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.

Join us for our Food and Heritage Tour of the state of Tamil Nadu, Rani’s ancestral
home. Tamil Nadu is a vibrant and dynamic place, full of colour, history and incredible food. On this journey, we take you to experience the jewels of Tamil Nadu’s dishes that have remained cherished for many generations. We explore the heart and soul of Tamil Nadu through its food, heritage and people.
The food of Tamil Nadu is a rich blend of flavours, traditions, and spices. Each region has its own specialties, which illustrates the diversity and history of the food culture.
The food culture is deeply interwoven with its temples. The temples have played a huge role in shaping the culinary landscape of the area. Temples have their own kitchens where traditional vegetarian meals are prepared and distributed to
devotees. They also have specialty offerings known as prasadam,
which are relished by devotees as they are believed to carry blessings from the gods.
The temples also reflect the architectural heritage of the region.
Many temples are now recognised as World Heritage Sites and
there are others that are a part of living history, founded 3500
years ago and still operating in the same manner. We welcome
you to experience Tamil culture and cuisine with us.

March 10: Chennai – Mahabalipuram (2 hrs)

We will meet you on arrival at Chennai Airport and you will be transferred to the
Heritage Hotel, Taj Connemara for the night. Time to relax and
be ready to start in the morning.
Overnight at Hotel.

March 11: Chennai – Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry

We depart from Chennai in the morning to visit the UNESCO
world heritage site known as Mahabalipuram, which is 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-size figures of animals, gods, and saints. The magnificent frieze work, rock
carvings and ancient history draw visitors from all over the world, and the ancient tradition of stone carving can be seen on the roadside today, where the stonecutters still work. We then make the picturesque drive to Pondicherry, driving
through green paddy fields and coconut palms. This former French enclave maintains its colonial charm and Gallic feel but is unmistakably Indian.
Overnight at Maison Perumal, heritage hotel.

March 12: Pondicherry
Today we visit Aurobindo Ashram renowned for its heritage and
values. We then have a tour of the city followed by a cooking demo showcasing the fusion of Tamil and French cuisines after which, lunch will be served. In the late afternoon we relax at the hotel.
In the evening we visit the famous Ganesha temple, followed by a local dinner.
Overnight stay at Maison Perumal

March 13: Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Kumbakonam
After breakfast we start our journey to Chidambaram and visit the ancient temple. We then continue to Kumbakonam and check in to the hotel. If you are a coffee lover, you must try the famous Kumbakonam Degree Coffee.
Overnight at Mantra Koodam, an award-winning, heritage hotel showcasing local food, culture, and tradition.

March 14: Kumbakonam
We start the day with a visit to the famous sari weavers of
Thirupuvanam, followed by a trip to the local bronze casters, who still make statues and other items by hand, in the traditional manner. This is followed by a visit to the 12th century Darasuram temple, a UNESCO world heritage site in operation since the 12th century.
Dinner and overnight at Mantra Koodam

March 15: Kumbakonam
A full day to relax and enjoy the activities provided by the hotel,
such as Kolam and traditional pottery.
Overnight at Mantra Koodam

March 16: Kumbakonam - Chettinad
We have an early start from hotel to reach the famous Brihadeshwara Temple in Tanjore. After the visit we continue our drive towards Chettinad – the heritage town of Tamil Nadu and check into Visalam. A traditional lunch will be served at the hotel. A heritage walk has been arranged at between 5-6 pm followed with dinner.
Overnight at Visalam

March 17: Chettinad -Madurai - Chettinad
This morning you proceed towards Madurai, the temple town of
Tamil Nadu. After lunch we will visit the Thirumal Nayak Palace
and world-famous Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, banana
market etc. We then have a local food tour with different variety of foods,
including the locally famous Jigarthanda, before returning to Chettinad.
Overnight at Visalam.

March 18: Chettinad
There is an optional bicycle tour for an hour early in the
morning. After breakfast you will be taken on an excursion where you visit Chettinad Palace, sari weavers, handmade tile makers, and other interesting sights. A cooking demo and lunch will be at a local place where a variety of Chettinad cuisines can be experienced.
Overnight at Visalam.

March 19: Chettinad - Chennai
We have a long drive back to Chennai International Airport with a stop along the way for lunch.

 

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

 

ENQUIRE NOW

Price includes:

• Accommodation for 9 nights on twin sharing basis
• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Cooking demos as mentioned in the program
• One time entry to all monuments as mentioned in the itinerary
• Transport in Air Condition Tempo Traveler/Coach
• All activities mentioned in the above program
• Specialised service of professional guides at required places
• Airport assistance on arrival and departure
• 2 bottles of drinking water per day per person
(Any change in tax structure can affect the price accordingly)

General Terms and conditions:

Check in times at the hotels are between 1200 hrs and 1400 hrs. If you arrive early at a hotel, we will do our best to request for an early check in, but this is subject to availability.
Twin beds are usually two separate beds. Please review each hotel option carefully taking into consideration each hotels website and other online reviews to ensure that each choice will suit you.
Meals mentioned in the program can change depending on the market availability.

Meals:

Usually at all hotels breakfast is included in the cost. Houseboats are on all meals bases.

Transport Arrangements – Air Conditioned coach:

Driver and guide arrangements
You will be met and transferred between each of your destinations by your driver.
Wherever possible we shall keep the same driver throughout your program. Each driver
has a mobile should you need to contact him.

Price does not include:

• International air fares, airport taxes, visa charges or any kind of insurance cover
• Vehicle at disposal on the days of leisure, walking tours, or activities not mentioned above.

• Any monument/attraction/activity not specified in the request/enumerated in
inclusions
• Expenses of a personal nature i.e.: telephone calls, drinks, laundry, tips etc
• Any liability arising owing to last minute changes in the program due to reasons
beyond our control for instance; political disturbances, natural phenomenon,
change in schedule of flight or train, any VIP movement etc
• Camera/video fees at various monuments
• Cost arising out of any last-minute request by the guest for additional arrangements
• Any other items other than mentioned as ‘included’

Points to note:

• We will stick to the itinerary and original plan and provide everything as described in the tour plan, but since some of the places we visit are not typically touristic in
nature, last moment changes in plan can happen.
• Rates include only those items specified in your itinerary.
• Please note, the names of hotels mentioned above only indicate that our rates
have been based on usage of these hotels. It is not to be construed that
accommodation is confirmed at these hotels until and unless we convey the
confirmations to you on receipt of your acceptance. However, in the event of any
of the above-mentioned hotels not becoming available at the time of initiating the
reservations.
• We shall book alternate accommodation at a similar or next-best-available hotel
and shall pass on the difference of rates (supplement, reduction, whatever is
applicable) to you.
• In case on any currency fluctuations, or amendment in local Government taxes, or any fuel hike, we reserve the right to adjust the tour price accordingly. The due
increase or decrease will be communicated accordingly.