Tamil Nadu Essential Trip

Day 1 - Chennai - Sri Srikalaksthi - Tirupathi

After your arrival at Chennai Airport, your driver will pick you up and we will first visit the Pancha Bootha temple at Srikalasthi , representing the element of Air. This is one of the legendary five temples dedicated to Shiva and reach representing an element of nature.

Later, we drive to Tirupathi where you will spend your first night of this short trip to Tamil Nadu, but before that we visit the Lord Balaji Temple at Tirumala Hills. Afterwards, relax with nice dinner at your hotel.

Day 2 - Tirupathi – Vellore – Tiruvannamalai

After breakfast, we will drive to the Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Temple at Kanipakam near Chittoor. Dedicated to Ganesh this temple was built in the 11th century during the Chola dynasty and the representation of Vinayaka presides in it, seen in the well, always full of water.

Next, we visit the amazing Sripuram Golden Temple at Vellore. It is gilded with 1,500 kg of pure gold, so prepare to be dazzled!

In the afternoon, we visit the Sri Ramana Ashram in Tiruvannamalai, where modern sage and Advaita Vedanta master Ramana Maharshi lived until his death. We also visit another Pancha Bootha temple, Arunachaleswarar (Fire element). It’s a full day on your quick visit to Tamil Nadu, so now relax at your hotel and re-charge your batteries for the following one!

Day 3 - Tiruvannamalai – Pondicherry

This morning, we drive to Pondicherry, the erstwhile French colony. En route, we stop at Chenji Fort, once called the most impregnable fortress in India or the “Troy of the East” by the British. There is a complex of building over three hills, each with its own self-contained citadel. Enjoy wandering through the halls, granaries, prison cells, and temples.

Upon arrival at Pondicherry, we will admire the French Quarter with its tree-lined boulevards but also take in the spiritual development of Aurobindo Ashram and experimental town Auroville.

We also visit Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple dedicated to the god Ganesh before dropping you off at your hotel for the evening.

Day 4 - Pondicherry – Mahabalipuram – Chennai

The main stop today is the wondrous town of Mahabalipuram with its many temples. The Shore Temple, first of its kind as built as a stand-alone structure rather than carved in rock, will astound you with its architectural prowess. Then, enjoy Arjuna’s Penance, one of the biggest rock carvings in the world, and Krishna’s Butter Ball and the Five Rathas, all amazing monuments in stone.

In the afternoon, we depart for Chennai where you can see the St Thome Basilica from the period of Portuguese occupation, the gorgeous Marina Beach and the Kapaleeshwara built to honor Shiva in the 7th century.

At the end of the day, we will drive you back to the airport after the end of our short tamil nadu tour.