🏨 Private Mahabalipuram day trip from Chennai with lunch & guide Activity

Private Mahabalipuram day trip from Chennai with lunch & guide

» Chennai » Chennai » Chennai

From $99.00

Price varies by group size

Lowest Price Guarantee

Pricing Info: Per Person

Duration: 7 hours

Departs: Chennai, Chennai

Ticket Type: Mobile or paper ticket accepted

Free cancellation

Up to 24 hours in advance.

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Overview

Mamallapuram (also called Mahaballipuram) is about an hour's drive from Chennai on the East Coast Road. It was the second capital and seaport of the Pallava Kings who ruled in the 5th century. Local legend has it that there was once a beautiful city here with seven temples, which the Gods submerged under the sea in anger.until in 2002, an Indo-British team of divers discovered a series of man-made structures under water, covering an area of several square miles.Today at Mamallapuram, you can see the famous Shore Temple, the only surviving temple out of the original seven (the rest have sunk under the sea). The Shore Temple is among the oldest temples of South India and represents the final flowering of Pallava art. Arjuna's Penance, one of the world's biggest bas-reliefs depicts the story of the descent of the River Ganges from Heaven to Earth. Cave temples and massive monolithic sculptures (carved from a single large block of granite) make Mamallapuram a place to remember.

What's Included

Entry/Admission - Monuments

Headsets to hear the guide clearly

Local tour guide

Lunch

Private transportation

What's Not Included

Beverages

Gratuities

Personal expenses

Traveler Information

CHILD: Age: 2 - 12
ADULT: Age: 18 - 78

Additional Info

COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
Regular temperature checks for staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Temperature checks for travellers upon arrival

COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
Regular temperature checks for staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Temperature checks for travellers upon arrival

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

What To Expect

Pancha Rathas

Make the first stop of the day at the Pancharathas, or five chariots, a series of monolithic temples built by the Pallavas.These are rock cut monolith temples structures built in the 7th century. Each of the 5 rathas or chariots are dedicated to the lead cast of the Mahabharat epic- Draupadi, Arjuna, Nakul-Sahadeva, Bhima and Yudhister. There is also a sculpture of an elephant next to the ratha of Nakul-Sahadeva. Once you stand towards the rear of the elephant you will notice that there is an uncanny resemblance between the rear of the chariot and the elephant.

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Arjuna's Penance

We next visit Arjuna’s Penace, a bas-relief monument that’s considered one of India’s most magnificent pieces of ancient art, depicting vivid scenes from the Mahabharata. The relief is 100 feet long and 45 feet tall! The main story being told is how Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers, performed severe austerities in order to obtain Lord Shiva's weapon.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

India Seashell Museum

The 40000+ collection of Sea Shells is a singular effort of Raja Mohamad who spent 33 years to collect these items from around the world.

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Krishna's Butter Ball

The next stop is Krishna’s Butterball, a granite boulder that’s poised on a stony slope. This curious boulder seems to defy Newton's laws of gravity and has not moved an inch despite being in this precarious position on the slope for more than a thousand years.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Shore Temple

Our last port of call is the Shore Temple. The magnificent temple overlooks the Bay of Bengal and was an important centre during the reign of the Pallavas when Mahabalipuram was the main port of their Kingdom. Built by King Raja Simha during the early 8th century, the Shore Temple is a landmark in the architectural landscape of India. Marco Polo referred to this as the seven pagodas. The existing temple is the last surviving of the 7 which once stood as a beacon for sea farers.

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

We have the Lunch in Hotel Mamalla bhavan.

60 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

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Private Mahabalipuram day trip from Chennai with lunch & guide Activity - Chennai Travel Guide

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