Chennai – Mahabalipuram – Kanchipuram – Pondicherry – Chidambaram – Tanjore – Brihadeshwara – Trichy – Madurai – Thekkady – 17 Days

The port city of Chennai situated along the south eastern coast of Bay of Bengal was earlier known as Madras and is also the capital of Tamil Nadu.  One the earliest metropolitan cities in India, Chennai is home to fort St. George which is now a historical museum. The art gallery, Flower market, Kapaleeswarar temple, Marina beach and the Santhome church are some of the highlights of this city of culture and modernity. The port city of Mahabalipuram also known as Mamallapuram, the jewel in the crown of the erstwhile Pallava Empire was also its capital. This great cultural centre is renowned for the megalithic monuments dating back from 7th century. Kanchipuram, the temple city of Tamil Nadu located on the banks of Vegavathy river was the seat of education for Jainism and Buddhism and is famous for its hand-woven sarees especially those made of Kanchipuram silk. Pondicherry better known as Puducherry is identified by beautiful beaches and buildings of typical French colonial architecture that adds to its unique cultural charm. The temple city of Chidambaram is located on the way to Tanjore, the cultural hub of Tamil Nadu. Tanjore is home to some of the rarest of historical monuments and temples, many of which are UNESCO world heritage monuments. The most famous among this is the Brihadeshwara temple built in the 11th century by Raja Raja Chola and described by historian Percy brown as “a landmark in the evolution of building art in South India”. Trichy is the birthplace of Nobel laureate Dr. C.V. Raman. In addition to cultural and historical centres, Trichy is well known for its institutions of national and international repute. Madurai the famous temple city is better known as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu. The Madura Meenakshi Temple is an architectural marvel. It believed that Megasthenes, the ancient Greek historian visited Madurai during the 3rd century BCE. Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area near Thekkady in Kerala noted for being both a tiger and elephant reserve. The flora and fauna here typifies the essence of Western Ghats and is a must-see destination in international tour itineraries. Sighting of almost all flora and fauna unique to the Western Ghats is more than a chance to visitors fortunate enough to visit this forest tract of great biodiversity. You are in for a pleasant surprise at Munnar, for this enchanting hill station has all that a visitor could ask for. Salubrious climate coupled with tea gardens and rolling hills is a treat to both body and soul. The highest peak in Kerala, the Anamudi towers majestically above other peaks and misty mountains. Vagamon famous for its grassy hillocks and laid back ambiance is a value addition. Kochi, the port city of Kerala is the industrial hub of the state has a lot of surprises in store. The Thattekkad bird sanctuary in Kochi is named after Salim Ali the world-renowned ornithologist. Located right in the middle of lush forest ranges in Kochi this sanctuary is famous for the critically endangered Sri Lankan Frogmouth. Kochi was ranked seventh in the list of top 10 cities to visit during 2020 by lonely planet. The Jewish Synagogue, Chinese fishing nets, Kumbalangi tourist village, Fort Kochi are some of the places out of the many more surprises in store for the visitor. This industrial hub of Kerala, definitely tops the list among the must see places in Kerala.