DAY 1: ARRIVE CHENNAI You will arrive at Chennai airport. Following baggage collection, a YATRA representative will meet you as you EXIT the ARRIVALS TERMINAL and transfer to you at hotel for check – in. Begin the South India tour with sightseeing trip of Chennai city tour visiting the National Art Gallery and Government Museum, which is over 100 years old. Proceed to Fort St. George built by the British and now housing the Secretariat. Drive along the Marina Beach, the second longest in the world driving past Chennai University, the Senate House and the Palace of the Nawabs of the Carnatic, to the San Thome Cathedral where the apostle is buried. Visit the ancient Kapaleshvara Temple dedicated to Shiva, having a beautifully sculptured “Gopuram” (temple-tower) typical of South Indian temple architecture. Also to be visited are Little Mount Shrine considered to be the place where St Thomas lived and preached. St Thomas Mount is where St Thomas, it is said, was assassinated. Overnight at the hotel Read more

Breakfast at hotel and excursion tour to Kanchipuram & Mahabalipuram. First you shall visit to Kanchipuram (Kanchi) also known as the Golden City of a Thousand Temples. This is one of India's sacred cities. Many early styles of temple architecture may be seen here. Visit Ekambareshwar Temple, Kailashnath Temple, Kamakshi Temple, the Vaikunthaperumal Temple, all built in the 7th and 8th centuries. Kanchipuram has also long been famous for its silk weaving Continue the South India tour driving to Mahabalipuram, check – in at hotel and proceed sightseeing tour of Mahabalipuram visiting Shore Temple, one of the oldest temples in South India. It belongs to the 7th Century AD & is a good example of the first phase of the structure of temples constructed in the Dravidian style. Designed to catch the first rays of the rising sun & to illuminate the waters after dark, the temple ended up with an unusual lay-out. Arjuna’s Penance is the world's largest bas-relief. This huge whale-back shaped rock contains figures of gods, demigods, men, beasts, birds. Next we visit Rathas (Tiger Cave Temple), monolithic temples fashioned as chariots. They remain an architectural mystery, for each is apparently a faithful reproduction of a structure built of wood. In fact, even the grain of the timber beams & rafters has been simulated in stone. Of the eight Rathas, five have been named for the Pandava brothers, the heroes of the epic Mahabharata. Evening back to Chennai Overnight at the hotel Read more

After Breakfast at hotel and drive to Pondicherry (approx 130 Kms/ 04 Hrs) Upon arrival check – in at hotel and in the afternoon embark on a Pondicherry tour included visiting Auroville - or the ‘City of Dawn’ - was conceived as a place of research into the ideal of human unity by the Mother, the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo. The idea is to build a futuristic city where people of goodwill can live together in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. Auroville came into existence in 1968. Its Charter says, “To live in Auroville one must be a willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness”, and describes it as “belonging to nobody in particular, but to humanity as a whole”; as a place “of constant progress”; and as “a bridge between the past and the future. “Located around 8 Kms north-west of Puducherry, Auroville was designed by the French architect Roger Anger. Around 2,000 people live there in settlements with names like Grace, Fraternity, Fertile, Certitude and Transformation. Nearly two-thirds of the residents are non-Indians. In this Pondicherry tour you will also visit to Raj Nivas, the former palace of Dupleix now the residence of Pudhucherry's Lieutenant Governor, the Aurobindo ashram. Overnight at the hotel Read more

After Breakfast at hotel head for a Pondicherry tour (approx 130 Kms/ 04 Hrs). Upon arrival check – in at hotel and in the afternoon embark on a Pondicherry tour included visiting Auroville - or the ‘City of Dawn’ - was conceived as a place of research into the ideal of human unity by the Mother, the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo. The idea is to build a futuristic city where people of goodwill can live together in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. Auroville came into existence in 1968. Its Charter says, “To live in Auroville one must be a willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness”, and describes it as “belonging to nobody in particular, but to humanity as a whole”; as a place “of constant progress”; and as “a bridge between the past and the future. “Located around 8 Kms north-west of Puducherry, Auroville was designed by the French architect Roger Anger. Around 2,000 people live there in settlements with names like Grace, Fraternity, Fertile, Certitude and Transformation. Nearly two-thirds of the residents are non-Indians. In this Pondicherry tour you will also visit to Raj Nivas, the former palace of Dupleix now the residence of Pudhucherry's Lieutenant Governor, the Aurobindo ashram. Overnight at the hotel Read more

After the amazing experience in the Pondicherry tour, take the breakfast at hotel and drive to Trichy (approx 60 Kms/ 02 Hrs) The most famous land mark of this district is Rockfort Temple. This temple crowns a massive outcrop of rock that soars 83 meters upwards, from the surrounding plains. It is reached by a step flight of 437 steps cut into the rock. Halway up is the Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It has a 100 pillared hall, and a Vimana. From its summit we will get a fantastic view of the town plus its other main landmark, Srirangam, Cavery River, Coleroon River, Thiruvanaika Kovil. Upon arrival sightseeing tour of Trichy Overnight at the hotel Read more

Breakfast at hotel and drive to Madurai (approx 145 Kms/ 03 Hrs) Madurai, rich cultural heritage passed for more than 2500 years old & has been an important commercial centre as early as 550 AD. It is the oldest city in Tamil Nadu & was originally known as Kadambavanam or the forest of Kadamba. Upon arrival check – in at hotel AND later sightseeing of city visiting to Meenakshi Temple where Dravidian temple architecture maybe seen in its exuberant baroque phase. Its Hall of a Thousand Pillars is fabulous and is filled with worshippers at all hours of the day. Visit the Tirumal Nayak’s Palace which is in a highly decorative monument. Its’ enormous roofed arcade supported by 48-foot-high stoned pillars, still stands & Gandhi Museum. Also enjoy the night ceremony at Meenakski Temple Overnight at the hotel Read more

Breakfast at hotel and drive for a Periyar tour (approx 145 Kms/ 05 Hrs) Periyar tour: The very sound of the word Thekkady conjures up images of elephants, unending chains of hills and spice-scented plantations. In the Periyar forest of Thekkady is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India and spread across the entire district are picturesque plantations and hill towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks. Upon arrival, proceed for check-in at your hotel. Afternoon proceed to the Periyar tour in the National Park to view the wildlife by boat Situated within the confines of the Western Ghats in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve is one of the most captivating wildlife parks in the world. The park has a picturesque lake at the heart of the sanctuary. Herds of elephant and sambar, gaur and wild pigs and wander down to the lakeside and can be observed from the launches that cruise the lake. Periyar also harbours the leopard, wild dog, barking deer and mouse deer. On the rocky outcrops along the lake, monitor lizards can be seen basking in the sun. Return to the hotel after your boat ride and Periyar tour. Overnight at hotel Read more

After an impressive Periyar tour experience, enjoy your breakfast at hotel and drive to Kumarakom (approx 120 Kms/ 03 Hrs). In the lush backwaters of Kottayam in Kerala, lies a veritable paradise, which is called Kumarakom, or the ‘Venice of the East’. Palm fringed narrow canals winding through the vast expanse of paddy fields, and the neat tiny hamlets lined up along either side of the canals are panoramic sights one can never forget. Kumarakom is Keralas heartland of lagoons, palm fringed lakes, and paddy fields, inter-linked with hundreds of winding canals, with the typical low slung country boats that carry everything from people to fish, rice and coconuts to the milkman and newspaper boy, local politicians and priests to wedding parties. Upon arrival check – in at hotel and later free for independent activists Overnight stay at the hotel Read more

Breakfast at hotel and drive to Alleppey (approx 38 Kms/ 40 minutes) to board the overnight house boat. You will enjoy the day cruise along with lunch on board. You will observe & experience the daily life of the villagers along the backwaters. Houseboat ride gives one a fascinating insight into the life of a Kerala Backwater Village. As the boat glides along the backwaters one can see the daily life in the backwater villages. On the narrow strips of land, fisherman fishing, children swimming and playing in the water, women doing their daily chores, mobile shops in tiny canoes, the cultivation of paddy and it’s harvesting (during harvest season), huge country barges ferrying the coconuts, rice, coir etc. Lunch, Dinner & Overnight stay at the hotel Read more

After breakfast on houseboat and drive to Cochin (approx 50 Kms/ 1.5 Hrs) Upon arrival directly proceed for sightseeing tour of Cochin city. You will first proceed to Mattancherry, where you will visit the The Dutch Palace (Closed on Fridays & Saturdays) at Mattancherry, which was built in 1555, and its coronation hall and murals at Ramayana are noteworthy features, Jewish Synagogue (Closed on Fridays) in India, built in 1568; it was destroyed by the Portuguese and rebuilt by the Dutch a century later then visit to St. Francis’ Church, built in the year 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan Friars and known to be the oldest European church in India. It was restored in the year 1779 by the protestant Dutch, converted to an Anglican Church by the British in 1795. Vasco da Gama’s remains were buried here in 1524 & later moved to Lisbon, Portugal. You will also visit Chinese fishing nets and Fort Cochin area. The cantilevered fishing nets line the entrance to the harbour mouth. Chinese traders are believed to have originally introduced them in the 14th century although, today parts of the nets are known by Portuguese names. In evening Kathakali Dance show Overnight at hotel Read more

Breakfast at hotel and in time transfer to Cochin airport to board the flight for onward journey