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Guided tour of Mahabalipuram for an immersive cultural experience

icon 3 hours Mobile ticket Free Cancellation
Tickets from € 43.36

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Over 3 hours, this guided tour will teleport you to the 7th century into the times of the Pallavas with incredible rock cut monuments. This tour can be done by walk or in your vehicle. We can also arrange a tuk tuk or autorickshaw. You will experience masterpieces from this world heritage site like the Pancha Rathas which are rock cut monolith temples, Arjuna's Penance the giant open air rock relief, the gravity defying Krishna's butterball and the Shore temple which is the last remaining of the 7 Pagodas mentioned by Marco Polo. Mahabalipuram is the proud recipient of world's first stone carving city declaration. However, the next generation of sculptors are moving to the cities for jobs threatening a slow death for this fine art. Our company is helping this community by training & employing local guides and by procuring their wares to strengthen their livelihood. .
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  • Professional guide
  • Entrance charges
Departure Point

J58V+JWW, Beach Rd, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu 603104, India Our guide will meet you at the entrance of the Shore Temple.

Return Details

58, W Raja St, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu 603104, India The walk ends at Five Rathas

  • Pancha Rathas, Mahabalipuram, India
    We reach the World Heritage Site of Mahabalipuram. Panch Rathas, or the 5 chariots is our first destination. These are rock cut monolith structures, where of the chariots are dedicated to the lead cast of the Mahabharata epic- Draupadi, Arjuna, Nakul-Sahadeva, Bhima and Yudhister. There is also a sculpture of an elephant next to the ratha of Nakul-Sahadeva.
    20 minutes
  • Pancha Pandava Cave, Mahabalipuram, India
    Pandava cave is the largest cave-temple at Mahabalipuram The cave is supported on six pillars and two pilasters. There are 3 spectacular sculptures of mythical creatures called Yali on the pillars.
    15 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.
    20 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
  • Varaha Cave Temple, Mahabalipuram, India
    The Varaha cave is carved out of huge piece of granite and dates back to the 7th century. This temple took several decades to be completed. There are squatting lions adorning the pillars which support the hall. Another highlight are the sculptures of two guardian angels who protect the sanctum.
    20 minutes
  • Trimurti Cave, Mahabalipuram, India
    This cave is a fine example of the spectacular architecture style of the Pallavas. The rock cut temple is dedicated to the holy trinity of Hindu Gods- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are fine carvings of elephants as well.
    20 minutes
  • Ganesh Ratha Temple, Mahabalipuram, India
    This is a imposing chariot carved out of a single stone. Originally dedicated to Lord Shiva, it now has the deity of his son Lord Ganesh. It was built in the 7th century by King Mahendravarman I. The other highlight of this temple are the 18 inscriptions in ancient grantha and nagari scripts of Sanskrit.
    15 minutes
  • J58R+HMQ, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu 603104, India
    Built in the year 640, it is India's oldest light house and one of the oldest in the world. Mahabalipuram was a very busy port since the 7th century and hence this lighthouse played a significant role in keeping mariners safe.
    20 minutes
  • J58R+MP2, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu 603104, India
    This cave has 2 imposing bas-reliefs on the walls. The first one is Lord Vishnu sleeping on top of the coils of a serpent. The other is with Goddess Durga fighting with the demon Mahishasura on a lion.
    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.
    20 minutes
  • 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.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
sineadm2023
28 Mar 2023
Gopal was an excellent guide. The tour of Mahabalipurum was really enlightening and it was great to have the stories & context behind the monuments. Would definitely recommend!
terrybussjnr
05 Mar 2023
Had a lovely tour with our guide Ramesh around Mahabalipuram, seeing all the ancient sites of Mahabalipuram. Ramesh arranged for us to have two rickshaws with us to ferry us from each site as we were a group of 5 and my in laws have some mobility issues. Ramesh was very friendly and informative. At no point did he rush us and often encouraged us to take our time as he wished for us to fully enjoy our half day tour.
Allan M
20 Feb 2023
Our tour was arranged by 5 Senses Bangalore. Narayanan did all the organising. Our guide Ramesh was superb. I strongly recommend 5 Senses.
This tour in Tamil Nadu is organized by 5 Senses Walks

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