Day 1 Chennai

Flight to Chennai. Arrival in Chennai and transfer to the hotel. Check in time is 1200 hrs.

Day 2 Chennai

Formerly Madras is now Chennai. The city traces its origin to 1639 when Francis Day a trader with the British East India Company, built a trading post – Fort St. George, near the village of Madraspatnam. Today Chennai is the fourth largest city of India with a population of 5,5 million people. Also called as “Hollywood of India” it is the center for making South Indian films.

Morning free to relax.

Afternoon enjoy a half day tour of Chennai. Visit Kapaleshvara Temple in Mylapore, dedicated to God Shiva and offers a good example of South Indian colourful temple architecture. An opportunity to mingle with the pilgrims. Fort St. George – a British trading post and powerful bastion and entrance to South India. The 16^th century Portuguese old Cathedral of St. Thomas Church in which the remnants of St. Thomas is buried who came to India in 52 AD. Pass by the University built in Indo-Sarscenic style, as well as 5 km long Marina Beach, a lovely esplanade by the sea, and National Museum with sculptures from Pallava, Pandava and Chola time which houses archaeology, art, exceptionally beautiful bronzes statues, with exhibits of stone and iron age.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 Chennai/Mysore

After early breakfast transfer to the railway station to connect Shatabdi Express train to Mysore - 0600/1300 hrs ( This train operates Daily except on Tuesday). On arrival in Mysore transfer to the hotel.

Afternoon free.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 Mysore

Morning an excursion to Somnathpur East of Mysore. This tiny village has one of the best preserved and the only complete magnificent Hoysala Temple (13th century) of approximately 80 Hoysala temples dedicated to God Keshava. Small but exquisite the temple has excellent ceilings which show the distinctive features of the late Hoysala style.

Afternoon visit Chamundi Hill which has a temple of Durga (Chamundeswari) celebrating her victory over the buffalo god. She became the guardian deity o the Wodeyars. On the road to the top is the giant Nandi Monolith carved in 1659 (4,8m x 7,6m huge bull sculpture). After this visit the Maharaja Palace (1857) : that was once the residence of the Wodeyars, Built in Indo-Saracenic style in grand proportions, with domes, arches and colonnades of carved pillars and shiny marble floors. This is one of the largest palaces in the country with some art treasures.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5 Mysore/Hassan

After breakfast drive to Hassan. On arrival in Hassan drive for sightseeing tour of Halebid, the last capital of Hoysala rulers in 11th/12th century. The Hoysalas were a mighty martial race, but did not let that interfere with their culture and fostering of some of the greatest masterpieces of the world.

The Hoysala rulers commissioned some of the most unique temples in the south as beautiful prayers to their gods to assist them on the battlefield. Victory imbibed art with an incredible intricacy. Hoysala temples are not huge like the usual temples in the south, but smaller by comparison and aptly perched on star-shaped foundations, every niche and corner studded with genius.

The Hoysalesvara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva at Halebid is perched on a star-shaped base. Outside there is a Nandi Bull, the mount of Shiva, was never completed despite 86 years of labour. Every centimeter of the outside wall of this temple and much of the interior is covered with an endless variety of Hindu deities, sages, animals and birds. The infant Krishna frolics, battle rage, Shiva and Parvati embrace, the demon king Ravana lifts Mount Kailasha and Shiva dances. 800 year old statues flaunt hairstyles seen even today.

A few kilometers further we reach Belur. The religious capital of Hoysala. Visit the ornamental gopuram of the Chennakesava Temple dedicate to Lord Vishnu, which appears unexpectedly around a bend. It took 103 years to complete.

After sightseeing return back to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6 Hassan/Bangalore/Madurai

After breakfast drive to Bangalore. Enroute visit of Shravanabelgola, one of the oldest and most important Jain pilgrim centres in India with a 17m high monolithic statue (nearly 1000 years old). The nakedness is symbolic of the renunciation from worldly possessions. A spectacular ceremony, Mahamastakabhisheka is held once in 12 years when the statue is anointed with milk, curd, ghee, saffron and gold coins.

On arrival in Bangalore drive out for half day sightseeing of Bangalore.

Bangalore the capital of Karnataka, famous as the `Garden City’, was once a summer resort of the British Raj. It is one of the most attractive cities in India with its beautiful parks, avenues and impressive buildings. It is referred to as the `Silicon Valley’ where most of the big electronic and computer companies have their centres.

Visit the Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens. The gardens are said to be laid out by Haidar Ali and his son Tipu Sultan as a summer garden in the 18^th century, has numerous flowers, hundred year old trees from many countries and the lotus Pond. There are over 1800 species of tropical, subtropical and medicinal plants and a Floral Clock. The Glass House holds temporary exhibitions. Then to Bull Temple in dravidian style with the huge monolith statue of Shiva’s vehical, the sacred Nandi Bull, nearly 5 m high and 6 m long., in grey granite polished. Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly) with its impressive facades and portals of pure sandal wood. Finally to City Museum that was opened in 1886, one of the oldest in the country. Has 18 galleries including Neolithic finds from the Chandravalli excavations, and from the Indus Valley, especially Mohenjodaro antiquities. Also antique jewelry, textiles, coins, art, miniature paintings and geology.

In the evening transfer to the railway station to connect overnight train to Madurai.

Overnight in the train.

Day 7 Madurai

Arrival in Madurai at 0745 hrs ( Check in time is 1200 hrs). Transfer to the hotel.

Madurai is the cultural capital of Tamilnadu. Here, the Dravidian culture reached its zenith in art, architecture, palaces and temple buildings. Once the capital of powerful Nayaka kings, a bustling city packed with pilgrims, businessmen, bullock carts and legions of rickshaw pullers. Its narrow overcrowded streets seem to be bursting at the seams with activity. Southern India’s oldest center for pilgrimage and learning.

In the afternoon visit the Meenakshi – Temple an outstanding example of the Dravidian temple architecture from the Vijaynagar kingdom. Meenakshi, the fish eyed goddess and the consort of Shiva has a temple to the south and Sundareswarar (Shiva) a temple to the west. One of the biggest temples of India. Its nine “Gopuram”-Temple towers (23-30m ) have wonderful stucco images of gods, goddesses and animals from the Hindu mythology.

Afternoon free.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 Madurai/Trichy

After breakfast visit the Thirumalai Nayak Palace, a palace in Indo-Saracenic style built in 1636, with huge domes and 240 columns rising to 12 m, a beautiful garden and a attached museum. The celestial Pavilion, an arcaded octagonal structure is curiously constructed in brick and mortar without any supporting rafters.

After sightseeing drive to Trichy. En-route visit Brihadisvara Temple in Tanjore. This Jewel of South India, was built in 9^th century. The magnificent main temple has a 62 meter high vimana ( the tallest in India), which is topped by dome carved from an 80 ton lock of granite. A 6.5 km long wooden ramp was built to climb it. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Proceed to Trichy, check in at the hotel.

Day 9 Trichy

After breakfast sightseeing of Trichy.

Visit the Rock Fort built on a 84 m high rock, from where you can have a memorable view of the surroundings, although you need to climb 437 rock cut steps.

After Rock Fort visit Srirangam, the big temple city, which lies on an island on the Kaveri. The Ranganathasvami Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, one of the largest temple in South India, is famous for its superb sculpture – the 21 impressive gopurams and its rich collection of temple jewellery. There is a huge statue of Lord Vishnu. Not to forget the hall with 1000 pillars and horse sculptures. Finally visit the Jambukeshwara-Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the oldest and largest temples of Tamil Nadu, has five walls and seven gopurams. Here the unusual lingam under the Jambu tree always remains under water. After sightseeing drive back to hotel.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 Trichy/Chennai

Morning transfer to the railway station to connect train to Chennai. On arrival in Chennai transfer to the hotel.

Rest of the day free at the hotel.

Day 11 Chennai/Home

Early morning transfer to the airport to connect flight back home.