Cultural & Visual Explosion

Start point atA - Trichy Airport, Thirunagar, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India,Tiruchirappalli, TN

End point atQ - Trichy Airport, Thirunagar, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India,Tiruchirappalli, TN

Share on your social media

Day : 1 - Chettinad tour

Night stay at B1 - Kanadukathan, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -71 Kms.

Hotel - The Chettinad Heritage

Star Rating of Hotel :

Halt B1 - Kanadukathan, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -71 Kms.

Activities - Chettinad Village and Palaces tour, Bullock cart ride through Chettinad village

Factors at the Halt include : Palace / Monuments stay,Cultural / History,UNESCO Heritage Site,Unique Experiences.

On the first day of the trip, after picking you up from the Airport or Railway station in Trichy shall head to the Chettinad region in Tamil Nadu and make our base at the KanaduKathan village. At Kanadukathan we will do a circuit tour of the ancient palaces and mansions of the Chettinad region, in a traditional bullock cart. The full splendor of the Chettinad mansions can be enjoyed by the travelers as we drive through the neatly laid out grid lanes of the KanaduKathan village. The entire afternoon can be spent exploring the Chettinad mansions before we head to our mansion resort, where you can spend the night like a Chettinad Royalty in the Chettinad Mansion.

Day : 2 - Thanjavur And Velankanni Basillica

Halt C1 - Brihadeeswara Temple, Membalam Road, Balaganapathy Nagar, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -77 Kms.

Activities - Visit Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual,Cultural / History.

Night stay at D2 - Velankanni, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -129 Kms.

Hotel - Hotel Queens Inn

Star Rating of Hotel :

Halt D2 - Velankanni, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -129 Kms.

Activities - Visit Velankanni Basilica of our Lady of Good health, Velankanni Beach

Factors at the Halt include : Beach,Spiritual.

On Day 2 of the trip we shall set out on a 1.5 hour drive from Kanadukathan to reach the historic city of Thanjavur. Thanjavur is world-famous because of the Brihadishvara temple. Brihadishvara temple, is dedicated to Shiva located in the South bank of Cauvery river. It is one of the largest South Indian temples and an exemplary example of fully realized Tamil architecture. Built by Tamil king Raja Raja Chola I between 1003 and 1010 AD, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The original monuments of this 11th-century temple were built around a moat. It included gopura, the main temple, its massive tower, inscriptions, frescoes, and sculptures predominantly related to Shaivism, but also of Vaishnavism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism. The temple now stands amidst fortified walls that were added after the 16th century. Built out of granite, the vimana tower above the shrine is one of the tallest in South India. The temple has a massive colonnaded prakara (corridor) and one of the largest Shiva lingas in India. From Thanjavur we shall head East on a 2.5 hour drive to reach the world-famous Basillica of Our Lady of Good Health, in Velankanni. The Velankanni Basillica is set by the Velankanni beach. The Basillica is one of the most famous and holy Christian pilgrimage sites in the whole of India and is famous as a site of many miracles and healings. Devotion to Our Lady of Good Health of Velankanni can be traced back to the mid-16th century, attributed to 3 separate miracles believed by devotees to have been worked at the site: the apparition of Blessed Mary and the Christ Child to a slumbering shepherd boy, the healing of a handicapped buttermilk vendor, and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a deadly sea storm. Initially, a simple and modest chapel was built by the Portuguese in Goa and Bombay-Bassein, soon after they washed ashore safely in spite of a severe tempest. More than 500 years later, a 9-day-long festival is still celebrated and draws nearly 5 million pilgrims each year. The place has been called "the Lourdes of the East", because it is one of the most frequented pilgrimage centers in South Asia.

Day : 3 - Tranquebar & Pondy

Halt E1 - Tarangambadi, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -38 Kms.

Activities - Visit Danish Fort in Tranquebar, Karaikal and Tranquebar Tour

Factors at the Halt include : Cultural / History.

Night stay at F2 - Pondicherry, Puducherry, India
Distance from days start -139 Kms.

Hotel - Le Royal Park Hotel

Star Rating of Hotel :

Halt F2 - Pondicherry, Puducherry, India
Distance from days start -139 Kms.

Activities - Visit Pondicherry White Town, Promenade road, French Quarters and Beach

Factors at the Halt include : Beach,Cultural / History.

On Day 3 of the trip we shall leave from Velankanni on a 1 hour drive north along the coastal road to reach Tranquebar or currently known as Tharangambadi. Tranquebar was established on 19 November 1620, as the first Danish trading post in India. King Christian IV had sent his envoy Ove Gjedde who established contact with Raghunatha Nayak of Tanjore. An annual tribute was paid by the Danes to the Rajah of Tanjore until the colony of Tranquebar was sold to the British East India Company in 1845. En route to Tranquebar, we shall pass through Karaikal, a small town which is part of the Pondicherry administration. While in Tranquebar we shall visit the most important historical site of the region, the Danish Fort or the Fort Dansborg. Construction of Fort Dansborg started in 1620. Many parts of the fort have been reconstructed several times. Dansborg is the second-largest Danish fort ever constructed, with Kronborg in Helsingør being the largest. The rampart wall is a fairly large four-sided structure, with bastions at each cardinal point. A single-storied building was constructed along three inner sides of the rampart, with barracks, a warehouse, a kitchen, and a jail. On the eastern side of the fort, there was a two-storied building facing the sea. It was the main building of the fort. The vaulted lower storey served as a magazine and a warehouse, while the vaulted upper storey contained the church and the lodgings of the governor, the senior merchants, and the chaplain. The sea on the eastern and western side protected the fort. After visiting the Fort we shall further head north on another 2 hour drive to reach Pondicherry or Puducherry as how it is called currently. Pondicherry was a French colonial settlement in India until 1954, and is now a Union Territory town bounded by Tamil Nadu. Its French legacy is preserved in its French Quarter, with tree-lined streets, mustard-colored colonial villas, and chic restaurants, bars, and boutiques. A seaside promenade runs along the Bay of Bengal and passes several statues, including a 4m-high Gandhi Memorial. The town especially the French Quarters is best explored by walking but in any case, we shall do a little city tour as we approach the city before we check into our hotel in the French Quarters itself.

Day : 4 - Auroville and Puducherry

Halt G1 - Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -7 Kms.

Activities - Auroville Tour, Auroville Beach

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual,Cultural / History.

Halt H2 - Paradise Island Boat House, Nonankuppam, Puducherry, India
Distance from days start -6 Kms.

Activities - Sunset evening cruise and Boating to Paradise Island & Beach

Factors at the Halt include : Small Boats / Canoes.

On Day 4 of the trip, we shall set out to visit Auroville, an experimental township in Pondicherry. It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa (known as "the Mother") and designed by architect Roger Anger. As stated in Alfassas first public message in 1965, Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity. As a tourist, we can visit the campus of Auroville and the Matrimandir, which was conceived by Alfassa as "a symbol of the Divine's answer to man's aspiration for perfection". Silence is maintained inside the Matrimandir to ensure the tranquility of the space, and the entire area surrounding the Matrimandir is called the Peace area. Inside the Matrimandir, a spiraling ramp leads upwards to an air-conditioned chamber of polished white marble referred to as "a place to find one's consciousness". By afternoon we can head to the Boat club and go on a boat ride to Paradise Island and back. The evening can be spent exploring the cafes and promenade in the French quarter's area.

Day : 5 - Yercaud Hills

Night stay at J1 - Yercaud Lake, Tamil Nadu
Distance from days start -174 Kms.

Hotel - Kolahalam Mainland Resort

Star Rating of Hotel :

Halt J1 - Yercaud Lake, Tamil Nadu
Distance from days start -174 Kms.

Activities - Boating in Yercaud Lake, Visit Kiliyur waterfalls, Bears Cave Yercaud.

Factors at the Halt include : Forests,Hills,Treks,Small Boats / Canoes,Waterfalls,Caves / Springs.

On Day 5 of the trip we shall set west to the interior Tamil Nadu from the coast of Puducherry, to reach Yercaud a small hill station that is about 4.5 hours and 235 km away. Situated at a height of 1500 meters above sea level, Yercaud is a quaint hill station in the Shevaroys range of hills in the Eastern Ghats. Yercaud is known for its orange groves, and coffee, fruit, and spice plantations. Yercaud Lake has a boathouse and is surrounded by gardens and woods. On reaching Yercaud we can do boating in Yercaud lake, which is a naturally formed lake. The lovely garden situated along its banks and the high hills enclosing it from all sides bestow a charming look and a mesmerizing feel to the lake. We shall also visit Kiliyur waterfalls, falling from a height of 300 feet it is a memorable experience in Yercaud. And last we shall visit the Bears cave, a small cave that makes an interesting expedition while here, before we retire to our resort in the hills.

Day : 6 - Kolli Hills

Halt K1 - Waterfalls View Point, Way to Aagaya Gangai Water Falls, Ariyurnadu, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -121 Kms.

Activities - Visit Aagaya Gangai waterfalls

Factors at the Halt include : Treks,Waterfalls.

Halt L2 - Kolli Hills, Tamil Nadu
Distance from days start -121 Kms.

Activities - Drive through Kolli Hills

Factors at the Halt include : Treks,Wildlife.

Night stay at M3 - RJ Grand Resort, Semmedu Road, Valavanthinadu, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -114 Kms.

Hotel - RJ Grand Resort

Star Rating of Hotel :

On Day 6 of the trip we shall travel south from Yercaud hills on a 3.5 hour drive to reach Kolli Hills in Tamil Nadu. The Kolli hills is famous for the drive to reach there, especially the 74 steep hairpin bends that need to be negotiated to reach on top of the hills. The crisscrossing hairpin bend roads to Kolli Hills are quite a sight, and the hills are frequented mostly by bikers to experience this thrilling ride up the hill. The Kolli hills are set at a height of 1300 meters above sea level and the drive is all the experience about Kolli Hills. While in Kolli hills we can visit the Aagaaya Gangai waterfalls, a huge waterfalls that can be approached only by climbing over 1300 steps down and needless to say, up while returning. The water falls from a height of 300 feet and is worth the effort to reach it in every manner to reach this magnificent falls. After that, we can also visit the Maasilla falls another waterfall that is a lot easier to approach here. After a round trip of Kolli hills, we shall retire for the night at a resort that is set in the hills itself.

Day : 7 - Trichy

Halt N1 - Rockfort Hill, Trichy, Tamil Nadu
Distance from days start -126 Kms.

Activities - Visit Rockfort hill and Rock temple, Trichy

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual,Cultural / History.

Halt O2 - East Gopuram, Srirangam, Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -120 Kms.

Activities - Visit Srirangam temple

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual.

Night stay at P3 - Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -134 Kms.

Hotel - Grande Inn

Star Rating of Hotel :

Halt P3 - Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -134 Kms.

Activities - Trichy city tour

Factors at the Halt include : Shopping.

On Day 7 of the trip we descend the Kolli hills and head to Trichy, the fourth largest city in Tamil Nadu, where we shall visit the famous ShreeRangam temple and the Rock fort temple. The Srirangam temple is dedicated to God Maha Vishnu and it is massive as it occupies an area of 155 acres (63 ha) with 81 shrines, 21 towers, 39 pavilions, and many water tanks integrated into the complex making it the world's largest functioning Hindu temple. The temple town is a significant archaeological and epigraphical site, providing a historic window into the early and mid-medieval South Indian society and culture. Tiruchirappalli Rockfort,, is a historic fortification and temple complex built on an ancient rock. It is located in the city of Tiruchirappalli, on the banks of river Kaveri. It is constructed on an 83 metres (272 ft) high rock.There are two Hindu temples inside, the Ucchi Pillayar Temple, Rockfort and the Thayumanaswami Temple, Rockfort. After visiting both the temple complexes we can check into our hotel in Trichy city for a much-required rest for the night.

Day : 8 - Last Day of the Trip

On the last day of the trip we shall do a Trichy city tour and shopping, before dropping you off the Airport or Railway station for you to return home.