Kerala Backwaters Program

Cochin

Arrival in Cochin On arrival meets and greets at the airport by our representative and transfer to your hotel.

Cochin 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.

Overnight in the hotel.

Cochin – Backwaters (surface - 65 kms / 1 hrs - 30 mins)

After breakfast drive to the jetty to board House boat (Kettuvallom) on the World famous Backwaters of Kerala.

"Kettu" literally means to tie up and "Velum" means “boats". The boats played a major role in the economic development of ancient Kerala, moving cargo and men from the very nook and corner of otherwise unreachable area, cutting across the length and breadth of the land.

Enjoy your overnight stay in Kettuvallom.

Periyar – Madurai

Today morning, enjoy Boat ride in Periyar Tiger Reserve. It is an example of nature's bounty, with great scenic charm, rich bio diversity and providing veritable visitor satisfaction. Later drive to Madurai.
Madurai, the cultural capital of Tamilnadu with 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
On arrival transfer to the Hotel.

Madurai – Trichy - Tanjore (By surface 135 km / 03 hrs)

After breakfast drive to Trichy. On arrival in Trichy, visit the Rock Fort and also do the excursion to Srirangam the big temple city, which lies on an island on the Kaveri.
After the visit continue drive towards Tanjore. On arrival check in to the hotel
Overnight in the hotel

Tanjore – Mahabalipuram (By surface 280 kms / 06 to 07 hrs)

After breakfast drive to Mahabalipuram. Mamallapuram also called Mahabalipuram or Seven Pagodas, historic town, northeast Tamil Nadu state, southeastern India. It lies along the Bay of Bengal 37 miles (60 km) south of Chennai (Madras). The town’s religious centre was founded by a 7th-century-ce Hindu Pallava king, Narasimhavarman, also known as Mamalla, for whom the town was named. Ancient Chinese, Persian, and Roman coins found at Mamallapuram point to its earlier existence as a seaport. It contains many surviving 7th- and 8th-century Pallava temples and monuments, chief of which are the sculptured rock relief popularly known as “Arjuna’s Penance” or “Descent of the Ganges,” a series of sculptured cave temples, and a Shiva temple on the seashore. The town’s five rathas, or monolithic temples, are the remnants of seven temples, for which the town was known as Seven Pagodas. The entire assemblage collectively was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. Mamallapuram is a resort and tourist centre. It contains a college offering instruction in architecture and temple sculpture. On arrival check in to hotel

Mahabalipuram – Chennai (surface - 60 kms / 1 hr - 30 mins)

After breakfast drive to Chennai The history of Chennai illustrates that the city is about 400 years old and is also the 36th metropolitan city all across the world. The historical past of the city begins from the ancient rulers which were there in South India through colonization to the development in the 20th century. The Kapaleeshwarar temple, the Pallava Port and the Parthasarathi Temple of the 7th century are the effervescent facts to prove that the Chennai city has been present since the time immemorial. In early days though, Chennai was a group of many villages, hovering among the paddy fields, outlined by palm trees. The city was ruled by all the well-known dynasties of South India such as the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Vijaynagar kingdom. However, it was in the beginning of the 16th century that things started to shape up for the future.
It all started with the Portuguese, who came here in 1522 and constructed a port known as Sao Tome, after the Christian apostle, St. Thomas. Then in 1612 came the Dutch, who settled near Pulicat, the northern part of the city, followed by the East India Company. The previous name Madras which was taken from Madrasapattnam was the site selected by the British East India Company for an enduring settlement in 1639. This conurbation was set up by the two merchants of the East India Company, Francis Day and Andrew Cogan, to establish the factory. Besides this, a colony was built to serve as the headquarters, which got completed on 23rd April 1640, also known as St George's Day, and hence it was called as St. George's Fort. Later on, the province was formally called as the George Town which included various over-crowded streets with particular businesses, serving the British.
In Chennai visit Kapaleshvara Temple dedicated to God Shiva and offers a good example of South Indian colorful temple architecture. Fort St. George & the 16th century Portuguese old Cathedral of St. Thomas Church in which the remnants of St. Thomas is buried who came to India in 52 AD.
Later transfer to the hotel.