Booking fee
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* This tour requires at least one of the following per booking: Adult, Senior
In this day tour from Chennai, we will visit the twin wonders of Pallava architecture, Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram. We will cover the magnificent temples of Ekambareswar & Kailashnath in Kanchipuram. After that we visit the ancient sea port of Mahabalipuram and visit the legendary rock cut structures lie Arjuna's penance, Five Rathas and the iconic Shore temple which served literally as the beacon for sea farers from the 8th century onwards. This is a fully guided tour with pick up and drop, private car, full time guide, lunch and all entrance charges as well.
Local guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Lunch
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Drinks
Departure Point
Traveler pickup is offered
Pick up available from all hotels in Chennai
Traveler pickup
37MV+M95, Chennai Port Trust, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600001, India
Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram, India We visit Ekambareswarar of Pallava dynasty to appreciate these ancient architectural wonders. These were built in 600 AD and are magnificent specimens of the Pallava style of architecture.
45 minutes
Pillaiyarpalayam, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 631501, India We will visit the magnificent temple of Kailasanathar Temple from Pallava times. Kanchipuram was the capital of the medieval South Indian Kingdom of Pallavas. The Pallavas were instrumental in the transition from rock-cut architecture to stone temples. We will appreciate these architectural wonders built in 600 AD. 45 minutes
Pancha Rathas, Mahabalipuram, India Mahabalipuram is an ancient town and was known to be a trading post during Roman Times. It rose to prominence as a bustling sea port during the rule of the Pallava Dynasty headquartered in Kanchipuram during the 7th century AD. Ships sailing from South India to South East Asia used to depart from the Mahabalipuram port.
Panch Rathas, or the 5 chariots is our first destination. These are rock cut monolith temples structures dedicated to Draupadi and the 5 Pandavas from the epic Mahabharata.
45 minutes
Arjuna's Penance, Mahabalipuram, India We also visit Arjuna’s Penance, a 100 feet x 45 feet bas relief where an entire masterpiece from the Mahabharata epic has been carved. 30 minutes
Krishna's Butter Ball, Mahabalipuram, India The next halt is at Krishna’s Butterball, a curious sight of a 5 meters diameter ball shaped boulder which is perched precariously on a slope and defies Newton’s laws of gravity! 30 minutes
Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram, India The legendary Marco Polo referred to Mahabalipuram as the city of 7 pagodas. The Shore temple is the only 1 of those magnificent 7 temples, which have survived the ravages of time. The Magnificent Shore temple beckons us. This 8th century structural temple is made of granite and served as a beacon for sea farers of the time. 45 minutes
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Foxylanguage
11 Jun 2023
My tour guide Kalpana is very kind and clear introduce the history of these places. The private car is also very comfortable. Feel safe here.
kowsik_kesav
24 May 2023
Mahabalipuram is a coastal town located in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is famous for shore temple and pancha rathas. It is accessible by air, road and railways via Chennai.
danielalexandreg2023
23 May 2023
We had a wonderful day visiting the various sites at Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. This is a must do if you are in Chennai. We are very happy we took the longer option that combines the two locations as both cities have numerous sites of great historical significance.
Kannan our guide war very knowledgeable and provided a lot of insightful information that is necessary to really understand the historical significance of those sites. He was patient and we did not felt rushed. We had time to take pictures and ask additional questions. on some of the sites there was also a local guide but we were happy to have Kannan with us as the level of information was relatively minimal and a bit harder to understand.
Pick up was on time and our private driver also did an amazing job driving us around safely. We really love as well the lunch option that allowed us to try different dishes. Everything was too notch from a logistic and communication point of view. Overall a wonderful experience and really a great option if you have only a few days in Chennai. Would totally recommend.
This tour in
Tamil Nadu
is organized by
5 Senses Walks
We always double-check the availability with our local partners for each booking. Even though this is usually a swift process, it can take up to 24 hours. Once this process is completed you will receive your voucher or ticket by email. If our local partner is not able to confirm your booking we will offer you the best possible alternative. If the new date and/or time doesn’t fit your itinerary, we will reimburse the full amount paid.
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