Kerala / 8a - Kerala / Tamilnadu Pilgrimage Itinerary  

Route : Cochin - Guruvayoor (1 night) -  Palani (1 night) - Rameshwaram (1 night) - Madurai (1 nights) - Thirunelveli / Turicorin (1 night) - Kanyakumari (1 night) - Trivandrum - Varkala (1 night) - Kollam - Alleppey (1 night) - Ernakulam / Cochin 

Highlight - This is an Ex-Cochin pilgrimage itinerary for visiting major pilgrimage destinations of Kerala and Tamilnadu. Guruvayoor Krishna Temple, Palani Hill Temple (Kartikeya), Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga Temple (Shiva), Madurai Meenakshi Temple (Shiva / Parvati) and Nellaiappar Temple (Shiva / Parvati) are most renowned and considered a must visit. Temples in Kanyakumari and other temples in Kerala also have significant regional significance and offer a wide architectural panorama for guests looking beyond the pilgrimage element. 

Recommended Itinerary (This is an indicative itinerary, Sequence of the activities may vary and depend on prevailing weather condition and guest preferences)

• Day 1 - Arrive at Cochin / Ernakulam / Aluva / Thrissur and reach Guruvayoor (65 kms from Cochin Airport / 100 kms from Ernakulam Station). Do evening Darshan at the temple. 

• Day 2 - Travel to Guruvayoor to Palani (225 kms - 5-6 hours). Overnight at Palani and visit temples around Palani during the day

Temples in and around Palani:

* Thiru Avinankudi Temple - 2000 years old. 
* Periya Nayaki Amman Temple - 2.kms 
* Mariamman Temple - 2.kms 
* Peryavudayar Temple - 5.kms 
* Laxmi Narayana Perumal Temple - 3 kms 
* Idumban Temple - Near town centre 
* Kannadi Perumal Temple-3.kms 
* Mookambikai Temple - 10 kms 

• Day 3 - Palani to Rameshwaram - 270 kms (6 hours) - Do evening Darshan of the Jyotirlinga Temple and overnight stay at Rameshwaram.

• Day 4 - Rameshwaram - Madurai - 160 kms (4 hours) - Visit famous Meenakshi Temple at Madurai. Spend a couple of hours in the temple complex. Given time guests may also visit Koodal Azhagar Temple (2 kms from town centre a unique temple with Lord Vishnu in three poses viz. sitting, standing and reclining, one above the other) and Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam (5 kms from town centre a Vinayaka temple built in 1646)

• Day 5 - Madurai - Thirunelveli (150 kms - 3 hours). Visit Thirunelveli Nellaiappar Temple - Biggest Temple Complex in South India. Overnight stay in Tuticorin. A port city 46 kms from Thirunelveli.

Other places that can be visited are :

• Tiruchendur - Subramaniya Swamy Temple. 45 Kms from Tuticorin. One of the six "Arupadai Veedu"

• Kalugumalai - Ancient Rockcut Temple. Jain Architechture. 61 Kms

• Navathirupathi - 9 Temples dedicated to Vishnu within a radius of 35 Kms.

• Virapandiapattanam, Manapad & Ovari - Ancient Divine Churches

• Day 6 - From Tuticorin - Kanyakumari (150 kms - 3.5 hours). Visit the Devi Kanyakumari temple, Vivekanand rock memorial, Kumari Amman temple. Witness the famous Kanyakumari Sunset.

• Day 7 - Witness famous Kanyakumari sunrise. From Kanyakumari to Trivandrum (100 kms) and visit Guganatha Swamy Temple (Trivandrum) Padmanabha Swamy temple, a Divya Desam (One of the 108 Divya Desams). Reach Varkala by evening. 

• Day 8 - Varkala Janardan Temple at Varkala. There are number of temples and Churches in the Kollam area. The Mata Amritanandamayi Math is situated at Amritapuri in this district, about 30 km from the Kollam town. Visiting Ambalapuzha Krishna Temple and Aranmula temple and reach Alleppey by evening.

• Day 9 - In Kottayam District there are number of significant temples. Chettikulangara Bhagawati Temple, Thrikodithanam Temple at Changanacherry, Shiva temple at Ettumannoor are some of them. Reach Cochin / Ernakulam by evening and proceed for onward journey.

Accommodation Options - Guruvayoor - Palani / Madurai / Turicorin / Kanyakumari - Varkala - Alleppey  

Access - Cochin (Gets daily flights from all major destinations of India and Gulf  Countries). Ernakulam is a major railhead on the Southern/Konkan Rail Route. 

Note: Please email to kerala8a@nivalink.co.in with dates of travel for further details and your "must visit" list we can customise an itinerary as per your requirements and send a quote (Estimated hotel cost and transportation) for the above itinerary or any other itinerary (Extended or truncated) or call us