South India by Rail
Duration :
13 Nights / 14 Days
Destinations Covered: Chennai (Madras) - Madurai
- Periyar - Trivandram - Cochin - Bangalore - Mysore
Day 01: Chennai Arrive Chennai. Transfer to Hotel. Overnight
Chennai
Day 02: Chennai After breakfast, full Day tour of
Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram (64 kms from Chennai) is the ancient
capital of the Pallavas famous as a city of 1000 Temples and still has 124 shrines.
The first temple dedicated to Shiva was built in the 7th and 8th century and has
paintings on the walls. Temples of Ekambaswara, Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi and
Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for its silks. The
city of Mahabalipuram is famous for the seven pagodas. Here on the seashore is
an interesting group of ancient rock hewn temples which are the examples of Dravidian
style of Architecture.
Day 03 : Chennai After breakfast,
city tour of Chennai. Visit the Museum to see the Art and Bronze Gallery. Drive
through the Flower and Fruit market, High court, Fort museum, Marina Beach, Santhome
Cathedral and snake park . Check-out at 1200 hrs from the hotel. Late evening
transfer to railway-station for overnight journey to Madurai.
Day
04: Madurai Morning arrive Madurai and transfer to hotel. Afternoon visit
the great Meenakshi Temple dedicated to the consort of Lord Shiva. Later, visit
the Tirumala Nayak Palace - A gracious building in the Indo saracenic style, famous
for the Stucco work on its domes & arches. Also visit the Alagar Hills and
Tirupara Kundran Rock temple. Afternoon free. Overnight Madurai.
Day
05: Madurai / Periyar After breakfast, drive to Periyar National Park.
it extends to 777 square kms & forms part of the high mountain ranges, the
Western Ghats. Wild life can be seen while cruising on Periyar Lake in a motor
boat. Elephants, wild boar, sambar, tiger, leopard, wild dog, langur monkeys,
etc. can be seen easily. Overnight Periyar.
Day 06: Periyar / Trivandrum
After
breakfast, drive to Trivandrum viewing the scenic beauty enroute. Kerala is lush
green and is full of lakes and water. Overnight Trivandrum.
Day 07:
Trivandrum After breakfast, Day free in Trivandrum or optional tours to
Cape Comorin (Kanya Kumari - the southern most part of India) or nearby places
like Kovalam beach, etc. Overnight Trivandrum.
Day 08: Trivandrum
/ Cochin After breakfast, drive to Cochin visiting the Kerala villages
enroute.
Day 09: Cochin After breakfast, city tour of Cochin.
One of the finest natural harbours on the Arabian Sea coast, Kochi, earlier known
as Cochin, has been a pot of call for foreign traders from early times. Cochin
is the natural harbour created by the famed underwater Malabar mud-banks whose
quality ensures that the rougher the seas are outside and the calmer waters are
within the Harbour. Vasco-de-Gama placed it on the world map. It has a Jewish
synagogue, Portuguese churches, mosques and Hindu temples. Watch the Chinese Fishing
Nets. Checkout at 1200 hrs. Transfer to railway-station for overnight journey
to Bangalore.
Day 10: Bangalore Morning arrive Bangalore
and transfer to hotel followed by breakfast. Afternoon tour of Bangalore city,
visit the Lal Bagh with a variety of old trees, fountains, lotus pools, terraces
& an assortment of tropical and sub-tropical herbs. Also see the Maharaja's
Palace & Government Buildings. Overnight Bangalore.
Day 11: Bangalore
/ Mysore Morning arrive Bangalore railway station and drive to Mysore.
Arrive and transfer to hotel. Overnight Mysore.
Day 12: Mysore
Morning
visit the palace of the Maharaja built in 1911 - 1912. The palace is of harmonious
syntheses of the Hindu and saracenic styles of architecture with archways, domes,
turrets, colonnades and sculptures which are magnificent. Visit the Art Gallery;
drive upto Chamundi hill to see Chamundeshwari Temple and a panoramic view of
Mysore. On the way back, see the Nandi Bull. Afternoon free. Overnight Mysore.
Day 13: Mysore / Chennai After breakfast, morning free. Transfer
to rail-station to catch the train for Chennai. Arrive Chennai & transfer
to hotel.
Day 14: Chennai / Onward destination Transfer to
airport for onward destination.
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