Heritage & Divinity: Complete South India Temple Experience

Arrive Chennai

Arrive at Chennai International Airport, meet and greet by our representative.

Begin your spiritual journey in Chennai:

• Kapaleeshwarar Temple – a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture, dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• Parthasarathy Temple – an ancient shrine dedicated to Lord Krishna, located in Triplicane.
• Ashtalakshmi Temple – situated near Marina Beach, dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi in her eight forms.

Evening free for leisure walk along Marina Beach.

Overnight stay in Chennai.

Chennai → Tirupati (150 km / 4 hrs)

Morning drive to Tirupati, the abode of Lord Venkateswara.

Ascend to Tirumala Hills and seek blessings at:

• Sri Venkateswara Temple (Balaji Temple) – one of the most visited pilgrimage centers in India.
• Later, visit Padmavati Temple at Tiruchanur, dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi.

Evening free for prayer or local temple visits.

Overnight stay in Tirupati.

Tirupati → Kanchipuram → Mahabalipuram

After breakfast, drive to Kanchipuram – “The City of Thousand Temples” and also a famous silk hub.

• Ekambareswarar Temple – one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams representing the Earth element.
• Kamakshi Amman Temple – seat of Goddess Parvati in her divine form as Kamakshi.
• Varadaraja Perumal Temple – a grand Vishnu temple with rich heritage.

Continue to Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit:

• Shore Temple – overlooking the Bay of Bengal.
• Five Rathas – monolithic rock-cut temples.
• Arjuna’s Penance – the world’s largest bas-relief depicting stories from Mahabharata.

Overnight stay in Mahabalipuram.

Mahabalipuram → Chidambaram → Kumbakonam

Morning drive to Chidambaram (approx. 4 hrs). Visit:

• Nataraja Temple – dedicated to Lord Shiva as the Cosmic Dancer, one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams (Akasha / Space element).

Later continue to Kumbakonam, a town renowned for its ancient temples and sacred waters.

Evening free for local exploration.

Overnight stay in Kumbakonam.

Kumbakonam & Navagraha Temples

Full-day excursion to the Navagraha Temples, each dedicated to one of the nine planetary deities:

• Suriyanar Kovil (Sun), Thingalur (Moon), Vaitheeswaran Kovil (Mars), Thiruvenkadu (Mercury), Alangudi (Jupiter), Kanjanur (Venus), Thirunallar (Saturn), Thirunageswaram (Rahu), Keezhaperumpallam (Ketu).

Evening darshan at Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Overnight stay in Kumbakonam.

Kumbakonam → Tanjore → Trichy

Morning drive to Tanjore (Thanjavur). Visit:

• Brihadeeswarar Temple (Big Temple) – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the finest examples of Chola architecture.

Continue to Trichy (Tiruchirappalli). Visit:

• Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam – one of the largest functioning temple complexes in the world.
• Rock Fort Temple – perched on an 83-meter high rock, offering panoramic city views.
  

Overnight stay in Trichy.

Trichy → Madurai (140 km / 3 hrs)

After breakfast, drive to Madurai, one of the oldest living cities of South India, also called the Athens of the East.

• In the evening, visit the magnificent Meenakshi Amman Temple, celebrated for its towering gopurams and the enchanting evening Aarti ceremony.
• Explore the vibrant temple markets filled with handicrafts, flowers, and devotional items.

Overnight stay in Madurai.

Madurai → Rameswaram (170 km / 4 hrs)

Proceed to Rameswaram, one of the sacred Char Dham pilgrimage sites of India.
Visits include:

• Ramanathaswamy Temple – renowned for its impressive corridors, intricately carved pillars, and 22 holy wells where pilgrims take ritual baths.
• Optional Excursion: Dhanushkodi, a mystical land where the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal meet, steeped in Ramayana legends.

Overnight stay in Rameswaram.

Rameswaram → Kanyakumari (310 km / 6–7 hrs)

Morning drive to Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, where the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Indian Ocean converge.
 Visits include:

• Kanyakumari Amman Temple – dedicated to Goddess Parvati in her virgin form.
• Vivekananda Rock Memorial – the meditation site of Swami Vivekananda.
• Gandhi Mandapam – memorial where Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were kept before immersion.
• In the evening, witness the spectacular sunset over the ocean horizon.

Overnight stay in Kanyakumari.

Kanyakumari → Suchindram → Tiruchendur → Trivandrum

Morning darshan at:

• Suchindram Temple – unique shrine dedicated to the holy Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva).
• Tiruchendur Murugan Temple – a seaside temple and one of the six abodes (Arupadai Veedu) of Lord Murugan.

Continue the drive to Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), Kerala’s cultural capital.

Overnight stay in Trivandrum.

Trivandrum → Guruvayur

• Visit the iconic Padmanabhaswamy Temple, one of the richest and most revered Vishnu temples in India, famous for its gold-plated sanctum.
• Later, drive to Guruvayur, often called the Dwarka of the South.
• Evening darshan at Guruvayur Krishna Temple, a sacred shrine dedicated to Lord Krishna.

Overnight stay in Guruvayur.

Guruvayur → Thrissur → Palani

• Morning visit to Mammiyoor Shiva Temple (adjacent to Guruvayur) and Vadakkumnathan Temple in Thrissur, a UNESCO recognized heritage site.
• Drive to Palani and visit the famous Palani Murugan Temple, perched atop a hill, one of the six abodes of Lord Murugan.

Overnight stay in Palani.

Palani → Bangalore (420 km / 7–8 hrs)

Morning drive to Bangalore, the Garden City of India.
In the evening, visit:

• ISKCON Temple – a modern, grand Krishna temple combining tradition and technology.
• Bull Temple (Dodda Basavana Gudi) – dedicated to Nandi, the sacred bull of Lord Shiva.

Bangalore Departure

• Morning free for shopping or optional temple darshan.
• Transfer to Bangalore International Airport for onward journey with divine memories