Chennai to Kochi, explore the senses

Arrive at Chennai International Airport, the capital of Tamil Nadu, founded in the 17th century by the British Empire. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart by road to Mahabalipuram. En route, visit Kanchipuram, known as the "Golden City" with its thousands of temples. It is one of the 7 sacred cities of Hinduism and the former capital of the Pallava dynasty.
Enjoy a hand-weaving demonstration. Continue towards Mahabalipuram, a seaside resort with white sand beaches and clear waters on the Coromandel coast, renowned for its Seven Pagodas. Over 2,000 years ago, this city was a famous port for trade among Phoenician, Arab, and Greek merchants. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Mahabalipuram site, the birthplace of stone architecture in southern India: the Shore Temple, sculpted on the western side of a rocky outcrop, illuminated by the sunrise. This 27-meter by 9-meter panel depicts the legend of the Ganges’ descent, which Lord Shiva received in his hair to save Earth from the river’s destructive force.
The Shore Temple is thus dedicated to Shiva, as evidenced by the many freestanding statues of the Nandi bull seen in the courtyard.
Discover the Five Rathas, temples shaped like chariots (rathas) that are commonly seen in southern India. These small monolithic monuments are adorned with high-relief carvings depicting gods from the Brahmanic pantheon, such as Shiva, Durga, and Indra. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Travel by road to Pondicherry, the former French colony with the quiet charm of a French sub-prefecture in the tropics. Arrive and check in at the hotel. Visit the Government Museum (closed on Mondays). Then, visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a residence where Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived, which attracts people from around the world.
Enjoy a rickshaw ride. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, depart by road for Thanjavur. En route, stop at Chidambaram, which was the capital of the Chola rulers from 907 to 1310, and where the Nataraja temple was built towards the end of this period. This 22-hectare complex has four large Gopurams adorned with finely carved bas-reliefs depicting Hindu myths and facing the four cardinal points.
Continue to Gangaikondacholapuram, the former capital of the Chola Empire, built by King Rajendra around 1025 to commemorate his victory over the Pala dynasty of Bengal. An inscription indicates that King Rajendra ordered the defeated princes of Bengal to transport sacred water from the Ganges to his new capital, where he built a massive reservoir to store it. The city is now in ruins, with only the Rajendreshvara Temple remaining.

Stop at Kumbakonam to visit a school (Sankara Mutt) where young children live and train to become priests. In addition to a strict adherence to tradition, children learn the Vedas (ancient Hindu religious texts). It takes seven years to complete their education. If you inform the priest in advance, you can listen to a prayer recited by the school’s students. You can then interact with the students and teacher, who serves as an interpreter.

Finally, arrive in Thanjavur and check in at the hotel. Thanjavur (or Tanjore) was the former capital of the Chola, Pallava, Pandya, and Chera monarchs. Endless struggles tore these dynasties apart as they vied for power. The city is renowned for its Shiva temple and art gallery. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

City tour : the Shiva temple, called Brihadeeshwara, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was built by the Chola king Raja Raja between 1003 and 1010. Raja Raja witnessed the installation of the copper pot (kalash) on the top of the 13-story vimana, which is 66 meters tall and topped by a monolithic block weighing 81 tons.
Enjoy our special “Discovering the Veena” program while in Thanjavur. Visit one of the houses where these magnificent instruments are still made. The Veena is one of the three celestial musical instruments, along with the flute and the mridangam, referenced in Vedic times. You can observe how these traditional instruments are hand-carved and discuss with the owner, whose family has been crafting Veenas for generations. The instrument is made from a specific type of jackfruit tree trunk that grows only in this area.

Then, take an excursion to Trichy and visit the hilltop fort and temples. Explore the Sri Ranganathaswami Vishnu sanctuary on an island in a religious town, surrounded by seven enclosures with 21 pyramid-shaped gopurams (towers).
Return to Thanjavur. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart by road to Madurai. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel, followed by a city tour of Madurai :

The Meenakshi Temple with its towering spires (the tallest is over 48 meters), one of the largest and most impressive temples in India, dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort, the goddess Meenakshi. The main attractions include the Golden Lotus Tank, the Hall of a Thousand Pillars, and the temple’s art museum.

The 18th-century Thirumalai Nayak Palace is a beautiful example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. It is notable for the proportion and size of its enormous arches supported by sculpted and painted columns surrounding the large courtyard adorned with trees. Enjoy a tuk-tuk ride. In the evening, attend the Shiva bedtime ceremony. Overnight at the hotel.

Visit the flower market. Return to the hotel for breakfast. Depart by road to Munnar. Munnar is a small town surrounded by the hills of Devan Kannan, renowned for its lakes, forests, and especially its tea plantations. Its tea production is among the largest in the world. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy an interesting “Make Your Own Tea” program at the Lockhart Tea Factory. This program offers guests a unique experience of making their own tea by hand. The activity includes picking green leaves, rolling dried leaves, and breaking down the rolled leaves. Finally, you can taste the tea that you made yourself. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart by road to Alleppey, also known as the Venice of the East, famous for its backwaters. Upon arrival, board a houseboat at Alleppey dock for an overnight cruise on the backwaters. The backwaters are a unique natural environment globally—a network of lakes, canals, estuaries, and deltas of 44 rivers that flow into the Indian Ocean. It’s a unique ecosystem with its own aquatic flora and fauna. Freshwater rivers meet the salty ocean waters here, and canals connect the villages to each other. Of the 900 km of waterways, transport is via small motorboats, traditional canoes, or houseboats. Lunch, dinner, and overnight stay on the houseboat.

After breakfast, disembark from the houseboat and depart for Cochin.
Kochi is a tapestry woven with silk threads over the centuries. Portuguese, Dutch, and British influences have left many architectural monuments, with the old palace square as the best example. Today, Kochi is an important port and still offers many tourist attractions. The city spans a group of islands and peninsulas, bathed by the Arabian Sea and backwaters.
Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. Free time.
Enjoy an evening walk in Cochin, starting with Fort Cochin and Mattancherry to immerse yourself in the various communities that make this place so fascinating. Visit a local factory making Gujarati sweets and meet Greshma and her daughter Reshma, henna (mehendi) tattoo specialists. Then, head to the Brahmin Lane for an interaction with a family performing the daily Kollam ritual (a ritual to protect the house from evil spirits). In the evening, attend a Kathakali dance performance. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the city and its attractions, specifically:

The Dutch Palace, also known as Mattancherry Palace: Built by the Portuguese and gifted to the Raja of Cochin in the 16th century, it was named the Dutch Palace in the 17th century when the Dutch expanded the city and restored the building. Neither the Portuguese nor the Dutch lived there. The interior is decorated with frescoes depicting the Ramayana and also has fine examples of royal costumes and palanquins. (Closed on Fridays and Jewish holidays)

The Synagogue: Built at the end of the 16th century. Inside, you can find scrolls of the Old Testament, copper plates inscribed with the city’s charter, and beautifully decorated Chinese ceramic tiles. (Closed Friday afternoons, Saturdays, and on Jewish holidays)

Chinese Fishing Nets: Standing by the sea and still used by local fishermen during high tides. They are believed to have been brought by traders from the court of Kublai Khan.

St. Francis Church: Built in the 15th century by the Portuguese, it is considered the oldest European church built in India. This is where the great explorer Vasco da Gama was initially buried before his remains were repatriated to Portugal 14 years later. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport.