Pilgrimage Tour 8
Best Of Kerala And Tamilnadu
Trip Duration: 11 Nights / 12 Days
Destinations Covered: Cochin – Munnar – Periyar – Madurai – Rameshwaram – Kanyakumari –Kovalam – Allepey – Cochin
ITINERARY
Day 01: Arrival Cochin and Transfer to hotel
On arrival at cochin airport you will be transfer to hotel. Kochi is a colonial port town of Kochi whose diverse architecture acts as a reminder of the foreign traders who came over the centuries to buy spices.
Portuguese, Dutch and British influences combine to bring a colonial twist to a city that is cosmopolitan and absorbing. City tour of Fort Kochi. Meander through the old districts of Mattancherry and Fort Cochin where the various European influences are most apparent with merchant houses and old warehouses cramming the waterfront and narrow streets.
Then you are going to explore the Paradesi Synagogue in Jew Town (closed on Friday& Saturday), St Francis Church, the oldest European church in India, 16th century Dutch Palace and the much-photographed Chinese nets.
Option Program : Kathakali dance show.
Overnight stay at the Hotel.
Day 02 & 03: Cochin –Munnar
Drive to Munnar a hill station located 1600 meters above sea level. Once the summer resort of the erstwhile British administration in South India it still retains its colonial charm and is famous for its tea plantations, most of which are privately owned.
With its sprawling estates, rolling hills, sparkling waterfalls, picture postcard hamlets and undulating valleys, Munnar is an ideal holiday destination.
Check into your hotel and unwind. Rest of the day at leisure to enjoy the ambience of Munnar.
Optional Program
Optional Program
Tea Measeum Visit
Soft treeking
Eravikulam National Park
Jeep Tour
Overnight stay at the Hotel.
Day 04: Munnar-Thekkady/Periyar)
Drive to Periyar/Thekkady. The evocative name of the Cardamom Hills is home to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, a reserve on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, which is surrounded by tea and spice plantations. Lush forest, with a vast lake at its heart, it is home to many indigenous animals.
Check into your hotel and unwind.
Optional Program
Spice Plantation tour
Kalari show
03 hours natural walk
Boat ride at periyar national park
Elephant ride
Jeep tour
Overnight stay at the Hotel.
05: Thekkady-Madurai
Drive to Madurai. This vast, pulsating city, one of the oldest cities in South India, dating back 2500 years, sprawls along the banks of the River Vaigai. Wander through the fun packed streets which are full of pilgrims, wandering cows, open-air kitchens and colorful bazaars.
After lunch hours you will wander around the tailors markets and bazaars before visiting the Sri Meenakshi Temple, which lies in the heart of the city. Still active today, this ancient temple is a maze of lamp-lit corridors. The corridors lead to shrines where elaborate rituals take place.
Something is always happening here – ceremonies, musicians playing, weddings, prostrating pilgrims and festivals – making it a compelling place to spend time and enjoy the sights of temple life. The temple is the geographic and ritual center of the ancient city of Madurai and divided into a number of concentric quadrangular enclosures contained by high masonry walls.
This temple has four towers each intricately decorated with thousands of colored figures. You could spend hours examining each tower. The northern tower is more bare, so as not to tempt the demons. There are eight more towers and a hall with a thousand decorated pillars.
Overnight stay at the Hotel.
Day 06: Madurai-Rameshwaram
After an early morning breakfast we checkout from the hotel and head towards Rameshwaram. On arrival, you are escorted to a pre-booked hotel for rest and refreshment.
Overnight stay at the Hotel.
Day 07: Rameshwaram
Today you will visit the Ramanathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Rama. This is one of the seven places in India where pilgrims pray for salvation. The place is unique with 22 holy springs and the longest corridor in India.
Our next visit is to the five faced Hanuman Temple. The temple also has a floating stone outside the
temple exhibiting the famous stories from the Great Indian spic, Ramayana.
Overnight stay at the Hotel.
Day 08: Rameshwaram-Kanyakumari
Drive to Kanyakumari. The coast town of Kanyakumari or Cape Comorin lies at the southernmost tip of India where the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet. It has been an important centre for art, religion and trade for centuries. Flanked by hills and paddy fields on one side and the ocean on the other, Kanyakumari is the ‘Land’s End’ of India.
Beautiful beaches with multi-coloured sands, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and ancient temples with a rich architectural heritage make this coastal town a popular tourism destination.
Afternoon you will visit is to the Sri Kumari Amman Temple. Our next visit is to the Thiruvalluvar Statue; 133 feet in height. The 38 feet, three tier pedestal of the statue represents 38 chapters in the Book of Aram.
We end our exploration with a visit to the miraculous confluence of the three seas; Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. The Vivekananda Memorial, located at the heart of this confluence is a pilgrimage for all the stressed hearts seeking For some respite and solace.
After enjoying a pleasant boat ride around the place, we return to the hotel for night stay.
Overnight stay at the Hotel.
Day 09 & 10: Kanyakumari-Kovalam
Drive to Kovalam, one of the most popular beach destinations in Kerala and check into your hotel. Kovalam consists of three adjacent crescent beaches separated by rocky headlands, of which the southernmost Lighthouse beach is the most famous. The Azure waters and favourable climate make Kovalam a favourite year-round destination for beach lovers.
Overnight stay at the Hotel.
Day 11: Kovalam-Allepey
Then we are heading to Alleppey, known for its serene backwaters. We hit the backwaters and walk along the paddy fields till we reach the resort. Backwater alleppey which is a perfect recreation destination on the bank of Vembanad Lake to enjoy the serenity and greenery of backwater villages.
Optional program
Motor boat cruise – 600 per person
Village walk with canoe ride – 800 per person Shikara boat ride – 700 per person
Overnight stay at theHotel.
Day 12: Allepey-Cochin
Departure transfer to Cochin Airport to board your Flight to onward destination.