Itinerary
- Day 1
Departure to Chennai
Your flight departs Frankfurt heading to Chennai in South India, where you'll land and start exploring Tamil temples and cultural heritage sites in the region.
Landmarks Chennai Airport - Day 2
Chennai
You'll arrive in Chennai and get settled at your accommodation. After checking in, the afternoon opens up for a city tour where you'll see Kapaleeshwarar Temple, St. Thomas Cathedral, and Fort St. George. By evening, head to the beach to wind down after traveling.
Included Activities
- City tour of Chennai
- Visit Kapaleeshwarar Temple
- Visit St. Thomas Cathedral
- Visit Fort St. George
Optional Activities
- Evening beach visit
Landmarks Kapaleeshwarar Temple St. Thomas Cathedral Fort St. George - Day 3
Chennai to Pondicherry
Starting early, you'll drive toward Pondicherry with stops in Kanchipuram to visit temples along the way. Once you reach Mahabalipuram, walk through the Shore Temple and check out Arjuna's Penance, a massive rock carving that's quite something to see in person. From there, continue on to Pondicherry, arriving by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit temples in Kanchipuram
- Visit Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram
- Visit Arjuna's Penance (Descent of the Ganges)
Landmarks Kanchipuram Temples Shore Temple Arjuna's Penance - Day 4
Pondicherry
After breakfast, spend time at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a major spiritual center that draws visitors from across India. Next, head to Auroville to see the experimental community and the Matrimandir, that distinctive golden meditation sphere at its center. Later in the evening, walk through the French Quarter to take in the colonial architecture.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram
- Visit Auroville
- Visit Matrimandir
- Explore French Quarter (White City)
Landmarks Sri Aurobindo Ashram Auroville Matrimandir French Quarter - Day 5
Chidambaram to Thanjavur
Head toward Thanjavur with a stop at the Chidambaram temple complex, which is dedicated to Nataraja. You'll look at the ancient Tamil architecture and grab some local curry for lunch before driving to Thanjavur for a 2-night stay there.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Chidambaram Temple Complex
- Explore Nataraja shrine and Hindu mythology architecture
- Taste local curry
Landmarks Chidambaram Temple Complex - Day 6
Trichy and Srirangam Day Trip
Take a day trip to Trichy to see Srirangam, which has the largest temple complex in India. Visit the Ranganath Swami Temple and climb the historic Rock Fort for views across the city, then return to Thanjavur. Later you'll check out the 1,000-year-old Brihadisvara Temple and walk through the royal palace complex with its art gallery and palm leaf library.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Srirangam's Ranganath Swami Temple (largest temple complex in India)
- Explore Rock Fort (17th century, 83-meter-high)
- Visit Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Explore Thanjavur palace complex
- Visit art gallery in palace complex
- Visit palm leaf library in palace complex
Landmarks Ranganath Swami Temple Rock Fort Brihadisvara Temple Thanjavur Palace - Day 7
Chettinad
Drive to Chettinad to see the magnificent villas and noble mansions built by wealthy Chettiars merchants. Learn about rural village life in the area, then participate in a cooking demonstration and try traditional Chettinad dishes at dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional Chettinad cuisine)
Included Activities
- Admire Chettiars' magnificent villas and mansions
- Learn about rural village life in Chettinad
- Participate in Chettinad cooking demonstration
- Taste traditional Chettinad cuisine at dinner
- Day 8
Chettinad to Madurai
Travel to Madurai, which is South India's holiest city. Walk through the vibrant old town and see the Thirumalai-Nayak Palace, then attend an evening ceremony at Sri Meenakshi Temple where you'll be surrounded by pilgrims, drums, incense, and candlelight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Thirumalai-Nayak Palace
- Explore Madurai old town
- Participate in evening ceremony at Sri Meenakshi Temple
Landmarks Sri Meenakshi Temple Thirumalai-Nayak Palace - Day 9
Madurai to Periyar National Park
Drive through tea, coffee, and spice plantations as you head to Periyar National Park. In early evening, take a boat ride on Periyar Reservoir where you can watch for elephants, tigers, buffalo, deer, leopards, and various monkey species in the wild.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Scenic drive through tea, coffee, and spice plantations
- Boat ride on Periyar Reservoir for wildlife observation
Landmarks Periyar National Park Periyar Reservoir - Day 10
Periyar to Kochi
Arrive in Kochi and explore the Mattancherry district, which has a Jewish synagogue, Dutch palace, and Franciscan church showing European colonial influences. You'll have free time to wander around and check out the city at your own pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Mattancherry district
- Visit Jewish synagogue
- Visit Dutch palace
- Visit Franciscan church
- Explore colonial-era cityscape
Landmarks Mattancherry - Day 11
Kochi Backwaters Houseboat
Board a traditional houseboat and cruise through the backwaters on a boat trip. Navigate through a network of canals with palm groves and rice fields lining the route, seeing authentic rural life along the shore. Your overnight stay is on the houseboat itself.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Boat trip through backwaters with traditional houseboat
- Experience authentic rural life along canals
Landmarks Kerala Backwaters - Days 12 - 15
Beach Resort on Indian Ocean
Spend four relaxing days at a beachfront resort on the Indian Ocean, with time on the beach or by the pool after your busy temple exploring. The hotel spa offers Ayurvedic massage if you want to add that (75°F/24°C, tropical climate).
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Beach relaxation
- Pool relaxation
Optional Activities
- Ayurvedic massage at hotel spa (bookable on site)
- Day 16
Departure from Kochi
After breakfast, head to Kochi Airport for your return flight to Frankfurt, arriving the same day.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Kochi Airport
