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Tamil Nadu Discovery

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Thayumanaswami Temple, Trichy

Thayumanaswami Temple, Trichy

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Mahabalipuram Temple

Mahabalipuram Temple

Brihadeeswarar Temple

Brihadeeswarar Temple

 

Tamil Nadu Discovery

Discover the best of Tamil Nadu on a 9 night cultural journey through one of India's most colourful regions.

Fly to Chennai and transfer for 2 nights by the sea front shore temple at Mahabalipuram.

Discover the French influence in Pondicherry and make a fascinating visit to the experimental city of Auroville.

Visit the important art and religious centre of Tanjore and take an excursion to Trichy, visiting the Rock Fort and the Ganesh Temple.

Experience a taste of Tamil Nadu cuisine in Chettinad before heading to Madurai to explore the Sri Meenakshi Temple.

Finish your Tamil Nadu discovery in Chennai with it's colonial heritage.

As with all of our holidays to India, this one can be ammended to suit you as you wish - so just let us know your preferences.

 

Inclusions

  • International flights from UK
  • Accommodation with breakfast
  • All airport transfers by private car
  • Private car, driver and guide
  • Entrance Fees

Accommodation

  • 2 nights Mahabalipuram
  • 1 night Pondicherry
  • 2 nights Swamimalai
  • 2 nights Chettinad
  • 1 night Madurai
  • 1 night Chennai

Excursions

  • Mahabalipuram & Kancheepuram
  • Half day tour Pondicherry
  • Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram
  • Swamimalai
  • Full day tour Trichy
  • Half day tour Madurai

Day 1: Fly UK to Chennai

Overnight flight from UK to Chennai.

Day 2: Mahabalipuram  

On arrival you will be met and transferred to your chosen hotel in Mahabalipuram.

Enjoy the rest of the day free to relax.

Overnight: Mahabalipuram
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 3: Mahabalipuram

Enjoy a morning tour of Mahabalipuram including the Shore Temple, Arjuna's Penance, and Artisans Village etc.

In the afternoon depart to Kancheepuram, the 'City of Thousand Temples' , which is also famous for hand-woven silk fabrics.

Return to your hotel in the evening.

Overnight: Mahabalipuram
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 4: Pondicherry

After breakfast, drive to Pondicherry,  a charming coastal town with a few enduring pockets of French culture and an ashram.

Check in to your hotel and in the afternoon, explore nearby Auroville, Pondicherry Museum and the Botanical Gardens. The evening is free.

Overnight: Pondicherry
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 5: Swamimalai

Depart for Swamimalai and visit Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram en-route.

On arrival, check into the resort and in the afternoon enjoy a tour of Tanjore.

Visit the most spectacular Brihadeeswara Temple, Saraswathi Mahal Library and Art Gallery with a large collection of Chola bronzes - a unique example of Hindu architecture.

Overnight: Swamimalai
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 6: Swamimalai

Enjoy a day excursion to Trichy, visiting the Rock Fort and the Ganesh Temple built at its highest point.

Also visit the Tayumanaswamy and Sriranqam temples.

Overnight: Swamimalai
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 7: Chettinad

Depart for Chettinad and check in to your private bungalow for a 2 night stay.

Overnight: Chettinad
Meals: All Meals included

Day 8: Chettinad

Your host will introduce you to the local Chettinad cuisine and, given the slightest encouragement, will regale you with stories of local folklore.

Overnight: Chettinad
Meals: All Meals included

Day 9: Madurai

Drive to Madurai in the morning and check in to your hotel.

In the afternoon enjoy a tour of Madurai, visiting the Meenakshi Temple, Thirumalai Naicker Palace, Koodal Azhagar Temple and the Gandhi Museum.

In the evening, visit the Meenakshi Temple to attend the Pooja ceremony.

Overnight: Madurai
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 10: Chennai

In the morning, transfer to Madurai Airport to catch your flight to Chennai.

On arrival you will be met and transferred to your chosen hotel with the rest of the day free. You can add on an excursion in Chennai if you wish.

Overnight: Chennai
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 11: Chennai - UK

Transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK.

Day 12: Arrive UK

Arrive back in the UK.

Is this a Private Tour or a Group Tour?

All of our tours are private tailor made itineraries, customised for you - we can amend things to entirely suit you.

You will have your own private car, driver and guide on excursions and for transfers around India.

Vehicles are modern and air-conditioned and bottled water is provided.

What are the departure dates?

Let us know your preferred dates of travel and we will find the best and most suitable flights to fit your itinerary.

As this is a private tour, there are no set departure dates.

Which Airlines do you use?

We work with all the major airlines flying to India.

Typically for India, British Airways, Virgin, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air India and Jet Airways are the airlines we most often use.

However, just let us know your preferred airline if you have one. We can organise flights from any regional destination in the UK.

There are currently direct flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa and Ahmedabad.

Which Hotels do you use?

We're careful with our choice of hotels in India, but we're guided by our customers also. If you have some preferred hotels, just let us know.

We specialise in boutique hotels and so we will often suggest some of our favourite smaller hotels where we think these will be suitable.

We keep on top of hotel developments in India through our own inspection trips and also through the expertise of our local partners. We also keep tabs on feedback online and from our customers.

India has a really great choice of heritage hotels in Rajasthan in particular - usually former royal palaces or lodges converted into boutique hotels - often very luxurious, usually very atmospheric.

There are also many great boutique hotel options in destinations such as Tamil Nadu which we try to utilise. The bigger cities have some outstanding luxury hotels and an increasing number of smaller, more interesting options too.

Do you cater for Solo Travellers & Families?

Yes, we have many solo travellers. India can present some challenges to travelling alone, which is why being accompanied by a professional driver and guide can take so much of the concern away.

India is suitable for adventurous families of all ages and we can tailor something specifically to fit your family's needs.

Bear in mind that driving distances can be long in India and a family holiday to India requires some careful planning.

How long have you been organising holidays to India?

We've been organising tailor made holidays to India for over 10 years.

Our team has a wealth of combined experience in the industry and our Director has been involved in organising holidays to India since the early 1990's.

Our partners on the ground in India have over 20 years experience in operating there.

They understand the country inside out and have a strong infrastructure of staff, guides and vehicles.

We've had the same partnerships in India for over 10 years.

How do I get the most out of my India trip?

India is such a large country that it's often overwhelming looking at the different destinations and trying to work out what to include.

We often find that our customers come with a 'shopping list' of destinations for a tour of India that has run out of control.

In our experience we usually need to tone down people's expectations of how much of India they can see in one trip and we try to steer the focus on to one or two areas.

This Tamil Nadu itinerary is focused on this relatively small corner of India but can be combined with neighbouring Kerala to make a longer Southern India journey.

Of course we're guided by you, but we recommend trying to include a variety of sights or activities on a trip and also to allow some days to slow down the pace as India can feel quite intense.

Hotel Suggestions Mahabalipuram - Superior:

Intercontinental Mahalabalipuram

Hotel Suggestions Pondicherry - Superior:

Villa Shanti

Hotel Suggestions Swamimalai - Superior:

Mayapuri Amira

Hotel Suggestions Chettined - Superior:

Ask us for details

Hotel Suggestions Madurai - Superior:

Heritage Madurai

Hotel Suggestions Chennai - Superior:

La Woods

9 nights Tamil Nadu Discovery - Superior:

  • Price from £1,795 pp

This is a guide price only, based on travel in low season.

Prices will vary according to choice of hotel and seasonal airfare and hotel surcharges. Please ask us for any current special offers.

Contact Us:

All of our Kerala Holidays are completely tailor made and we can put together any kind of itinerary to suit your interests and budget.

Call us now to speak to an India holiday expert about your India holiday or honeymoon to India.

Call us now on 0333 7000 747

Click to enquire by email


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