiva temple and the musical pillar.
Later drive to
Periyar (180 km)
Upon arrival in Periyar - check into the hotel.
PERIYAR - sprawling across 777 sq. kms. of the Cardamom Hills of the
Western Ghats, Thekkady is the home to one of the largest wildlife reserves
in India. Alive with exotic flora and vibrant wildlife, it is the perfect getaway
tucked away among hills.
Overnight at hotel
Day 9 : Periyar
Morning,
boat cruise on the Periyar Lake in the cool surroundings and
the panorama spreads around tropical jungle, 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.
Afternoon walk through the spice plantation.
Overnight at hotel
Day 10 : Periyar - Varkala
Morning drive to
Varkala (120 kms).
Upon arrival in Varkala - check into the hotel.
VARKALA - A small seaside town in Kerala, has been a Hindu pilgrimage
site since the 12th Century. To this day, the eight-hundred year old Janardhana
Temple remains a popular pilgrimage spot. Varkala is also blessed with an unspoilt,
golden beach, lapped by the waters of the Indian Ocean.
Afternoon free for SPA and Ayurvedic massage.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 11 : Varkala - Poovar
Morning drive to
Poovar (85 kms).
Upon arrival in Poovar - check into the hotel.
Poovar Island is an unspoilt resort enveloped by the most serene backwaters,
and opening out to the sea and a dream golden sand beach. Poovar is truly a
window into paradise. The tranquility is punctuated by the sound of waves and
the birds. The acreage is abundant in well-preserved local flora, with hundreds
of species of spices, exotic flowers, complete with banana and coconut groves.
Poovar Island Resort is a mix of floating cottages, and conventional
accommodation. The floating units are constructed on hollow light weight concrete
hulls. They are air conditioned and fully equipped with all modern amenities.
Afternoon free for SPA and Ayurvedic massage.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 12 : Poovar
Full day free for SPA and Ayurvedic treatment.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 13 : Poovar - Kumarakom
Morning drive to
Kumarakom (130 kms),enroute visit the tea estates.
Upon arrival in Kumarakom - check into hotel.
Kumarakom
- is a beautiful backwater village on the shores of the enchanting Vembanad
Lake, criss crossed with meandering waterways and ancient cottages.
Rest of the day to relax in this unique backwater resort.
Overnight at hotel
Day 14 : Kumarakom
Morning
visit the superb Bird Sanctuary in adjacent wooded marshland
- which boasts of egrets, tree pies, black headed orioles, bee-eaters &
a whole host of herons.
Afternoon, fascinating cruise through the backwaters of Kerala which offer one
of the world's truly unforgettable experiences.
Overnight at hotel
Day 15 : Kumarakom - Marari
Morning drive to
Marari (40 kms).
Mararikulam- is one of the picturesque fishing villages that dot the
lovely coastline of Kerala. This private, shallow beach is fringed with unending
lines of coconut palms.
Upon arrival in Mararikulam - check into hotel.
Overnight at hotel
Day 16 : Marari
Marari
Beach Resort - is set in a superb location of 25 acres of coconut palm grooves
leading down to the vast expanse of beach. The hotel is built in the style of
traditional fishing village with thatched villas that have been designed to
be keeping with local village style.
Afternoon at leisure to explore the neighboring fishing village.
Overnight at hotel
Day 17 : Marari - Cochin
Late morning drive to
Cochin (60 km).
Upon arrival in Cochin - check into the hotel.
Afternoon
sightseeing tour of Cochin or "Kochi"- the palm green,
commercial capital of Kerala which has one of the finest natural harbors &
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, Jewish Synagogue,
Church of St. Francis, Bolghatty Palace & the famous
Chinese fishing
nets.
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.
Overnight at hotel
Day 18 : Cochin - Mumbai
| Leave: Cochin |
at: 1115 hrs |
by: 9W 402 |
| Arrive: Mumbai |
at: 1300 hrs |
|
Morning transfer to airport for flight to
Mumbai
Upon arrival in Mumbai, you will be met & proceed
sightseeing tour of
Mumbai - is a 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
Tower of Silence, the
Marine Drive,
the
Colaba Causeway - the commercial heart of Mumbai and the
Dhobi
Ghat, the unique & colourful outdoor 'laundry'.
Late at night transfer to the international airport for flight back to home.
Day 19 : Mumbai - Abroad
Depart Delhi
