Chennai to Kochi - 9 days

Chennai to Kochi - 9 days

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9 Days From

$1545

Chennai to Kochi - 9 days

9 Days Starting in Chennai and ending in Kochi

Visiting: Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Puducherry, Thanjavur, Chettinad Palace, Madurai, Munnar, Kochi

Tour operator:

On The Go Tours

Tour code:

2038/CTK

Specialist Group:

Family/Kids

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

2 - 24

Age range:

16 + if accompanied by an adult.

Special diets catered:

Vegetarians, Please contact On The Go Tours with specific dietary requests

Tour operated in:

English

Activities:

Sightseeing, Walking

From: $1545

NB: Prices correct on 02-Jul-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

Explore the best of Southern India, travelling from Chennai on the east coast and ending in Kochi on the west coast. Discover the coastal region from Chennai down to Pondicherry before taking in some exquisite UNESCO listed temples in the state of Tamil Nadu. End in the idyllic coastal town of Kochi, full of history and fantastic flavours.

Highlights

  • Mahabalipuram – Discover the striking Shore Temple which sits on the beautiful Bay of Bengal

  • Trichy – Visit the imposing Rock Fort Temple which is perched ominously on a hill overlooking the city

  • Madurai – Light candles and sing songs as you enjoy a lively Aarti prayer ceremony and explore the city on a guided tour

  • Tanjore – Tour the hotspots of the city and gaze admiringly at the towering Brihadishwara Temple

  • Kanchipuram – Explore the plethora of Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu in this ancient city

  • Pondicherry – Stroll along the beach in this French colonial city and visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart

  • Kochi – Enjoy free time to explore independently and perhaps enjoy a traditional Kathakali dance show

  • Darssuram - Study the enchanting stone carvings at the the UNESCO-listed Airavateswara Temple as we stop off on our journey from Pondicherry to Tanjore

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Chennai

Location: Chennai

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: MGM Eastwood

Meals Included: No Meals

Chennai - Mahabalipuram. Saturday. Welcome to Southern India! On arrival at the airport you’ll be transferred to our hotel in Mahabalipuram, which is around a 90 minute drive away. The rest of the day is free to explore. Perhaps visit the giant Krishna’s Butterball - this 250 ton boulder is perched on a slope - and looks like it could roll down at any moment, when in fact it has stood here for 1,200 years.

Day 2 : Mahabalipuram

Location: Mahabalipuram, Puducherry

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hotel Mamalla Heritage

Meals Included: Breakfast

We start our day meeting the rest of our group and guide for a welcome meeting at 8:00 before visiting the ancient city of Kanchipuram to see some of its impressive temple sites. Explore the northern Shiva temples and some of the 15 temples dedicated to the god Vishnu.





In the afternoon we return to Mahabalipuram and delight in a tour of the town’s highlights. We’ll explore the impressive Shore Temple overlooking the beautiful Bay of Bengal before continuing to the world’s largest bas-relief carving, Arjuna’s Penance, which tells the story of the descent of the sacred Ganges from the heavens to Earth. Our final stop is to the Five Rathas, five giant temples that were all individually carved from five rocks and covered by sand until the British rediscovered them around 200 years ago.

Day 3 : Pondicherry

Location: Puducherry

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hotel Atithi

Meals Included: Breakfast

Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry. This morning we depart Mahabalipuram and travel to the former colonial city of Pondicherry, where the French influence is still visible in the architecture. Visit Pondicherry Beach and the beautiful 19th century Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

Day 4 : Thanjavur

Location: Thanjavur

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hotel Sangam

Meals Included: Breakfast

Pondicherry - Tanjore. After breakfast we head away from the coastal Pondicherry to an important centre of South Indian religion, art and architecture - Tanjore (Thanjavur). En route we'll visit temples in the towns of Chidambaram, Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Darssuram. Continue to the UNESCO-listed Airavateswara Temple and marvel at the stone carvings here before we reach Tanjore, our final stop for the day, for an afternoon at leisure.

Day 5 : Chettinad

Location: Chettinad Palace

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: GRT Regency,

Meals Included: Breakfast

Tanjore - Chettinad. Today we travel to Chettinad which is renowned across India for its unique and spectacular combination of flavourful cuisine, yet few venture to this sleepy, tranquil village. Explore the crumbling Chettinad Palace and the famous tile factory in Athangudi, where your guide will explain how the renowned handmade terracotta tiles of Chettinad are crafted and readied.

Day 6 : Madurai Sightseeing & Evening Aarti Ceremony

Location: Madurai

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: GRT Regency,

Meals Included: Breakfast

Chettinad – Madurai. Departing Chettinad we continue onwards to Madurai, where we enjoy a half day guided tour taking in the Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal. This grand palace is known for the giant circular pillars in its courtyard and dates back to the 17th century. We continue to the famous rock cut temple of Thirupparankunram Murugan. According to a famous Hindu legend, this is where Murugan slayed the demon Surapadman. Finally, we join an Aarti prayer ceremony at the Meenakshi Temple. The ceremony involves the lighting of candles and songs being sung in praise of the gods.

Day 7 : Munnar Tea Plantations

Location: Munnar

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Casino Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Madurai - Munnar. Leave Madurai today we travel to the picturesque former hill station of Munnar, surrounded by sprawling tea plantations. We take a guided stroll through a local tea plantation and visit a local market, before the rest of the day is free to relax as you please. You may wish to visit the nearby Blossom Park and enjoy cycling or boating in the stunning surrounds.

Day 8 : Kochi

Location: Kochi

Meals Included: Breakfast

Munnar - Kochi. Today we continue on to Kochi, our final destination in South India. Upon arrival, the remainder of the day is free to explore the city at your own leisure. This evening you can opt for an optional tour to watch an entertaining and traditional Kathakali dance show. Kathakali performers are known for their elaborate costumes and make up and they always put on a fantastic show.

Day 9 : Kochi

Location: Kochi

Meals Included: Breakfast, Breakfast

Monday. Our Indian adventure comes to an end today with an included departure transfer to Kochi airport.

What's Included

  • Accommodation

    3 - 4 star and heritage properties

  • 7 breakfasts

  • 7 nights 3-4 star hotels

  • Guided sightseeing - Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram Temples, Pondicherry and Madurai

  • 1 overnight sleeper train Trichy to Kochi

  • Escorted by an English-speaking Indian tour guide (for groups of 6 or more)

  • Services of English-speaking Indian specialist guides at some sites

  • Airport arrival and departure transfer on days 1 and 9

  • All relevant transfers and transportation in private air-conditioned vehicles

What's Not Included

  • International flights and visa

  • Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$4-7 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture

  • Entrance Fees: USD$15-25pp, paid in local currency

Age Policy

16 + if accompanied by an adult.

Check out our Q&As

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Airport arrival and departure transfer on days 1 and 9

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?

    3 - 4 star and heritage properties

  • What is the maximum group size?

    24

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Since 1998

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

Reviews of this operator

Nicola Hodgkinson (Google Reviewer)  

Recently returned from Greece, a...

07-May-2024

Recently returned from Greece, a 5 day tour with OTG. Unfortunately, I had a negative experience on day 2 where I needed local support to get me out of a tricky situation. Thank you to Alexandra Z from Hetco Tours in Athens for helping me continue on with the trip, to the Hotel Zafolia staffing team and to Danielle and team here in the UK for supporting me with the aftermath. Your kindness will not be forgotten and I will pay it forward. I've now booked 3 trips with yourselves and will continue to go back. Thank you all. Honestly, I am SO grateful. Blessings to you all. Nicola

Calvin  

Wonderful experience

05-Jan-2023

Jamal is our tour guide. Right from the start, he created a group chat in whatsapp and if any issues to make sure we contact him. He was on the ball with every issue thrown at him. Luggage being left behind, stragglers wondered off in a different path, hotel room etc. He explains the various site along our route to give us a better understanding of the local cultures. We had a great time, thanks to Jamal.

Trustpilot
Norma Sullivan  

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10-Sep-2021

The Land of Northern Lights tour was a triumph! My tour of Southern Iceland was absolutely wonderful. The venues chosen, the timing allotted at each venue and the variety of things to experience was nearly perfect. Our guide, "Thor", was smart, amusing, full of history and anecdotal stories as well as being incredibly hospitable and helpful. This small group experience was my first, but not my last thanks to On the Go.

Trawls (Google Reviewer)  

On The Go Tours Sri...

05-Feb-2024

On The Go Tours Sri Lanka was an incredible experience that was made even better by our tour guide Akthar. He was incredibly knowledgeable about his country and he loved sharing it with us. The tour covers a wide range of activities so you can truly experience what Sri Lanka is all about. The beautiful 4-5 star hotels at the end of every day was an absolute bonus. Thanks for a great trip OTGT I’m sure this won’t be my last

Xtreme Floor Care (Google Reviewer)  

Traveled through Egypt with On...

30-Nov-2023

Traveled through Egypt with On the Go Tours, professional service, very informative and helpful tour guides. The choice of hotels was excellent... Definitely recommend this company

Gavin Harrigan  

King Tutankhamun 10 day tour of Egypt

16-Sep-2021

I have just returned from my tour with On The Go and it was an amazing trip! From arriving at the airport and meeting the OTG representative, everything was well organised and hassle free.  Our tour guide was Amir. He is awesome!! From the beginning he was so friendly and enthusiastic about showing us around Egypt, giving us loads of information at each place and time to explore ourselves. Learnt so much from him about this fascinating place, and he was always happy to answer more questions.   The trip itself was amazing. There's lots of travelling on this trip, but it's really not too bad, and the sights you see when you get to where you are going are worth it. I'm not a big fan of boats, but the Felluca ride across the Nile was pretty fun too.  On the first day I also did the optional tour of Cairo with Ahmed Helal - another excellent guide from OTG. It's worth doing this add on as you don't spend much time in Cairo, and you go to three very different places.  I'm so glad that I decided to do this trip. It was just ace.  If you're thinking about it too, you should probably just book it. And hopefully you get Amir as your guide.

Paul Kelly (Google Reviewer)  

TOTALLY MOROCCO We booked a 9...

26-Feb-2023

TOTALLY MOROCCO We booked a 9 day tour of Morocco visiting many main cities and places of interest. The coach was very comfortable and we felt safe with the driver Suliman. The guide was Hicham Touraouine and he was fantastic. He spoke perfect English as well as French, Arabic and Berber. He was so kind and considerate and made a good tour great. We particularly enjoyed ‘glamming in the Sahara Desert. So much to see and do and great food and company. We would definitely use On The Go Tours again, especially if Hicham was the guide. Paul & Penny

Joyce Heitler (Google Reviewer)  

I would give this tour...

09-May-2024

I would give this tour group no stars if possible. The tour was not guaranteed but they did not inform me when I booked and they did not have enough people. Way after I booked they said I needed a doctors letter because I was over 70. Also way after booking I was informed I needed travel insurance. They knew my age when I booked. They would not refund my tour even though it was 4 months away.

Sarah Paterson (Google Reviewer)  

Terrible tour of India. For...

27-Dec-2023

Terrible tour of India. For some reason On the Go hadn't realised that my room mate had booked her own room for the first night of tour. So the hotel in Delhi had tried to put me in her room after midnight, by wheeling in an extra bed. She went Crazy!! I then had to sit in hotel reception for hours. While the tour guide said he couldn't find me a room. Throughout the tour the guide consistently ask me and my room mate for money for my room, causing more friction between us. Don't book with this company had the worst experience ever. Go with Intrepid or G Adventure

brandy hoffman (Google Reviewer)  

I had used them once...

09-Aug-2023

I had used them once before and loved them. I decided to try them again for a Baltic tour not knowing that they put me on another Tour group- Baltic vision. Loved that tour but was not impressed they marked up the cost for me over 100%. I understand taking some for yourself because of paperwork, but over double the cost everyone else paid on the tour. Just double check before you book with them that you’re not over paying.

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  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

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  • Low Deposit

    On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 300 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of on the go tours charges.

    Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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