Day 01: Arrival at Chennai
A land of history and culture, South India is also blessed with natural abundance making it a perfect hideaway from the mundane city life.  This Grand South India Temple Tour covers all the rich aspects of the southern region of India. 

First on your arrival at Chennai Airport you will find our GeTS Holidays representative awaiting you. He will then escort you to the hotel booked under your South India temple tour.  En route catch the glimpses of Chennai; back at the hotel rest of the day will be at your leisure with a special evening walk planned to Marina Beach where guests can relax and unwind.  Try out some of the local south Indian delicacies for dinner as per your preference and then retire to your rooms for overnight stay.

Day 02: At Chennai
Situated on the banks of Bay of Bengal, Chennai was a major trade port during the British rule and thus houses various colonial time monuments as well.  On this day post morning meal guests will proceed for a full day excursion of the city encompassing various tourist spots.  The city sightseeing tour will begin with a visit being paid to imposing site of St. George Fort which will be followed by a visit to exquisite Kapaleeshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and the Parthsarthy Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. 

Those lovers of nature and wildlife can also pay a visit to nearby Guindy National Park and Snake Park of Chennai.  A concluding visit to National Art Gallery to view great collection of paintings and sculpture will be truly an unforgettable experience.  Return henceforth to your hotel for night stay.

Day 03: Chennai - Tirupati - Chennai
A religious trip is planned for this day of your temple tour in South India.  After breakfast our GeTS Holidays representative will fly you to a Hindu temple town, Tirupati.  Guests will devote a whole day worshipping and taking part in varied rituals at the most ancient pilgrimage centre of Tirupati.  The sacred temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara is situated on the highest peak of Tirumala hill which is known as Venkata Hill.  Post lunch also pay your homage to other deities at Varahaswami Temple, Shri Anjaneyaswami Temple and Teertharns as planned under this Grand South India Temple Tour.

Guests will then fly back to Chennai where they will rest for the night at the same hotel.

Day 04: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram
A leisurely breakfast will begin this day of your spiritual journey to Indian temples.  Thereafter, travel a brief detour to reach Kanchipuram which is world renowned for generating silk sarees.  You can also drive past some exquisite temples of the region.  Guests then will be driven to Mahabalipuram where they will be accommodated in a comfortable and cosy hotel booked for their overnight stay by our GeTS Holidays tour operator in Chennai. 

Mahabalipuram houses various relics of Pallavas rulers built during 7th to 9th century which are now declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.  These temples mainly showcase the fabulous conversion from rock- cut architectural style to structural building.  The Ratha or Chariot Temples are most famous which are dedicated to the five Pandavas from the great Hindu epic Mahabharata and to Lord Krishna and his sibling Subhadra.  The temples on the shores are partially submerged into the waters due to Tsunami and now they are being reconstructed.  The Archaeological Survey of India has discovered numerous pagodas and sculptures from under the sea.  All these aspects make Mahabalipuram a must visit place while on a South India tour.

Day 05: Mahabalipuram - Tiruvannamalai - Pondicherry
Breakfast will be served in the hotel itself which will be a precursor of your next journey.  Our GeTS Holidays representative will then escort the guests to Pondicherry.  The en route visit will bring an opportunity to visit Tiruvannamalai for a brief pause to view beauteous sites of Shiva Temples.  Thereafter continuing with the journey guests will reach Pondicherry where they will be accommodated in a hotel booked for an overnight stay.

Day 06: At Pondicherry
An erstwhile colony of the French colonizers, Pondicherry is designed neatly on the French grid pattern with strategical sectors and perpendicular streets. Pondicherry is well known for the spiritual contribution made in Indian freedom struggle. It was the home of one of the most renowned freedom fighter and spiritualist Shri Aurobindo. Thus, you will certainly enjoy touring Aurobindo Ashram. Also you must try out some French cuisines with an Indian twist.  Return to the hotel thereafter for a good night sleep.

Day 07: Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Tanjore

Leaving Pondicherry on seventh day of this cultural heritage tour of South India guests will be directed to their next destination Tanjore.  En route guests can visit the famous pilgrimage site of Shaivites, Chidambaram; here one can also visit one of the greatest Shiva Temples of the region.  The city is renowned for housing the beauteous bronze statue of incarnation of Lord Shiva, Natraja in his cosmic dancer form. 

On arrival at Tanjore, guests will be accommodated in a hotel booked for their overnight stay in the region as previously planned under this Grand South India Temple Tour.  On this day guests will then proceed for a sightseeing tour of this erstwhile capital of Chola dynasty.  Guests will first begin the city tour with paying homage to the Hindu deity at Brihadeswar Temple a renowned World Heritage Site.  Thereafter pay a visit to imposing structure of Vijaynagar Fort and the Art Gallery to explore the monuments of Chola rule in the region.  Guests will also visit exquisite temples of the region including, Kumbeshwarar, the Sarangapani, the Nageswara and Ramaswamy temple.  Return to the hotel in the evening for overnight stay.

Day 08: Tanjore - Trichy

Post breakfast our GeTS Holidays representative will escort you to the Trichy where on arrival you will be directed to the hotel booked for an overnight stay in the region.  Situated on the banks of River Cauvery, Trichy is another holy town of Hindus dazzling in religious sites.  The rest of the day will bring a visit to the temple of Sriangam which is renowned world wide for being the biggest functional Hindu temple.  Guests will enjoy celestial peace at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple which is a major pilgrimage site of Hindus. 

The next part of the trip will further bring a visit to major temples in the region such as Jambukeshwara Temple, St. Lodurdu’s Church, Hazrat Nathervali and Mukkombu in the region.  Return thereafter to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 09: Trichy - Madurai

Enjoy a delectable meal in the morning at Trichy and then get started for another fascinating journey to Madurai.  Our GeTS Holidays representative will make all the arrangements for your journey as well as your accommodation in Madurai where you will be transferred to on arrival in the region for an overnight stay.  The Minakashi Sundaram Temple complex renowned for its thousand pillars will be the first destination on your city tour.  You will also, visit Thirumalai Nayak Palace whose dome beautifully decked with stucco work.

Day 10: Madurai - Periyar

This day will introduce the guests with the varied wildlife of South India.  Guests will encompass a guided journey to Periyar along with our GeTS Holidays representative.  Stay overnight at the forest resort booked by our tour operator in South India. Surrounding the Periyar Lake the picturesque woods of Periyar National Park are a pleasure dome for both Nature and wildlife lovers.  Indulge in nature’s bounty, as you enter the verdant environs of Periyar National Park famous for wild oxen, tigers, sloth bear and leopards.  Guests will enjoy a jeep safari in the region and then return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 11: Periyar - Trivandrum

In the morning guests will be directed to Trivandrum where they will be accommodated in the hotel booked by our GeTS Holidays tour operator for your overnight stay.  The city of seven hills, Trivandrum is popularly known as city of snakes.  Enjoy the beauteous sites of verdant environs and sun kissed beaches of the region.  The sightseeing excursion of the city will bring an opportunity to visit revered Shri Padmanabhaswamy Vishnu Temple as part of this South India temple tour and Napier Museum.

Day 12: Trivandrum - Departure

On this day guests will be directed to the airport in the morning.  On the last day of this Grand South India Temple Tour, guests will be provided all the arrangements duly organized by our GeTS Holidays for their peaceful journey back home.