Why choose this Chennai tour ?
Morning you will be picked up from your hotel in Chennai.Spend your day exploring Marina Beach,Chennai’s cultural hub of Mylapore Kapaleeshwar Temple,St.George fort and the San Thome Basilica, followed by a traditional South Indian lunch in a local restaurant.
Then visit 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.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.
Make the most of your Chennai adventure
What makes Chennai & Mahabalipuram day trip with private car, Lunch & Guide a unique experience ?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We will explore the memorial for Swami Vivekananda who was a great philosopher. His speeches at the World’s Parliament of Religions held in September 1893 made him famous as an orator by divine right and as a messenger of Indian wisdom to the western world.
We head towards Mylapore an ancient residential neighborhood of Chennai whose history goes back to Roman times when it used to trade pepper and fine cloth with Rome for Gold! We visit the magnificent Kapaleeshwar temple. Built in the 7th century this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built in Dravidian style architecture it has a towering “Gopuram”. Guests can expect a mesmerizing experience of rituals and serenity inside the temple. Our cultural evangelist will demystify the happenings in the temple!
We visit the famous San Thome Basilica, the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore. We can see relics of St Thomas here. It is one of only three churches in the world that has been constructed on the tomb of an apostle. The other two are St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, and Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain.
Fort St George is the first English Fortress built in 1644 by the East India Company. We will visit St Mary’s Church, the oldest Anglican Church of India. Our cultural evangelist will take you to a quaint museum rich with relics of the colonial times and retell the story of how the East Indian company morphed from a trading company into the ruler of India!
Walk on the Marina Beach, along the 3km-long main stretch of Marina Beach and you’ll pass cricket matches, flying kites, fortune-tellers, fish markets, corn-roasters and families enjoying the sea breeze.
Tour Description & Additional Info:
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- 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
Options To Choose for Your Trip:
- Chennai & Mahabalipuram day trip with private car, Lunch & Guide
Add
Pickup included
- Headsets to hear the guide clearly
- Local tour guide
- Lunch
- Entry/Admission – Monuments
Not Included
- Personal expenses
- Gratuities
- Beverages
Trending Chennai Nearby Tours Likely To Sell Out
Special Instructions:
- This Tour is Provided by Wonder tours.
- Tour Timezone & Starts at Asia/Kolkata.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 2 valid reviews on TRIPADVISOR.
- Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
- Maximum 15 Travelers is accepted for booking.
