SOUTH INDIA HERITAGE TOUR

After breakfast half day city tour visiting, Kapaleeshwarar Temple : A masterpiece of Dravidian architecture, this ancient Shiva temple, is the biggest in Chennai . Fort St.George : Located on the seashore near the harbour, Fort St. George was  built for the East India Co. in 1960 AD. Marina Beach: the pride of Chennai is the second longest beach in the World and has a wide sandy foreshore. Other attractions are Fort Museum and St. Mary's Church and  Little Mount Shrine. Overnight at Hotel.

After breakfast depart by surface to Pondicherry, On arrival check-in at Hotel.  
Pondicherry (or Puducheri) means ’the new settlement’. It was a French settlement comprising of Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam besides Pondicherry. A unique thing about Pondicherry is that it spreads into several states. While Karaikal is in Tamil Nadu, Mahe is in Kerala, and Yanam is a part of Andhra Pradesh. Situated  around 200 kilometres south of Chennai, Pondicherry is today a union territory where the French connection on the architecture and culture of the place is strongly visible—a result of the centuries-old relation with the French power. However, the fame of Pondicherry lies not in its French connection but its relation with the saint-philosopher Aurobindo Ghosh who founded his ashram here. Sri Aurobindo was a political revolutionary who reached Pondicherry in 1920 and established a place for peaceful and harmonious living. Today the ashram is home to nationals from every part of the world who come here to find peace and solitude. Overnight at Hotel

After breakfast depart by surface to Tanjore, On arrival check in at Hotel. 
Tanjore is famous for many reasons since the time of Cholas. The name itself has many interesting legends related to it. According to one of them, Tanjore probably was called Tanjai. The other legends attribute the name of the city to Tanjam, a demon who was haunting the locality and was destroyed by God Vishnu. However, apart from these legends Tanjore also has a sound history of different dynasties that ruled over it. The Cholas conquered Thanjavoor in about 850 A.D. replacing the Mutharayar Chiefs and made it their capital. The Cholas ruled over, Pandyas and Cheras. The present day Tanjore is the headquarters of the Tanjore District. Overnight at Hotel.   
 

After breakfast depart by surface to Madurai, Enroute visit Trichy, On arrival check in at Hotel. 
Madurai is called the temple city of India, which makes it one of the most visited religious destinations of southern India. Madurai is also the modern industrial city of the state. The political capital of the Pandyan and the Nayakan dynasties, Madurai has also been the centre for learning and the heart for South Indian culture and tradition for the last 2,500 years. The magnificent gopurams of the Meenakshi Temple are the first and main attraction of the city. Spread across six hectares of area, the temple is situated in the middle of the town. Apart from the massive Meenakshi temple, the Mariamman Teppakulam, Tirumalai Nayak Mahal, Gandhi Museum, Thirupparankunram, Azhagar Koil and Koodal Alagar Temple are some of the other important sites to visit in Madurai. Moreover, as Madurai makes a good base point to visit some of the exotic destinations nearby, you can also decide on spending some more time here to complete your visit to the southern India. Overnight at Hotel.   
 

After breakfast depart by surface to Kanyakumari, On arrival check in at Hotel.

Kanyakumari - the southernmost point of mainland India, lies at the confluence of the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. It is basically a pilgrimage town dedicated to the virgin Goddess Devi Kanya whose temple overlooks the shoreline. On a rock about 500 m offshore stands the Vivekananda Memorial, dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, a great Indian philosopher. The construction reflects architectural styles from all over India. Kanyakumari is the only place in India where one can watch the sunset and the moonrise simultaneously on a full moon evening. Overnight at Hotel.

After breakfast depart by surface to Allepey, On arrival check in at Dlx Ac House Boat. 
With the Arabian sea on the west and a vast network of lakes, lagoons and fresh water rivers crisscrossing it, Alappuzha is a district of immense natural beauty. Referred to as the Venice of the East by travelers from across the world, this backwater country is also home ot diverse animal and bird life. By virtue of its proximity to the sea, the town has always enjoyed a unique place in the maritime history of Kerala. Today, Alappauzha has grown in importance as a backwater tourist centre, attracting several thousands of foreign tourists each year. Alappuzha is also famous for its boat races, houseboat holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry. A singular characteristic of this land is the region called Kuttanad. Overnight at House Boat. 

 

After breakfast embark Ac Houseboat to enjoy day cruise on backwaters. Overnight at House Boat.

After breakfast depart by surface to Cochin, On arrival check in at Hotel. Cochin is popularly known as the “Queen on the Arabian Sea” and is the oldest European settlement in India. Surrounded by backwaters, this city has always managed to attract voyagers to travel to Kerala, India. Overnight at Hotel.  

After breakfast city tour of Cochin visiting Dutch Palace, built by the Portuguese known for its murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and dresses and palanquins used by Cochin's erstwhile rulers; Koonan Kurishu Shrine which is a small chapel, Jewish Synagogue which has a number of copper plates inscribed in the He  brew script; Fort Kochi, St Francis Church, the oldest one to be constructed by Europeans in India; Santa Cruz Basilica with a beautifully painted ceiling, and, Chinese Fishing Nets near the harbor's entrance of Cochin. Overnight at Hotel.   
 

After breakfast depart by surface to Ooty, On arrival check in at Hotel.  
Ooty : Nestled among the hills of Dodabetta, Snowdon, Elk Hill, and Club Hill in the Nilgiri ranges, Ooty (also Ootacamund or Udhagamandalam) is the queen of southern hill stations and a popular tourist destination of Tamil Nadu. The history of Ooty goes back to about 900 years when it was ruled by Vishnu Vardhana, the Hoysala king from AD 1104 to 1141. The city also finds mention in the writing of Jacome Ferico, the first European to visit this place in 1603. In 1799, this hilly region came under the control of the British East India Company. The British established Ooty to serve as the summer headquarters of the Madras government. A government house was built and keeping in tune with the English lifestyle, the British set up cottages and clubs, with facilities for tennis, golf, and horse riding. With the establishment of numerous tea estates in the subsequent years, Ooty made its presence felt in the tourist map of India. Overnight at Hotel. 
 

After breakfast depart by surface to Mysore, On arrival check in at Hotel.  
Mysore was ruled by the Wodeyars since the 14th century except for a brief period of 40 years in the later 18th century when Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan ruled over the city. The Wodeyar family managed to get back the kingdom when, in 1799, Tipu Sultan surrendered to the British. The benevolent rule of the Wodeyar kings is evident in the city’s meticulous planning. The city’s architectural heritage and its long-held tradition of music and dance, art and literature were nurtured under their patronage. This city is ‘The Jewel of Karnataka’ and provides glimpses of its past grandeur. Stately Mysore with its tree lined boulevards, grand palaces, and gardens is one of India’s finest cities. Life retains its calm, measured pace, punctuated by outbursts of activity, celebrating festivals. Today’s program includes a city tour covering Maharaja’s Palace built as recently as 1897, Overnight at Hotel. 
 

After breakfast depart by surface to Bangalore, On arrival check in at Hotel.  
BANGALORE : Known as the garden city of India , Bangalore is one of the most visited destinations of southern India . There are many stories and legends related to the city. However the present look of the garden city was given to it in the 16th century.  Because of the initiative it took in the wake of the Information Technology revolution in the country, Bangalore has been nicknamed as the Silicon City of India.  
Afternoon city tour visiting the Vidhan Soudha - The building is a massive neo Dravidian architecture presently functioning as the state legislative assembly , Cubbon Park in the heart of the city, Lal Bagh which is famous for the wonderfully bloomed red roses and the Bangalore Palace are some of the other must see of this garden city. Overnight at Hotel. 

In time transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.

 ARRIVE HOME WITH SPECIAL INCREDIBLE INDIA MEMORIES.