Starting From Rs. 70698 (Per Person twin sharing) PACKAGE NAME : EXPLORE SOUTH INDIA (SPL PKG) Ex Delhi PRICE INCLUDE Flight,Hotel,B/fast & Dinner,Airport Transfers,Intercity Transfers,Sightseeing Day : 1 Madurai Arrival– Rameshwaram (180 kms. – 3.5 hrs.) Upon arrival at Madurai Airport/ Railway Station, proceed to Rameshwaram which is also called the Benaras of South India. There is a traditional belief among the Hindus that a pilgrimage to Kashi will be complete only after a visit to Rameshwaram.Rameshwaram has a huge mythological significance to the Hindus where Lord Rama took the journey of constructing a stone bridge that led him and his army to Sri Lanka to free his beloved wife Goddess Sita. Enroute drive past one of the longest sea bridges of India, Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge or Pamban Bridge which connects Rameshwaram Island with the Indian mainland. From this spectacular bridge you can see the nearby island and parallel rail bridge called Pamban Scissors Bridge. On arrival, check-in to hotel. Later visit Ramanatha Swamy Temple, Five Faced Hanuman Temple. Overnight stay at Rameshwaram Hotel/Resort . TRAVEL TIPS: The winter months ranging from October through April are best suited for visiting Rameshwaram. With its cool climate, this is the ideal season for sightseeing and other outdoor activities. Moreover, you can plan your trip at the time of Mahashivratri (usually held in the months of February or March every year) to witness the grand celebration that takes place in the Ramanathaswamy Temple. Rameshwaram does not have its own airport. To reach Rameshwaram via flight, you have to land at the Madurai airport, which is the fourth busiest airport in Tamil Nadu. Tamil is the official language in Rameshwaram. However, various other South Indian languages such as Kannada, Malayalam, and Telugu are also spoken by the locals. Apart from these languages, guides, drivers and shop keepers are well versed in both Hindi and English. Rameshwaram experiences a rather hot and humid summer season in the months of April to June with the temperature ranging from 25°C to a maximum of 38°C and averaging around 35°C. The monsoon months receives heavy rainfall as is evident from the average rainfall of 902 mm. Days in winters are quite cool and pleasant with an average temperature of 22°C. You can also expect the mercury to dip as low as 17°C thus making it the perfect time to visit this city. Dont take your mobiles with you as it is not allowed inside temple . Otherwise you have to pay for every single mobile phone to keep it at shop near the temple. Avoid Festive days - Rameshwaram is one of the pilgrim place and famous temples. If there is any festival it is over crowded. You would spend most of your time in queue. Get there early as the day pass it gets crowded. Beware of people - There will be some unofficial people who will loot you in the name of different poojas or entry. Just be beware of them and be prepared to be hassled. Best place to have Food: You get plenty of south Indian food around Rameshwaram. But if you are searching for a north Indian food then Marwari Bhojanalayas is the one for you. It is near the temple. DressCode- There is no such dress code there but they don't allow shorts especially for girls. It's better to cover your legs when you go to temple. Places where you can get Prasad- You get the prasad inside the temple when you come out from the main darshan. You get the prasad outside the temple too. Gates/Entrypoints-There are 4 gates (East/West/North/South). East gate is the main entry. Remember to keep your shoes at east gate so that you need not have to walk bare foot for longer distance. You get your tickets at East Gate itself. Entry fee - Officially you have to just pay Rs.50/- for a person and walk to the 22 different wells inside the temple.Unofficially there are people who charge from 150 to 250 per head, they come along with you to all the wells and ensure that you get a bucket from each well. But there is no need to take these people along with you as you will be able to get water from each well without them. It would take maximum 2-3 min on each well and some of the wells you wont get any queue. But there is a very long queue for entering to the well hall. Now move to main temple,it also has a very big queue. But if you want to skip the queue there are people who will charge you 200-300 per head to get you darshan quickly. HOTEL Hotel Vinayaga SIGHTSEEING Five-faced Hanuman Temple, Five-faced Hanuman Temple, Five-faced Hanuman Temple, Five- faced Hanuman Temple, Pamban Scissors Bridge, Pamban Scissors Bridge, Pamban Scissors Bridge, Pamban Scissors Bridge, Ramanatha Swamy Temple, Ramanatha Swamy Temple, Ramanatha Swamy Temple, Ramanatha Swamy Temple Day : 2 Rameshwaram Departure-Kanyakumari Arrival ( 5 h 9 min (309.4 km) Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula, Kanyakumari is a coastal town in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is surrounded by mountains and bordered by vibrant sea shores, lined with paddy fields and coconut trees, and also boasts of aesthetic elevated patches of hills with undulating valleys and plains in between the sea and the mountainous terrain. Ever since ancient times, Kanyakumari has been one of the major centres of religion, art and culture. Famous for being the only place in India where you can observe the sunrise and sunset at the same beach, Kanyakumari is a very popular tourist destination, not just because of this unique geographical phenomenon, but also because of its pristine beaches as well as its temples and churches which attract a huge number of tourists to this city all year round.Apart from historic monuments and buildings, Kanyakumari is also famed for its beaches and waterfalls. The Kanyakumari beach is the perfect place where you can spend a lazy afternoon sitting on the white sand and sipping a cool drink. Unlike the beaches in Goa which tend to be a little overpopulated, the Kanyakumari beach is a lot less crowded and is the best place to enjoy a gorgeous sunset.Kanyakumari has an authentic South Indian cuisine, with seafood and coconuts being an integral part of almost all dishes. Starting from light snacks to full course gourmet menus, Kanyakumari delights tourists with the numerous options it offers for eating out. While Kanyakumari is not a traditional shopping destination, you can buy plenty of souvenirs and curios from the numerous stalls and boutiques dotting the beachfront, with decorative seashell trinkets being a must-buy. After breakfast check out & proceed to Kanyakumari. On arrival check in to hotel after fresh ‘n’ up proceed to visit Suchithram Temple, Devi Kanyakumari Temple, Vivekananda Memorial, Gandhimandapham, Trivenisagam, Thiruvalluvar Statue & Kanyakumari Beach. Evening watch the most beautiful Sunset of Kanyakumari. Overnight stay at Kanyakumari. TRAVEL TIPS: Always get up early and reach the place as early as possible to avoid large ques and to save time. When visiting temples in south beware of all the pandits and shopkeepers situated inside the temple. Coconut chutney and coffee are must have items when in south, never pass on them. Wherever possible book tickets on-line, or buy the tickets from the counter in advance. When shopping, make sure you compare the quality and price before buying."You can buy various souvenirs from the coal market which are made with mirrors and sea shells. You can also shop for various electronic items form this place as they are exclusively cheap but do not expect to be them of high quality as they are mostly made from China. You cannot see the sunset and sunrise if the sky is cloudy. Choose a bright day to visit Kanyakumari.Set an alarm and wake up early. Don't miss the sunrise. Kanyakumari beach is a very tiny area. The beach itself is not much fun to bath and swim. It is very rocky also. However, the view from the beach is spectacular. Sunscreen and sunglasses – Sunscreen with SPF protection and sunglasses is a must to protect yourself from tan and sun burn. Caps and hats – As it could be quite sunny in Afternoon especially when you are visiting Vivekananda rock a cap or hat is recommended to protect you from direct sunlight. Vivekananda rock memorial: A beach footwear – A comfortable pair of waterproof sandals or slippers is a must. As most of the places are nearby you will need to walk a lot and if you are going to beach then a waterproof footwear is a must. Light cotton Clothes – As there are lots of temples I will suggest to dress modestly wear light comfortable cloths. In early morning and night it could be little cold so pack accordingly Best Time to Go You can visit Kanyakumari anytime of the year. Weather is pleasant throughout the year but every season have its pro Page 4/12 and cons. March to mid-May Humidity and temperature is higher compared to other seasons but cool sea breeze during morning and evening makes it pleasant as well as clear sky caters best sunrise and sunset views. You can also try swimming in these months as sea remain calmer. Mid-may to September Monsoon creates lush green beautiful landscapes, but a cloudy day can ruin beautiful sunrise and sunset. July and August witness heavy rainfall.