/
India
/
Tamil Nadu
/
Chennai
/
Tours & Activities
/
Day Trip to Mahabalipuram from Chennai
1 day
Full Day
About this activity
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Pancha Rathas, Kancheepuram District, Mahabalipuram India
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.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Arjuna's Penance, West Raja Street Near Ganesha Ratha, Mahabalipuram 603104 India
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.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: India Seashell Museum, Kalpakkam Road, Mahabalipuram 603104 India
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.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Krishna's Butter Ball, E Raja St, Mahabalipuram 603104 India
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.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Sea Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram India
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.
Duration: 45 minutes
Read more
Show less
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Pancha Rathas, Kancheepuram District, Mahabalipuram India
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.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Arjuna's Penance, West Raja Street Near Ganesha Ratha, Mahabalipuram 603104 India
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.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: India Seashell Museum, Kalpakkam Road, Mahabalipuram 603104 India
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.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Krishna's Butter Ball, E Raja St, Mahabalipuram 603104 India
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.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Sea Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram India
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.
Duration: 45 minutes
Included
- Transport by private car or motorcycle with helmet
- Local tour guide
- Lunch
- Entrance charges
- Entry/Admission - Pancha Rathas
- Entry/Admission - Arjuna's Penance
- Entry/Admission - India Seashell Museum
- Entry/Admission - Krishna's Butter Ball
- Entry/Admission - Sea Shore Temple
Not included
- Beverages
Additional
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Features
Tourism
95%
Cultural
65%
Reviews
Similar activities in Chennai
Click to discover other experiences
I have a great time on my day trip to Mahabalipuram! It was wonderful not to have to worry about anything - tolls, breakfast, lunch, arranging a cab, getting a tour guide...My shoe broke during the tour and they provided a temporary fix then took me to a shop where I could buy another pair of shoes. Vijay picked me up with a driver, then in Mahabalipuram we were joined by a local tour guide. I am glad to see them working towards sustainable tourism - I enjoyed the local tour guide, but was happy to also have Vijay around who answered questions and interpreted when I didn't quite understand. We went to a stone carving shop that was owned by a relative of the local tour guide where I picked up a couple of souvenirs. We stopped for lunch at a gorgeous restaurant with an ocean view. We also made a special stop to DakshinaChitra and toured representations of the southern states of India. Vijay took pictures during the tour and shared them with me and answered many questions about India. I definitely got more out visiting Mahabalipuram this way then I would have had I wondered around there on my own. Now to find those sunken monuments!