About This Tour
Overview
This 15-day private journey is a grand sweep of southern India's spiritual and cultural heartland. Begin in Bangalore, the 'Garden City,' before travelling to Puttaparthi, the spiritual seat of Sri Sathya Sai Baba's Prasanthi Nilayam ashram, and onward to the holy hills of Tirupati, home of Sri Venkateswara Temple - one of the most visited and wealthiest shrines on earth.
Cross into Tamil Nadu for colonial Chennai, the UNESCO rock-cut wonders of Mahabalipuram and the silk temples of Kancheepuram, the French quarter and Auroville at Pondicherry, Chola masterpieces at Tanjore and Trichy's river temples, the magnificent Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai, the Char Dham island of Rameshwaram with its 1,000-pillared corridors, and Kanyakumari where the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea meet. The journey ends with leisure on Kerala's Kovalam beaches before a Trivandrum airport transfer. Private AC vehicle throughout, with hand-picked hotels.
Duration
14 Nights / 15 Days
Tour Type
Multi Day · Private · Guided
Destinations
Bangalore · Tirupati · Chennai · Pondicherry · Madurai · Rameshwaram · Kanyakumari · Kovalam
Sacred Sites
Tirupati · Meenakshi · Ramanathaswamy · Kumari Amman & more
Language
English-speaking driver & local guides
Route
Bangalore in · Trivandrum out · No backtracking
Top Experiences
Highlights
Tirupati Darshan
Sri Venkateswara Temple on the Tirumala hills - the world's most-visited shrine, with guided TTD special-entry support
Meenakshi Amman Temple
Madurai's spectacular Dravidian masterpiece - rainbow gopurams watching over a 2,500-year-old temple city
Ramanathaswamy Corridor
Walk the longest temple corridor in the world and the 1,000-pillared mandapam on Rameshwaram's sacred island
Kanyakumari Confluence
Sunset where three oceans meet, the Kumari Amman shrine and the ferry to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial
UNESCO Mahabalipuram
Arjuna's Penance, the five Rathas and the shore-swept Shore Temple - 7th-century Pallava granite
Pondicherry & Auroville
French-quarter boulevards, Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the golden Matrimandir of Auroville's universal township
Visual Journey
Shrines, Shores & Stone
What's Covered
Includes / Excludes
✓ Included
- 14 nights accommodation in hand-picked hotels & beach resort
- Daily breakfast at all hotels
- Private air-conditioned vehicle for the entire Bangalore → Trivandrum route
- Airport arrival (Bangalore) & departure (Trivandrum) transfers
- Excursions to Mahabalipuram, Kancheepuram, Auroville, Trichy & more
- Driver allowance, parking, tolls & transport taxes
✕ Not Included
- Airfare or train fare (international and domestic)
- Lunch, dinner & drinks unless mentioned
- Temple darshan tickets & monument entrance fees
- Ferry to Vivekananda Rock, camera fees, tips & personal expenses
- Travel or medical insurance
- Anything not specifically mentioned in inclusions
Day01
Abroad – Bangalore - Welcome to the Garden City
Airport pickup · Leisure day
Kempegowda International Airport
- Meeting and assistance on arrival at Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore.
- Transfer to your pre-booked hotel in a comfortable private AC vehicle (hotel check-in time is 12 Noon).
- Spend the rest of the day at leisure to relax and recover from your flight.
- Overnight at the hotel in Bangalore.
Day02
Bangalore - Gardens, Palaces & Ancient Shrines
Half-day city sightseeing
Lalbagh · Cubbon Park · Tipu's Palace
- Morning half-day sightseeing tour of Bangalore.
- Lalbagh Botanical Gardens - laid out by Haider Ali and expanded by Tipu Sultan, boasting rare species brought from other countries.
- Walk through Cubbon Park - a lush 100-year-old park housing the High Court and State Library.
- Explore Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace - a double-storeyed teakwood marvel of the 18th century.
- Visit the Bull (Nandi) Temple with its giant monolithic Nandi, and the ornate ISKCON Temple.
- Overnight at the hotel in Bangalore.
Day03
Bangalore – Puttaparthi - Spiritual Sai Baba Ashram
~155 km / 3.5 hrs
Prasanthi Nilayam · Andhra Pradesh
- Morning checkout and drive from Bangalore to Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh (~3.5 hrs).
- Arrive in Puttaparthi and check in to the hotel.
- Rest of the day at leisure to visit Prasanthi Nilayam, the main ashram of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, or engage in spiritual activities.
- Overnight at the hotel in Puttaparthi.
Day04
Puttaparthi – Tirupati - To the Holy Hills of Tirumala
~260 km / 5.5 hrs
Eastern Ghats · Pilgrim Town
- Morning checkout and leave Puttaparthi for Tirupati (~5.5 hrs).
- Drive through scenic country roads ascending towards the Eastern Ghats.
- Arrive in Tirupati, check in to the hotel, and spend the afternoon at leisure.
- Prepare for the holy temple visit at Sri Venkateswara Temple on Tirumala hills.
- Overnight at the hotel in Tirupati.
Day05
Tirupati – Chennai - Drive to the Coastal Capital
~135 km / 3 hrs
Coastal Highway · Chennai
- Morning departure by road from Tirupati to Chennai, Tamil Nadu's capital (~3 hrs).
- Arrive in Chennai and check in at the hotel.
- Spend the rest of the day at leisure for shopping, beach walks, or independent activities.
- Overnight at the hotel in Chennai.
Day06
Chennai - Historic Fort St. George & Mylapore
Half-day city sightseeing
Fort St. George · Marina Beach · Mylapore
- Morning half-day sightseeing tour of Chennai.
- Fort St. George - founded in 1639, marking the birth of Chennai, now housing the Secretariat.
- Government Museum & Art Gallery - a rich collection of traditional and modern sculptures and paintings (closed Fridays & national holidays).
- Drive past Marina Beach - the second-longest urban beach in the world.
- Visit the 7th-century Kapaleeshwarar Temple at Mylapore with its magnificent gopuram.
- Overnight at the hotel in Chennai.
Day07
Chennai – Mahabalipuram – Kancheepuram – Pondicherry
~165 km / 4.5 hrs · UNESCO en route
Shore Temple · Arjuna's Penance · Kanchi Silk
- Morning checkout and drive from Chennai to Pondicherry, stopping at Mahabalipuram.
- Arjuna's Penance - a colossal 27-meter long relief carved on two huge boulders.
- Explore Varaha Cave, Dharmaraja Cave and Mahisasurmardini Cave with Somaskanda and reclining Vishnu sculptures.
- Visit the rock-cut 7th-century Tiger Cave shrine and the sea-washed Shore Temple.
- Continue to the silk-weaving town of Kancheepuram - Kailasanathar and Ekambaranathar temples (time permitting).
- Arrive in Pondicherry and check in. Overnight at the hotel.
Day08
Pondicherry – Tanjore - French Quarter, Auroville & Chola Lands
~245 km / 5.5 hrs
Sri Aurobindo · Auroville · Matrimandir
- Morning sightseeing tour of Pondicherry.
- Sri Aurobindo Ashram - established in 1926, showcasing the spiritual vision of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.
- Pondicherry Museum - displaying Arikamedu Roman ruins and Chola bronzes.
- Visit Auroville - the universal township, and view the golden Matrimandir.
- Afternoon drive to Tanjore (~4.5 hrs) and check in. Overnight at the hotel.
Day09
Tanjore – Trichy – Madurai - Chola Masterpieces & River Temples
~200 km / 5 hrs · Trichy en route
Brihadeeswarar · Srirangam · Rock Fort
- Morning sightseeing tour of Tanjore.
- Brihadeeswarar Temple - a massive Chola structural temple built over 1,000 years ago by King Raja Raja I (UNESCO).
- Visit the Tanjore Art Gallery and the historic Saraswathi Mahal Library.
- Drive to Madurai (~4 hrs), en-route visiting Trichy (Tiruchirappalli) on the banks of the Kaveri.
- See the island temple of Srirangam and the Rock Fort temples of Trichy.
- Arrive in Madurai and check in. Overnight at the hotel.
Day10
Madurai - Sheer Magnificence of Meenakshi
Half-day temple sightseeing
Meenakshi Amman · Thirumalai Nayak Mahal
- Morning half-day sightseeing tour of Madurai.
- Meenakshi Amman Temple - a spectacular, highly detailed Dravidian temple with towers looking over the old city.
- Thirumalai Nayak Mahal - built in 1523 AD (as inscribed at the site), showcasing grand Indo-Saracenic columns, arches and the dancing hall.
- Afternoon at leisure to stroll through the colourful bazaars around the temple.
- Overnight at the hotel in Madurai.
Day11
Madurai – Rameshwaram - Holy Char Dham Island Pilgrimage
~175 km / 3.5 hrs
Pamban Bridge · Ramanathaswamy · 22 Theerthams
- Morning departure by road from Madurai to Rameshwaram (~3.5 hrs).
- Cross the iconic Pamban Bridge onto the sacred island and check in at the hotel.
- Ramanathaswamy Temple - one of the four most sacred Char Dham pilgrim centres, associated with Lord Rama.
- Marvel at the longest temple corridor in the world and the 1000-Pillared Mandapam.
- Spend the evening watching the lights over the sea from the temple's outer ghats.
- Overnight at the hotel in Rameshwaram.
Day12
Rameshwaram – Kanyakumari - Southernmost Tip Where Three Oceans Meet
~310 km / 6 hrs
Kumari Amman · Vivekananda Rock · Sunset
- Morning checkout and drive from Rameshwaram to Kanyakumari (~6 hrs).
- Check in to the hotel upon arrival.
- Afternoon sightseeing of Kanyakumari: Kumari Amman Temple dedicated to Goddess Parvati as Devi Kanya, and Goddess Bhagavathi Temple at the confluence of the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
- Take the ferry to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar Statue (ferry timings permitting).
- Watch the famous sunset over the three oceans. Overnight at the hotel in Kanyakumari.
Day13
Kanyakumari – Kovalam - Travel to the Beaches of Kerala
~85 km / 2.5 hrs
Kovalam Beach · Arabian Sea Sunset
- Morning checkout and drive from Kanyakumari to Kovalam beach resort (~2.5 hrs).
- Arrive in Kovalam and check in to the hotel.
- Rest of the day at leisure to relax on the sandy beaches or watch the sunset over the Arabian Sea.
- Overnight at the hotel in Kovalam.
Day14
Kovalam - Leisure on the Beach
Full day at leisure
Lighthouse Beach · Ayurvedic Spa
- Full day at leisure for independent activities.
- Sunbathe on Kovalam's famous crescent beaches, try local fresh catch, or treat yourself to an optional rejuvenating Ayurvedic body massage.
- Optional visit to Lighthouse Beach and the Vizhinjam lighthouse viewpoint.
- Overnight at the hotel in Kovalam.
Day15
Leave Kovalam - Onward Flight from Trivandrum
Airport drop · Tour concludes
Trivandrum International Airport
- Check out from the hotel in Kovalam.
- In-time transfer from Kovalam to Trivandrum Airport (Thiruvananthapuram) in a private AC vehicle.
- Tour concludes - connect to your onward flight back home, carrying peaceful memories of Southern India's sacred hubs. Safe travels & namasté!
Where You'll Stay
Hotels
Bangalore · Puttaparthi · Tirupati
Comfort Hotels - 4 Nights (D1-D4)
Garden-city comfort, ashram-adjacent stay and pilgrim-town hotel
Garden-city comfort, ashram-adjacent stay and pilgrim-town hotel
Chennai · Pondicherry · Tanjore
4-Star City Hotels - 4 Nights (D5-D8)
Colonial-era charm in Chennai, French-quarter boulevards in Pondy
Colonial-era charm in Chennai, French-quarter boulevards in Pondy
Madurai · Rameshwaram · Kanyakumari
Temple-Town Hotels - 3 Nights (D9-D12)
Walking distance from Meenakshi and Ramanathaswamy
Walking distance from Meenakshi and Ramanathaswamy
Kovalam
Beach Resort - 2 Nights (D13-D14)
Crescent-beach stay with Arabian Sea sunsets
Crescent-beach stay with Arabian Sea sunsets
We will arrange and confirm your hotels as per the trip and budget - stay options are not fixed and can be customised to your preference. Contact us for details
Good to Know
FAQs
What is the best time for this sacred circuit?
- October to March is ideal - the southern plains stay pleasant for temple visits and the Kerala coast is at its best. Kanyakumari is beautiful year-round; avoid the deep monsoon months of June–August for coastal driving.
Can you arrange Tirupati darshan tickets?
- We guide you through the TTD online quota and can arrange special-entry darshan tickets (subject to availability) well in advance. Modest dress code applies - shoulders and knees covered, footwear deposited at the temple.
Is the itinerary crowded with long drives?
- Most hops are 3–5 hours in a private AC vehicle with stops built in. The longest single day is Tanjore–Madurai via Trichy (~5 hrs) - broken by the Srirangam and Rock Fort visits. Two beach-leisure days at Kovalam balance the temple days.
How much time is needed at Rameshwaram and Kanyakumari?
- Rameshwaram deserves an evening plus a morning for the Ramanathaswamy corridor, the 22 theerthams and the Pamban bridge views. Kanyakumari is an afternoon-evening stay timed for the sunset and the ferry to Vivekananda Rock.
What should I pack and wear at the shrines?
- Light cottons, a hat and comfortable walking shoes. Modest attire is mandatory at Tirupati, Rameshwaram and Madurai - shoulders and knees covered, footwear removed. A light shawl is handy for temple floors and AC coaches.
Can I extend this tour?
- Yes - popular add-ons include the Kerala backwater houseboats at Alleppey, Munnar's tea hills, a Periyar wildlife stay, or Colombo connections from Kanyakumari. Just share your dates.
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