Your exciting Dravidian tour commences from Chennai, South India’s largest city as well as your starting point. After your arrival, followed by a warm welcome, check in to the Hotel at Chennai and get ready for a full day metro tour. Drive around the metro-city and get to know some of its famous landmarks. Visit the Fort St. George (the British built fortress, which still retains its colonial charm). Watch the big beach at Marina - regarded as world’s 2nd longest seashore. Later on, travel to a little outer from the metro area… towards the sacred hillock St. Thomas Mount. It was from here that St. Thomas, the apostle of Christ, carried out his missionary activities till he attained martyrdom - somewhat 1900+ years back. Observe his deeds through the sculptures and relics at the old European-styled Church on the hilltop. You can find how harmoniously the traditional Tamil culture and modern British culture are blended. As the daylight fades, get to your Hotel. Overnight stay at Chennai.

Now it’s time for an insight into the priceless Dravidian culture & heritage… For that proceed to the most ideal place nearer Chennai - ‘Mahabalipuram’ (a centuries-old port city, abode of priceless heritage monuments). On reaching Mahabalipuram; set out for sightseeing… View some splendid specimens of Dravidian architecture & art forms - testimonies of former Pallava Kings, who were great patrons of arts / crafts - such as, ‘Pancha Rathas’ (‘Five Chariots’ - monolithic structures, each carved from one single large piece of stone - named after the five ‘Pandavas’ of the great epic Mahabharata), ‘Arjuna's Penance’ (a massive relief sculpture illustrating an episode from the epic Mahabharata), ‘Descent of the Ganges’ (another giant open-air bas relief, depicting a famous scene from Hindu mythology), ‘Varaha Cave Temple’ (a rock-cut-temple with fine carvings), ‘Shore Temple’ (a very old shrine with entry from the seashore) … As the daylight paves way for nightfall, get in to your lodgings… settle down in its soothing environs. Overnight stay at Mahabalipuram.

Bid bye-bye to the legacy steeped Mahabalipuram and take a drive to your next destination, ‘Kancheepuram’ - a city with many tags, such as, the historical capital of former Pallava Kings… a city with countless temples of unique architectural beauty… one among the seven sacred ancient cities in India… a centre of learning, religious & culture of Tamil for centuries… etc. At Kancheepuram, visit its prime shrine, the ‘Ekambareswarar Temple’ - one of the ‘Pancha Bootha’ Lord Shiva temples, each representing a natural element (‘Pancha Bootha’ - Sky, Earth, Water, Fire and Wind - of these, Ekambareswarar Temple represents the element ‘Earth’). Then, visit ‘Kailasanathar Temple’, another temple with noteworthy architecture and fresco-style paintings on its walls. Here you can see 58 small shrines situated around the main shrine - literally forming a compound wall.

Later, visit Kancheepuram’s world famous trademark - silk weaving units where the finest silk sarees in the country are made. Watch how those marvelous cloths are created, that too, by hand-weaving! You can very well purchase those glittering cloths. At the end of the day’s tour, stay overnight at the hotel in Kancheepuram.

Bid farewell to one historic city and travel to another… from Kancheepuram to Thanjavur. On the way, first halt at ‘Gangai Konda Cholapuram’ - erstwhile capital of great Chola emperor Rajendra I, who, after the conquest of North Indian Ganges regions, assumed the title Gangai Konda Cholan and named this place after him. Here visit the temple built by Rajendra Chola - an imposing multi storied shrine surrounded by a fort-like wall. Then you will know, like the Pallava kings; Cholas too were great connoisseurs of arts & crafts.

Next, en route halt at Kumbakonam, nicknamed as the ‘temple town’, due to presence of many beautiful shrines. After a quick get-around here, proceed to ‘Darasuram’, an ancient location nearby. At Darasuram you can find remnants of Airavateswar Shiva. View some exclusive architecture, sculptures & paintings at this Temple.

Subject to time and convenience, take an optional halt at ‘Swamimalai’ - one of the six most important abodes of Lord Muruga, and also famous for its indigenous bronze sculptures. Here you can visit the sacred Lord Muruga Temple and watch a local unit where bronze sculptures are made, using centuries-old indigenous methods of bronze casting!

Continue with your trip… On reaching Thanjavur, check in to the hotel and settle down. Overnight stay at the hotel in Thanjavur.

After warming up with breakfast at hotel; set out for a day long sightseeing of Thanjavur - the ages-old capital royal of Chola Kings. Start with a masterpiece of Chola-styled architecture - the big temple ‘Brihandeswara’ (1000+ years old shrine, built by the esteemed Chola emperor Rajaraja I). Apart from its architectural intricacies and sculptures, what makes Brihandeswara temple unique is the high temple tower that is taller than the sanctum sanctorum - a feature not seen in other typical Tamil / Dravidian temples.

Later, visit the nearby water tank ‘Shivaganga’, a popular hangout place. As time permits, have a quick get-around in other notable sights like, ‘Thanjavur Palace’, ‘Royal Museum’ & ‘Art Gallery’. Afterwards do some shopping - buy unique Thanjavur specials, such as, the Thalayatti Bomai (head-nodding doll). Late evening, return to your hotel at Thanjavur for overnight stay.

Today check out from your hotel early, depart Thanjavur and drive to the pilgrim town of ‘Rameshwaram’. En route, halt at ‘Pudukkottai’ (once a princely state - now a trove of archeological & cultural remnants with traces from prehistoric to medieval times). After enjoying Pudukkottai’s antique charm, drive further to visit the nearby ‘Thirumayam Fort’ (a historically significant fortress). Inside the fortress, you can find beautifully sculptured pillars. Those interested in ancient era shrines can also visit the neighborhood’s two timeworn rock cut temples, one dedicated to Lord Shiva and other to Lord Vishnu - two of Hinduism’s holy trinity.

Continue with your trip… on reaching Rameshwaram, check into your hotel. Take time to get attuned with the new surroundings. Overnight stay at the hotel in Rameshwaram.

Get ready early today for Rameshwaram temple visit… The ‘Ramanathaswamy Temple’ is one of the 12 holiest Lord Shiva Jyothirlingam Temples of India, plus, a member of ‘Char Dham’ (4 Temples, which according to Hindu legends, has to be visited in one’s life time to attain salvation). Here you will be amazed to see the stunningly long temple corridors with richly carved granite pillars - regarded as the longest temple corridor in the world. Then experience Rameshwaram Temple Wells… bathing in these waters is considers as equivalent to penance. You are welcome to do that also.

After the temple visit, proceed to a peculiar spot near Rameshwaram - the ‘Ghost Town’ of ‘Dhanushkodi’, a place that invokes mixed feelings of curiosity & agony. Located at the southern tip of Rameshwaram, Dhanushkodi was once a thriving town till it was completed wiped out by a cyclone (in 1964). Now this place is virtually unoccupied expect a few fishermen & shoppers. At Dhanushkodi you can find scary remains of its past and also visit the shore where Indian Ocean meets Bay of Bengal. Later return to Rameshwaram and stay overnight.

Leave from sacred place to experience another one… depart Rameshwaram to Madurai, regarded as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu as well as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

During this journey that takes several hours of drive you can get varied glimpses of the Tamil Nadu land - the humbleness of rural life, landscapes with varying shades of green, thriving little towns with typical Dravidian style … Upon reaching Madurai, check into your hotel and take own time to refresh from the journey. After settling down in the new surroundings, subject to time & convenience, have a brief look-around the Madurai city. The towering temple-towers of ‘Meenakshi Sundareswar Temple’ will be your immediate attention grabbers among the city’s hustle & bustle. As the temple is too vast it’s better to dedicate a day for full temple visit. As darkness deepens return to your hotel and stay overnight.

Spend the morning at leisure readying for Madurai sightseeing. Begin your city tour with the grand ‘Meenakshi Sundareswar Temple’, which ranks among the country’s greatest cultural & architectural landmarks. Watch the looming temple towers, each studded with carvings of Gods, Goddesses, mythological figures and even depictions from fairy tales. Explore the sprawling temple complex... Visit the awe inspiring ‘Thousand Pillar Hall’ (in fact 985 now). Then see the ‘musical pillars’ - each one, when struck, produces a different musical note!

Then visit the ‘Mariamman Teppakulam’, a huge water tank located near the Meenakshi Temple. The tank is known as Mariamman Teppakulam due to the presence of Goddess Mariamman Temple there (Teppakulam means water tank in Tamil). At the center of the tank is a Lord Ganesh temple - accessible only by water. The area of the tank and the island pavilion is approximately equal to the area of the great Meenakshi Temple!

Later visit Madurai’s other important landmarks like the ‘Thirumalai Nayakar Palace’ (a splendid palace of the former Madurai King, who made this city a memorable one), the ‘Gandhi Museum’ (a museum that awakes awareness of the life & times of ‘Father of modern India’, Mahatma Gandhi) … get a brief outlook this ageless city’s royal legacy. At nightfall, get back to your lodgings at Madurai for overnight stay.

This morning, depart Madurai to ‘Tiruchirapalli’ alias Trichy, a city of significance for Tamils. After reaching Trichy, check in to your hotel and get refreshed. Later proceed for Trichy visit. Start with the most important landmark in the city - the ‘Rock Fort Ucchi Pillayar Temple’ (a combination of two shrines located atop a high rock, 83 meters tall - one shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and other to his son, Lord Ganesh, known as ‘Pillayar’ in Tamil). In these shrines, which are regarded as one of the oldest in the world, watch the awe inspiring rock architectures bearing ancient traits.

Afterwards visit Trichy’s most elegant Christian monument, the St John's Church - a colonial styled church that dates back to almost two centuries. Experience the vintage air that engulfs the Church. Also visit the neighboring cemetery… all these will remind you about some fairy tale scenes. As night falls, return to your hotel at Trichy and stay overnight.

Begin today’s Trichy sightseeing by visiting the legendary ‘Sri Jambukeshwara Temple’. This is one of the ‘Pancha Bootha’ Lord Shiva temples, each representing a natural element (Sky, Earth, Water, Fire and Wind - of these, Jambukeshwara Temple represents the element ‘Water’). In this large shrine with 7 temple towers and 5 concentric walls, all covered with life-like carvings, you may even virtually go back to past realms.

After the turning-clock-back experience at Jambukeshwara, proceed to visit to the largest functioning temple complex in the world - ‘The Ranganathaswamy Temple’. Located at Srirangam near Trichy, this overwhelmingly massive shrine is regarded as one among the holiest Vaishnavite (followers of Lord Vishnu) Temples in India. Watch in awe the fascinating architecture and sculptural beauty of this gigantic shrine. See the ‘One Thousand Pillar Hall’ (actually 953 intricately carved stone pillars) in the temple complex.

Even though Ranganathaswamy Temple complex is very vast, you won’t miss its most striking feature - the ‘Rajagopuram’ - built by the Vijayanagara Emperors this is the tallest temple tower in Asia! As the daylight fades, get back to your hotel and relax. Overnight stay at Trichy.

Time for the climax of your inspirational tour, ‘departure day’. Leave your hotel and drive to Trichy Airport / Railway Station - farewell.