Extended Tamil Nadu Tour

Day 1 - Arrival at Trichy

Upon landing at Trichy Airport, we will meet you and accompany you to your pre-booked hotel for you to unpack and accommodate to South India before your extended tour to Tamil Nadu begins in the morning.

Day 2 - Trichy – Pudukkottai – Pillayarpatti – Rameshwaram

In the morning, your driver will take you to Pudukkottai on the banks of the river Vallaru, where you begin your exploration of Pancha Bootha and Arupadai Veedu temples. Pudukottai has a long history of different cultures as it was ruled by the Cholas, Matharaiyars, Early Pandyas, Thondaimans, as well as the British colonists. You can see here a mix of these cultures but most importantly, the main objective of the rock-cut cave temple Sri Kokarneswarar Brahadambal which is situated at Thirukokarnam just 5km from the city. This impressive temple is dedicated to Kokarneswarar and his consort Brahadambal, and this was the main deity of the Thondaiman kings. You will see some amazing sculptures cut into the rock in the hillside and numerous shrines.

Afterwards, your driver will take you to the Karpaka Viayakar Temple at Pillaiyarpatti – another ancient rock-cut temple built inside a cave and dedicated to the god Ganesh. We will also see the Kunnakudi Murugan Temple which is nearby. This temple was built in the Dravidian style, which you will see a lot of during your trip, and it also features caves with the earliest sculptures of the Dvarapalas, the guardian deities that appear in every South Indian temple.

We then move on to Rameshwaram and the wonderful Ramanathaswamy Temple dedicated to the god Shiva and one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples. This temple was expanded and renovated several times throughout its lifetime, making it very impressive and architecturally detailed. It features the longest corridor of all Hindu temples you will find in your trip to India. Its location at Rameswaram Island is an important site of pilgrimage for Shaivites, Vaishnavites and Smarthas alike.

The last objective for the day is something different – the abandoned city of Dhanushkodi. This once vibrant town was destroyed during a cyclone in 1964 and remains empty, being an eerie destination where you can visit the remains. Relax afterwards at your hotel, before continuing on to the next destinations on this spiritual tour of Tamil Nadu.

Day 3 – Rameshwaram – Tiruchendur – Kanyakumari

After leaving Rameshwaram, today your temple tour will take you to the wondrous Subramaniaswamy Temple (or Thiruchendur Murugan Temple), one of the Six Abodes of Murugan at Tiruchendur. This temple was built to honour lord Murugan at the site of battle, and legend has it that here is where Shiva’s son conquered the demon Surapadma. Enjoy the intricate temple visit before heading off to Kanyakumari in the afternoon.

You are now at the southern end of India and one of its main pilgrimage sites, at the temple of Bhagavati Amman, where the Bengali philosopher Vivenakanda is known to have meditated and attained enlightenment. There is a Rock Memorial in his honor built in 1970 to commemorate this.

We will also see the statue of Tamil saint Thiruvalluvar, from where some of Gandhi’s ashes were spread and where we find a memorial in his honor.

Day 4 – Kanyakumari – Madurai

Wake up in Kanyakumari and visit Sunrise View on the beach – you will have a beautiful vista over the sea and beach. Breathe deeply and meditate as you prepare for another day visiting with our extended temple tour.

Then, on our way to Madurai, we will stop over at Suchindram to visit the Thanumalayan Temple which houses the three main deities of the Hindu religion: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It is a special place where you will find numerous pilgrims. Enjoy the architecture and the statue of Lord Hanuman inside the temple!

In the afternoon, we also stop at Tirunelveli to visit Nellaiappar Temple – Shiva’s temple where he is worshipped in this embodiment alongside his consort Parvati, depicted as Kanathimathi Amman.

We arrive in Madurai in the evening.

Day 5 – Madurai

In Madurai we have lots to visit, as it is one of the oldest Tamil Nadu cities and considered the regions’ cultural capital. It was once called the Athens of the East thanks to the multitude of temples and objectives of architectural significance.

The top sight is Meenakshi Amman temple, at the heart of the city and built by King Kulasekara Pandya in the 12th century. Afterwards, we see another one of the Six Abodes of Murugan, Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple.

Also in Madurai, the Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal – the palace from the 17th century built by King Thirumalai Nayak in a fusion of Dravidian and Rajput styles. Today, we can visit the original main Palace building but the whole complex used to be four times bigger and considered one of the wonders of the South.

And finally, we will see Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam – a temple tank located near the Vandiyur Mairamman temple which will impress you with the ingenious system of underground channels. It is located where the king excavated the brick which were used to build the Thirumalai Nayakkar palace.

In the afternoon, we see another one of the Six Abodes of Murugan at Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple and we also take you to Vishnu temple at Kallazhagar, to continue completing our visit to the Arupadai Veedu temples.

Day 6 – Madurai – Kodaikanal

Time for some nature and relaxation, still under the sign of Lord Murugan!

We drive to Kodaikanal Lake, a beautiful manmade lake with gorgeous flowers and boats. Take a stroll on Coaker’s Walk, admiring the view of Kodai valleys, rolling hills and hill stations in the distance. We will also visit the famous and photogenic Pillar Rocks here, from where you can also take advantage of unique views of the valleys and hills while you enjoy some local food like potato and onion bhajis.

We’ll walk through Bryant Park and visit the Kurinji Andavar Temple which celebrates another representation of Lord Murugan and where the unique Kurinji flower blossoms once every 12 years.

Return to the hotel for a relaxing evening.

Day 7 – Kodaikanal – Palani – Coimbatore

In our pilgrimage around Murugan’s Abodes on this complete spiritual tour, today we go to Palani, where we will see the Arulmigu Dandayudhapani Temple. Murugan was a hermit here in Palani and you can witness something fantastic – the ways uphill to the temple either on steps or via a winch and rope car service!

We move on to Coimbatore afterwards, in the middle of the Western Ghat mountains. This is one of Tamil Nadu’s biggest cities, a massive exporter of jewellery, wet grinders, poultry and car parts. Here we will visit the fantastic Isha Yoga Center with its 34-metre tall Adiyogi Statue of the god Shiva. This has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the Largest Bust Sculpture in the world!

Next up, we go to Marudhamalai just in the vicinity of the city and we visit the Murugan temple here, the Seventh House of Lord Murugan at the top of a granite hill. Our final stop will be the Perur Pateeswarar Temple dedicated to Shiva in Perur and built in the 2nd century.

Day 8 – Coimbatore – Ooty

Have breakfast at your hotel and then join your driver for the trip to magical Ooty nestled in the luscious green hills with tea plantations and beautiful gardens. It’s a day for all your senses as a bit of a different atmosphere in this Tamil Nadu tour package.

We will drop you off at Coonoor so you can enjoy a ride on the Toy Train to Ooty, experiencing the Nilgiri Mountain railway and gorgeous hill stations. At Ooty, visit the lake, the Botanical Garden and the Rose Garden before popping into St Stephen’s Church dating to the 18th century and British occupation.

End the day at the Tea Factory and Tea Museum with lovely tastings, before climbing to the top of Doddabetta (at 2,500 metres!). As there is road access to the summit, we’ll spare you the long hike, but you can enjoy the views!

Day 9 – Ooty – Mysore

On our way to Mysore we will stop to enjoy some more of the unique nature of these areas by visiting Pyakara Lake and the Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary where you can spot the protected tigers.

On our way to Mysore we will stop to enjoy some more of the unique nature of these areas by visiting Pyakara Lake and the Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary where you can spot the protected tigers.

The temples here are exceptional, the most important being the one dedicated to the goddess Chamundeshwari on Chamundi Hill.

Afterwards, enjoy the afternoon at the Mysore Zoo and Brindavan Garden – one of the best terrace gardens in the world.

Day 10 – Mysore – Bangalore

Your visit continues to Bangalore but beforehand we stop at Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple dedicated to Ranganatha, or the reclining form of Vishnu. This temple is a gorgeous example of Dravidian architecture and one of the largest functioning Hindu temples in the world. Next up, also on our way, is Sultan Tipu’s Summer Palace in Srirangapathna where you can learn about the Islamic influence in this area of South India.

In the afternoon, we’ll reach the megacity of Bangalore, with its thousands of temples, mosques and churches. Also known as the “Silicon Valley of India”, we are here to see some amazing sights.

First off, Vidhana Soudha or the seat of the state legislature, a neo-Dravidian building from 1956. Then, we go to the Lal Bagh Garden planned out by Hyder Ali and embellished by Tipu Sultan, with beautiful plants and structures like the excellent Glass House. We will also see the Bull Temple, a must-see in Bangalore, dedicated to Nandi, the demi-god who is a devotee of Shiva, and the Shipping Market.

Day 11 – Bangalore – Vellore – Tirupathi

Today, we leave busy Bangalore behind and head to Vellore where we will visit the Sripuram Golden Temple, without which no Tamil Nadu temple tour would be complete. It is gilded with 1,500 kg of pure gold, so prepare to be dazzled!

Next stop is Lord Balaji Temple at Tirumala Hills. Dedicated to Lord Sri Venkateswara, an incarnation of Vishnu, this temple is constructed in Dravidian style and was built around 300 AD. It receives the most donations of any temple in the world and is visited by huge numbers of pilgrims every day!

We will stop for the night in Tirupathi.

Day 12 – Tirupathi – Srikalaksthi – Tiruthani – Kanchipuram – Chennai

Today will be a very busy day!

We will first visit one of the Pancha Bootha Temples, the five temples dedicated to Shiva and reach representing an element of nature. Today, it’s the Air at Srikalaksthi Temple – or the wind.

Then we go to Tiruthani to see another one of the Six Abodes of Murugan, the Tiruthani Murugan Temple.

Next stop is Kanchipuram where we have another one of the Pancha Bootha temples – the Earth represented at Ekambareswarar Temple.

Kanchipuram is a pilgrimage site of great importance, as it also houses the Kailasanathar Temple which is the oldest building in the city, from the 7th century. We also visit Varadharaja Perumal Temple and the Kamaskshi Amman Temple here.

Finally, we will drive to Chennai for a restful evening.

Day 13 – Chennai

Today is dedicated to Chennai, once known as Madras and the capital of Tamil Nadu. Consistently ranking in the top cities to visit in the world, Chennai is a busy cultural and economic hub for South India and it houses some fantastic sights for us to visit.

In the morning, we will take you to the Kapaleeshwara Temple, a Hindu temple built in honor of Lord Shiva around 7th century, representing the Dravidian architectural style. The original temple is believed to have been destroyed in the 16th century by the Portuguese, and there is a cathedral now – St Thomas Basilica. We will see this as well, and then move on to Fort St George which was the first British fortress built in India. Finally, we can visit the Government Museum before allowing you the full afternoon off to spend as you like, exploring the city some more or simply relaxing at your hotel.

Day 14 – Chennai – Mahabalipuram – Melmaruvathur – Melmalaiyanur – Tiruvannamalai

Mahabalipuram was a famous port from ancient Greek times, and continues to be a busy and important hub for South India, housing many Hindu temples of special interest. It is a must-do stop on any Tamil Nadu tours.

Here we will see the splendid rock carving of Arjuna’s Penance, perhaps the biggest such artwork in the world, dating from the 7th century, as well as the Five Rathas, impressive monolithic stone carvings. The first temple that was built as opposed to carved in rock is here too – the Shore Temple.

Afterwards, we drive to Melemaruvathur to visit the Arulmigu Adhiparasakthi Temple and to Melmalaiyunur to see the Sri Angala Parameswari Temple.

For the end of the day, we will get to Tiruvannamalai to visit the third Pancha Bootha Temple – Arunachaleswarar Temple with the element of Fire representation. We also spend some time at the Sri Ramana Ashram, where modern sage and Advaita Vedanta master Ramana Maharshi lived until his death. His shrine continues to attract pilgrimages.

Day 15 – Tiruvannamalai – Chidambaram – Kumbakonam

Today, we leave Tiruvannamalai and visit Natarajar Temple at Chidambaram, the temple dedicated to Shiva as the lord of dance where we can see his amazing sculpture showing him dancing and which is also one of the Pancha Bootha temples, with the element of Sky.

Afterwards, on the way to Kumbakonam, we will stop to see the Sri Vaidyanatha Swami Temple at Vaitheeswaran Koil.

Upon arrival at Kumbakonam, we visit the Sarangapani Temple which is a special temple dedicated to the god Vishnu and very old, with its architecture showing signs of Medieval Chola style, Vijayanagar Empire as well as the Madurai Nayak period. Also dedicated to Vishnu is Chakrapani Temple which is next on our list.

Not far from Kumbakonam, we will take you to see the UNESCO World Heritage site of Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram, one of the Great Living Chola temples and part of a cluster of eighteen medieval era Hindu temples in this area.

We end the day at Swamimalai where we will see another one of the Six Abodes of Murugan at Swaminathaswamy Temple. We return to Kumbakonam and your hotel for the evening.

Day 16 – Kumbakonam – Tanjore – Trichy

Today we will first visit Tanjore, the former capital of the Chola dynasty. There is another Great Living Chola temple here, and the most imposing – the Brishadeeswara or Big Temple. We also visit the Royal Palace and the Punnainallur Mariamman temple which is dedicated to the goddess Mariamman and one of the most famous temples around Thanjavur district where we are.

After these visits, we will drive you to Trichy, your destination for the rest of the trip and where your hotel is for the next two nights. Trichy is at the heart of Tamil Nadu and has developed throughout the times of Chola, Pallava and Pandya dynasties.

This afternoon we’ll see the Rockfort Temple (Ucchi Pillayar Temple), carved into the rock at the top of a hill outside the city and dedicated to the god Ganesh.

We have also set some time aside for shopping in the city, so you can get the souvenirs you may be after!

Day 17 – Trichy

For your last day with us, we will take you to the last Pancha Booth temple with the Water element – Jambukeshwarar Temple.

We’ll also visit Sri Ranganathar temple, dedicated to Ranganath, the sleeping representation of Vishnu lying on top of the serpent Ananta.

Finally, we will go to Samayapuram to see the Mariamman Temple there, made of sand and clay. After Palani, this is the second wealthiest temple in Tamil Nadu.

Finish the day with some more free time for shopping or relaxing.

Day 18 – Trichy Departure

Our Tamil Nadu tour package comes to an end today and your driver will drop you off at Trichy Airport for your departure, according to your flight schedule.