Day 1 Chennai

Flight to Chennai. On arrival in Chennai, 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.

After breakfast excursion to the magnificent rock temples and carvings in Mahabalipuram. Five Rathas (chariots) ceremonial chariots, rock-cut monoliths, named after the 5 Pandavas - heroes of the Mahabharata epic and Draupadi their wife. The Shore Temple by the sea surrounded by gardens designed according to descriptions of the original layout from ancient times. Built in sandstone in the 7^th century. Bhagiratha’s Penance is a bas- relief (27 to 9m) sculptured on the face of two enormous adjacent rocks, depicts, the penance of Arjuna, myraid characters from the Mahabharata, realistic life-size figures of animals, gods and saints watching the descent of the river goddess Ganga to earth. After sightseeing drive back to Chennai.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 Chennai/Mysore

After breakfast transfer to the Railway Station to connect Shatabdi Express train to Mysore ( 0600/1300 hrs - operates daily except on Tuesday). On arrival in Mysore transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day 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. It has the 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). Later 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. It 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 check in at the hotel.

Afternoon proceed for a guided 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.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6 Hassan/Bangalore

Afternoon breakfast drive to Banagalore. On arrival in Bangalore transfer to the hotel.

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.

Today, tour the garden city including a visit to 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.

Overnight in hotel.

Day 7 Bangalore/Cochin

After breakfast transfer to the airport to connect flight to Cochin. On arrival in Cochin transfer to the hotel.

If Kerala is India’s most beautiful state, which many tourists believe, then the lovely port of Cochin is its jewel. It has been variously hailed as Queen of the Arabian Sea, Venice of Orient, etc. Some choose to call it simply a museum city for its rich past and colorful present. Cochin displays a blend of peoples and architecture. It is one place where you can see a Jewish synagogue, Portuguese churches, Dutch architecture, a couple of mosques, Hindu temples and Chinese fishing nets all in one day.

Rest of the day free.

In the evening enthrall yourself with a special presentation of the colourfully costumed Kathakali Dance Drama. This mask dance form is originally from Kerala and 1500 years old. This classical dance has 24 mudras expressing the nine emotions of serenity, wonder, kindness, love, valor, fear, contempt, loathing and anger.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 Cochin

After breakfast sightseeing of Cochin, a city till today influenced by medieval Portugal, Holland and England. You visit St. Francis Church, built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan friars where Vasco da Gama was buried for 14 years before his remains were transferred to Lisvon. His tombstone still stands. Nearby is the Mattancherry Palace or “Dutch Palace”. The central hall on the Ist floor was the coronation hall of the rajas of Cochin. Other rooms depict scenes from the Ramayana and Puranic legends connected with Hindu gods. Amazing are the Chinese fishing nets. These cantilevered fishing nets line the entrance to the harbour mouth. They were introduced by traders from the courts of Kublai Khan. You also see the Jew City with the Jewish Synagogue , constructed in 1568, with hand-painted, willow-pattern floor tiles brought from Canton in the mid-18^th century by a Rabbi, who had trading interest in that city.

Afternoon free.

Overnight in hotel.

Day 9 Cochin/Periyar

After an early breakfast, drive to Alleppey, where you board boats and drift through the backwaters of Kerala for a couple of hours to Kottayam. The back waters of Cochin, is an idyllic experience. You pass through the lagoons watching the waterside local activities of the villagers - coir-making, toddy tapping, fishing, rice growing along the palm lined banks and narrow strips of land that separate the water-ways, and the constant traffic are typical. It also offers the opportunity to see tropical vegetation, bird life and crops. At Kottayam you again board a your transport and drive to the Periyar.

Afternoon visit the Periyar National Park. This unique wildlife sanctuary is about 780 sq. km centered around an artificial lake fed by the Periyar River. This afternoon game viewing is on board boats, which carry you through the jungle along convoluted waterways and afford sightings of elephant, bison, deer and occasionally, tiger. Small animals include black Nilgiri langur, bonnet and lion tailed macaque, Giant and Flying squirrel. There are some 246 species of birds and 112 species of butterfly. There are trees more than 100 years old and over 50 m high.

Overnight in the hotel at Periyar.

Day 10 Periyar/Madurai (136 km)

After breakfast drive to Madurai. It 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. Upon arrival check-in to the hotel.

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.

In the evening enjoy a rickshaw ride to Meenakshi temple to watch the night ceremony. The temple is a hive of activity, colorfully decorated temple elephant, flower sellers and performances by musicians. At 21:30 hours, the image of Shiva is carried in a procession accompanied by musicians, temple singers and priests from his shrine. Enroute Shiva visits the other deities before entering Parvati’s (Meenakshi) temple to sleep with her for the night.

Overnight in hotel.

Day 11 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 12 Trichy/Chennai

After breakfast short sightseeing of Trichy. Visit the Rock Fort built on a 84m high rock, from where you can have a memorable view of the surroundings, although you need to climb 437 rock cut steps. After sightseeing drive to Mahabalipuram. En-route 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 to Chennai..

On arrival in Chennai transfer to the hotel.

Day 13 Chennai/Port Blair

Transfer to the airport for flight to Port Blair, the capital of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar.

The city has changed in the last three decades. After the First War of Independence in 1857, the British gained control of most of the 300 islands and used them as a penal colony for its prisoners, (who until then had been sent to Sumatra) right up to Indian Independence with a short break from 1942-45, when the Japanese occupied Port Blair, Ross Island and the Nicobar islands. However, political prisoners were sent in large numbers only after the completion of the Cellular Jail in 1906. Each revolt resulted in the transportation of people from various parts of India, hence the presence of Bengalis, Malayans and Burmese among others. Subhas Chandra Bose, the Indian Nationalist, first raised the Indian tricolour here in 1943. The enchanting kaleidoscopic view of Port Blair from the Mount Harriet at an altitude of 365 m, the summer headquarters of the British Chief Commissioner at one time, is a thrilling experience for the visitors. The hill is good for either a morning or a whole day trip. Andaman Water Sports Complex at Port Blair has facilities for safe and adventurous aqua sports. The Jolly Buoy island offers a breath-taking view of the some of the world's most spectacular coral reefs. After arrival transfer to hotel.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 14 Port Blair

After breakfast enjoy a sightseeing tour in Port Blair. The Marine Museum has a comprehensive collection of corals and shells and display of 350 species of marine life. (Closed on Mondays). The Cellular Jail was built between 1886-1906 by the British to house dangerous criminals. Subsequently, it was used to place Indian freedom fighters until Independence in 1947. The site museum has photographs and lists of convicts held , a death house and the gallows where you can get an impression of the conditions within the prison in the early 1900’s and the implements used in torture. Chatham Saw Mill one of the oldest in Asia employing 1000 workers. The tour takes you through the different processes of turning logs into seasoned planks. Zoological Garden has a small collection in some very old wooden cages; few specimens of unusual island fauna including a sea crocodile farm. Rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 15 Port Blair

Day at leisure around sea beaches. Suggested Crobyn’s Cove 10 km from Port Blair. Although the only beach. The water is warm with gentle surf and the white-sand beach is clean and palm fringed.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 16 Port Blair/Chennai

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Chennai. On arrival in Chennai transfer to the hotel.

Rest of the time free at the hotel.

Day 17 Chennai/Home

Transfer to the airport to connect flight back home. Check out time is 1200 hrs.