Upon arrival in Chennai, representatives will greet you at the airport or train station and assist you to your hotel for check-in. Your sightseeing tour of Chennai will begin after you have rested for some time.

The sightseeing tour includes visits to Kapaleeswarar Temple, Santhome Church, and Marina Beach. Dinner and overnight stay in Chennai.

 Kapaleeshwarar Temple:

Kapaleeshwarar temple is a holy shrine of Shiva in Mylapore, Chennai. Originally built by the mighty Pallavas, Portuguese explorers destroyed the temple and rebuilt it in around the 16th century once again by the Vijayanagar kings. A visit to this temple will be an experience enriched with a glimpse into Tamil religious culture and the lovely architectural combination of the two styles - Dravidian and Vijaynagari, complete with towering Gopurams. There is also a sacred tank on the western side.

As expected, the temple has quite a few legends about it, which are till date upheld by the authorities in the form of sculptures and inscriptions. In fact, to commemorate the myth of Goddess Parvati worshipping Shiva at this place as a fowl, there is a couple of peahen and peacock kept as a pet inside the temple premises. The regal temple also remembers the Tamil Shaivite saint poets Nayaars and has shrines for each one of them. All the 63 idols of the poets are paid due respect in the Brahmotsav festival that takes place every year somewhere between mid-March to mid-April.

Santhome Church:

The significance of San Thome Church is unparalleled in the history of Christianity in India. The church, which was once constructed as a mausoleum in memory of Saint Thomas, has now grown to be a Basilica, as stated by the then Pope in 1956. San Thome Church is among the only three in the world that house the tombs of one of Christ's original disciples. The other two are St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Galicia, Spain.

If you visit the St Thomas Church in Mylapore, you will be stepping into a historical tale that will take you back a couple of centuries. Beneath the towering white structure of the basilica minor lies the last remains of the saint, who once used to be one of the twelve apostles of Christ and came over to India in 52 AD to spread the religion. He is considered to be the patron saint of Christianity in India, as he converted a large population of locals in Kerala and Tamil Nadu with his wise words and preaching, and formed the community which now calls themselves Syrian Christians.

Marina Beach:

Situated in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, Marina Beach is a natural urban beach along the Bay of Bengal. The beach is stretched out to a distance of 13 kilometres making it the longest natural urban beach in the country, second largest in the world and also the most crowded beach in India with almost 30,000 visitors a day.

With a white sandy shore that looks as though extending to infinity, the landscape of Marina Beach is a mesmerising and serene sight to behold. The beach has a primarily sandy terrain and is dotted with plenty of merry-go-rounds and shops selling souvenirs. You could take a walk along the Marina beach with your near and dear ones or even all alone and enjoy the cool evening sea breeze along with a hot plate of crispy sundal and murukku. Watching the sun crawl upwards into the sky or even disappear into the ocean from the beach, is an awe-striking and enchanting experience.

Our journey to Tirupati Balaji temple will commence following a delicious breakfast. On the way, you will pass the Sri Kalahasti Temple (dedicated to Lord Shiva), which is a representation of one of the five elements, air.

In the afternoon, we will travel to Tirupathi to visit the famous Tirumala Temple. Stay overnight and have dinner at Tirupathi.

Srikalahasti Temple:

Situated in Chittoor, Srikalahasti Temple is popular among devotees who visit the temple along with the highly revered Tirupati Temple, which is just 36 km away. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kalahasti temple has immense religious importance for Hindus and was constructed in the year 1516 by Krishnadevraya, a king of the Vijayanagara empire.The elaborate structure of the Srikalahasti temple complex is a breathtaking view right from the entrance. It has intricate carvings of numerous mythological illustrations that one can explore in the divine surroundings.

The place has an abundance of vibrant, divine aura and has the potential to draw visitors with its ornate shrines and mesmerising beauty. Srikalahasti is an excellent example of South Indian temple architecture where highly ornamented gopurams with expansive intricately carved interiors unfold the magnificent treasures of the Dravidian style of architecture.

Tirupati Balaji Temple:

Tirupati is the main town, while Tirumala Hills is where Tirupati Balaji Temple is situated. Also called Sri Venkateshvara Swami Vaari Temple, it is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, believed to be a form of Lord Vishnu, who appeared on earth to save mankind from kali yuga. The famous Tirupati Laddoo, given as a prasad at the temple, has the Geographical indication tag, which means it can only be made and sold at the temple. It is hugely loved by the pilgrims and is generally included in the paid darshan tickets or can be bought from the laddoo counters inside the temple complex.

Many devotees also tonsure their heads as an offering to Lord Venkateswara Swamy once their wish is fulfilled or to get rid of their sins and ego. It is done free of cost at Kalyanakatta buildings. Another popular ritual at Tirupati Temple is Thulabaram, wherein a devotee sits on one side of the weighing balance scale. In contrast, the other side is filled with materials (like sugar, jaggery, tulsi leaves, banana, gold, and coins) more than the weight of the devotee. This ritual is mostly performed with children and infants.

After breakfast on day 3, we will travel to Kanchipuram to visit Kailasanatha Temple, Vaikunda Perumal Temple, and Ekambaranathar Temple.

We will then proceed to Mahabalipuram to take in some of the famous sights there, including seashore temples, Arjuna's Penance, and Rathas.

Spend an overnight and dinner in Mahabalipuram.

Kailasanatha Temple:

Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple is an important religious site is located on the banks of the Vedavathi River, at the western limits, facing the east side in the Kanchipuram city of Tamil Nadu. The temple holds great significance and value for the Hindu devotees and is visited by a large number of tourists all year round, but the number of visitors increases drastically at the time of the Mahashivratri.

The architecture of the temple is an excellent example of the Dravidian style of construction, and the temple is carved out of sandstone. The architectural beauty of this temple is remarkably different from that of all the other temples in Tamil Nadu. A striking feature is the sixteen-sided Shiva lingam that is made up of black granite at the main shrine.

The Ekambaranatha Temple:

The Ekambaranatha Temple is the largest temple in Kanchipuram. It covers a massive area of 20 acres. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and was built by the Pallavas and then in turn was renovated by both the Cholas and the Rayas.

One notable feature of this temple is the fact that the 1000 lingas are all carved out of one solitary stone. Also, there are one thousand pillared halls found within the temple. Outside of the Ekambaranatha Temple there is a mango tree that is around 3500 years old. There are four separate limbs found on the tree that represent the Four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana). Tradition has it that the fruit from each limb tastes different even though they all are on the same tree.

The Arjuna's Penance:

The Arjuna's Penance is an enormous rock-cut relief, one of the largest in the whole world, situated in Mahabalipuram of Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu. It is also known by the name 'Descent of the Ganges' because the structure depicts either or both of these two significant and symbolic events of Hindu mythology; thus making this attraction spot a favourite among historians, scholars, academics as well as tourists who are enthusiastic about the cultural past of India. 

The Five Rathas:

The Five Rathas, also known as Panch Rathas, is a exemplary set of rock temples. They are excellent examples of the evolution of Dravidian style architecture.

These temples are built in the same shape as pagodas, and greatly resemble Buddhist shrines and monasteries. The rathas are associated with the great epic Mahabharata. The first ratha that is located right by the entrance gate is Draupadi's Ratha. It is shaped like a hut and is dedicated to the goddess Durga. Next comes Arjuna's Rath. This one has a small portico and carved pillar stones and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are no carvings inside this temple, but many are on the outside. Directly in front of Arjuna's Rath is the Nakula Sahadev Rath. This ratha has some huge elephant sculptures included that are a huge draw for the Five Rathas. It is dedicated to the God of Rain, Lord Indra. The Bhima Rath is huge.

In the morning, after you have breakfast, drive back to the airport/railway station in time for your homeward journey