Rani’s Tamil Food & Heritage Tour March 10-20, 2024

Tamil Nadu is one of the southernmost states of India and is incredibly rich in culture and heritage. The Tamil language and civilization are known to be one of the oldest in the world. The people of Tamil Nadu take great pride in their culture, and their heritage is well maintained and protected.

     

Rani’s own family originates from the state of Tamil Nadu, and she grew up surrounded by Tamil food, traditions, and culture. Her family is well known for their culinary talent and one of her favourite things to do is to introduce others to her traditional food, clothing, culture, and heritage.

In this tour, we experience the Tamil food, art & architecture, music & dance, traditional dress, visits to temples, resulting in a vibrant introduction to the state. Tamil Nadu is also famous for its coffee which can be experienced at roadside stalls throughout the state.

Day 1: Chennai – Mahabalipuram (2 hrs)

We meet you on arrival at Chennai Airport and we go to the Radisson Blu in Mahabalipuram - the stunning, historic beachside town famous for its UNESCO world heritage site with 7^th and 8^th century structures. Check in to the resort and relax for the rest of day. Overnight at Hotel

Day 2: Mahabalipuram

Today we visit UNESCO protected world heritage site noted for its incredible rock formations, temples, and carvings. This magnificent area has the largest brass relief referred to as “Arjuna's penance.” The 29m high site depicts life-sized figures of animals, gods, and saints. The magnificent frieze work, rock carvings and ancient history draw visitors from worldwide and the ancient tradition of stone carving can still be seen at the roadside, where the stonecutters still work. If time permits, we can also visit Kanchipuram, a town famous for temples and sari-weaving. We then return to the hotel. Overnight at Hotel

Day 3: Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry (1.5 hrs)

After breakfast, we drive to Pondicherry. This former French enclave maintains its colonial charm and Gallic feel but is unmistakably Indian at the same time. In the afternoon we will take a walking tour to explore some of the history of the town. Overnight at Palais de Mahe hotel.

Day 4: Pondicherry

Today we will visit Aurobindo Ashram, renowned for its significant heritage and teachings. We then have a quick tour of the sights. This will be followed by a cooking demo showcasing the famous Pondicherry fusion of Tamil and French cuisines. Lunch will be served after the cooking demo. In the late afternoon we return to the hotel and relax for the remainder of the day. Dinner at hotel. Overnight at Palais de Mahe hotel.

Day 5: Pondicherry – Kumbakonam (3.5 hrs)

After a leisurely breakfast we move on to Kumbakonam and check in to the heritage hotel. After a rest, we visit the town to see the weaving of silk saris and other local artforms. If you are a coffee lover, you must try the famous Kumbakonam Degree Coffee. Overnight at Mantra Koodam hotel.

Day 6: Kumbakonam

This morning, we visit some historic temples. The first is the 12^th century Darasuram temple, followed by the Sarangapani Temple and the largest temple ponds in Tamil Nadu – Mahamaham Tank. In the afternoon, we have lunch at one of the local restaurants, Sathars before going back to the hotel. 

Overnight at Mantra Koodam hotel.

Day 7: Kumbakonam – Chettinad

We have an early start to the day. At around 7.30 am, we leave Mantra Koodam to visit the famous Brihadeshwara Temple in Tanjore, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. After the visit we continue our drive towards Chettinad – one of the heritage towns of Tamil Nadu and check in to Visalam, one of Rani’s favourite hotels. We then have lunch will be served at the hotel followed by a traditional Chettinad cooking demo at 4 pm. A heritage walk has been arranged at between 5-6 pm followed by dinner.

Overnight stay at Visalam

Day 8: Chettinad

For the early risers, we have an early morning bicycle tour starting at 6.30 am for an hour. After breakfast you will be taken on an excursion where you visit Chettinad Palace, Sari weaving, handmade tile making, and other interesting sights. Lunch will be at a The Bangala, a restaurant known to be the 7^th best restaurant in India.

Overnight at Visalam.

Day 9: Chettinad - Madurai

This morning, we proceed to Madurai, the temple town of Tamil Nadu. After lunch we will visit the Thirumal Nayak Palace and world-famous Madurai Meenakshi Temple, banana market and other interesting food spots. Our food tour begins with a variety of snacks, the locally famous Jigarthanda, and continues from there.

Overnight at Heritage Madurai.

Day 10: Madurai

We have a flower market visit in the morning after which we proceed to the railway station for your 7-8 hours train journey bringing you to Chennai. In Chennai, we go from the railway station to Chennai International airport for your return flight.

 

Destination	Hotel	Room
Mahabalipuram	Radisson Blu	Chalet Sea View
Pondicherry	Palais de Mahe	Palais Chambre Deluxe
Kumbakonam	Mantra Koodam	Mantra Cottage
Chettinad	Visalam	Chettinad Room
Madurai	Heritage Madurai	Luxury Plunge Pool Villa

 

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