Explore extraordinary destinations such as Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Pondicherry, Chidambaram, Tanjore, Trichy, Madurai, Periyar, Alleppey and Cochin on our Temple Tours in India. This Pondicherry journey through southern India promises an unforgettable cultural and spiritual immersion, blending tradition, nature and tranquillity. We offer a combined Pondicherry and South India package that reveals the spiritual richness of India, its unique architecture and its magnificent temple visits.
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN CHENNAI / MAHABALIPURAM (63 KM – 2H)
Assistance on arrival at CHENNAI (MADRAS) airport.
Then an orientation tour of Chennai. Visit the San Thome Basilica, built in the 16th century by the Portuguese and later remodelled as a cathedral. It houses the saint's relics in its crypt and also contains a statue of the Virgin Mary, about 90 cm tall, brought from Portugal in 1543. Next, visit Fort St. George, built in 1654, from which the British presence in southern India was gradually organised. After the departure of the British this central role endured, as the fort still houses part of the regional administration of Tamil Nadu today.
After lunch, drive to Mahabalipuram.
MAHABALIPURAM lies on the Tamil coast; the Pallava dynasty established a trading port here from which, in the 7th and 8th centuries, it exported its culture and civilisation to Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam. Visit the site, made up of numerous temples, an immense bas-relief and sculpted caves with high reliefs depicting the myths of Hinduism.
On arrival, check in at the hotel.
Free evening to enjoy the beach.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 2: MAHABALIPURAM / KANCHIPURAM / MAHABALIPURAM (130 km - 3h)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Set off on an excursion to Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram, known as the "golden city", was the capital of the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. It is a sacred city whose religious centres welcomed Buddhism and Jainism even before the Christian era. Under Pallava rule, the city became the centre of the revival of Hinduism in the South. Visit the Ekambareshvara Temple, with its Mandapam, a hall of a thousand pillars. Lunch.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Then free time for shopping.
In the evening, return to Mahabalipuram and, on arrival, visit the crocodile farm.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 3: MAHABALIPURAM / PONDICHERRY (100 KM – 2h30)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Discover the Descent of the Ganges, also known as "Arjuna's Penance", a magnificent bas-relief carved into a rock face, then the group of five Rathas, monolithic temples sculpted from granite boulders, as well as the Shore Temple, the emblematic monument of Mahabalipuram, built at the end of a vast beach of fine sand, facing the ocean. Lunch.
Depart for PONDICHERRY, the former French trading post that seems never to have forgotten its three centuries of French presence. It was in 1673 that François Martin, a merchant with a taste for adventure, founded a trading post he named Poudouchery (the new village), a name that, misspelt by Colbert's scribes, would become Pondicherry. From its founding, Pondicherry was divided between the colonial "white town" and the "black town", separated by a canal.
Lunch, then visit the museum, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the Samadhi (tomb), a meditation centre in the heart of the city. Sri Aurobindo, a Bengali philosopher and poet, founded the community that bears his name together with a Frenchwoman. He had also envisioned a university township, "Auroville", to welcome scholars and artists of all nationalities. His tomb is a place of contemplation and veneration, filled with genuine fervour.
In the evening, take a rickshaw ride through the old French quarter: the Lycée Français, the École Française d'Extrême-Orient, the Notre Dame des Anges church, the seafront and the statue of Dupleix, and more.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 4: PONDICHERRY / CHIDAMBARAM / TANJORE (200 KM – 3H30)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Early departure for CHIDAMBARAM, located halfway between Pondicherry and Tanjore. Visit this remarkable 22-hectare sacred complex, characteristic of Dravidian (Chola) India, with its four great gopurams dedicated to Shiva Nataraja, the king of dance. Two of the gopurams are adorned with sculptures illustrating the 108 positions of the "Natya Shastra", the treatise on the choreography of Hindu ritual dances.
Continue to Tanjore. Explore the city: the Brihadishwara Temple, still active, dedicated to the god Shiva (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). This granite sanctuary rises 70 metres high and is crowned by an 80-tonne monolithic block. Visit the museum housed in the former Nayak Palace, dating from the 16th century, to admire the famous Chola bronzes.
In the evening, take a bullock-cart ride through the local market.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 5: TANJORE / TRICHY / TANJORE
Breakfast at the hotel.
Depart to visit Tiruchirapalli, located in central Tamil Nadu on the bank of the Cauvery River, also known as TRICHY.
Discover the Vaishnavite sanctuary of Srirangam, a veritable religious city surrounded by 7 enclosures with 21 monumental gopurams. It is the largest temple in Tamil Nadu.
Return to the hotel.
Free time at the local market.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel
DAY 6: TANJORE / MADURAI (199 KM – 3H30)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive towards Madurai. On arrival in Madurai, visit the Tirumalai Nayak Palace, founded in 1636. Explore the flower, fruit and vegetable market.
In the evening, visit the Sri Meenakshi Temple (a Tuk-Tuk ride to the Meenakshi Temple), a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture that impresses with its sheer scale and profusion of colour, with its 11 gopurams soaring above the rooftops.
You will then attend the religious Aarti ceremony, which Hindus perform to give thanks to their deity.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel
DAY 7: MADURAI / PERIYAR (150 KM – 3H30)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Then depart for Thekkady. Arrive in this charming little town surrounded by countless hills and fragrant plantations. Check in at the hotel.
Lunch.
In the evening, enjoy a Kalarippayattu martial arts performance.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 8: PERIYAR
Breakfast at the hotel.
You will visit Periyar National Park, a major tourist attraction in the state of Kerala. During a boat ride, you can admire the park's birds and wildlife. The very sound of the word Thekkady evokes elephants.
Visit a spice plantation in Thekkady, with time set aside for spice shopping at the local market. Lunch.
Free time at the local market.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel
DAY 9: PERIYAR / ALLEPPEY / HOUSEBOAT (130 KM – 3H30)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive to Alleppey to board your houseboat. Embark on your "HOUSEBOAT". Lunch on board. Cruise along the backwaters (lagoons and canals) of Kerala through villages and rice paddies. All along the Kerala coast, sometimes reaching quite far inland, a series of lagoons, lakes, rivers and canals shape a very distinctive way of life for the region's inhabitants and form fascinating waterways. One cannot visit Kerala without spending some time cruising these waters. You will cross shallow lakes lined with palm trees, dotted with Chinese fishing nets, and navigate along narrow, shaded canals where you will watch coir (coconut fibre), copra (dried coconut kernel removed from its shell) and cashew nuts being loaded onto the barges. Dinner and overnight on board your "HOUSEBOAT".
Dinner and overnight on board
DAY 10: ALLEPPEY / COCHIN (60 km / 1h30)
Breakfast on board.
Then drive to Cochin. Cochin refers to a cluster of islands and towns. It was here that the first European "settlers" established themselves in India around 1500, led by Vasco da Gama, who died here holding the title of Portuguese viceroy of India. His tomb still exists, but his remains were taken back to Lisbon. Tradition holds that the apostle preached the gospel here. Fort Cochin and St. Francis Church, the oldest European church in the country, was built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan monks who accompanied the expedition led by Pedro Alvarez Cabral. Originally made of wood, the church was rebuilt in stone around the mid-16th century. Cochin is also one of the most important trading ports in Kerala.
On arrival in Cochin, check in at the hotel and enjoy free time at the local market for shopping.
In the evening, watch a Kathakali dance performance. Kathakali is a classical Indian dance-drama from Kerala, known for its elaborate costumes, vivid make-up and stylised acting techniques, telling stories from the Hindu epics through hand gestures and intricate facial expressions. Return to your hotel.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 11: COCHIN
Breakfast at the hotel.
After breakfast, take a final tour of the city of Cochin, "the queen of the Arabian Sea", the largest natural harbour in India. Visit Cochin's Dutch Palace (closed on Fridays), also known as the Mattancherry Palace, where you will find some of the finest sacred murals in southern India. On the upper floor, the coronation hall contains objects that belonged to the ruler of Cochin, Raja Veera Kerala Varma (1537-1561).
Visit the synagogue (closed on Fridays and Saturdays), dating from 1568, the oldest in the Commonwealth. In the late afternoon, be sure to stroll along the seafront, where you will see the immense Chinese fishing nets in action, evoking the memory of the first sailors.
Free evening at the local market for your last purchases in India.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 12: DEPARTURE FROM COCHIN
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
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| 3* PRICE PER PERSON | 4* PRICE PER PERSON | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 paying passengers in a double room | EURO 1275 per person | EURO 1450 per person |
| Single-room supplement | EURO 585 per single room | EURO 660 per single room |
Proposed hotels based on standard rooms
| City | 3* HOTELS | 4* HOTELS | No. of Nights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahabalipuram | Hotel Mamallaa Heritage | MGM Beach resort | 02 |
| Pondicherry | Shenbaga | Shenbaga | 01 |
| Tanjore | Sangam Hotel | Indeco Swamimalai | 02 |
| Madurai | Heritage Residency | Amika Hotel | 01 |
| Periyar | Pepervine | Pepervine | 02 |
| Alleppey | AC House boat | AC House boat | 01 |
| Cochin | Abad Plaza Hotel | The Old Court House By Abad | 02 |
| TOTAL | 11 nights |
Cancellation fees are as follows
| 45 – 30 Days | 20% of the trip price per person |
|---|---|
| 29 – 16 Days | 40% of the trip price per person |
| 15 – 08 Days | 70% of the trip price per person |
| 07 – 02 Days | 80% of the trip price per person |
| Day 01 or no-show | 100% of the trip price |
We wish you a wonderful journey
HIGHLIGHTS AND LITTLE TREATS :)
OUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
RATES IN EUR AND PER PERSON OUR PRICES ARE VALID FROM 01 FEB TO 28 FEB 2026
OUR PRICE INCLUDES:
- ACCOMMODATION: Accommodation in a double room in hotels for 11 nights.
- MEALS: Half board as mentioned in the programme (meals start from lunch on Day 01 through breakfast on Day 12).
- THE GUIDE: The services of English-speaking accompanying guides (staying in separate hotels).
- TRANSPORT: The transfers, visits and excursions mentioned in the programme, by car or large coach.
- ENTRANCE FEES: Entrance fees to the sites and monuments as per the programme.
- TAXES: The "ASI Monument Charge" taxes as per the programme. The new government tax.