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29 Days South India Tour
(29 Days /
28 Nights)
(Chennai
- Tirupati - Kanchipuram - Mamallapuram - Gingee - Tiruvannamalai -
Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Gangaikondan Cholapuram - Vaideeswaran
Koil - Darasuram - Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai - Rameswaram - Coonoor –
Ooty - Mysore - Bangalore - Hassan - Hospet - Hampi – Badami - Bijapur
– Gulbarga - Hyderabad) |
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Day
01. Chennai
Around Midnight arrival in Chennai
(formerly known as Madras). The cosmopolitan City and capital of
Tamil Nadu is the main gateway for
travelers to South India. You are met by an Indo Vacations
representative and transferred to your Hotel.
Day 02. Chennai
After having the breakfast we start the sightseeing of Chennai. We
visit the Fort St. George near the harbour area of Chennai. The
British built this fort in the 17th century. We will also visit the
St. Mary's Church. This church was the first English church in India.
After visiting the church we drive back to the hotel. The rest of the
day at leisure for shopping. After having dinner we depart to the
airport.
Day 03. Chennai - Tirupati (about 140 km / 3 hours)
In the morning after having breakfast drive from Chennai to
Tirupati, the famous pilgrimage
shrine. There we visit the famous Tirupati temple, dedicated to the
Lord Vishnu and later
drive down hill and visit the temples of Padavathi.
Day 04. Tirupati - Kanchipuram - Mamallapuram (about 175 km)
In the morning drive from Tirupati to
Kanchipuram. This temple town
was once the capital of the Pallava dynasty. Kanchipuram is one of the
India's Seven sacred cities. The silk sarees produced here are famous
throughout the world. In Kanchipuram we visit the Vaikuntam Perumal
Temple and the Kailasanathar Temple. This Pallava temple was
constructed in the 8th century and has an attractive panel depicting
Shiva and Parvathi in
the midst of one of their innumerable dance competitions. Later drive
to Mamallapuram. In the
evening visit the shore temples. Overnight stay at the hotel. |
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Chennai Church |
Mahabalipuram |
Mahabalipuram |
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Day
05. Mamallapuram - Gingee - Tiruvannamalai (about 165 km / 3 hours)
In the morning drive from Mamallapuram to
Thirukazhu kunram. Then drive
to Gingee and visit the Fort of Raja Jai Singh. After visiting the
fort drive to Tiruvannamalai.
In the evening visit the Tiruvannamalai temple.
Day 06. Tiruvannamalai - Pondicherry (about 100 km / 2 hours)
In the morning leave for
Pondicherry. In Pondicherry, visit the French colonial town
then visit the Auroville Ashram.
Day 07. Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Gangaikondan Cholapuram -
Vaideeswaran Koil
Today we drive from Pondicherry to
Chidambaram and visit the Chidambaram temple. Then drive to
Gangaikondan Cholapuram temple which is an example of the Chola
architecture and
drive to Vaideeswaran Kovil.
Day 08. Vaideeswaran Kovil - Darasuram - Tanjore (about 90 km)
Today we visit the temple of Aikateswara in Darasuram and also visit
the Swamimalai, then drive
to Tanjore. Tanjore was the
capital of great chola empire who built more than 70 temples between
10th and 14th century.
Day 09. Tanjore
Today we visit the Brihasdisvara Temple. We visit here one of the
world heritage monument, Brihasdisvara Temple (11th century), which is
also known as big temple. Overnight stay at the hotel. |
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Pondicherry |
Chidambaram
Temple |
Tanjore Temple |
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Day 10. Tanjore - Trichy (about 60 km / 1 hours 30 mins)
Today we drive to Srirangam and visit the Ranganathasvami Temple which
is one of the largest temples in India dedicated to god Vishnu. After
the visit of Srirangam we proceed to Trichy. Trichy, the land near the
delta is very fertile and productive. This town
Trichy is so ancient that it was
mentioned by Ptolemy in the 2nd century BC by Alexandrian geographer.
We climb stairs to the famous Rock Fort which was built on 84 m high
rock in the centre of town in about 1660. We also visit a Shiva and
Ganesha temple and enjoy a wonderful view of the surroundings from the
top.
Day 11. Trichy - Madurai (about 135 km / 2 hours 30 mins)
Today we leave Trichy and drive to
Madurai. Madurai is situated on the banks of river Vaigai and
also referred as the Athens of the East. Madurai has the most
outstanding examples of Vijayanagar temple architecture in the
Meenakshi Temple, a standing
monument to the temple builders of the 16th and 17th century. In the
evening we visit the Meenakshi temple and afterwards have a walk
through the bazaars of this 2500 years old town.
Day 12.
Madurai - Rameshwaram (about 170 km / 3 hours)
Today we drive to Rameshwaram.
In Rameshwaram, visit the Ramanatha Swamy temple, Agni Teertham and
Rameshwaram setu, believed to have been built by the Lord Rama.
Day 13.
Rameswaram - Madurai (about 170 km / 3 hours)
Today we drive from Rameswaram to Madurai.
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Srirangam |
Meenakshi
Temple Madurai |
Ramanatha swamy
Temple Corridor |
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Day 14.
Madurai - Coonoor (about 270 km / 6 hours)
In the morning having breakfast and proceed for Coonoor. Arrival in
Coonoor at the late afternoon and transfer to Hotel.
The Pooja is held between 6.30 P.M. and 8.30 p.m, one can see the
Theyyam ritual at this time
Day 15.
Coonoor – Ooty (by toy train) Ooty- Mysore (about 130 km / 3½ hours)
In the morning we will take toy train from Coonoor to Ooty. Arrival in
coonoor pickup from coonoor and drive to
Mysore. Mysore is a magnificent
royal city and is world famous for silk and sandalwood. Mysore is also
a famous production centre of saris. Mysore is known for the famous
temple of goddess Chamundeshwari and the palaces built by Tipu Sultan.
Day 16.
Mysore
After having breakfast we visit the Mysore Palace. This palace is one
of the most impressive and one of the largest city palaces in India.
This beautiful Indo-Saracenic palace was built in the 1911-12 at the
cost of 4.2 million rupees to replace the former Palace which was
burnt down. In the afternoon we drive to the village of Somnathapur
(33 km) to visit the intricately carved star shaped Prasanna
Channakeshara Temple built in 1268 AD during the Hoysala Dynasty. In
the evening we drive to the Chamundi Hill to visit the Chamundeshwari
Temple, huge in structure with a seven storey Gopuram, 40 meters high.
On the way up to the hill we visit the famous Nandi (Shiva's Bull)
carved out of solid rock and about five meters high.
Day 17.
Mysore - Bangalore (about 145 km / 4 hours)
Today we drive to Bangalore.
En route we visit Srirangapatnam,
about 16 kms from Mysore. Srirangapatnam is built on an island in the
Cauvery River and the ruins of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan's capital are
located. In Srirangapatnam we will visit the Sri Ranganathaswamy
Temple, a popular Hindu temple and the Tipu's summer palace, which is
now a museum, set in a well maintained garden. After visiting
Srirangapatnam we drive to Bangalore. Bangalore is the capital city of
the Indian state Karnataka. This
former "Garden city" of Bangalore is known today as the "computer
city" of India. Upon arrival, you will be met by an Indo Vacations
representative and transferred to the hotel.
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Coonoor
Toytrain |
Mysore Palace |
Bangalore
Palace |
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Day 18.
Bangalore
In the morning we drive through the garden city with its numerous
avenues of Jacaranda, Gulmohar and Cassia. We will visit the Bull
temple and the famous Gowda Fort. The Bull teample was built in the
Dravidian style of
architecture and has a huge Nandi Bull carved out of single
grey granite. The famous Gowda Fort was built by Tipu Sultan. We will
also visit the Vidhana Saudha and downtown commercial centre. This
Vidhana Saudha, which is built after independence, stands out by its
imposing architecture in the neo Dravidian style.
Day 19.
Bangalore - Hassan (about 250 km / 5 hours)
Today we drive to Hassan. Excursion we visit
Belur and
Halebid temple complex belonging
to the 12th and 14th century. The temples at Belur and Halebid were
built by the Hoysala kings. The wealth of sculptural details found on
the exterior and interior of these temples at Halebid and Belur makes
them the most outstanding example of Hoysala art sculpture. In Halebid
we visit the Hoysalesvara Temple of 12th century where we view the
half-life size statues of Hindu deities, with minute details of each,
all around the temple. After the visit of Halebid we proceed to Belur.
In Belur we visit the group of Chennakesava Temples. These temples are
famous for their architecture and sculptures.
Day 20.
Hassan - Hospet (about 320 km / 7 hours)
Today we drive from Hassan
to Hospet. In Hospet we will visit the Chitradurga fort. The
Chitradurga fort is situated at the foothills of the group of granite
hills. The fort was built in the 17th century by the Nayak Poligars,
the wealthy semi-independent landlords who fled south after the
collapse of the Vijayanagar Empire in 1565. Haider Ali defeated the
Nayaks and captured the fort. Haider Ali then replaced the mud fort
with one built out of stone and later his son Tipu Sultan built a
palace, mosque, oil pits and granaries in it.
Day 21.
Hospet - Hampi (about 13 km)
Today we drive from Hospet to Hampi.
Hampi was once the seat of the great Vijayanagara empire and the
centre of Hindu rule for 200 years from its foundation in 1336. The
Vijayanagar city ruins near the village of Hampi is one of the most
fascinating historical sites in south India. The superb ruins are set
in a beautiful landscape, a hill country with enormous boulders.
Extremely wealthy, greater than Rome, they held a monopoly of trade in
spices and cotton. This site was chosen for strategic reasons, but the
craftsmen excelled in adopting an indigenous style to blend in
architectural masterpieces with the barren and rocky landscapes. Most
of the sites belong to the 16th century and were built during the 20
year reign of Krishna deva Raya. In the evening we visit the temples,
palaces and market places of Hampi. |
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Hoysala Temples
Belur |
Halebidu |
Lotus Temple
Hampi |
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Day 22. Hampi
– Badami (about 140 Km / 3 hours)
Today we drive to Badami. Badami
is set in beautiful countryside among the red sandstone hills, lakes
and peaceful farmlands. Badami was once a capital city of the
Chalukyan Empire which ruled much of the central Deccan between 4th
and 7th centuries A D. Badami is picturesquely situated at the mouth
of a ravine between two rocky hills. Badami is known for its famous
four cave temples. Overlooking the cave temples is a reservoir dotted
with temples dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. The Bhutanatha temples are
also worth visiting temples. It is a temple that lend their name to
the lake beneath the cave temples.
Day 23.
Badami
Early in the morning we visit the famous cave temples as the best time
to visit the cave temples is at sunrise. Four of these cave temples
were cut into the hillside in the early 6th century. Cave 1 is reached
by climbing 40 steps and in this cave the
Lord Siva in his
manifestation as Nataraja with 18 arms can be seen in 81 dance poses.
In the Cave 2 there are reliefs of Varaha and Vamana and the Cave 3 is
dedicated to Vishnu.
According to a Kanada inscription which is unique to Badami, this cave
was excavated in 578 AD and has numerous sculptures including a huge
reclining image of Vishnu. Cave 4 is the only Jain cave excavated
about 100 years later. Some of the temples which we visit includes the
Buddhist temple, built near the ancient artificial Bhutanatha Lake,
and the 7th century Mallegitti Sivalaya temple, one of the finest
examples of the early southern style. The North fort temples include
mainly 7th century work and give an insight into Badami history.
Day 24.
Badami - Bijapur (about 120 km / 3 hours)
Today we drive to Bijapur.
Bijapur is a distinct town as it resembles a north Muslim city with
the different mosques and palaces. Bijapur was known as Vijayapura or
"the city of victory" during the reign of Chalukyas. In the afternoon
we visit the Jama Masjid, one of the finest in Deccan with a large,
shallow, onion shaped dome and arcaded court. It was built by Ali Adil
Shah I in the 16th century. The Ibrahim Rauza, the 17th century
palatial tomb is beautifully decorated with its slender minarets,
carved decorative panels of lotus, wheels and cross patterns and bold
Arabic calligraphy. This square garden consists of 2 buildings, one
houses the tomb of Ibrahim Adil Shah II and his family and the other
one is a mosque. The tomb, evidently executed under the orders of
Ibrahim Adil Shah (1580-1627) is supposed to have been an inspiration
for
the Taj Mahal at
Agra.
Day 25.
Bijapur
In the morning we visit the Golgumbaz. Golgumbaz means the round tomb.
Golgumbaz is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah (1627 -56), the seventh
ruler of Adilshahi dynasty. This gigantic mausoleum took about 20
years to complete. The acoustical phenomenon of this dome is such that
a sound is echoed eleven times over. Under the dome are the tombs of
the Sultan, his two wives, his mistress Ramba, his daughter and
grandson. The building complex includes a mosque, a Naqqar Khana, a
gateway and a Dharamshala.
The edifice in front of the tomb has been converted into a museum.
This tomb has been described by some as startlingly ugly. It is the
world's second largest dome unsupported by pillars and has a large
whispering gallery. |
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Badami Cave
Temples |
Gol Gumbaz,
Bijapur |
Ibrahim Rauza,
Bijapur |
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Day 26.
Bijapur – Gulbarga (about 170 km / 3-4 hours)
In the morning we drive to Gulbarga.
This town was the first capital of the Bahmanis and is known in South
India as the home of Saiyid Muhammad Gesu Daraz Chisti who was
instrumental in spreading the Islam faith in the Deccan in the 14th
century. The most fascinating remains in the town are the fort, with
its citadel and mosque and the tombs in its eastern quarter. In
Gulbarga we visit the mosque and tombs. The mosque covers an area of
3500 sq m and is covered by a dome which cover the four corners and 75
minor domes make it unique among the various Indian mosques. The tombs
of the Bahmani sultans lie in two groups and the tomb of the Chisti is
two stories high with a highly decorated painted dome and a mother of
pearl canopy over the grave.
Day 27.
Gulbarga - Hyderabad (about 230 kms / 4 hours)
In the morning we drive to Bidar. Bidar,
the walled fort town in North Karnataka was once the capital of the
Hamanis and Barid Shahis. The fort is still intact and the palaces and
tombs provide some of the finest examples of Muslim architecture in
the Deccan, intermingling the Hindu and Islamic styles. After visiting
the fort and old town we drive to
Hyderabad. Arrive in Hyderabad in the evening. |
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Red Fort Delhi |
Sariska |
Golconda Fort
Hyderabad |
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Day 28.
Hyderabad
After having breakfast, we drive to visit the impressive fort at
Golconda. This fort is entered through gateways which have relief
ornamentation of birds and animals. The Fateh Darwaza or Victory Gate
is made of teak with an engraved Hindu deity studded with iron spikes.
Within the ramparts lie the mosques, temples, the 3 storeyed armories,
the harem, the Hall of Public Audience and the Rani Mahal with the
royal baths. After visiting the Golconda fort we visit the Qutb Shahi
Tomb. Each tomb is made of black granite or green stone with fine
sculpture, inscriptions and remains of glazed decoration. After
visiting the tomb we drive to the hotel.
Day 29.
Hyderabad departure (by air)
Departure to Hyderabad Airport
(End of
our services) |
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Tour
Reservation
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About Hotels:
We provide you the accommodation as per your budget mentioned above
in the table of hotels category for any of the booked tour. Hotels
provided by us are from budget to luxury class hotels. The criteria
for selecting hotels by us remains the best value of your money. We
also provide you wherever possible accommodation in heritage hotels.
Heritage Hotels are old Palaces, Forts and Grand mansions of
Maharajas which have been later renovated and converted into Hotels.
Rooms are decorated all individually. Rooms are comfortable,
romantic and present the flair of olden Maharaja days.
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Accommodation in double rooms on twin sharing basis with bath and WC
in the
