DEPART NORTH AMERICA

Your journey commences as you depart from the West or East Coast, to embark on your incredible travel through the pulsating and charming lands of silk and spice.

SINGAPORE OR CHENNAI (MADRAS)

West Coast passengers will be provided a day room in Singapore to relax and refresh prior to their onward sojourn through India. Overnight accommodations in Chennai will be provided to the East Coast passengers. AIRPORT HOTEL / TAJ CONNEMARA

CHENNAI (MADRAS)

On arrival, greeted with a traditional Indian welcome and escorted to the hotel. Chennai is a metropolis with a distinct old­ world charm. TAJ CONNEMARA HOTEL

CHENNAI TOURING

Visit the Fort St. George, constructed in 1640 AD, the St. Mary's Church, the oldest surviving British building. Mylapore, the site of the famous Kapaleeswarar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. San Thome Cathedral. Parathasarathy Temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna; Government Museum and Art Gallery housing an excellent collection of items from all the major South Indian periods. Visit Kalakshetra, an artists colony where ancient arts and crafts are practiced and taught to students.

MAHABALIPURAM & KANCHIPURAM EXCURSION

Tour Kanchipuram & Mahabalipuram: Kanchipuram also known as Siva Vishnu Kanchi is one of the 7 holiest Hindu cities and famous for its spectacular temple. Many of the temples are the work of the later Cholas of the Vijay Nagar kings. Kanchipuram is also famous for hand woven silk fabrics, the industry originated under the patronage of Pallava kings. Weavers were employed to produce clothing and fabrics for kings. Mahabalipuram is well renowned for its shore temples. Built in the 5th and 8th centuries AD, temples strike a romantic theme. The sculpture here is particularly interesting because it shows scenes from every day life.

CHENNAI / MADURAI

Travel by air to Madurai. The city is more than 2,500 years old, built by the Pandyan King Kulasekara in the 6th century BC. Unlike the other temple cities of Tamil Nadu whose fame relies heavily on the fabulous contributions of great empires, Madurai is known first and foremost for the Meenakshi Temple. HOTEL TAJ GARDEN RETREAT

Tour the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar Temple & Museum. Located at the heart of the city, the temple is one of the most important places of Hindu pilgrimage. Of its 12 gopurams, four of the tallest stand at the outer walls of the temple. The southern gopuram is the most spectacular and has over 1500 sculptures. The Temple Museum consists of 985 richly carved pillars. The Indo-Saracenic palace of Tirumalai Nayak constructed in 1523, is famous for its audience hall. Its dome is a magnificent example of the engineering skill rising to a height of 20 meters without support of any kind.

TRICHY EXCURSION

Full day tour of Trichy, a fine blend of traditional and modern structures built around the Rock Fort. The rock is one of the oldest in the world, approximately 3,800 years, as old as the rocks of Greenland and older than the Himalayas. The Vinayaka temple at the top is dedicated to Lord Siva. The 100-pillar hall and Vimana is covered with gold. Visit Srirangam, surrounded by Cauvery on one side and its tributary Kollidam on the other.

MADURAI

Day at lesiure.

MADURAI / THEKKADY

Travel overland to Thekkady, one of India's most fascinating natural wildlife sanctuaries.The vegetation, flora and fauna and the birds of Thekkady are uniquely rich, spread across are picturesque plantations and hill towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks. HOTEL TAJ GARDEN RETREAT

PERIYAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

The sanctuary is one of the best in the country for watching and photographing wildlife. Notable among the denizens of Periyar are the tigers, the majestic Asiatic wild elephants and the distinctive Nilgiri langur. Other animals include the wild boar, wild dog, bison, bear and leopards. Amongst the avifauna, the most profuse are herons, egrets, darters, kingfishers and the great Malabar grey hornbill. Enjoy a cruise through the waters of Periyar lake around which the wildlife sanctuary is located.

THEKKADY / KOCHI (COCHIN)

Enjoy a boat ride on palm fringed backwaters en route to Kochi. These waters are inland lakes connected by a network of canals, which have been used over the centuries as a mode of transportation in particular for trading coconut, rubber, rice and spices. Today, these waterways link remote villages and islands to the mainland. The most interesting area in the backwaters is the Kuttanad region, also known as the rice bowl of Kerala, is probably the only place in the continent where farming is done below sea level using a system of dykes and bunds. Arrive at Kochi, set on a cluster of islands and narrow peninsulas. The influence of Chinese, Jews, Arabs and Europeans is evident in Kochi and its people. HOTEL TAJ MALABAR

KOCHI TOURING

Tour of Kochi will include a visit to the Mattancherry Palace, built by the Portuguese in 1557. Continue to the Jewish Synagogue, constructed in 1568. Continue to the St. Francis Church, built in 1503 by the Portuguese Franciscan friars; Parishath Thampuram Museum, constructed in traditional Kerala style houses.

KOCHI / THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (TRIVANDRUM)

Travel to Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) the capital of Kerala. Perched on undulating terrain of low coastal hills near the southern edge of the Indian mainland is an ancient city with trading tradition dating back to 1000 BC. SURYA SAMDRA RESORT.

Visit the Napier Museum an absolute gem of architectural exuberance, combining traditional Kerala styles with Chinese and Mughal influences. The museum houses a fine collection of Kerala's bronzes, ornaments and contumes, and a model of "Tharawad' the traditional Nair home. The palace looks attractive due to its single stone carved pillars and beautifully designed roofs. Swords, guns etc. of olden ages are also exhibited here.

Ayurveda "science of life and longevity." is a traditional holistic system of medicine and health care. Kerala's equable climate, natural abundance of forests (with a wealth of herbs and medicinal plants), are best suited for Ayurveda's curative and restorative packages. The hotel offers an ayurvedic massage and yoga centers. Indulge in a therapeutic massage or relax on the beach.