Madurai, INDIA
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Perched on the banks of the Vaigai River, the ancient city of Madurai is revered for its warrior Goddess Meenakshi. Her magnificent temple is the centrepiece around which the lives of locals have been revolving since the 2nd-century BC. The name of the city itself owes to a charming legend referring to the nectar that dripped from Lord Shiva’s locks. In this heritage walking tour, flow into the past where dynasties and divinity overlap to conjure up a spellbinding saga.
Madurai is a big city in size but a small town when it comes to charm. A smart city in the making with IT parks and special economic zones, where hectic construction and traffic gridlock can be exhausting, it still retains the essence of a pilgrim destination.
On the heritage walk through the city, flashback into an era when the great capital of the Pandyan kings flourished from the 4th to 16th-centuries that saw the scripting of many a literary classics and growth of trade with Europe around treasures like pepper, pearls, ivory, textiles and gold.
Pivotal to the experience is a visit to the Meenakshi Temple, built as a temple palace, where powerful kings ruled on behalf of the Gods. 14 towering gopuras (steeples), exquisite pillared halls, a massive lotus tank and a museum comprise the grand complex, spread across 14 acres, making it one of the most elaborate in South India. The crowded marketplace around the temple has roads arranged in concentric quadrangles, which offer a peek into early 16th-century architectural prowess.
Most of the current Meenakshi temple complex owes itself to the vision of King Thirumalai Nayak. His 17th-century palace, located about 2-km from the temple, now a National Monument, is worth exploring for its unique amalgamation of Hindu and Islamic architecture.
Your guide will keep you engrossed in historical legends intertwined with street names, grandiose monuments, invincible Gods and acclaimed rulers, till you feel you are familiar with the city’s antiquarian soul.
Transport: Private Car 
Activity level: Easy
Accessible to wheel chair: Yes 
Kid friendly: Yes 
Languages: English and Local Language 
Inclusions: Bottle Water, Refreshments 
Exclusions: Personal Expenses and Souvenir. 
Gratuities: Not included in tour cost;payable at guest's discretion 
Meet up location: Hotel Pick Up 
End of tour location: Hotel Drop Off Duration: Full Day Price: upto 2 adults ₹7200 | Price upto 2 adults | : ₹7,200 |
| Children | : Complimentary for children below 10 years |
25% of the total cost will be charged, if cancelled 15 to 10 days prior to the tour date.
50% of the total cost will be charged, if cancelled 9 to 5 days prior to the tour date.
No refund if cancelled less than 5 days prior to the tour date.
For group size more than 4 adults, write to us at info@footprintholidays.com
We can arrange other language speaking guides based on your request and availability
The tour can be customised to suit your needs like change of time, change of pick-up point, etc. You can write to us to info@footprintholidays.com customise your tour as per your preferences.
I will begin by saying that I had a FANTASTIC time in India. It was one of the best trips I've ever taken and I'm truly looking forward to hopefully having you book other trips for me in India.
I must say everything was planned to perfection. Each guide in every city was knowledgeable; especially the guide you arranged for us in Udaipur. We really enjoyed getting to know our guides Musheer and Kishore. We experienced the real India and appreciated the detailed itinerary your team created for us. The hotels were fantastic! In every hotel, the chef paid us a visit to make sure that we had meals suitable for us. We also enjoyed all the extra shopping excursions that were suggested.
The trip was a mega success and your team did a great job. Thanks to Footprint for everything. The entire family had a great time! The exclusive kalaripayattu demonstration was absolutely engaging and we loved every bit of the special private stand-up by Alex Babu (of Alex in Wonderland fame).
Thank you for a great trip! We especially enjoyed driving through the desertland into Jaisalmer; we also thoroughly enjoyed Bikaner, its Havelis and the Fort. Catching the daily life in Mumbai was a unique and eye-opening experience! All the hotels chosen are excellent with wonderful staff. Thank you!
Thank you for a wonderful trip to Kerala. We loved the village life walk and Fort Cochin walk. The backwater cruise in a traditional country boat was an incredible experience. A meal with the local family, living on an island in the backwaters, offered us an excellent opportunity to interact, learn and share. We loved every minute of our holiday! Thanks!
As a solo traveller, I felt safe and was exceptionally well taken care of. The cooking class in Jaipur was extremely enjoyable. The food, chef, and his wife were all exceptional and made for a lovely evening. Also, our expectations were definitely exceeded at a private residence, spending time with the elephants and lunching. Thanks!!
I loved India and thank you very much for arranging everything. It was a fabulous trip. Big kudos to you and your team. The tour guides and drivers were excellent. I loved the artisan walk, discovering the artistic treasures of Udaipur, meeting local potters and painters.
Thanks for arranging everything to precision – it was super smooth and we had a very good darshan!
Thanks for organising a great trip to Lucknow and Varanasi. The hotels at both the places were excellent; we had a great guide in Varanasi who went beyond the designated tour route and showed us around. The food tour in Lucknow was amazing and re-discovering the Awadhi Cuisine was a great experience – the kebabs were out of the world!
It was a terrific experience to spot the King of the jungle in all their glory at Gir. We had a very good experience overall.
It was a perfect leisure getaway – thanks for organising this! We loved the French Connection Trail; the guide took us through the French quarter sharing some incredible stories from the colonisation. We enjoyed the hotel and the service!