South India Temple Tour

You are met on arrival in Chennai and transferred to the hotel. After freshening up, visit the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam temple in T. Nagar and the Sri Parthasarathy Temple at Triplicane, one of the 108 Divya Desams, dedicated to Lord Krishna as the divine charioteer. The evening is at leisure. Special entrance at the Parthasarathy Temple costs 100 per person, paid directly.

A full day of temple visits in Chennai, taking about five hours. Begin at the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore with its tall Dravidian gopuram, then visit the Gangadheeswarar Temple in Purasawalkam and the Ashtalakshmi Temple by the sea. End with darshan at the Nanganallur Anjaneyar Temple, home to one of the tallest Hanuman murtis. The evening is free. Special entrance at the Ashtalakshmi and Kapaleeswarar temples costs 100 each per person, paid directly.

Drive towards Tirupati, stopping at Sri Kalahasti, the Vayu or Air Lingam and one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalas of Lord Shiva. On arrival, offer prayers at the Padmavathi Ammavari Temple at Tiruchanur before darshan of Lord Venkateswara at the Tirumala Balaji Temple on the seven hills. Special darshan at Tirumala costs 500 per person, paid directly.

Drive to Kanchipuram, one of the seven holiest cities of India. Visit the Varadharaja Perumal Temple and the 8th century Kailasanathar Temple, a sandstone temple of the Pallava era. After check in, visit the Kamakshi Amman Temple and end the day at the Ekambareswarar Temple, the Prithvi or Earth Lingam among the Pancha Bhoota Sthalas. Special entrance at Ekambareswarar costs 100 per person, paid directly.

Travel to Kumbakonam in the Kaveri delta. On the way, visit the Thillai Natarajar Temple at Chidambaram, the Akasha or Space Lingam among the Pancha Bhoota Sthalas, and the nearby Thillai Kaali Temple. On arrival, offer evening prayers at the Kasi Viswanathar Temple and the Adi Kumbeswarar and Chakrapani Swamy Temple.

A day of about four hours of temple visits around Kumbakonam. Visit the UNESCO listed Airavateeswarar Temple at Darasuram, built in the Chola style, and the Mahamaham Tank. Devotees may also offer prayers at some of the Navagraha or nine planet temples in the region.

On the way to Trichy, visit the Brihadeeswarar Temple, also called Thanjai Periya Koil, in Thanjavur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by Raja Raja Chola. After check in, visit the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, foremost of the 108 Divya Desams and one of the largest functioning temple complexes in the world, followed by the Jambukeswarar Temple, the Appu or Water Lingam. Special entrance at Sri Ranganathaswamy costs 100 per person, paid directly.

Begin with darshan at the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple and the Akkarapatti Baba Temple, then continue to Tirupattur for the Brahmapureeswarar Temple, one of the few shrines dedicated to Lord Brahma. In the evening, climb to the hilltop Ucchi Pillayar or Rockfort Ganesh Temple for views over the Kaveri and Trichy. Entrance at Ucchi Pillayar costs 10 per person, paid directly.

Drive to the island of Rameshwaram, crossing the Pamban Bridge over the sea. After check in, take the traditional bath at the 22 sacred Theerthams or wells inside the temple, then offer prayers at the Ramanathaswamy Temple, a Jyotirlinga and one of the Char Dham, known for the longest pillared corridor in India.

Drive to Madurai for darshan at the Meenakshi Amman Temple, with its sculpted gopurams, dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar. After check in, visit the hill shrine of Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple, one of the six Arupadai Veedu abodes of Lord Murugan. Special entrance at Meenakshi Amman costs 100 per person, paid directly.

Travel to Srivilliputhur, birthplace of the poet saint Andal, to visit the Andal Sametha Rangamannar Temple, whose gopuram appears on the Tamil Nadu state emblem. Continue to Tirunelveli for evening darshan at the Nava Tirupati, nine Divya Desam shrines of Lord Vishnu associated with the nine planets.

Reach Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India where three seas meet. Offer prayers at the Kumari Amman Temple, then take the ferry to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and see the Thiruvalluvar Statue standing in the sea. End the day at Kanyakumari Beach.

Rise early for the sunrise at Kanyakumari. After breakfast, drive towards Trivandrum, stopping at the Sree Adikesava Perumal Temple at Thiruvattar, a Divya Desam regarded as the elder shrine of Padmanabhaswamy. In the evening, visit the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, where Lord Vishnu reclines in the Ananthasayanam form. Special entrance at Padmanabhaswamy, with breakfast, costs 180 per person, paid directly, and a traditional dress code applies.

A relaxed final day in Trivandrum. After a leisurely morning, visit the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, often called the Sabarimala of women, and see the cultural landmarks around the city. The Napier Museum is an optional visit, with entry at 10 per person. The evening is free for shopping or rest.

After breakfast, check out and transfer for your onward journey, where the tour ends.