Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram Day trip from Chennai by Private car with Guide
Overview
Inclusions
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Local guide
- Entry/Admission - Mahabalipuram Monuments
- Entry/Admission - Kanchipuram temples
- Entry/Admission - Kailasanathar Temple
- Entry/Admission - Krishna's Butter Ball
- Entry/Admission - Shore Temple
- Entry/Admission - Arjuna's Penance
- Entry/Admission - Pancha Rathas
- Entry/Admission - Ekambareswarar Temple
What to expect
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Wonder Tours, 51/107 86th street Ashok nagar 1st floor, Chennai (Madras) 600083 India
Tour orientation
Stop At: Ekambareswarar Temple, Ekambaranathar Sannidhi Street, Kanchipuram 631502 India
Of South India's five Shiva temples associated with the five elements, this 12-hectare precinct is the shrine of earth. You enter beneath the 59m-high, unpainted south gopuram, whose lively carvings were chiselled in 1509 under Vijayanagar rule. Inside, a columned hall leads left into the central compound, which Nandi faces from the right. The inner sanctum (Hindus only) contains a lingam made of earth and a mirror chamber whose central Shiva image is reflected in endless repetition.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Kailasanathar Temple, Pillaiyarpalayam, Karuppadithattadai, 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.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Pancha Rathas, Kancheepuram District, Mahabalipuram 603104 India
Huddled together at the southern end of Mamallapuram, the Five Rathas were, astonishingly, all carved from single large rocks. Each of these fine 7th-century temples was dedicated to a Hindu god and is now named after one or more of the Pandavas, the five hero-brothers of the epic Mahabharata, or their common wife, Draupadi. The rathas were hidden in the sand until excavated by the British 200 years ago.
Ratha is Sanskrit for 'chariot', and may refer to the temples' form or to their function as vehicles for the gods. It's thought they didn't originally serve as places of worship, but as architectural models.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Arjuna's Penance, West Raja Street Near Ganesha Ratha, Mahabalipuram 603104 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.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Krishna's Butter Ball, E Raja St, Mahabalipuram 603104 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!
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shore Temple Rd, Mahabalipuram 603104 India
Standing like a magnificent fist of rock-cut elegance overlooking the sea, surrounded by gardens and ruined courts, the two-towered Shore Temple symbolises the heights of Pallava architecture and the maritime ambitions of the Pallava kings. Its small size belies its excellent proportion and the supreme quality of the carvings, many now eroded into vaguely Impressionist embellishments. Built under Narasimhavarman II in the 8th century, it's the earliest significant free-standing stone temple in Tamil Nadu.
Duration: 45 minutes
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
Cancellation
This was a great trip out, my guide was very informative and helpful. We visited the temples of Kanchipuram first and from there went to a traditional Tamil House. Then stopped for a lovely Indian lunch before making our way to Mahabalipuram. The temples are all incredible and very different, it ...
This was a great trip out, my guide was very informative and helpful. We visited the temples of Kanchipuram first and from there went to a traditional Tamil House. Then stopped for a lovely Indian lunch before making our way to Mahabalipuram. The temples are all incredible and very different, it was a super day out and would definitely recommend.The tour began with pickup from our hotel & a guide explained highlights of Mahabalipuram. When we arrived, a local guide showed us the Monuments and told us the important stories.Later had a lunch at local restaurant proceed to visit Kanchipuram.We saw temples in the city and silk weaving places...
The tour began with pickup from our hotel & a guide explained highlights of Mahabalipuram. When we arrived, a local guide showed us the Monuments and told us the important stories.Later had a lunch at local restaurant proceed to visit Kanchipuram.We saw temples in the city and silk weaving places. Highly recommended.Had a great day with Rajesh on our tour of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. He was very friendly and spoke excellent English. He was very informative and we had a great time. Definitely saw areas and learnt details we would have missed if we were on our own. Would highly recommend this tour.
Had a great day with Rajesh on our tour of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. He was very friendly and spoke excellent English. He was very informative and we had a great time. Definitely saw areas and learnt details we would have missed if we were on our own. Would highly recommend this tour.Timely pick up from hotel by Rajesh.Good driver and vehicle.We visited lot of places in a day.Thanks to Rajesh for providing both breakfast and lunch.
Timely pick up from hotel by Rajesh.Good driver and vehicle.We visited lot of places in a day.Thanks to Rajesh for providing both breakfast and lunch.Tour was spectacular.Car used in tour was always clean.Our guide Rajesh gave lot of information about both places and also local guide used in Mahabalipuram.Lunch arranged in between the tour was fabulous.
Tour was spectacular.Car used in tour was always clean.Our guide Rajesh gave lot of information about both places and also local guide used in Mahabalipuram.Lunch arranged in between the tour was fabulous.Great day touring both sites with Rajesh as guide and a driver. Additional guide provided for the Mahabalipuram component. Very nice lunch of South Indian food provided, too. Learned a lot about Pallava art and architecture dating from around 600AD. Amazing early Dravidian art and culture that ...
Great day touring both sites with Rajesh as guide and a driver. Additional guide provided for the Mahabalipuram component. Very nice lunch of South Indian food provided, too. Learned a lot about Pallava art and architecture dating from around 600AD. Amazing early Dravidian art and culture that connected through to SE Asia and even the Romans. We also visited a silk weaving site, learning that it takes 2 months to make a wedding sari! Rajesh and the driver, plus additional guide, steared us through a very interesting day. The only downside was multiple traffic jams. But, it was a holiday season and the driver was very skillful! We were well looked after.