Tamil Nadu Temple Tour
11 Night 12 Days

Itinerary

Day 01 || Chennai Arrival ||
Today morning you will arrive at Chennai International Airport. Following customs, immigration formalities and baggage collection, a SpiceLand Holidays representative will meet you as you EXIT the ARRIVALS TERMINAL building and transfer you to your hotel in Chennai. Proceed for check-in and Relax for the after a long flight.
Evening proceed for Chennai City Tour. Visit the major destinations like St. George Fort, Valluvar Kottam, Snake Park and Government Museum and 8th century Kapaleeshwarar Temple in wake of Tamil Nadu tour. Later spend some time on the Marina Beach.
Overnight stay at Chennai.

Day 02 || Chennai - Mahabalipuram || 60Kms | 2Hrs
Morning after an early breakfast, drive to Mahabalipuram. On route visit Dakshina Chitra Heritage Village, a museum dedicated to art, architecture, lifestyles, crafts and performing arts of South India. The museum showcases 18 heritage houses representing the living styles of people from the states of South India such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, North Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana. Upon arrival check- in at the Hotel and relax for the rest of the day.
Overnight stay at Mahabalipuram.

Day 03 || Mahabalipuram ||
After Breakfast proceed for a sightseeing tour of Mahabalipuram, situated on the shore of Bay of Bengal and was a port of Pallavas, is famous for its 7th Century Shore Temples and Arjuna's Penance, a large relief carving on a rock twelve meters high and thirty meters long. There is also a cluster of smaller temples scattered over the main area. Mahabalipuram, also known as the City of Bali, figures in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites for its ancient shore temples.

Day 04 || Mahabalipuram- Kanchipuram || 66 Kms| 1.45 Hrs
Kanchipuram is a temple town and one of the seven sacred cities in India and the temples are dedicated to both Lord Shiva as well as Lord Vishnu. Your visit will include the Sri Ekambaranathar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and one of the largest in the city, the Kamakshi Amman temple, Devarajaswami and the Vaikunta Perumal temple. From the original 1000 temples there are now just over 200 left. There will also be a visit to the silk makers. Kanchipuram is also one of the most important centers for hand woven silk and the favorite choice of Indian brides.
Overnight stay at Kanchipuram.

Day 05 || Kanchipuram - Thiruvannamalai || 137 Kms | 2.31 Hrs
After Breakfast drive to Thiruvannamalai. Enroute visit the golden temple of Sripuram is a spiritual park situated at the foot of a small range of green hills in a place known as "Malaikodi" in the city of Vellore in Tamil Nadu, India. The temple with gold covering has intricate work done by artisans specializing in temple art using gold.
Later drive to Tiruvannamalai, named after the central deity of the Annamalaiyar Temple, Annamalaiyar. The temple complex covers an area of 10 ha (25 acres), and is one of the largest temples in India.[32] It houses four gateway towers known as gopurams. The tallest is the eastern tower, with 11 stories and a height of 66 m (217 ft), making it one of the tallest temple towers in India. The Annamalaiyar temple is one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, or five Shiva temples with each a manifestation of a natural element Fire.
Overnight stay Thiruvannamalai

Day 06 || Thiruvannamalai- Chidambaram || 150 Kms | 3 Hrs
After Breakfast checkout Hotel and Drive to Chidambaram. Chidambaram is one of the five holiest Shiva temples, each representing one of the five natural elements; Chidambaram represents akasha (aether). The temple complex spread over 50 acres in the heart of the city. It is an ancient and historic temple dedicated to Lord Shiva Nataraja and Lord Govindaraja Perumal, one of the few temples where both the Shaivite and Vaishnavite deities are enshrined in one place. To the followers of Shaivism (Saivism) or the saivaite, the very word koil refers to Chidambaram. In the same way, to the followers of Vaishnavism it refers to Srirangam or Thiruvarangam.
Overnight at Chidambaram

Day 07 || Chidambaram- Kumbakonam || 72 Kms | 1.45 Hrs
After breakfast check out and drive to Kumbakonam. Kumbakonam is known for its temples and mathas (monasteries). There are around 188 Hindu temples within the municipal limits of Kumbakonam. Apart from these, there are several thousand temples around the town thereby giving the town the sobriquets "Temple Town" and "City of temples”.
Visit Airavatesvara Temple is a Hindu temple of Dravidian architecture located in the town of Darasuram, near Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This temple, built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur,
Later visit the Gangaikonda cholapuram temple is an architectural and engineering marvel. Rajendra Chola-I constructed 3 stories and surrounded by a huge fort like wall, the outer wall was greatly destructed during the English rule (1896 A.D) to reuse the building material (Granite rocks) for constructing the Lower Anicut (Dam across river Kollidam).
Overnight at Kumbakonam.

Day 08 || Kumbakonam ||
After breakfast proceed to visit Brihadeshwara Temple, a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thanjavur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is also known as Periya Kovil, RajaRajeswara Temple and Rajarajeswaram. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples".
Overnight at Kumbakonam.

Day 09 || Kumbakonam- Trichy || 102 Kms | 2 Hrs
After breakfast drive to Trichy. After check in visit the most prominent historical monuments in Tiruchirappalli include the Rockfort, the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam and the Jambukeswarar temple at Thiruvanaikaval
Overnight at trichy.

Day 10 || Trichy- Madurai || 135 Kms | 2 Hrs
After breakfast, drive from Trichy to Madurai. Upon arrival relax for the day and in the evening proceed to Meenakshi Temple to witness the closing ceremony. Every traditional Hindu temple such as Meenakshi temple opens at the crack of dawn with a belief, custom of waking God and Goddess up from their divine rest by classical music with an opening prayer of the beautiful day. At night during the final prayer of the day, God Siva, husband of Meenakshi would typically be carried in a palanquin from his shrine and escorted to his residing place, where Goddess Meenakshi waits in her shrine for her husband to come home. This lively divine procession followed by a piece of music along with a gathering of devotees. Once the God Siva reaches his home, they rest in their bed chamber is made of pure silver.
Overnight at the Madurai.

Day 11 || Madurai ||
After Breakfast, proceed for a guided tour of Madurai one of South India’s most ancient cities is situated on the banks of the Vaigai River. The land mark is the Sri Meenakshi Temple which is a flamboyant example of Dravidian Architecture which has Gopurams (towers) covered from top to bottom with vibrant images of deities, animals and mythical figures. Madurai has a history dating back from 4th century BC which was ruled over by various dynasties of Pandyan, Chola, Vijayanagar and the Nayaks.
Overnight at the Madurai.

Day 12 || Madurai- Chennai Departure ||
Morning after breakfast, drive to fly to Chennai International Airport. Our representative will assist you to transfer to the airport for your flight to back home.