Private Tour of Mahabalipuram: Explore Ancient Rock-Cut Temples with Lunch Included

Embark on a private tour of Mahabalipuram, exploring its ancient rock-cut temples, including the iconic Five Chariots and Arjuna’s Penance. Enjoy a delicious lunch and the expertise of a professional guide.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Pancha Pandava Cave - Pandava cave is the largest cave-temple at Mahabalipuram The cave is supported on six pillars and two pilasters. The highlight of the architecture are the spectacular sculptures of mythical creatures called Yali on the pillars.
  • 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.
  • Varaha Cave Temple - The Varaha cave is carved out of huge piece of granite and dates back to the 7th century. This temple took several decades to be completed. There are squatting lions adorning the pillars which support the hall. Another highlight are the sculptures of two guardian angels who protect the sanctum.
  • Trimurti Cave - This cave is a fine example of the spectacular architecture style of the Pallavas. The rock cut temple is dedicated to the holy trinity of Hindu Gods- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are fine carvings of elephants as well.
  • Ganesha Ratha - This is a imposing chariot carved out of a single stone. Originally dedicated to Lord Shiva, it now has the deity of his son Lord Ganesh. It was built in the 7th century by King Mahendravarman I. The other highlight of this temple are the 18 inscriptions in ancient grantha and nagari scripts of Sanskrit.
  • Old Light House - Built in the year 640, it is India’s oldest light house and one of the oldest in the world. Mahabalipuram was a very busy port since the 7th century and hence this lighthouse played a significant role in keeping mariners safe.
  • Mahishasuramardini Cave - Two of the most impressive works of art of Mahabalipuram reside in this cave. It has 2 imposing bas-reliefs on the walls. The first one is Lord Vishnu sleeping on top of the coils of a serpent. The other is with Goddess Durga fighting with the demon Mahishasura on a lion.
  • 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.
What's Included
  • Pick and drop to Chennai hotel
  • Lunch
  • Entrance charges
  • Professional tour guide
What's Not Included
  • Beverages
Additional Information

This private tour takes you to Mahabalipuram famous for its rock cut temples dating back to the 7th century along a lovely sea shore. We will spend the day exploring this World Heritage Site of Mahabalipuram which used to serve as a sea port in ancient times. The highlights include masterpieces like the Five Chariots which are rock cut monolith temples, Arjuna’s Penance the giant open air rock relief, the gravity defying Krishna’s butterball and the Shore temple which is the last remaining of the 7 Pagodas mentioned by Marco Polo. This package includes pick and drop, private car, lunch, and a professional guide.

Location
Pancha Rathas
Kancheepuram District
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
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(240 Ratings)
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Nikkijh4066eg
Aug 12, 2024
Best lunch! - It was a truly remarkable experience. Kessan made sure we were comfortable. He was also very flexible with our needs and adjusted accordingly. The tour was planned out well. We also learned a lot because Kessan was really detailed. Other than the tour, another highlight would be lunch. Core memories were created. I highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marcmancilla
Aug 12, 2024
That lunch that made us fans of south indian cuisine - Kessan is especially kind and amazing! He helped us with our busy busy schedule and we got to enjoy the tour. The places we went to were amazing and everything was taken cared of: the entrance, the amazing photography, the sights, lunch, etc. We just had to be there. We were celebrating my girlfriend’s birthday after a week long of heavy business meetings and he made it really special with his tour. The places we went to are amazing and we learned so much. If it werent for our business event on the same day he would have taken us to another place thats popular since we were interested. The highlight for me was the lunch. The temples are amazing but I want to really compliment our lunch experience. Kessan taught us HOW TO ENJOY INDIAN FOOD. This is a big deal because we do not necessarily like indian food much more it is vegetarian BUT he showed us how to enjoy it and now i’d say that is the highlight OF THE ENTIRE CHENNAI TRIP. I now crave it. I hope to find it in our country and if not I am willing to go back just to eat it again. That’s how amazing the experience is. THANK YOU KESSAN for showing us how to enjoy south indian food!!! We are converts! We are now fans!
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Bhushanghatol
Aug 6, 2024
An exceptionally well-planned and informative tour with knowledgeable guides. - This tour was one of the best experiences I've ever had. Our guide, Kannan, was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, ensuring I had an exceptional time. The ride from Chennai to Mahabalipuram was very comfortable. Upon arrival, Kannan provided a comprehensive history of both Mahabalipuram and Chennai before we began our tour with an additional guide, Ramesh. Both Kannan and Ramesh detailed each monument with thorough explanations, highlighting all the important architectural aspects. The tour was never rushed, allowing ample time to explore each site in depth. After exploring Mahabalipuram, we stopped at A2B Indian Restaurant, where Kannan introduced me to various aspects of South Indian cuisine, which was absolutely delicious. Although I had visited some points of interest on my first day in Chennai, I had not yet seen the Santhome Cathedral Basilica. Kannan explained the significance of the church and took me there once we returned to Chennai. The visit to Santhome Cathedral Basilica was a memorable highlight, adding a meaningful end to an already incredible tour. Overall, this was a meticulously planned tour with experienced guides. I highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightseer04808622592
Aug 4, 2024
Day trip from Chennai - This was a beautiful tour with excellent guides. Beautiful temples with an expert guide and great lunch with local food. Highly recommendable
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Freedom794842
Jul 25, 2024
good experience - There were great temples, caves and rocks to experience in Chennai. Guide is friendly and car is comfortable. It accepts well the requirements you want.
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Jill_h
Jul 15, 2024
Tamil Nadu South Indian Journey Through Time - I had a wonderful time with Kennan as my tour guide of Five Senses Tours. He’s very knowledgeable about Indian history and in particular Tamil Nadu sites. Having lunch was absolutely the best part of the tour as Kennan instructed me through tasting the various South Indian cuisine dishes. As a result of receiving such great services, I will use Five Senses tour operators for the rest of my visit throughout India.
Review provided by Viator
Malia_m
Jun 24, 2024
Great tour! - I had a wonderful tour. I felt safe and well taken care of. Hareesh my guide provided great historical and cultural information.
Review provided by Viator
Paradise43908926134
Jun 22, 2024
Amazing, interesting, and lovely experience! - Ganesh was a great guide. I was picked up and dropped at my hotel. Ganesh made sure I could have a coffee, water, and lunch. He did a great job of explaining the history of Chennai / Madras and the background of Mahabalipurum (Great Sacrifice Village). Right on the Bay of Bengal, Mahabalipurum is a site full of ancient history, rich stories, brilliant and talented artisans. The perhaps were perhaps the first people to live a fully inclusionary lifestyle, which is memorialized in the monumental. Wholly unexpected, the sites felt spiritual and reverent. Live monkeys at the Lighthouse have no problem begging for food or water (I saw a monkey drinking out of a water bottle.) It is a lovely place to visit, especially when you realize that the Five Rathas were carved from top to bottom of ONE stone. There are people trying to peddle their goods, but the guides tell them to go away if you are uninterested. As a solo traveler, I was carefully cared for and never alone (except when using the washroom). Driver was safe; car very nice: air conditioned. It’s a must-see if you are visiting Chennai! However it is hot in June. Plan accordingly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
77sarahr
Jun 19, 2024
Fascinating Mahabalipuram - Excellent trip to the fascinating Mahalbaripuram with a great pair of guides and wonderful explanations. The sheer variety of historical masterpieces is mindblowing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nobuom502
May 29, 2024
Thank you very much! - I had a tour to see the world heritage sites in Chennai with Kannan as our guide. The trip was long, but he guided me safely and made it a very good trip. Thank you very much!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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