Booking fee
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* This tour requires at least one of the following per booking: Adult, Senior
Mamallapuram (also called Mahaballipuram) is about an hour's drive from Chennai on the East Coast Road. It was the second capital and seaport of the Pallava Kings who ruled in the 5th century. Local legend has it that there was once a beautiful city here with seven temples, which the Gods submerged under the sea in anger.until in 2002, an Indo-British team of divers discovered a series of man-made structures under water, covering an area of several square miles.Today at Mamallapuram, you can see the famous Shore Temple, the only surviving temple out of the original seven (the rest have sunk under the sea). The Shore Temple is among the oldest temples of South India and represents the final flowering of Pallava art. Arjuna's Penance, one of the world's biggest bas-reliefs depicts the story of the descent of the River Ganges from Heaven to Earth. Cave temples and massive monolithic sculptures (carved from a single large block of granite) make Mamallapuram a place to remember.
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Private transportation
Headsets to hear the guide clearly
Local tour guide
Lunch
Entry/Admission - Monuments
Bicycle fees
Personal expenses
Gratuities
Beverages
Departure Point
Traveler pickup is offered
Our tour guide will meet and pick up you from all hotels in Chennai.
Traveler pickup
Chennai Airport, Chennai (Madras), India
Pancha Rathas, Mahabalipuram, India Make the first stop of the day at the Pancharathas, or five chariots, a series of monolithic temples built by the Pallavas.These are rock cut monolith temples structures built in the 7th century. Each of the 5 rathas or chariots are dedicated to the lead cast of the Mahabharat epic- Draupadi, Arjuna, Nakul-Sahadeva, Bhima and Yudhister. There is also a sculpture of an elephant next to the ratha of Nakul-Sahadeva. Once you stand towards the rear of the elephant you will notice that there is an uncanny resemblance between the rear of the chariot and the elephant.
45 minutes
Arjuna's Penance, Mahabalipuram, India We next visit Arjuna’s Penace, a bas-relief monument that’s considered one of India’s most magnificent pieces of ancient art, depicting vivid scenes from the Mahabharata. The relief is 100 feet long and 45 feet tall! The main story being told is how Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers, performed severe austerities in order to obtain Lord Shiva's weapon.
30 minutes
India Seashell Museum, Mahabalipuram, India The 40000+ collection of Sea Shells is a singular effort of Raja Mohamad who spent 33 years to collect these items from around the world. 45 minutes
Krishna's Butter Ball, Mahabalipuram, India The next stop is Krishna’s Butterball, a granite boulder that’s poised on a stony slope. This curious boulder seems to defy Newton's laws of gravity and has not moved an inch despite being in this precarious position on the slope for more than a thousand years.
15 minutes
Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram, India Our last port of call is the Shore Temple. The magnificent temple overlooks the Bay of Bengal and was an important centre during the reign of the Pallavas when Mahabalipuram was the main port of their Kingdom. Built by King Raja Simha during the early 8th century, the Shore Temple is a landmark in the architectural landscape of India. Marco Polo referred to this as the seven pagodas. The existing temple is the last surviving of the 7 which once stood as a beacon for sea farers.
45 minutes
S Mada St, near Sthala Sayan Perumal Temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu 603104, India We have the Lunch in Hotel Mamalla bhavan. 60 minutes
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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.
glenk477
29 Apr 2024
Very hot and interesting tour with our guide Rajesh and Basha.visited lot of heritage monuments.Had yummy lunch at local restaurant.
Happiness565388
13 Jan 2024
As a single female, this felt like a really safe way to explore Marabalipuram. Rajesh was my guide and he had a driver who had a very clean car. The drive from Chennai was about 90 minutes - the bike was “rustic” but rideable - biking through Indian streets was exhilarating and Rajesh kept me close and I felt happy and calm riding with him. We had a fresh coconut drink mid ride. The temples are exquisite- and lunch was a delicious panneer masala in an air conditioned restaurant. Rajesh was a good conversationalist and I had a very enjoy time. I’d recommend this for the energetic and adventurous traveler!!
Anne_M
02 Nov 2023
I loved the biking portion but the guide was double booked taking care of 2 groups and I hardly saw him. It was really a solo experience in each site or very limited time with the guide. The restaurant was wonderful and the driver was very knowledgeable.
This tour in
Tamil Nadu
is organized by
Wonder tours
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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