Day 1 – (22 Jan) – Chennai

On arrival in Chennai at 11 PM by Bangkok Airways (Jet Airways),you will be be transferred to your Hotel. Overnight stay at Hotel.

23 Jan – Chennai

Day free at Hotel.Overnight stay at Hotel.

24 Jan – Chennai

Full day guided sightseeing of Chennai.Overnight stay at Hotel.

Chennai – There are several tourist attractions worth visiting in and around Chennai. Marina Beach is the second longest beach in the world. The St. George Fort, built in 1653, is currently used as the state government’s secretariat. Santhome Cathedral was built around 14th/15th century and is another colonial structure worth visiting. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Kapaleeshwar Temple is the oldest temple in Chennai. Another important temple in the city dedicated to Lord Krishna is Parthasarathy Temple. Adayar Banyan Tree is one of the largest tree in the world. It measures 238ft from north to south and 250ft from east to west. The total area exceed 59,500 sq ft. This tree is a unique specimen. It has been the centre of many notable gatherings of the Theosophical Society and thousands of visitors have rested in its shade.

25 Jan – Chennai

Morning for own visits.By 3.30 PM your story teller will join you to take you through an amazing historic trail of Madras detailing the British connection etc.This walking tour will be for 2 Hours.Overnight stay at Hotel.

Madras Chronicles – Communities, Culture and Trade (Chennai, Tamil Nadu)

Madras, now Chennai, history is usually associated with that of the British, courtesy the British East India Company. However, in addition to the British, Madras has been home to the Portuguese, the French, the Scots, the Armenians, the Americans and the Jews. Most of them came to Madras for trade, a few, to try their luck building a global empire.

Today, people from many of these Nationalities live and work in Chennai, their past remembered by way of historic structures built by their predecessors or streets that are named after them. For e.g. a building along the Marina promenade, which was used for storing ice, was the only one in Madras to hoist an American flag. The French were the first to realize that Indians can be organised into a fighting unit, the idea eventually evolved into the Indian Army of today. Armenians were influential traders who contributed towards improving the city’s infrastructure, but more interestingly the first draft of the Armenian Constitution was written right here, in Madras. They are remembered by Armenian Street in George Town. Matters of the heart between British traders and Portuguese women flourished in and around Fort St. George! There are many such stories.

On this tour we visit three historic sites- Fort St. George, George Town, Marina promenade, and explore the connections between Madras and the people who came to its shores.

26 Jan – Chennai- Kanchipuram (1.5 Hours) Chennai

After breakfast,  drive to  Kanchipuram, the city of thousand temples. Visit Kailasanatha Temple from the 8^th century AD. In Kailasanatha Temple, the  Pallava Style of Dravida Vimana (The Tower over Sanctum)  was imitated later at Pattadackal in Karnataka in the second half of 8^th Century AD by Chalukyas. From there the Rashtrakudas borrowed the style  in the 9^th Century AD at Ellora, Maharashtra. Later  visit the famous Ekambareswara Temple which is a good example of the typical Composite style of Architecture. The construction was started in 8^th or 9^th Century by the Pallavas but continued by Cholas in 12^th Century and finished by the Vijayanagar Dynasty during 16^th Century. Also visit Varadaraja or Devaraja Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and visitable parts are of 16^th Century AD. You may also visit a Silk weaving unit.By evening drive back to Chennai for overnight stay.

Kanchipuram – Kanchipuram, an ancient city known as “the city of thousand temples”, is one of the seven most sacred pilgrim centres for the Hindus. There now remain about 126 temples and a few more in its outskirts. Today, apart from its temples, this small town is also known for its thriving handloom industry. Ekambaranath Temple, also known as Ekambareswarar Temple – The eleven-storey structure which is adorned with beautiful Stucco Figures is one of the tall temple towers in South India. The ancient mango tree in the courtyard inside the temple is revered by childless couples. They faithfully tie small cradles to the branches of the tree and leave with the hope that their desire for an offspring will be fulfilled. Also visit Kailasanatha Temple and Varadaja Temple.

27 Jan – Chennai

Full day for own visits.Vehicle and driver available.Overnight stay at Hotel.

28 Jan – Chennai- Vellore (3 Hour Drive)

After breakfast,drive to Vellore, an ancient Fort Town  with a history.Afternoon visit Vellore Fort which houses an ancient temple,a church and a mosque.Assumption Cathedral and the 150-year-old St. John’s Church inside the fort are among the churches in Vellore. The Big Mosque, in the heart of the city, contains the largest Arabic college in India. The city is also houses over 50 mosques some of which are over 100 years old.Its a bustling Tamil township full of life.Overnight at Hotel .

29 Jan – Vellore-Thiruvannamalai (2 Hours Drive)

After breakfast at the hotel, drive  toThiruvannamalai, known for Arunachaleswarar Temple, one of oldest Shiva Temples in India. Special interest tours may optionally visit the Mahaveer Jain Temple at Tirumala subject to possibility, which is set on huge hill but facilitated with steps to reach the top. The famous temple city of Thiruvannamalai, looks similar to Madurai, but the temple is huge and the entry to tourists are permitted very close to the Sanctum Sanctorum. May be this is the right place to witness the closing ceremony as one can stand so close to the Sanctorum and also to the sleeping room, known as Palliyara. On arrival in Thiruvannamalai,  if you are interested in photography, you may climb a hill from where you will get an aerial view of the Temple which is amazing. You should climb the hill before 4 PM to get the good sunlight on temple. Check into your hotel and relax for a while. Early evening visit Ramana Ashram and Girivalam Road where you will find a number ofSadhoos just like in Varanasi. Go back to the hotel for freshen up and dinner and return to the temple by 08.30 PM for temple visit and thereafter at about 9.15 PM to watch the closing ceremony (Palliyara Pooja). Overnight at Hotel.

The Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvannamalai is one of the biggest and grandest temples in South India.  With the hill as back ground it gives the appearance of a fort to those who see it from a distance. It is unique on account of its stately towers, high rampart walls, broad quadrangles, spacious gateways, large mantapams and fine tanks.  It has also much architectural importance and sculptural beauty.The exact dates of starting the construction is not marked but its again a composite structure passed through many ages. The Temple has got four stately towers on all the four sides and four high stone walls just like the rampart walls of a fort. The Eastern Tower called the Rajagopuram is the Highest. The Southern tower is called Thirumanjangopuram, that in the west is called Peygopuram and that in the north is called Ammaniamma Gopuram. The temple occupies an extent of about 25 acres of land. The walls on the East and West measure 700 feet each. The South wall is 1479 feet long and North wall is 1590 feet. The Rajagopuram which adorns the East Gateway is 217 feet high with 11 stages, its base measure 135 feet by 98 feet. This tower was built by King Krishna Devaraya of Vijayanagar and completed by Sevappa Nayaka of Thanjavur. Krishna Devaraya also constructed the Thousand Pillared Mantapam and dug the tank opposite to it .AmmaniAmmal a Sanyasini built the North Gopuram which is called after her name.

30 Jan – Thiruvannamalai-Gingee Fort-Veadanthangal-Pondicherry

After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, proceed to Gingee Fort to have a look from the foothills.By late afternoon visit Vedanthangal Bird sanctuary.Later proceed to Pondicherry which still carries a strong flavour of the French presence in India.Overnight at Pondicherry Hotel.

31 Jan – Pondicherry

Full day guided tour of Pondicherry.Visit Auroville enroute. The traditional French architecture is still maintained even in the latest renovations and the Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is the authorized agency for any such renovations in Pondicherry. After sight seeing, you will be brought to the Beach Road to spend sometime walking through the beach side to see the public life around.Return to your hotel. Overnight stay at Pondicherry.

The old town of Pondicherry has  a unique charm and the French Quarter is unique in its cleanliness,architecture,disciplineetc.To experience the spirit of Pondicherry,its essential to walk through the old town and closely observe the nature of its architectural traditions. Its interesting to note that if someone wants an old building to be restored in Pondicherry,the local authorities ask for the approval of INTACH on priority.This is interesting and we could see how naturally those old buildings were restored in French style.One will walk through Town Hall (Mairie/Hotel de Ville),Notre Dame des AngesChurch,EcoleFrancaised’Extreme-Orient,ClunyEmboiderycentre,AllianceFrancaise,INTACH Heritage Centre for Exhibitions,LyceesFrancaise and lot more.

The main attraction in terms of the universality of Pondicherry is Auroville belongs to no religion,nation,colouretc but to all men of goodwill,all those who thirst for progress and aspire to a higher and truer life.The dream behind this divine destinations is “A place on earth which no Nation could claim as its own,whereal human beings of goodwill who have a sincere aspiration could live freely as citizens of the world and obey one single authority,that of the supreme truth;a place of peace,concord and harmony where all the fighting instincts of man would be used exclusively to conquer the causes of his sufferings and miseries,to surmount his weaknesses and ignorance,to triumph over his limitations and incapacities,a place where the needs of the spirit and the concern for progress would take precedence over the satisfaction of desires and passions,the search for pleasure and material enjoyment.The shopping  plaza at the Auroville is a paradise for shoppers where you find a unique range of eco products made in the local villages.

The beach close to the French quarter is landscaped with wide stone paved pathways and the vehicular traffic is banned from 6 PM till 7.30 AM.its strictly maintained and the pedestrians enjoy their walk in the evening.Many of the old heritage buildings are now getting converted to hotels and guest houses.All kinds of restaurents with international cusines are seen everyehere.A walk through the market place on M G Road is also amazing.

01 Feb – Pondicherry

After  breakfast, visit the Elephant orphanage run by an NGO a well appreciated social project.You will feed the elephants,they tell you the story of elephants too.Afternoon for free walks in Pondicherry.Overnight at hotel.

A Day with the Gentle Giants – Celebrating Love and Freedom (Pondicherry)

Elephants are definitely among the most loved animals in the world, gentle giants as we like to call them. Sadly, while African elephants are being hunted for their ivory tusks, in Asia they are captured from the wild for private ownership and commercial use.

However not all private owners are bad, some of them do have a change in heart, and we hope this change of heart turns into an epidemic. A positive story recently emerged from Tamil Nadu when a religious and spiritual organisation, owners of many important temples in the region, handed over three of their temple elephants to the animal welfare organisations- TREE Foundation, Chennai and WRRC (Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre), Bengaluru. Both organisations are much admired for their work in the space of wildlife rescue and welfare. Together they have setup an Elephant Care Facility near Pondicherry to help rehabilitate the temple elephants.

The facility serves to allow abused and neglected elephants, to have the freedoms which they have been denied. Here the Elephants have the freedom to move around without chains in a natural, protected, near-wild space; the freedom to sleep, walk, play or bathe under benevolent human monitoring and presence; the freedom to play with water or indulge in dust-baths and other normal behaviour; they have freedom from fear of emotional or physical pain and distress; the freedom to indulge in natural social interactions, and above all freedom from injury, disease and malnutrition. A visit to the facility will help one understand how captive elephants live in near natural surroundings.

On the visit you can observe the elephants being bathed, feed and watch the elephants eat their vegetable and fruits in the presence of the Mahouts (caregivers), walk alongside the mahouts and the elephants to the coconut grove, watch at a safe distance, the elephants dust bathing, grazing and socializing in the grove, learn about their emotional and social behaviour and watch a short video about the story of the elephants.

While we firmly believe that the best place to observe Elephants are in the wild, where they move around freely, the Elephant Care Facility is a praiseworthy effort in caring for those Elephants who cannot be sent back to the wild. Needless to say guest visits help raise funds which goes towards caring for the Elephants and for upkeep of the surroundings. We hope you will join us in celebrating the new found love and freedom of these gentle giants.

02 Feb – Pondicherry – Mahabalipuram – Chennai

After an early breakfast,drive to Mahabalipuram for a guided sightseeingto explore the heritage of Mahabalipuram temples, built in 7^th& 8^th century AD which are today the sight of several antique sculptural marvels .Later drive to Chennai for overnight stay.

Mahabalipuram has a significant role in the history and architecture of India which gives a major role for the archaeological enthusiasts. This is the only place in India where we have Cave Architecture, Monolythic  Architecture and  Structural Architecture still existing simultaneously. Also the long stretch of clean beach will give one a peaceful relaxation in  Mahabalipuram.

Mahabalipuram – It is among the most outstanding examples of Pallava art and architecture. The monuments are floodlit at night and so it is possible to enjoy their beauty even after sunset. Arjuna’sPenance – This skillfully carved rock is the largest bas  relief in the world. There are nine rock cut cave temples. The Mahishasuramardhini cave, contrasting the goddess fighting a demon on one side, and Lord Vishnu’s cosmic sleep on the other, is a particularly remarkable one. Five Rathas –These rock-cut temples are rated as excellent example of Pallava art. Shaped in different styles, the rathas are supposed to have been scooped out of a single rock formation.

03 Feb– Chennai

Full day to explore Chennai.Car and driver available. Overnight at hotel..(Michael & Susan will be dropped at Chennai Airport for departure)

04 Feb– Chennai

Like all good things, your holiday experience comes to an end but you will always carry with you memories of this unique and unforgettable experience. Today, you will be assisted and transferred to Chennai International airport for your flight home!!

Hotels Opted:

Chennai: HotelBelstead www.thebelstead.com

Vellore: GRT Residency www.grthotels.com

Thiruvannamalai: Hotel Himalaya www.hotelhimalaya.com

Pondicherry: Atithi www.atithipondicherry.com

Cost Includes:

• Accommodation as above
• Daily breakfast at hotels
• Aircon Van for transfers and sightseeing as per itinerary
• English Speaking local guides in Chennai (One day),Kanchipuram,Pondicherry& Mahabalipuram
• Story telling Madras Chronicles
• Story Telling Meet the Little Giants-Elephant story
• All Entrance Fees
• All Taxes