Chennai
Days 1-2Days 1-2Fort St George, Chennaiabout 1h30Begun in 1639 and completed on 23 April 1644, it was the first English fort built in India, and the city of Madras grew up at the foot of its six-metre walls.Book on GetYourGuide →
What to book before you travel to Tamil Nadu?
Most visits can be booked on the spot. A few sell out days ahead. Here they are, stop by stop, with what you can do without booking underneath. Keep the rest of your time free.
Trip length
3 activities to book
All activities in Chennai on GetYourGuide
Mahabalipuram
Days 3-4Days 3-4The Mahabalipuram monuments2 to 3hSixty kilometres south of Chennai, the Pallava stonecutters of the 7th and 8th centuries left an open-air workshop, listed by UNESCO in 1984.Book on GetYourGuide →
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Days 5-6Nothing to book ahead here: everything is done on the spot.
No booking needed: The White Town of Puducherry
All activities in Puducherry (Pondicherry) on GetYourGuide
Thanjavur
Days 7-8Nothing to book ahead here: everything is done on the spot.
No booking needed: Brihadishvara Temple, Thanjavur · Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
All activities in Thanjavur on GetYourGuide
Madurai
Days 9-10Nothing to book ahead here: everything is done on the spot.
No booking needed: Meenakshi Temple, Madurai · Processions and rituals
All activities in Madurai on GetYourGuide
Ooty
Days 11-13Days 11-13The Nilgiri Mountain Railwayhalf a dayOpened to Coonoor in 1899 and extended to Ooty in October 1908, this 46 km rack line climbs from 326 to 2,203 metres.Book on GetYourGuide →
Indicative prices per person, checked when written. The button opens the GetYourGuide search for the activity and the town, on the days of the stop once your dates are known. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
What can you do in Tamil Nadu without booking anything?
5 visits on this itinerary need no ticket or time slot, starting with The White Town of Puducherry, Brihadishvara Temple, Thanjavur, Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai. They make up most of your days: booking ahead only concerns a handful of sites with limited places.
At which stop should you book earliest?
Chennai, with 1 activity to book, against 0 at the quietest stop. That is where slots go first.