Southern Spice Leisure Tour

On arrival at Chennai Airport, you will be greeted and warmly welcomed by a Footloose Holidays Representative and you would be escorted to your pre-booked hotel. Once you have checked-in, rest of the day will be utilised in sightseeing. We will begin the sightseeing tour by visiting Kapaleeswarar Temple, built in Dravidian architecture. Our next sightseeing destination will be Vadapalani Murugan Temple, which is believed to be the patronage of cinema stars. One cannot afford to miss Fort St.George, the first English fortress in India which currently houses the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Arignar Anna Zoological Park is a zoological garden located in a suburb of Chennai and wildlife lovers find it the most fascinating. You can also visit San Thome Church built by 16th century Portuguese explorers and Guindy National Park. Coming to Chennai can never be complete without a stroll at Marina and Besant Nagar Beach which are the major tourists’ attractions of the state capital of Tamil Nadu. Enjoy your for shopping or leisure activities before you retire for the day.

Post breakfast, it is time to check out from the hotel and head towards Bangalore, also called Bengaluru or Silicon Valley. After reaching Bangalore, check-in at the pre-booked hotel, freshen yourself and proceed to visit Lal Bagh or Lal Bagh Botanical gardens, famous for its glass house. It also boasts of largest collection of tropical plants in India. If it is uniqueness that you are looking for, Cubbon Park, officially called Sri Chamarajendra Park is the right place for you. A popular tourist’s destination, Bannerghatta National Park is a Pandora box loaded with goodies, especially for the kids and animal lovers as it includes a zoo, a pet corner, an animal rescue center, a butterfly enclosure, an aquarium, a snake house and a safari park. You can enjoy other tourists’ attractions as per your preference. Impressive Vidhana Soudha, Iskcon Temple, Tipu Sultan Summer Palace, Bangalore Fort, in its true grandeur and splendour or serenity and peace unmatched when you witness these manmade wonders called Hesaraghatta and Bellandur Lake.

After breakfast, it is time to move to our next destination. Check-out from the hotel and be driven to Mysore, officially Mysuru, located in the foothills of Chamunda Hills. After checking-in at a hotel, proceed to visit Brindavan Garden, admired and visited by number of tourists, is laid out in terraces which contain water fountains, plants, trees, topiary works, pergola, gazebos, and a beautiful lake. Another ‘must see’, is the historically significant Mysore Palace, a royal residence of Wadiyar dynasty. The magnificent Chamunda hills look more majestic with this hilltop temple called Chamundeshwari Temple. You may enjoy the incredible architecture of St.Philomena’s Church, St. Joseoph’s Cathedral or Lalitha Mahal. Nature lovers can find solace in Karanji Lake, Mysore Zoo or Krishna Raja Sagara.

Post breakfast, it is time to proceed towards Ooty, also known as Udhagamandalam, an awe-inspiring and very popular hill station of the state of Tamil Nadu. After checking-in at the hotel, brace yourself for the most spectacular view of Ooty Lake. Your visit to the Rose Garden will leave you intoxicated, filling your lungs with fragrant air and the array of colours and species of roses will mesmerise you. Your visit to Botanical Gardens can be very enriching as you get to witness many delicate species of plants.

Early morning after an appetizing breakfast in the hills, it is time to reach another destination, which holds many new surprises for you. Once you have checked out of the hotel, you will be driven to Coimbatore, a city of Tamil Nadu boasting of beautiful temples. You can admire Adiyogi Shiva, a statue 34.3 meter tall of the Hindu deity Shiva which is the seventh largest statue in India. Finally visit Marudamalai Temple, a very popular 12th century hill temple with a spectacular view.

After your morning meal we proceed towards Madurai, an energetic, ancient city on the Vaigai River, dominated by 14 colourful gopurams (gateway towers) of Meenakshi Amman Temple. Meenakshi Temple is a major pilgrimage site, adorned with bright carvings of Hindu gods. Your next stoppage could be Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal, a palace which displays a classic fusion of Dravidian and Rajput style of architecture, much admired for its magnificence and grandeur. You can choose to visit Gandhi Memorial Museum, one of the five Gandhi Sangrahalyas in India, another temple called Koodal Azhagar Temple dedicated to lord Vishnu, Thirupparamkumaran Murugan Temple. It is time to take rest after such an enriching experience. Aromatic dinner and a comfortable overnight stay await you at your hotel.

Post breakfast, time to check-out and bid adieu to this beautiful, vibrant city and head for the next destination called Trichy or Tiruchirapalli, an ancient city of Tamil Nadu known for it’s beautifully and intricately carved temples. After checking-in at the hotel, enjoy the sightseeing which you can begin with Ranganathaswamy Temple, also called Thiruvarangam Hindu Temple dedicated to a reclining form of the Hindu deity Vishnu. Next, you proceed towards Ucchi Pillayar temple, dedicated to Lord Ganesha.

Following the morning breakfast, check-out and proceed to Velankanni, a special grade Panchayat Town which lies on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. En route visit Tanjore, home to ancient monuments including temples like Brihadeeswara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, displaying Tamil Architecture. You can also visit Garbarakshambigai Temple and Guru Bhagwan Temple dedicated to the same god. Visit Gangaikonda Cholapuram, a town located in Ariyalur which was the capital of Chola Dynasty.

Check-out from the hotel after the breakfast and drive to Pondicherry, a French colonial settlement, the legacy of which is preserved in its French quarters, with tree-lined streets and mustard coloured colonial villas. After check-in at the pre-booked hotel, proceed to visit Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple a vibrant Hindu temple. French War Memorial dedicated to residents of French Indians who died for the country during the First World War. Auroville Beach is famous for shallow waters and small waves, making it an ideal place to swim.

Post a sumptuous breakfast, check-out from the hotel and drive to Chennai, the state capital of Tamil Nadu which has many beautiful beaches and temples to display. On the way to the city, visit Mahabalipuram a town on a strip of land between the Bay of Bengal and the Great Salt Lake proudly displays its temples and monuments built by Pallava Dynasty. Pancha Rathas, Shore Temple, Varaha Cave Temple, Tiger Cave at Mahabalipuram display a perfect example of the monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture which leaves any tourist or visitor awe-struck by the immensely beautiful work of art. Thirukadalmallai is a temple glorifying the Dravidian style of architecture. After such an amazing visual treat, it is time to retire for the night.

We will proceed to visit those destinations that you had missed in your first visit. It could be Kapaleeswarar Temple, Vadapalani Murugan Temple, Fort St.George, Arignar Anna Zoological Park, San Thome Church, Guindy National Park, Valluvar Kottam, Marina Beach or Besant Nagar Beach.  Enjoy your evening for some shopping and leisure activities.

Post a delicious breakfast, check out from the hotel and get ready to bid adieu to this beautiful Detroit of Asia. You will be escorted to Chennai Airport for onward journey, along with many cherished and unforgettable memories.