Private Tour
Mahabalipuram tour by Tourism Ministry approved company
Overview
Available languages
7 hours
Mobile ticket
This private tour takes you to Mahabalipuram famous for its rock cut temples dating back to the 7th century along a lovely sea shore. This tour is available to be done in a private car or on a Royal Enfield Motorcycle!
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 (or Motorcycle), lunch, and a professional guide.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
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.
What‘s Included
Pick and drop to Chennai hotel
Lunch
Entrance charges
Professional tour guide
Beverages
Options
By Royal Enfield Motorcycle
Led by Escort Rider: Riders need International driving permit along with motorcycle license
Pickup included
By Private car
Pickup included
Reviews
387 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Informational, safe, friendly
Navigate31356038994,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Kannan was an amazing tour guide! He was very willing to take pictures whenever we wanted and had so many amazing facts about each site. Would highly recommend this tour and
awesome tour
Delaney W,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great tour with Kannan who was very knowledgeable! Our group (7people) was well taken care of and we had a lot of fun learning about Mahabalipuram. Lunch was delicious, too.
Highly recommend!
X8137JClucyc,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Phenomenal time exploring Mahabalipuram! Our guides were so engaging, knowledgeable, and kind. I appreciate that the tour included an additional guide from the area to give another perspective from the tour guide that is with you from start to finish. Would highly recommend the tour!
Great tour guide, very informative
Petezag,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful tour of some very interesting places. It felt good to support sustainable tourism in India. I would recommend this tour of Mahabaliparum.
Kannan was an amazing...
Alana K,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Kannan was an amazing tour guide! He was very willing to take pictures whenever we wanted and had so many amazing facts about each site. Would highly recommend this tour and Kannan!
Great experience!
GrandTour07594722221,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour was amazing. Learning about all the history of the temples and ancient architecture with experienced local guides made the experience stand out. Plus the ride was comfortable with nice AC! Would recommend this tour!
We went back for a second tour because we loved the first so much!
Companion40574746653,,Dec 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We loved our tour of Chennai with Kannan so much that we wanted to spend another day with him exploring so we booked this tour! He answered every single question we had about life and culture in India, way beyond the topics of the tour itself. I learned so so much in one day. They also work with local guides to practice “sustainable tourism” and create economic opportunity for the local community. Can’t recommend enough!
Fantastic Tour with an Excellent Guide and Great Lunch
Ameya S,,Dec 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We had an excellent experience on the one-day private tour from Chennai to Mahabalipuram. The tour was very well organized and comfortable, making the entire day enjoyable and stress-free. Our tour guide Kannan was outstanding—knowledgeable, friendly, and explained the history and significance of each site in a very engaging way. The lunch (Authentic South Indian meal)provided during the tour was amazing, with delicious food and great service. Overall, it was a wonderful experience and highly recommended for anyone looking to explore Mahabalipuram in a day.
Informative, Authentic and amazing experience
Navigator16652567042,,Dec 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mahablipuram is truly a must visit spot. Kannan did great job explaining about each and every spot in addition to what he told us about history and general information about chennai. He was very polite and mindful of situations. We ended our trip with authentic chennai food. I would surely recommend booking this tour.
Excellent tour
jcE2224ML,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We like our guides. They are very good and knowledgeable. We will come back in March next year and will definitely book the same guides.
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