Day 01 ARRIVE CHENNAI
Welcome to India. Meeting and assistance on arrival at the airport and transfer to the hotel.Overnight at the hotel.

Day 02 IN CHENNAI Morning after breakfast sightseeing tour of Chennai. The Capital city of Tamil Nadu state, Chennai is India’s Southern Gateway city and one of the biggest centres of trade, and communications. Afternoon visiting the Fort St. George, San Thome’s church, Parthasarathy temple & Marina Beach.Later attend the Music festival. Overnight at the hotel. Day 03 IN CHENNAI (Music Festival) Morning after breakfast at the Hotel Full day attends the various music Programme. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 04 CHENNAI - KANCHEEPURAM - MAHABALIPURAM
Morning after breakfast departure by surface to Mahabalipuram enroute visiting Kancheepuram to see the Ekambareshwar and Kailasanatha Temples Upon arrival check-in at the hotel Mahabalipuram – a quite seaside resort with a unique and glorious 7th century Shore Temple and some of the most beautiful rock-cut caves in the world. Evening: Attend the Music & Dance festival. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 05 IN MAHABALIPURAM
Morning breakfast at the hotel Rest of the day free. Afternoon visit the Krishna, Varaha and Mahishasura Mardhini Mandapas besides the famous stone bas-relief, Arjuna’s Penance. Later attend the Music & Dance festival Overnight at the hotel.

Day 06 MAHABALIPURAM - PONDICHERRY
Morning after breakfast departure by surface to Pondicherry (133Kms/3Hrs approx) upon arrival check in at the hotel. Afternoon Visit the Sri Aurobindo Asharam, Pondicherry Musuem, Matrimandir at Auroville, the Anglo-French Textiles showroom, Manakula Vinayagar Koil, Ashram’s handmade paper factory, the Botanical Gardens and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church.Overnight at the hotel.

Day 07 PONDICHERRY - TANJORE Morning after breakfast departure by surface to Tanjore (245 kms/8 hrs approx including the visit) En-route visiting Chidambbaram &Gangaikondacholapuram Chidambaram, one of the oldest, most venerated and magnificent temples of South India. Shiva Natraja or the Dancing Shiva stand in his cosmic dance pose in the golden rooted sanctum sanctorum. Flanking the temple are 108 sculptured illustrations of Bharat Natya Shastra. In Akash Lingam hidden by a veil, lies the real secret of Chidambaram.

Gangaikondacholapuram Gangaikondacholapuram, the Second Brihadisvara angaikkondacholesvara temple rears its head nobly and bespeaks the imperial dignity of the capital that Rajendra (1012-44), the son of Rajaraja, established after his victorious march to east India up to the river Ganga. The capital itself has disappeared: even the place where the emperor dwelt does not exist except in ruins marked by brick debris about 1.5 km away from the temple, at a place known as Ulkottai, where a mound even now called Maligaimedu, ‘palace-mound’, supplies bricks to the villages Upon arrival check in at the hotel. Rest of the day free of leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 08 IN TANJORE
Morning after breakfast Visit the Brihadeswarar TempleThe great Temple of Tanjore (Thanjavur) was built between 1003 and 1010 in the reign of the great King Rajaraja, founder of the Chola Empire, which stretched over all of South India and the neighbouring islands. Surrounded by two rectangular enclosures, the Brihadisvar (built from blocks of granite and, in part, from bricks) is crowned with a pyramidal 13-storey tower, the vimana, and standing 61 m high and topped with a bulb-shaped monolith. The walls of the temple are covered with rich sculptural decoration.Afternoon drive to Thiruvayyaru to witness the Thyagaraja Festival. Later drive back to Tanjore. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 09 TANJORE - MADURAI
Morning after breakfast departure by surface to Maduarai Madurai - is Tamil Nadu's most happening cultural arena. Today, Madurai is the thriving pulse of Tamil Nadu industrial growth. Truly, we believe that the Gods are here to stay! Situated on the banks of river Vaigai, Madurai is the second largest city of Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India. Madurai is more than 2,500 years old and has a rich cultural heritage and history. Madurai was an important cultural and commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. Madurai was the capital city for the great Pandya kings.Upon arrival check in at the hotel.

Afternoon city tour of Madurai visiting the great Meenakshi Temple dedicated to the consort of Lord Shiva with its towering gopurams (rising high above the surrounding country side). Visit the Tirumala Nayak Palace – A gracious building in the Indo Saracenic style, famous for the Stuccowork on its domes and arches. Visit Alagar Hills and Tirupara Kundran Rock Temple. Evening: Attend night ceremony at Meenakshi temple. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 MADURAI
Morning after breakfast full day sightseeing tour visit Visit Thiruparankundram: Dating back to 2nd century B.C., and located 10 kms. South of Madurai, it is one of the ‘Aarupadaiveedu’, the 6 Muruga temples in the state. It is a cave temple where Muruga married Deivayaanai, after slaying the demon. There are separate shrines in a line for Shiva, Vishnu, Durga and Vinayaka. A hillock is attached to the temple, the rock from which the temple is said to have been built.Rest of the day ree. Overnight at the hotel in Madurai.

Day 11 Madurai – Periyar
Morning after breakfast departure by surface to Periyar (134 kms/ 4 ½ hrs approx) upon arrival check in at the hotel.Later Thekkady where rolling hills, tea & Cardamom plantations welcome you. It is one of the largest wildlife reserves in India, it is more popular as a tiger reserve. Afternoon take a boat ride on the splendid Periyar Lake which is the best way to experience the sanctuary. The greatest attraction here is the herds of wild elephants that come down to the lake to frolic in the water. Tiger, Sambhar, Bison, Spotted Deer, Leopard, Malabar flying Squirrel, stripe necked Mongoose & so on can be spotted in the forest. Kumily, an important spice trade centre lies in the periphery of the sanctuary. Overnight at the Hotel.

Day 12 PERIYAR – KUMARAKOM Morning after breakfast departure by surface to Kumarakom (124 kms/3 hrs approx) upon arrival check in at the hotel.Afternoon Kumarakom an unbelievably beautiful paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields, and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways and canals adorned with white lilies. Situated on the Vembanad Lake, in this small water world, you will come across plenty of traditional country crafts, boats and canoes. Located on the banks of the Vembanad Lake, is the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary – an ornithologist’s paradise, is a

favorite haunt of migratory birds like the Siberian stork, egret, darter, heron and teal. Other common varieties like woodp0ecker, skylark, crane, water hen and parrots can also be spotted here. Sunset Boat Cruise – there can be few better ways to adjust to the pace of backwater life than to spend the waning hours of the afternoon just watching the sun go down.Overnight at the hotel.

Day 13 KUMARAKOM
Early Morning Sunrise Boat Cruise – Take an early morning boat Cruise, which is mainly to bird watching on the shores of the Vembanad Lake and to see the rising sun.Breakfast at the hotel. Rest of the day free of leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 14 KUMARAKOM – HOUSE BOAT - ALLEPPEY
Morning after breakfast departure transfer Houseboat to take a backwater cruise to Alleppey upon arrival check in at the house boat. Overnight on board house boat.

Day 15 HOUSEBOAT – ALLEPPEY – COCHIN
Morning after breakfast, disembark from the House Boat and transfer to the Cochin upon arrival check in at the hotel. Aftternoon sightseeing sightseeing tour of Cochin. Cochin is a city with an eventful history. The Portuguese, the Dutch, the English all had established themselves here at one time or the other. Prominent attractions are the Jewish synagogue, santa cruz church( built in 16th century by the Dutch ), cochin fort (built-1503 by Dutch ), Bolgatty Palace built by Dutch in 1744 and the St. Francis church ( built-1510 AD by the Dutch ) where Vasco de Gamma was buried ( later his remains were taken to Portugal, but his tombstone is still there at the St. Francis church which is the oldest church in India built by Europeans ). Evening witness a Kathakali Dance Drama performance, which is the authentic and ancient dance drama form of Kerala depicting the stories from the Indian Epics such as Mahabaratha or Ramayana. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 16 COCHIN – MUMBAI
Morning after breakfast departure transfer to the airport to board flight to Mumbai. Assistance on arrival at the domestic airport and transfer to internationation airport to board flight back to home with beautifull memories of your enchanting holiday with Indian Festival Tours.