Private Tour

Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram by tourism ministry approved company

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Overview

Available languages

English

12 hours

Mobile ticket

In this day tour from Chennai, we will visit the twin wonders of Pallava architecture, Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram. This tour is hosted by a Five Senses Tours which is a company approved by the ministry of tourism and is also a member of the prestigious Indian association of Tour Operators.

We will cover the magnificent temples of Ekambareswar & Kailashnath in Kanchipuram. After that we visit the ancient sea port of Mahabalipuram and visit the legendary rock cut structures lie Arjuna's penance, Five Rathas and the iconic Shore temple which served literally as the beacon for sea farers from the 8th century onwards.

The company promotes local livelihood by training and employing local guides and patronising local businesses.

This is a fully guided tour with pick up and drop, private car, full time guide, lunch and all entrance charges as well.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements

Cancellation Policy

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

What To Expect

1

Ekambareswarar Temple

We visit Ekambareswarar of Pallava dynasty to appreciate these ancient architectural wonders. These were built in 600 AD and are magnificent specimens of the Pallava style of architecture.

45 minutes • Admission Included
2

We will visit the magnificent temple of Kailasanathar Temple from Pallava times. Kanchipuram was the capital of the medieval South Indian Kingdom of Pallavas. The Pallavas were instrumental in the transition from rock-cut architecture to stone temples. We will appreciate these architectural wonders built in 600 AD.

45 minutes • Admission Included

What‘s Included

Local guide

Hotel pickup and drop-off

GST (Goods and Services Tax)

Lunch

Drinks

Options

Hotel pick up Private tour

Private tour in car: Tour will be done in a car only for you
Pickup included

Reviews

4.94

266 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

253
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  • Wonderful experience

    712kazn,,Feb 12, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    A wonderful experience with a professional guides. The tour guides always asked me if I want to know more and could give the good explanations to my questions. They also frequently re-arranged the original plan to fulfill my interests. A tour guide was also a good photographer and took a lot of nice pictures of me. Great thanks to them.

  • The Divine is in the details

    sundeepr2026,,Feb 11, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Insightful, ancient, metaphysical. India was a land of intellectual giants. Instills a sense of devotion for the Higher. The government should do more to preserve these sites and the area around them. Guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and went out of their way to tailor the tour. Immersive experience with locals and an excellent lunch.

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  • Great experience

    dannetl2021,,Jan 18, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    4.00

    I had a wonderful experience from start to finish. The quality of service was excellent, and everything was perfectly organized and smooth. My guide, Ganesh, was fantastic — friendly, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable about the history, which made every site come alive. Pickup was right on time, and the car was clean, new, and very spacious, making the day comfortable and stress-free. A special highlight was lunch: Ganesh took me to an amazing Ambur-style biryani restaurant, which was absolutely delicious and felt like a local insider experience. All the sites we visited were fascinating, and the entire day flowed effortlessly. I would highly recommend this tour, especially with Ganesh as your guide.

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  • Unreservedly recommended.

    Guide54846601898,,Jan 9, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Fantastic full day tour. Hareesh was very knowledgeable about all the places that we visited; he was also very entertaining with it. It was a very flexible day with Hareesh wanting to do what I wanted but also making suggestions as there is so much to see you'll not be able to cover it in just one day. We had wide ranging and intelligent conversations whilst in the car too, which made the day even better. The driver, Vignesh, took great care on the roads and was always there when needed. I would wholeheartedly recommend this company and, if you can, request Hareesh and Vignesh and you'll not go wrong.

  • Well-organized and insightful day tour to Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram

    PiotrW1098,,Jan 4, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    I joined a full-day car tour from Chennai to Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram, visiting several ancient Hindu temples and important archaeological sites. The guide, Hareesh was very knowledgeable and genuinely committed to making the tour enjoyable. He had a pleasant way of speaking and explained the history and stories in a clear and engaging manner, even for someone with little background in Indian history or religion. A delicious Indian lunch at a local restaurant was included. Everything was perfectly organized from start to finish. I highly recommend this tour.

  • Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram Whirlwind Tour

    Vonkie007,,Dec 23, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Natarajan is a very experienced and knowledgeable tour guide. He was my guide on my 1 day Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram tour. He offers stories beyond the normal guide. It was a real blessing to spend the day with him. He has been my personal photographer and has been subjected to my 1 star jokes. Great bloke My only suggestion is that this tour might need to be a two day tour. I would have loved seeing more of the 1000 temples in Kanchipuram. Thanks

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  • Highly recommended, Must do!!

    L6167CKdavej,,Dec 14, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Highly recommend 😁 Natarajan is an incredible guide. He was absolutely amazing. Giving me lots of information about all of the sites and temples we went to. Without having information and background history of what the temples represented was fantastic!! Giving much more meaning to the experience. He helped answer questions that were about India. It is the first time in am visiting here and he gave me lots of excellent tips and advice for my travels. As I am travelling on my own and have only been in India a few days. He gave me a bunch of restaurant and other sightseeing tips and suggestions. I had a fantastic day and was happy with everything. Having a private driver was amazing. We could take our time and i could stay longer at places i wanted to. The lunch included was delicious. I will definitely be doing more tours here next time im in Chennai. Just ask for Natarajan. Great guy very friendly and was a pleasure to.spend the day with.

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  • Time travel to Chola and Pallava dynasty

    jasbirs696,,Dec 10, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Booked last min trip on whim to spend 1 leisure day in Chennai. With in few mins of booking was connected to the tour guide Mr Kannan and from there it was a very knowledgeable/ engaging experience. Mr Kannan’s story telling skills and communication style is top notch making you visualize what the world would have been 1300 yrs back . Enjoyed every min of the tour. Thanks

  • Full on day trip but worth the long day

    eowyngirl,,Dec 6, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Pretty full on day trip visiting Kancheepuram in the morning, then Mahabalipuram in the afternoon after lunch. Jainath was very attentive throughout with lots of helpful information about the artistry and history on display in the various temples. We also visited some typical older houses and a silk workshop in Kancheepuram, as well as a local sculptor in Mahabalipuram. An extremely long day but well worth going to see these ancient temples and sites just outside of Chennai.

  • Complex carved stone temples from 600-700 CE (or A.D.)

    Brett B,,Nov 20, 2025

    - Review from Viator

    5.00

    To see ancient religious sites from 1400 years ago, this tour is excellent. Kannan was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable. However, beware the use of the word "cave' which is actually just a recess cut into stone walls to house the carvings of Shiva and the usual gods and their families seen in most temples. The tour covers 2 small but impressive UNESCO heritage sites

From US$135.00

4.94
(266 reviews)