2 Day Great Living Chola Temples Tour From Trichy
2 Day Great Living Chola Temples Tour From Trichy
By Discover Activities
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About
The Great Living Chola Temples are a testimony to the brilliant achievements of the "Chola dynasty" in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting. The site includes three great 11th- and 12th-century Temples: the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. The Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram, built by Rajendra I, was completed in 1035. Its 53-m vimana (sanctum tower) has recessed corners and a graceful upward curving movement, contrasting with the straight and severe tower at Thanjavur. The Airavatesvara temple complex, built by Rajaraja II, at Darasuram features a 24-m vimana and a stone image of Shiva.
Ages 12-76
Duration: 2 days
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Breakfast
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Overight stay at a budget hotel with all basic western amenities
What's not included- meals
- local guide and monument entrance fees
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.Pickup details
- Trichy airport/hotel
Hotel pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 76234P239- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travellers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- If you cancel at least 7 days in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
- If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.
- If you cancel within 2 days of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 76234P239
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Itinerary
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- sandracM9414DW0 contributionsAn excellent way to experience the spiritual side of GoaToday was exactly what I had hoped for. My guide, Savio C, was incredibly knowledgeable about Goan history. In Old Goa, he pointed out and shared fascinating stories about the churches and basilicas, highlighting what made each one unique. On our drive to the Hindu temple, he took the time to explain the Hindu faith, and we were fortunate enough to enter the temple and experience the beauty of the religion firsthand. The visit to the plantation, followed by a delicious Goan lunch, was the perfect way to conclude the day. I feel I received a top-tier tour, and the care and insight Savio C provided were unmatched. Additionally, our driver, Rasheed, was very careful, and I felt safe throughout the entire journey.Written 9 February 2025
- nevanfisher0 contributionsGreat way to see Old Goa in a Half Day!We only had 1 free day to experience Goa since this is a work trip, and our 5 hour tour was absolutely perfect for a quick taste of the highlights of Old Goa, to see the Portuguese architectural heritage, and then several of the most historic churches. Our guide, Dnyandeep, was absolutely perfect for this! Incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, with a passion for history and context. I would recommend him in a heartbeat to anyone considering a half day overview of North Goa and only wish we had more time to experience the area with him. Bapu our driver was also excellent, and kept us safe and on time for everything.Written 5 February 2025
- discoverymomi0 contributionsReliable and flexible!Our driver Mani was great, very punctual and polite. He pointed at couple of things on the way and dropped and picked us up at the entrance of the attractions and that there was no time pressure for the time we were in them, we went with no guides and wanted to take our time and explore. Car was comfortable and and the trip went smoothly.Written 31 January 2025
- mint6990 contributionshighly recommended walking tour and the highlight of our India trip.This awesome “slum tour” was a totally safe one, we found NO beggars at all and all locals were busy with their work and small-scale units / setups. The guide came from the local slum itself and was highly engaging, we were so proud that he was so fluent in English and also training other slum kids as the future guides. Slum dwellers are actually hardworking people always looking to work and live around the nearby manufacturing facilities. Many of them are fabric recyclers, mechanics etc. We also visited an English-speaking coaching centre run by an NGO, it was a fun place for the slum kids to get trained in English, since English speaking abilities fetch jobs quicker in India. Truly an overwhelming experience which we will always remember.Written 27 January 2025
- Relax8223900 contributionsToo long a tour for day tripToo long a journey for a day trip, road works didn't help. Driver was 45 mins late for pick-up, and kept me waiting for 20 minutes for pick-up at winery for return trip. Winery tour and tasting itself was fineWritten 26 January 2025
- tracypC6310YH0 contributionsBeautiful private tour of GoaThe tour was beautiful and interesting. My driver Sachin and guide Shailesh shared interesting information and kept the tour at a good pace.Written 25 January 2025
- RajenM270 contributionsAurangabad tour operatorScience can't explain how this was done in the BC ie the technology at that time to carve solid volcanic rock is just not possible Andbi had an incredible tour guide and owns his own car and speaks excellent English and goes out of his way to help you get your tickets His name is M. Taqui tel +91 9890363536 just a amazing person with a positive outlook on life and says it is his skill that is important in the worldWritten 24 January 2025
- Global6708210 contributionsThis is a must do day out.We had a really good day, our guide was really informative and really knew the history of the churches, he gave us information on all the sights and points of interest in between destinations to, he was so helpful and took us to a beautiful local bakery in the Portuguese area and went in and ordered us some local Goan treats to try, our driver was great to, always waiting for us nearby. Highly recommended this trip.Written 18 January 2025
- ramad20250 contributions01 horned Rhino and Elephants country and the pristine natural landI went to kaziranga with my family in the December 2024, and it is the best wildlife reserve in the North eastern part of India. Very safe place beyond my imagination. Locals there have a very friendly attitude and very good accommodation facilities under all kinds of budgets. Oue Safari was arranged by the friendly and competent staff and they were really helpful. They picked up on time from our hotel and took us to the park for Rhino safari. This national park is very very beautiful because of its beautiful hills, unique animals especially one Horned rhino and the Elephants! I can't thank my stars enough, I saw a tiger too which is not a usual sight. Shall come back again next time.Written 17 January 2025
- therV7318ER0 contributionsThey take a great care of you, safe courteous and diligentTrip was perfectly organized by the operator and all the services were spot on! Otherwise, It is very difficult in Goa to find a reliable travel planner. Earlier we were in Delhi and we could get an Uber at will any time, however in Goa there is NO uber facility and a local Taxi organization has the monopoly. We were staying in South Goa and there was NO transport option other than the local taxi union and those guys had no idea about the itinerary of this tour. We did some research and found "Discover Activities" offering this quaint side of Goa. The communication with the operator was spot on, Mr Jai Singh was very prompt in answering our questions and satisfied all our questions. They provided a nice guide along with the driver also and they both reported on time. The guide Mr Dayanand was a very knowledgeable man and he gave a nice overview of Goa's culture and heritage. After reaching the Bondla area, we breathed in its fresh air which was very much needed since the other tours we did so far were all about the crowded part of Goa where usually crowds gather. It is commendable that "Discover Activities" has done some valid research and is offering peace and tranquility in Goa. Bondla Park has a zoo where some exotic animals are housed in good condition. We know a lot about birds and we spotted some of them sitting behind the leaves of dense trees. Later we drove toward the Spice plantation, this place has its charm, the lush green farm has a lot of prized Indian spices being cultivated. The guides there formed a small group and then showed me around the farm and being a patron of Indian spices I asked a lot of questions out of curiosity and we got all the needed answers. Time for a lip-smacking lunch! The chicken curry was awesome and a couple of other items were all from the local cuisine of Goa only. Finally, we got dropped off at our hotel. We are leaving India with eternal memories since Goa was our last spot and we ended the trip on a high. The guide took several good photos of us and that was the icing on the cake. We shared many light moments and giggles too during the long drives and having a private guide was worth it. We shall be back in India next Christmas and have already started planning our next trip , since Mr Jai Singh has a reach all over India, wish "Discover Activities" a great career ahead.Written 14 January 2025
- 266devid0 contributionsPrices for perfection but falls far short. No transparency as to where the money is going for this trip.Driver and guide were perfectly nice people however we feel there were several significant concerns which were not addressed despite a text conversation with the company/organisers after the trip. 1. There is no clear itinerary on tripadvisor. The real day went as follows: we were picked up, drove 45 minutes to a temple (didn’t realise we were going here), walked around for 10 minutes then drove a further 45 minutes to Bondla. We walked around Bondla for 30 minutes (it’s essentially a small zoo) then drove another further 45 minutes to the spice plantation where we spent about an hour and a half on the tour and having lunch. We were then driven 45 mins to a random gift shop and then home after this. The majority of the time was spent in the car with random stops that weren’t mentioned when booking. Perhaps added in to prolong the day. 2. Although the guide was a nice man, I think he is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. You do not need a guide to walk you around the zoo and the spice plantation have their own tour guides who actually teach you about the spices. 3. The price point for this is way too high. It’s priced for perfection and falls far short. We went on a similar tour the day before which cost less than half the price of this tour. The cost of entry to Bondla is less than 500 rupees each. The cost of the spice plantation is 500 rupees each (including lunch). The cost of a driver for the entire day can be around $45 online. As we said previously the guide was not needed. We raised our concerns RE the price with management and were met with hostility and told we were paying for the convenience of booking from home (we don’t feel that cost justifies $100). We don’t mind paying some extra but this is incredibly extortionate. It may be convenient for us to book from home but it’s equally convenient for a business to book customers ahead of time. We booked this on a whim because for some reason it has 5 stars. But if your idea of a good day is being driven around for 5-6 hours and spending a few hours exploring random pit stops you didn’t realise you were going to stop at and paying double the price for it then absolutely go ahead and book. But instead what could do is book it as 2 half days, hire a driver yourself and visit the places you actually want to visit it. Definitely do the spice plantation as it was amazing but you do not need someone to baby sit you while you do it. Very little value added for a large price. We asked for a cost analysis from the company (we are of course happy to pay a fair price to both drive and tour guide) but were given no clarity so cannot help but feel the company is pocketing the $100 extra for the “convenience” of being their customer. If they reply I sincerely hope they include the exact cost of the trip for their customers sake.Written 13 January 2025
- 715brycek0 contributionsAjanta and Ellora single day tripThe tour overall was great. We did the option of going to both Ajanta and Ellora. Just make sure to check the dates you plan on going, because you can only do both sites on certain days! We did pay extra for a guide, which was well worth it. These are very historic sites with lots of statues, figures, paintings, etc. So it was nice to have an expert there to explain what each thing means. You will also be shown some shops on the side, but that is fine because there is plenty of time for the tour for the most part (we didn’t get to see all of Ellora, but we did get to see 100% of Ajanta).Written 10 January 2025
- 227chaitanyak0 contributionsBazaars of DelhiHad to spend a day in Delhi because of a layover . .. me being a History buff, I needed someone who I could talk through. Jai was exactly that, smart, local and opinionated. I enjoyed the walkthrough the bazaars of Old Delhi! The highlight of trip was visiting the Haveli of Mirza Ghaib!Written 9 January 2025
- Travel_is_a_blessing0 contributionsMust Visit spot for Art & Craft LoverWhat a experience as a Art Lover 🎨 Definitely a must see when in Delhi, also you need at least Half a Day to Explore. Also don't forget the have lunch at its famous Cafe Lota. #FolkArtbyKanikaWritten 7 January 2025
- monicacS7235VR0 contributionsBeautiful Churches , amazing foodOne pf the best activities we had in Goa. The churches and cathedrals we visited were impressive: monuments of faith dating of more than 500 years, and the plantation Farm really worth visiting We were luck enough to see the body of Sao Francisco Xavier in the last day in the Basilica do Bom Jesus, iconic church and important pilgrimage centre in India. At the Plantation Farm we experienced one of the most fragrant and tasty meals in Goa. Really lovely food and interesting walk around with a local guide to get to know Indian spices Our tour guide and driver were so kind and ready to take us wherever we wanted in Old Goa and surroundings . Tips: when entering the churches and temples, make sure you are wearing appropriate attire (no short or short dresses) out of respect Ask to taste Feni at the Farm, a fragrant liquor made out of cashew apples. Very strongWritten 6 January 2025
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