Pondicherry, Thanjore & Trichy Tour 5 days

Day 1 Chennai - Pondicherry (235kms)

Pick up from your hotel or Chennai airport and drive to Pondicherry via visiting Kanchipuram Kailasanathar temple, Ekambareswarar temple, Varadharaja temple, Vaikundhaperumal temple & Kamakshiamman temple. Further drive to Mahabalipuram and visit Monolithic Temples, Five Rathas, an excellent example of the evolution of Dravidian style architecture. Krishna's Butterball is a gigantic granite boulder resting on a short incline. 7th century Cave Temples cut and decorated with panels in the Mamalla style. Shore Temple was built with blocks of granite in the 7th century during the rule of King Narsimha-Varman II Rajasimha. The temple complex consists of two Siva temples and a carving of Anantasayana Vishnu. The Arjuna`s Penance is an enormous rock-cut relief, one of the largest in the world. Continue driving to Pondicherry, check in & overnight at the hotel.

Day 2 Pondicherry (B)

Visit Auroville & Pondicherry Museum. Drive past or walk through stunning French Quarters, charming mustard streets and colonial villas which include the French consulate, Raj Nivas, Government Square, Churches & French schools. Evening to relax on the beach. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 Pondicherry - Thanjavur (185kms) (B)

Drive to Thanjavur. En route, visit Nataraja Temple, dedicated to the dancing posture of Lord Shiva at Chidambaram. Constructed during the 10th century when Chidambaram used to be the capital of the Chola dynasty, the architecture of the temple represents the link between arts and spirituality. Dedicated to the dancing posture of Lord Shiva. Gangaikonda Cholapuram is, temple complex which includes Nandi Mandapa, Alankar Mandapa, Maha Mandapa, Mukha Mandapa and Ardha Mandapa. And Darasuram Temple is a storehouse of art and architecture with an 85-feet-high vimana. The front mandapam itself is in the form of a huge chariot drawn by horses. The temple has some exquisite stone carvings. The main deity's consort, Periya Nayaki Amman temple, is situated adjacent to Airavateshwarar temple. Airavateshwarar temple is a storehouse of art and architecture. Arrive at Thanjavur, check in & overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 Thanjavur - Trichy (60kms) (B)

Visit Brihadeshwara Temple, built in the 10th century, which is an outstanding example of Chola architecture and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The shrine is a 216-foot structure, the sanctum is dotted with paintings from the Chola and Nayak periods and the statue of Nandi the Bull welcomes at the entrance. Vijayanagar Fort was built by Nayaks and partly by Maratha rulers during the early 1550 AD. The Thanjavur Art Gallery, located in the Thanjavur Palace, has an exquisite collection of ancient sculptures and coins. Saraswathi Mahal Library is another section of the Palace where over 30,000 palm leaf and paper manuscripts are preserved. Drive to Trichy, check in at the hotel. Later, visit Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, the largest functional temple in the world. The temple complex, along with the surrounding area, covers a total area of 156 acres. There are 22 gopurams, including India`s tallest, 72 meters, 13 storeys high. Many people have had a hand in its construction, including the Cheras, Pandyas, Cholas, Hoysalas and rulers from Vijayanagar. The 83m high Rock Fort is the only outcrop in the flat land of the city. The rock is one of the oldest in the world-approximately 3800 million years, which makes it as old as the rocks of Greenland and older than the Himalayas. Also visit Jambukeswarar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, which houses five concentric walls and seven gopurams. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5 Trichy - Chennai (330kms) (B)

Drive to Chennai, drop off at your hotel or airport.