Wildlife in South India

Chennai - Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram - Trichy - Madurai - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary - Cochin - Ooty - Bandipur Sanctuary - Bangalore - Chennai

DAY 01: Arrive - Chennai

On arrival at the airport meet with our representative and transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.

DAY 02: Chenanai - Mahabalipuram - Trichy

Full day sightseeing tour of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. Late in the evening transfer to railway station time to board train for Trichy. Overnight stay on board.

Kanchipuram - known as the Golden City of a Thousand Temples, is one of the oldest towns in India. It is famous for both its temples, many of them remarkably well preserved and for its hand-woven silks. Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred cities of India and it is the only one associated with both Shiva and Vishnu. Visit Ekambareshwar Temple, Kailashnath Temple, Kamakshi Temple, the Vaikunthaperumal Temple, all built in the 7th and 8th centuries. With a weaving tradition dating back to the Pallava era (when silk was the royal cloth), Kanchipuram is justly famous for its particularly fine silk saris, embellished with stunning patterns. Visit the local homes of the weavers and watch them create magic out of silk thread into saris.

Mahabalipuram - This is a small, quiet seaside resort with a unique 7th-century Shore Temple, a lovely beach and some of the most beautiful rock-cut temples in the world. Situated on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, Mahabalipuram was already a famous seaport in the 1st century AD. This, town was a workshop for temple building. Visit the seven pagoda-style shore temples, lashed by the waves of the sea and the seven rathas or temple chariots, a group of monolithic monuments & animal figures carved out of solid rock, the earliest known examples of Dravidian architecture. They were constructed in a single century-long burst of creative enthusiasm, starting in the reign of arasimhavarman 1 (AD 630-68). End the visit by photography of the beautiful Shore temples at sunset.

DAY 03: Arrive Trichy

On arrival at the railway station meet with our representative and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon - visit the 'Rock Fort Temple' which rises abruptly to a height of 273 ft. A steep staircase cut into the rock leads upto the Fort. At the first level are the remnants of a huge hall blasted into ruins in 1772. The next storey is the Mathrubhuteshwarer Shrine dedicated to Shiva. Finally at the top of the hill, the 'Uchhi Pillayar Koil' - a Ganesh Temple offering a commanding view of the city. Overnight at hotel

DAY 04: Trichy - Madurai (150 Km)

Morning city tour of Madurai visit the Meenakshi temple one of the biggest temple complexes in India - 46 ft. long by 790 ft broad built in the 17th Century. It is a rectangular twin shrine: the southern temple dedicated to Meenakshi (the consort of Shiva) and the other to Shiva. It is Madurai's greatest landmark - a file city within a city: the complex includes a bazaar that bustles from dawn to nightfall. The high point of the Meenakshi temple is Hall of a "Thousand Pillars", built in the 16th C which is as great a work of structural engineering as it is of art. Also visit the palace of Tirumala Nayak which is an example of the architectural mastery of the Nayaks - a blend of Hindu and Saracen architecture. It's enormous roofed arcade supported by 48 foot high stoned pillar still stands. At 9 PM, attend the night ceremony at the temple. This is a ceremony that takes place every evening when the temple bronze of Lord Shiva is carried to the bed chamber of Parvati. The procession is accompanied by religious prayer and temple music. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 05: Madurai - Periyar (186 Km)

Morning after breakfast drive to Periyar, On arrival check in at the resort. Overnight at resort.

DAY 06: Periyar

Early in the morning take a boat-cruise on the Lake, in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, to watch the wildlife. The lake is an artificial one created by a dam on the Periyar River. Watch wild elephants, Asiatic deer, black buck and tigers at the lake. After breakfast take a guided walk around the village to see how different spices are grown. Overnight at resort.

DAY 07: Periyar / Cochin (160 km)

Morning after breakfast drive to Cochin, on arrival check in at the hotel. In the afternoon city sightseeing tour. Visit the Mattancheery Dutch Palace where the superb series of murals painted on the wooden walls are its main attraction. Also visit the 16th century Jewish Synagogue and the Church of St. Francis. Vasco da Gama was originally buried in the Church''s cemetery. Walk around the Fort Cochin area and admire the Chinese Fishing Nets (this time from the land). Chinese traders are believed to have introduced them in the late 14th century. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 08: Cochin / Ooty (281 km)

Morning after breakfast drive to Ooty, on arrival check in at the hotel. Rest of the day free at leisure. Overnight stay at hotel.

Udhagamandalam, better known as Ooty is the most popular hill station in the South. Located in the Western ghats at a height of 2240m, Udhagamandalam is the headquarters of the Nilgiris district where the two ghats meet. Nature has been generous with this region, which is by far the most beautiful in the state. Apart from coffee and tea plantations, trees like conifers, eucalyptus, pine and wattle dot the hillside in Udhagamandalam and its environs. Summer temperature is rarely higher than 25°c with a minimum of 10°c and winters are distinctly cooler with a high of 21°c and a low 5°c.

DAY 09: Ooty

Morning after breakfast sightseeing tour of Ooty, visit including Mini Garden, At about one kilometre distance Tourist can visit this mini garden (Children's Lake Garden) which is on the way to Boat House. Art Gallery, Lalith kala Academy: It is situated about 2 kms, from Udhagamandalam in the main Mysore road. It has various collections of contemporary paintings and sculptures all over from India. Rose Garden, It is located just 3/4 kms away from Charring Cross. It lies with 10 acres of land with 1919 variety of roses. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 10: Ooty / Bandipur ( 80 km)

Morning after breakfast drive to Bandipur wild life sanctuary, on arrival check in at the wildlife resorts. In the afternoon game drive to the national park. Overnight at resort.

Bandipur national park located amidst the picturesque surroundings of the towering Western Ghat Mountains on the Mysore / Ooty highway in Karnataka. The national aprk was established in 1930's from the hunting lands of maharaja Voodiyar, it covers an area of about 874.2 sq km and expanded in 1941 to adjoin the Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu in the South, the Wayanad Sanctuary of Kerala in the Southwest and the Nagarhole National Park in the North to create the India's biggest biosphere reserve popularly known as the 'Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve'. In 1973, the Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as one of the nine tiger reserves of India under the famous Project Tiger Plan. And soon in 1974, under the Wildlife Protection Act, the sanctuary attained the status of a National Park. The Bandipur National Park occupies a special place in India's efforts towards Eco-conservation.

DAY 11: Bandipur national Park

Morning and evening game drive to the national park. Overnight at resort.

DAY 12: Bandipur / Bangalore (215 km)

Morning after breakfast at the resort leave for Bangalore, on arrival check in at the hotel. In the afternoon city sightseeing tour. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 13: Bangalore / Chennai / Departure

Transfer to the airport to board the flight for Chennai. On arrival meet at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day free at leisure. Late in the evening transfer to the airport to board the flight for onward destination.

Tour and Services Ends.

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Wildlife in South India (Tour Highlight)