Private transfer: Welcome to India! You will be met on arrival in Chennai by a local representative and introduced to your private driver. Together they will take you to your city hotel to check in.

As your flight arrives early in the morning a guaranteed early check-in will be included - you will be able to access your rooms immediately upon arrival. Breakfast at the hotel will also included today.

Time to recover: This morning and afternoon is at leisure to recover from your long flight.

Afternoon tour of Chennai: This afternoon, you will head out to explore the city, starting at Mylapore: the ancient township which remains the heart of modern Chennai. Your touring here will be mostly on foot, exploring the streets with your guide who will illuminate at each turn with stories of local culture, history, and tradition. Your trail then continues with a look at colonial Madras through the medium of its architecture: British influences at Fort St George and the nearby High Court, improbable Tamil temple architecture at the Kapaleshwar temple, plus Art Deco touches and Greek colonades throughout Georgetown. Each building is a time capsule which reveals the hopes and fears of its creators, as well as the history of this ever-vibrant city. After the sightseeing return to your hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Trident Chennai (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer: At the appropriate time today, you will be collected from your hotel by your guide, and transferred to Chennai's airport in time for your onward flight.

Flight: SG611 Chennai - Madurai 10.00 - 10.55

Private transfer: Upon arrival in Madurai, you will be met by your local guide and taken to the Heritage Madurai for an overnight stay.

Afternoon tour and temple visit: Later in the afternoon, you will be picked up by your guide and taken on a tour of Madurai. Your first stop will be to Tirumalai Palace, an Indo-Saracenic construction which dates back to 1523. The present day palace is a quarter of its’ original size, but an evocative air remains with fine stucco and carving work throughout. Its most remarkable feature is the Swarga Visalam (audience hall), the central dome of which rises to a height of 20m without any kind of support.

Later in the evening, you will be taken to visit the mesmeric Sri Meenakshi Temple. The temple complex is within a high-walled enclosure, at the core of which are two sanctums, in turn surrounded by a number of smaller shrines and grand pillared halls. Especially impressive are the 12 gopurams - soaring pyramid towers which rise from solid granite bases, wildly decorated with stucco figures of deities, mythical animals and monsters painted in vivid colours. You will arrive in time for the evening ‘putting to bed’ ceremony, a dazzling affair of noise and colour which is not to be missed. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva’s consort Parvati, known here as Meenakshi. Following the final prayer of the day the image of Shiva is taken from his quarter of the temple to join Parvati in hers, escorted on a silver palanquin, and accompanied by dance, music, and devotions. The ceremony is reversed the following morning when the gods awake from rest – if you would like to return to the temple to see this please discuss with your guide.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Heritage Madurai (Deluxe Club Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Madurai to the Palani Hills: After breakfast at your hotel, you will set out on the 2.5 hour drive to Rajakkad in the Palani Hills. As you reach the hills the landscape starts to change and before long you will arrive at the Rajakkad Estate to check in and then have the rest of the day at leisure to enjoy your surroundings.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Rajakkad Estate (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

At leisure at Rajakkad Estate: Rajakkad Estate is nestled in the forests of the Palani Hills, an hour’s drive into the majestic mountains of Dindigul district. At 1,000 meters above sea level, Rajakkad Estate not only offers a sense of serenity but also great weather year round. At Rajakkad time can be spent under the shade of the trees, relaxing, or walking the many paths of the estate, visiting the farm, the lake, the coffee-drying yards and the villages beyond. Excursions can also be made into the surrounding hills with waterfalls. The region is also home to a large number of bird species with over 200 migratory and indigenous bird species to be found around the estate.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Rajakkad Estate (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Road journey to Chettinad: In the morning, you will check out of the Estate and set off by road for Chettinad. This will be a journey of around 4 hours. On arrival, head straight to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon at leisure: In the afternoon you are at leisure. The hotel can help with casual tours around the immediate area. The small village surrounding your hotel can be easily traversed on foot by the independent-minded, or you may prefer to stay onsite and relax around the pool. This evening, you will sample some of the famous Chettinad chicken for dinner.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at The Bangala (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Guided tour of Chettinad: This morning, you will head out with your guide for a walking tour of a typical Chettinadu village. Exploring the area can at times like stepping back in time, albeit with a slightly bizarre ghost-town atmosphere!

Continue to visit the Athangudi tile making workshop where you can make your own ceramic tile. If interested, you can visit a local weaving centre to witness traditional weaving before returning to your hotel to relax.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at The Bangala (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey to Thanjavur: This morning, you will set off on the 3.5 hour drive to Thanjavur (formerly Tanjore).  On the way, you will make a stop to visit the temple at Trichy. Trichy has a history going back to the centuries before the Christian era, when it was a Tamil citadel. In the 1st millennium AD it changed hands between the local ruling dynasties of Pallavas and Pandyas many times, before being taken by the Cholas in the 10th century AD. When the Chola empire decayed, Trichy passed into the hands of Vijainagar kings of Hampi and remained with them until their defeat in 1565 AD, by the forces of Deccan Sultans. The most famous landmark of this bustling city is the Rock Fort Temple, a spectacular monument, perched on a massive rocky outcrop. It is a stiff climb up the 437 steps cut into the stone to the top, but well worth it to get a fantastic view of the town and its other main landmark, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. After the sightseeing, you will continue on your way to Thanjavur and on arrival you will check in and then relax for the rest of the day.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Svatma (Millennium Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Guided tour of Thanjavur: This morning you will be taken for a guided tour of Thanjavur (formerly Tanjore), one of the most distinguished cities in Tamil Nadu. You will visit The Brihadishwara Temple, which is the crowning glory of Chola architecture. This superb and fascinating monument is one of only a handful in India with World Heritage listing. It has been worshipped continuously for more than 1,000 years. The temple is fortified and inside the inner courtyard is a well-arranged Archaeological Museum, with some interesting exhibits and photographs. From here you will continue on to visit Thanjavur Palace which has huge corridors, spacious halls, arsenal towers and a great collection of bronze sculpture. After the sightseeing, you will return to the hotel and then you will have time for your own exploration of Thanjavur.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Svatma (Millennium Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Thanjavur to Pondicherry: This morning, you will set off from the hotel on the 4.5 hour drive to Pondicherry. Stops will be made along the way to have a rest or to take photographs. On arrival in Pondy, you will check-in at your hotel and then have the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Maison Perumal (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Guided tour of Pondicherry: After breakfast, you will be taken on a guided tour of Pondy's French and Tamil Quarters. Starting with the French Quarter, you will walk through the cobbled streets with your guide, taking note of notable architecture and soaking in the atmosphere. The itinerary here is flexible, but we especially recommend a look at French consulate,enjoying the cooling expanse of Barathi Park, and popping into the quaint but informative Puducherry Museum. You will then move through to the bustling, hectic Tamil Quarter, before being taken out of town to visit the internationally renowned Sri Aurobindo Ashram. After some time to explore the Ashram and learn about its' practices, you will return to Pondy to relax at the hotel or undertake further exploration independently.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Maison Perumal (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey to Mahabalipuram: After breakfast, you will be picked up by your driver-guide and head off north to Chennai. En route to your hotel you will stop to visit the alluring shore temple complex at Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram is now a relatively small, dusty town but once was the main trading port of the 7th century Pallava Empire. Time and tide has taken most historical construction here - it is thought there were once seven temples in all along the shorefront, but now just the one remains. Nonetheless it remains well-preserved with some truly stunning intricate stonework on display throughout, complemented by its stunning seafront situation. After ample time to explore the temples, you will press on by road to your beach resort; on arrival, head straight to the hotel to check in and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Taj Fisherman’s Cove (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

At leisure in Mahabalipuram: You have two full days to relax and enjoy the beach or the facilities at the Taj Fisherman’s Cove.

Accommodation: Stay these nights at Taj Fisherman’s Cove (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast