Spectacular South India and Sri Lanka

Upon arrival proceed to clear customs and immigration formalities.
Upon exit you will meet our representative who will transfer to your hotel.

Breakfast at Hotel.
Depart for Mahabalipuram, but first enjoy a Chennai city tour starting with a visit to Fort St George, which was responsible for protecting the interests of the English East India Company, St Mary's Church, the first and oldest English church in India, and St Thomas' Basilica. In the district of Mylapore, stop at the Kapalishwaran temple, which dates back to the 16th century, and the flower market. Visit the Government Museum of Arts, which has a magnificent collection of bronze statues. (It is Closed on Friday)
Continue to Mahabalipuram, a historic city and UNESCO World Heritage site in Tamil Nadu - best known for the 7th and 8th century Hindu group of monuments. The afternoon tour starts with a visit to several cave temples, sculpted reliefs, and Five Raths. These are rock-cut temples and are rated as excellent examples of Pallava art. Krishna Mandapam is beautifully decorated with carvings of the various incidents of Krishna's life. Arjuna's Penance- is the world's largest bas-relief, measuring 27m x 9m, and is the pride of Mahabalipuram, and the Shore Temple- is one of the oldest temples in South India. It belongs to the 8th Century A.D. and is an excellent example of the first phase of the structure of temples constructed in the Dravidian style.

After breakfast, breakfast departs on an excursion that includes visiting Kanchipuram, the city with a thousand temples, the Kailasanatha Temple, and the Ekambareshwara Temple. Then, visit a traditional silk saree weaving center and see how traditional looms transform mulberry threads into gorgeous garments.
Return to Mahabalipuram.

Breakfast at your hotel. This morning, depart for Pondicherry; on the way, stop for a visit to Sri Aurobindo Ashram a renowned spiritual place in Pondicherry founded by an Indian yoga guru and a French spiritual woman called 'the mother'; Sri Aurobindo Ashram is a must-visit for those seeking inner peace and meditation. Also, visit Auroville Papers Workshops to learn about traditional papermaking techniques. Upon arrival in Pondicherry, check-in at the hotel.
In the afternoon, tour Pondicherry - the Indian side, which is busy, and the European side. Most of the locals speak French, even on the streets. Take a cycle rickshaw ride through the French town, its colonial buildings, and its most popular edifice - the Government Museum (closed on Mondays). Visit the Church of Our Lady of the Angels. The Church was built in 1865 by French Missionaries in the Greek-Roman architectural style.

Breakfast at your hotel.
Drive to Tanjore; en route, visit Chidambaram's Nataraja Temple, a famous temple enshrining Lord Shiva's Nataraja form (Dancing Posture), situated in the heart of the temple town of Chidambaram. Visit Airavatesvara Temple in Darasuram, which is also dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple, which was constructed in the 12th century, is a World Heritage Monument, reflecting Tamil Nadu's rich heritage of art and architecture.
Arrive in Tanjore and check in at the hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel.
Visit the Brihadeshwara Temple, built in 1009 and considered a UNESCO heritage site. Also, visit the Rajaraja Museum, the Palace Art Gallery, and the Saraswathi Mahal Library, which contains 40,000 rare books in European and local languages. Drive to Madurai, and en route, visit Trichy - visit the Rock Fort Temple and the temple of Srirangam, a valid religious city dedicated to Vishnu, whose 21 dizzying gopurams stand on an island surrounded by two arms of the Kaveri.
Continue to Madurai, an important trading center from the 6th century B.C. J.C. built it in the shape of a lotus, with the temple of Meenakshi in the center. Arrive in Madurai and check in at the hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel.
Join your guide for a full day of exploring Madurai, one of the oldest cities in India.
Visit the Tirumala Nayak Palace with its beautiful stuccoes. Then, ride the rickshaw to explore and unravel the city's other traits, such as banana and vegetable markets, bamboo bazaar, and dhobi ghat, as well as the seat of textile and brass industries to watch locals make metal pots on the furnaces and spinning yarns and stop at the temple of Meenakshi, the fish-eyed goddess.
Tour the weaver's colony in the afternoon to learn how the famous Madurai cotton is woven, creating some of India's most beautiful saris. The temple of Tripurakundram is one of the six main pilgrimage sites for the devotion of the son of Shiva, Lord Murugan.
In the evening, witness the 'Aarti Ceremony' at the famous Meenakshi Temple, during which worshippers deliver an icon of Shiva to his wife's shrine to rest for the night.

After breakfast drive to Munnar, arrive, and check in at the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Tata Tea Museum, located amongst beautiful tea plantations at the Nallathanni Estate. As evidenced by the surrounding tea plantations, the industry has played an integral part in the area's history. Showcasing photographs and machinery, the tea factory museum reveals a detailed insight into how tea is processed from fresh green leaves to the final product, ready to be packaged. The museum also pays homage to the workers who have kept the industry alive for generations. Then, visit Srishti, a welfare center managed and run by Tata Tea. It aims to give the families of tea pluckers in Munnar a better quality of life.

After breakfast drive to Alleppey, the city of ancient canals and lagoons. Upon arrival, embark on a traditional Houseboat, a former rice transport converted into a floating hotel. Enjoy the cruise through the enchanting backwaters, sailing and passing through one of the few areas where farming is done below sea level. The boat will pass through picturesque stretches of the backwaters and moor up for an overnight stay in Vemabanadu Lake. Overnight on Houseboat Breakfast I Lunch I Dinner.

After breakfast, disembark your houseboat and depart to Kochi; arrive and check in at the hotel. In the afternoon join your guide for a Heritage walk of Old Kochi Area: Take a walk through the old town of Fort Kochi, visiting the old spice market and the Jew Township. Later, stop at the beach, lined with picturesque Chinese fishing nets.
Then, Visit the Dutch Palace and the old Portuguese and Dutch houses. St. Francis Church, built in 1502 by the Portuguese, is one of the oldest European churches in India. Also, visit the Jewish Synagogue, which was built in 1568. In the evening, there is a presentation of Kathakali, the famous costume drama, song, and dance, whose themes are drawn from the great Indian epics.

Breakfast at your hotel.
Later, they transfer to the Airport to board the flight to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Meet with the local guide or Representative and transfer to Negombo. Arrive and check-in at the hotel. Later, visit Negombo fishing village (subject to flight timing). Thousands of fishermen actively participate in fishing daily, and their catch is dried and preserved using indigenous technologies. During Dutch rule, a Dutch Canal Boat Ride was used to supply the Dutch administration, Old Churches, and fishing villages. Walk to the local market.

After breakfast, depart Negombo for Dambulla; along the way, visit the sacred city of Anuradhapura. The most fantastic city in Sri Lankan history, packed with monuments from over a thousand years of the Island's past. Visit the ancient capital of the Kingdom in the fourth century: Anuradhapura. Abandoned in the 10th century, this city was rediscovered in 1817. Visit temples, stupas, palaces, and the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi. Continue to Dambulla. Along the way, there is a stop-visit in Mihintale, where Buddhism was first introduced to Sri Lanka. Mihintale is regarded as the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The rock is riddled with shrines and rock dwellings. A grand stairway of 1,840 steps made from granite slabs 15' wide leads to the summit, from which one can get a splendid view of the surrounding countryside. Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel.
Morning: excursion to Polonnaruwa & visit another "World Heritage Site", the Capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th - 13th Centuries. Lankatilake, Tivanka, and Thuparama are the most beautiful and largest image houses, and Tivanka is the best example of frescoes from the Polonnaruwa period. Rankoth Vehera and Kirivehera are well-preserved large stupas, and Gal Vihare is a rock shrine with four Buddha statues. The Parakrama Samudra is on the western side of the city. The Royal Palace, Audience Hall, and other buildings in the inner city were enclosed by another tall wall. In the afternoon, you will climb the famous Sigiriya Rock Fortress - a "World Heritage Site" and the 5th Century "Fortress in the Sky", which is perhaps the most fantastic single wonder of the Island. It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the Palace on the summit of the 600-foot-high rock. The water gardens, fountain gardens, summerhouse, Boulder Gardens, and caves within the enclosed area should be noted.

Breakfast at your hotel.
In the morning, visit the Dambulla Rock temple in a cave and view the painted walls and ceilings, which contain over 150 images of the Buddha. Drive to Kandy, and en route, visit Spice and Herbal Garden in Matale to see many diverse types of spices Sri Lanka is famous for. Matale spice gardens are among the best on the Island. You will be introduced to different spices and shown how some are grown and processed. The area has a processing and training unit, and farmers are grouped in a cooperative to ensure fair prices. You will also be able to purchase spices.
You can also visit the Batik Factory to see how these traditional Sri Lankan prints are manufactured. These shops contain a wide variety of Batik items. Arrive in Kandy and check in at the hotel. An afternoon visit to the well-preserved Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) highlights Kandy. See the people praying, making small gifts of flowers, and lighting candles for their wishes to come true.
Then, visit the authentic market, Kandy's oldest market square. It sells various items ranging from local fruits and vegetables to handicrafts and souvenirs to high-quality textiles and leather goods. You can also visit the Arts and Crafts Center and the gem museum.
In the evening, attend a Cultural show featuring various traditional Sri Lankan dances.

Breakfast at your hotel. In the morning, drive to Nuwara Eliya. En route, visit the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens - 47 acres in extent - started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the Kings of Kandy. There are more than five thousand species of trees and plants, spice and orchid gardens, including some endemic flora from the tropical world. Continue with a visit to a Tea Plantation & Tea Factory. Experience an authentic tea plucking experience with the estate workers and enjoy a guided visit to the Tea Factory, where the best tea in the world is produced. You also have a chance to taste pure Ceylon Tea. Meet some tea pluckers, learn about their lives, and learn how to pick out the best tea leaves and pluck tea from the natives who have been doing it for many generations. On the way, visit the breathtaking waterfalls that make Nuwara Eliya one of the most attractive towns in the world. Nuwara Eliya also has one of South Asia's finest 18-hole golf courses. You can visit the Strawberry Farms and pick some strawberries. Arrive and check-in at the hotel. You can take a lovely evening walk around Gregory Lake. Visit the beautiful clubhouse and British colonial-style bungalows.