Poetry in Stone at Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram Tour Our guides- Kannan and Ramesh were excellent. They went out of their way to explain the historical significance of the wonderful place to the kids. Their story telling style was captivating. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would utilize them again for other tours.

Wonderful tour The driver and guide for the tour were professional and friendly. Ramesh, the guide, did a good job of explaining the various monuments/temples and showed me where to take nice photos. The driver, Bhaskar, was a safe driver. I'm happy I did the tour with 5 Senses.

Great trip with impressive sights Had a lovely day with Nivi and Ganesh showing my 20yr old daughter and I around the sites, rock carvings, beach, and local cousins. Very impressive tout and history. Highly recommended. It was June and scorching hot, but Nivi/Ganesh made sure we were hydrated and comfortable.

Totally worth it!! Very interesting tour! Great hosting, great food. The guide is very flexible, so if you wish to see extra things in the area, he will show you 🙂 I highly recommend, + he takes nice pictures!

Great guide, great driver and flexible itinerary 5 senses arranged a very enjoyable, stress free and flexible tour for our family. Having traveled to Chennai with two young teens on their first trip to India, we wanted to be sure they would see and experience the historical beauty of this region. Our guide was very educational and prepared. We had a driver and itinerary that was specific to our preferences. No unnecessary sales pitches or side tracks. We saw the historical sites around Mahabalipuram and learned a lot about this history. When the weather became too hot, we quickly adjusted the schedule and finished appropriately. Would absolutely return to 5 senses to book another tour in India.

Amazing tour and a must go I was really hesitant whether to book a tour or not. As a solo woman traveler I was not sure what experience to expect. This tour has exceeded my expectations. 5 Senses are very professional. They know their trade and they make the guest feel comfortable. It was pleasant and safe journey. I had to catch a flight so they were so very punctual and considerate of my needs

Excellent tour Excellent and flexible tour with knowledgeable/ friendly tour guide Ramesh. Departed early morning to avoid heat

Nei dintorni di Chennai Tour bellissimo. Molto consigliato! Ramesh ci ha raccontato tutto del sito. Una guida professionale, preparata e molto gentile. Lo abbiamo conosciuto grazie a 5senses tour e Hareesh... Agenzia professionale che ci ha permesso di conoscere sia i principali siti di Cheannai sia questo sito patrimonio dell'UNESCO molto interessante!Consigliato!!

Wonderful trip Wonderful team of booking, driver and guide. They did an excellent job and made my day. I would certainly feel that this team has work wonderfully for my trip.

It was great experience It was very great experience, Ganesh and Ramesh were very helpful and appreciate their patience alotThank you

Beautiful tour, helpful and knowledgeable guides! Beautiful place full of history and culture! The guides Ramesh and Ganesh were knowledgeable and accommodating, we went on a super hot day and they helped us find shade to rest while sharing details of all the monuments. Definitely recommend to anyone visiting Chennai!

Excellent trip, comfortable and informative Our guide Kannan was pleasant, informative and spoke very good English.The monuments were extraordinary, and all the more so for knowing when and how they were made. Kannan was also well able to explain the carvings to us.Everything was very smoothly organised and the car was comfortable and equipped with good ac.The lunch stop on the way back was good. We live in Leicester, UK, where there are many people of Indian heritage , and we eat a lot of Indian food. We still learnt a lot from Kannan who explained the tamil-style thali to us while eating his own (much more modest) lunch. The food was delicious.Altogether highly recommended.

Extraordinary site and knowledgeable guide We would never have visited this amazing site on our own. The carvings in the rocks were truly extraordinary. Kansan’s explanations were very clear and he was very knowledgeable. He also helped us understand a bit more about Hinduism and the different gods, gurus and stories. The car had a/c and was very comfortable. Thank you Kansan!

Don’t look any further this is a great company. Great experience and very friendly staff and guide . Also the driver was very pleasant . My tour we added some places not on the tour . My guide Kalpana was very fun and knowledgeable about places visited .

Chennai southern temples Excellent tour with a wide number of stops which told the story of the local area and its history. Local guide was provided and gave background info on each temple area relating to its importance and correlation to the Hindu religion. Be prepared for hot weather in the spring/summer; guide was amazing for constantly providing water and areas of shade throughout the tour. Arranged transportation with AC was vital and driver was super nice. Overall one of the best experiences from our trip to Chennai and immersion into the local culture. Highly recommend local market stop for stone art

The best thing in/around Chennai This trip had it all: a car to pick me up at my hotel, a guide who spoke English and knew the sights all around Chennai, and a local guide once we got to Mahabalipuram. This UNESCO site (like so many others globally) is really a wonder to behold. The carvings in the rocks, the temples, the lighthouse, etc. are all unique and quite interesting to learn about. If you are in Chennai, this is the one site to visit.

Trip to Mahabalipuram A hugely informative, educational and entertraining trip conducted by an excellent guide in Kannan whose historical, cultural, and culinary knowledge was superb. In addition to experiencing a frst class south India lunch, this trip in the company of Kannan and his excellent driver did not disappoint. Highly recommended!

Great places to visit with great guides Great tour, the guides where so nice and friendly. They explained everything very clearly. The places were incredible and the food experience fantastic. Thanks to Ramesh and Satish for making this visit great.

Great 7 hours private tour to Mahabalipuram Great 7 hours private tour to the temples of Mahabalipuram by a car from Chennai. Thanks to the guide Ramesh: I’ve got a lot of interesting and fascinating information about the historical, religious and mythological sides of this place. I had a nice lunch in a local place and also visited a silk fabrics shop by my special request. The car with a very good driver Satish came to pick up to the hotel and drop off me to the requested place.

EXCELLENT tour of Mahabalipuram - highly recommend Wonderful tour of Mahabalipuram with our guide Ramesh, He brought to life this incredible part of the world through his funny and insightful commentary. The time flew and we could have easily spent the full day with Ramesh. HIGHLY recommend.

Fantastic day - highly recommended! Wonderful day tour! As a solo female traveller the team very fantastic, very friendly and took care of everything. Specials thanks to Ganesh for collecting me from the hotel and looking after me throughout the day! The guide was very knowledgeable and took the time to explain the history of every site visited - recommend for anyone who is looking to explore the cultural heritage of Chennai!

Great experience Awesome experience!Everything was prefect right from pickup Kannan is very knowledgeable and offered us some unique insights and made it all fun Cannot ask for better

An insight into an ancient marvel. A mesmerising journey into an ancient civilisation. The rock cut sculptures were beautiful and all the sites we visited showcased the mastery and engineering powers of an olden age. Our guide Kannan was knowledgeable and it was clear that he was proud of the history of the place. We could tell that he wanted us to experience as much as possible! Simply beautiful and bring shades to enjoy it to the fullest!

Mahabalipuram is amazing I had a great visit to Mahabalipuram with Kannan. We traveled from Chennai and back with a very capable and safe driver. Since it was during the extended Pongal holiday time, Mahabalipuram was crowded, but Kannan and the driver always got us to exactly where we needed to be. Once in Mahabalipuram, we connected with Ramesh, a local guide who, like Kannan, was very knowledgeable. I saw many amazing sights and learned a lot about their history, manner of construction, and significance. I also learned about the rock carving tradition that continues to this day. Kannan had an answer to each of my (many) questions, and he found a great place for us to have lunch. It was a very good day!

Fascinating trip to a 1400 year old site For anyone interested in physical anthropology this site is a dream visit. Our driver and guide to/from Chennai were great. The driver was professional and not aggressive. The guide was very gregarious and knew a lot of the history of the area. At Mahabalipuram we gained a second guide, Ramesh, who was the local expert, but both guides seemed almost equally knowledgeable about the history, construction, and religious significance of each component.

Tour to Mahabalipuram highly recommended It was a very well planned and guide tour to one of the must see places in Tamil Nadu.Kannan our guide provided a lot of background information. In addition to that we had a local guide as well which could add some additional information. In the end we had a grand south-indian lunch in Chennai.

Everything perfectly organised The organization and communication worked perfectly. my guide Ramesh explained a lot and also explained everything in detail when I had questions. i am very glad i did it.

Private tour Ramesh was great. He has amazing knowledge on the all the monuments and explains it so well. He was friendly and so efficient. Ramesh is happy and very helpful. Highly recommended.

Pleasant and informative visit We met our guide Ramesh at shore temple site and proceeded to each of the major monuments. He was there on time and was very knowledgeable. He patiently answered my children’s non-stop questions. He also put us in touch with his head office when we requested a tour in Thanjavur. We would definitely choose 5 senses tours again.

Loved it We enjoyed the tour. Pick up was on time, entrance fees and lunch were included in the price. Nivi and Ramesh from 5 senses were lovely. We loved all the stories and extra advice we’ve got from them. We may book other tours with them when we will be back to Chennai.

Best Mahapalipurum Tour! What a wonderful tour! This 5 senses tour truly tickled all the senses. Kannan was an excellent guide along with the help of Ramesh. Kannan had a full berth of knowledge and you could tell he was truly passionate about the history of Mahapalipurum and Chennai as a whole. The driver was also excellent and made for a smooth ride. They accommodated the tour to our schedule and were so kind. Can’t recommend enough!

Good Tour Our tour was insightful. I learned a lot in my first trip to Chennai. They were also accommodating to our schedule. Would definitely recommend Kennan!

Great and informative day at Mahabalipuram We had a very pleasant and informative day at Mahabalipuram with our tour guide Kannan. Kannan was very punctual, knowledgeable and shared lots of insights with us that we would not discover without him. Thank you for a great day!

Fab Mahab! Great tour by a great guide. Kannan was extremely knowledgeable and made us discover corners that we would not do on our own. For a place like Mahabalipuram, it is very important for your visit to be supplemented by the right dose of history and local context, which was there in abundance on this tour. He also kept the sensibilities and needs of our group (Indians, Germans and Tunisians with an infant) in mind while guiding us. This included clean restroom stops (of huge importance while exploring India), photographs at the right spots, shopping tips, delicious food stops and accurate timings in terms of traffic and crowd. Kannan and his driver also made it very smooth for us to pack and unpack our little one in the baby carrier every time we got off the car and climbed the stairs. A massive thumbs up!

Amazing and comfortable tour I totally recommend this tour. Our tour guide Kannan gave us a good overview of the different monuments in Mahabalipuram. It was really interesting not just to discover the story behind but also the food and the culture. Thank your everything 😊

Fantastic tour with wonderful guides I was so impressed by both tour guides. Ganesh made me feel very comfortable and safe, which was important as I was travelling alone. He was great to chat to and offered loads of insights into Chennai culture. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and I found the history fascinating. I mentioned I was a coffee lover and Ganesh took me out for some local coffee which was amazing!!! Both guides went the extra mile to make my experience a great one. Highly recommended.

Enjoyable informative day trip. Relaxed, very informative and good value experience. An excellent way to see the countryside and learn about traditions. The guide and driver are very professional and nothing is too much trouble.This is a must trip if you wish to learn more about the history of the area and see outstanding art.

A must do tour! Fantastic tour! We did this tour on a Friday morning and it was definitely the right time to go with minimal crowds. The information that guides provided was informative and very engaging. We plan on using this tour company again!

Engaging and Easy! Easy pick up, engaging guides, and positive experience through and through!! We thoroughly enjoyed the whole day.

Great day trip! The guide was friendly and knowledge and the carvings were very impressive! Plus, lunch was yummy and the guide provided helpful recommendations on what to order.

Amazing tour to Mahabalipuram We had a great tour of Mahabalipuram with Kannan. He struck a good balance of sharing the history and the significance of the beautiful monuments and temples. Also the Five Senses team were extremely flexible and accommodating of our requests even at the last minute. I would 100% recommend to anyone looking for a quality cultural immersion experience in Chennai.

Great day out. Our party of 4 had a brilliant day tour with our guide Kannan. Extremely comfortable, informative and enjoyable tour. Highly recommend if you are in Chennai.

Excellent day trip to Mahabalipuram What a great experience from start to finish! I called the number I found online for the company, and got through to Narayanan. He told me about all the options, and shared itineraries immediately. With one day notice, he put together an amazingly professional team to work with us.Kannan, our guide, was a fountain of information. And extremely friendly and kind. The car was in great condition and the driving was excellant. We met local guide Ramesh in Mahabalipuram, and he was lovely. We learnt a ton about the different monuments from him and Kannan. Even my eight year old son recommends the company highly.

Highly recommend this tour! The tour was well organized and full of interesting sights. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu and India.Can highly recommend this tour!

Fabulous day out! Wonderful day exploring the history and Kannan as my guide was generous in his knowledge of history sharing and being my personal photographer!

Mahabalipuram Site Tour with Lunch Mr. Kannan was very informative in the historical perspective of Mahabalipuram and the significance to the region and the people of India. The carvings were amazing. Lunch was an excellent choice reflecting the cuisine of Southern India.

A journey into the Indian culture Our tour guide, Satish was brilliant, he waa patient and caring, he really took us on a journey into the culture and spirit of this beautiful country. He gave us so many insights which made our tour one of the best I have done. Highly recommend it.

A small Hindu Petra by the seaside Excellent and different. After one week visiting Hindu temples all around Tamil Nadur state, this, our last experience was different. Places by the seaside, this was a stone carved monument very different than any other we have seen.My only concern was obviously related with high temperature this time of the year, and also a minor complain related to an attitude that may be common in that remote area without much foreigners, guides some time try to move away local visitors from the sites best view points to give that benefit to us, the foreigner, un sometimes it seems, at least for Europeans, unpolite to locals

World heritage site A phenomenal historical experience! We were amazed at how this world heritage site was created. This tour provided deep insight into the importance traditional religious belief and the subsequent art that emerged. Kannan our guide was interesting and informative! He went at our pace, took pictures, made sure we had water and had hand sanitizer available. I’m so glad that we took the time to visit this landmark.

Great day out from chennai The driver turned up promptly at the agreed meeting time and was very friendly and knowledgeable. He even stopped and introduced me to plum fruit from a roadside vendor. The guide Ramesh clearly knew his stuff and was a superb host and picture taker. The tour organisers were constantly in touch to make sure everything was going smoothly and overall I had great day out and a fantastic time.

Rich culture, nice monumental historical art. Great place. Rich culture. Enough history. Nice people. The location is also nice. The local guide was really friendly.

Fantastic day tour We had a fabulous day. From the pickup and the drive to our guide Vijay and everything was fascinating, well organized. What a magnificent place. A must see

Monolithic extraordinary experience Mahabalipuram - Ancient architecture tour depicts Pallav dynasty includes Pallav Greek Roman and Chinese. Vibes took me to ancient times where talented sculptures carved monolithic rocks several labors to several master pieces. Shore temple, Arjuna penance, Elephant chariot light house, Krishna butter ball, Panch ratha. Unbelievable Unimaginable Unique antique work is carved on monolithic rock/boulder I am grateful to Kannan Sir & Ramesh Sir who guided tour to the best!! Thank you.

Unforgettable stone monuments This was a great way to appreciate the marvel of ancient Indian architecture and culture. The world heritage site of mahabalipuram is simply outstanding. The place is very well maintained and the Five Senses tour company made this visit memorable for a long time to come. Our guide Satish was incredibly knowledgeable and patient. He also organised traditional South indian lunch which was mouth watering. I would say if you ever come to Chennai donot forget to visit Mahabalipuram through Five Senses Tours. An amazing bunch of friendly experts.

Carvings at Mahabalipuram On our trip to India two tours stood out. The Taj Mahal and this one. Excellent tour. The guide and driver went above and beyond. We will definitely use this Tour Company again. Very knowledgeable and took time to answer any questions.

Exceptional experience with knowledgeable and friendly guide Impressive temples and monuments. A must do trip when in Chennai. Great guides and nice lunch at local restaurant.

Schöner Tagesausflug Wir hatten einen sehr schönen Tag in Mahabalipuram mit interessanten Einblicken in die indische Geschichte.Die Tour ist zu empfehlen.

Great Fay Trip! On a visit to Chennai for business, I wanted to see more of the area than just the conference room. I booked this trip for myself and five coworkers from the US, Germany, Netherlands, Dubai and New Zealand. We had an great time! Our guide was great, the driver was skilled and we learned so much.

Ancient Ruins Fantastic guide! Impressive structures and views. Prepare for very warm weather and sun. Great experience.

Enriching experience with friendly guide I enjoyed the tour with Kannan very much. The pickup was perfectly on time and I received a lot of information about Chennai while driving to Mahabalipuram. The Heritage Site of course is extraordinary and to imagine how this was possible thousand years ago mind-boggling. The explanations of the local guide were ok (I guess he was mandatory) and Kannan did a good job of delving a bit deeper. We also went to the Seashell museum and the Jains temple, which were not even on the programm. Thank you for the bonus. The lunch was delicious and I received good instruction on how to eat with my hand without making a total mess. And I know now what all the side dishes are. Thank you Kannan, you are a very competent and caring guide!

Wonderful day trip! This was a free tour. My driver was punctual and picked me up on time for the journey. Kannan, my tour guide, was knowledgeable and friendly and explained every temple site to me in great detail. There was even a local tour guide who accompanied us and offered invaluable information to me. The lunch afterwards was really delicious too! Would definitely recommend this tour.

Great tour, incredible site! We had a wonderful tour of Mahabalipuram with Vijay! Our pickup was prompt and the trip to Mahabalipuram smooth. The temples and sights at Mahabalipuram were truly impressive and Vijay along with our local guide Ramesh gave us ample time to explore and take pictures while telling us the stories behind the place. A great way to spend the day!

Eine sehr schöne Erfahrung Es war ein wirklich schöner Tagesausflug. Unser Führer war sehr sachkundig und hat uns die schönsten Stellen gezeigt. Auf jeden Fall empfehlenswert.

Tour with Kannan as guide, to Mahabalipuram and parts of Chennai I had a tour with Kannan to Mahabalipuram and parts of Chennai, he was an excellent tour guide; knowledgeable and informative, and keen to please my particular interests. I highly recommend this particular tour group, for both walking and driving tours, anywhere they operate in India. Jeff.

Mahabalipuram So we did a 2 days trip with 5 Senses Tours starting from Chennai. First day we went to Mahabalipuram. Our guide was mr. Satish. Satish was a really nice guide, who knows a lot about the place and who takes the time to explain everything. We had really good conversations with Satish, even regarding food, politics, nice places to visit in south india, the economics of India. If you need a guide, i would truly recommend Satish! Our second day we went to Kanchipuram and visited a Silk Saree shop. The Silk Saree shop wasn't really something i personally would recommend visiting but if you're interested it could be worth having a look. Communication with the head office went very well. The replied really quick. To conclude: I would really recommend your trips with 5 Senses Tours. I know who to contact next time 🙂

Dr Amazing historic architectural marvel,if you have not seen this place yet ,just go there.Enjoy!You won’t be disappointed.

Great day, brilliant brilliant hospitality I did the day trip to Mahabalipuram with Mr. Kannan and the trip was customised for me. I cant praise the company and thank Mr. Kannan enough.the day was really well planned - pick up at 8am sharp as i requested. Clean, comfortable vehicle and all hassles (parking, tickets, local guide) were taken care of. I had to simply get off the car and enjoy the marvelous monuments. The comfort of this made the day so very relaxing and enjoyable.Mr. Kannan was great company as well- he gave me so much information about monuments and things to see in Tamil Nadu and other parts of southern India. It has made me want to re-visit Hyderabad just to go to the Salar Jung museum now!!on our return i requested a special coffee stop, and Mr. Kannan drove us out of our way to look fora CCD for me. we went o 2 outlets... and when i asked if i could go to Mylapore (completely in the opposite direction to where i was to be dropped off) the answer was yes!! We went to Mylapore and Mr. Kannan was really sweet about waiting while i shopped (not too long thank god!). after that he even stopped at the Ramakrishna Mutt to give me a little time there.. all this was unscheduled and not part of the trip. but was done willingly and really nicely by Mr. Kannan.it made the trip all the more pleasant for me. i felt like i could really enjoy my day to the utmost.I will definitely be looking for 5 Senses in other cities in India.Thank you, Mr. Kannan!!

素晴らしい世界遺産 青い空の下を快適なドライブ1時間で世界遺産に到着した。そこには岩山を削って表現した寺院や動物達の世界が広がっています。

Mahabalipuram Trip Had a great Time,We are visiting mahabalipuram first time,The historical things clearly explained by Vijay

Great day at Mahabalipuram.. We had a good time visiting Mahabalipuram with Vijay. This is very informative trip.The guide Mr Vijay made our trip very informative.

Mahabalipuram trip excellent experience with 5 senses tours Visited Mahabalipuram with my daughter. Our host Ganesh was great and very flexible to accommodate our interests and timings. Also our guide Shankar was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. He gave very good information about the places we visited - Pancha Rathas, Arjuna Penance, Krishna's butter ball, Shore Temple.

The Wonders of Mahabalipuram Chennai was our last port of call on a cruise visiting India. We had used 5 Senses Tours in Mumbai and thought that it couldn’t get better. But our experience in Chennai was just as good which shows the consistent quality that makes 5 Senses so good. Once again, we were picked up on time and exactly where we expected with a spacious air conditioned car. On our drive down to Mahabalipuram we stopped at the beach to look at the fascinating roadside fish market and then continued on to the magnificent UNESCO site. Between Kannan (our guide), and the local guide, all was explained without being rushed and photo opportunities were endless.On our return to Chennai, we had an unscheduled trip to a Jain Temple followed by a delicious traditional lunch - what could be better. This was followed by further stops outside of our itinerary which gave us a great feel for the history of Chennai itself.It was a long day made easier by our “cultural evangelist" as our guides call themselves and a very courteous driver. 5 Senses prides themselves on giving you the best and our experience in both Mumbai and Chennai lives up to that. Highly recommended.

Mahabalipuram temples This was a fantastic trip with a very knowledgeable guide (Kannan) who allowed us to move at our own pace and even was helpful answering questions about India which had nothing to do with this tour. I would do this again in a heartbeat!

Chennai tour to UNESCO sites Kennan, our tour guide was wonderful, articulate and knowledgeable. I would recommend this trip to anyone interested in Indian history.

Mahabalipuram Visit It was excellent. Dhanalakshmi was a true professional and friendly at the same time. She kept my old 80 year old parents in good spirits and took good care of them. Very jovial and knowledgeable. We also had a great tour guide and he was extremely knowledgeable. It was great coordination between the teams - transportation, guided tour and hospitality.

Great day! Superb guide Our group of 4 spent a day with Dhanalaskhmi our wonderful guide visiting Mahabalipuram. We had a wonderful time visiting these very interesting stone monuments and shrines.The lunch was also a great genuine Indian experience sampling northern and southern Indian foods.We would highly recommend this tour and our guide, who made the trip most enjoyable and interesting.

One of the best day trips we’ve ever done We decided to book this day trip very last minute - the afternoon before. Narayanan from 5 Senses promptly handled our booking and got in touch to let us know who our guide was going to be, confirm our pickup time and remind us about the dress code. Satish (our guide) was fantastic. He arrived on time and was very knowledgeable. He handled every aspect of our day trip, all we had to do was sit back and enjoy. We had a delicious traditional South Indian lunch together, Satish explained what all the dishes were and he taught us how to eat with our hands. If you have a day to spare in Chennai do book this trip, it was worth every penny. We will definitely use 5 Senses again when we next travel to India.

Awesome day trip! My colleague and I really enjoyed this day trip, Dhana was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful and she really made this day trip so special. We felt safe and comfortable at all times too.Really glad we chose Five Senses tours!

Outstanding trip I cannot thank and compliment 5Senses and Dhanalakshmi enough for our trip today. Her knowledge about our trip was excellent but even more so everything we asked about the history of India was answered with ease. Highly recommend. Thank you.

Mahabalipuram Visit We were group of 5 friends from Mumbai. One of our friend saw good reviews about the 5Senses tours and we wanted best services hence we chose their package for Mahabalipuram n Kanchipuram trips with guide. This was definitely worth a money spent, expert people as guide with lot of patience for all your queries. Pick n drop management in terms of time n vehicle quality was really good. Completely satisfied. Our tour guide Mr Ramesh was very well aware, was familiar with hindi english. He made sure that we were together safe n also covered all the monuments without any hurry. We ended up having great memories of our trip along with nice group photos taken from excellent spots. Thanks to 5S for the lovely experience Sharayu Kulkarni, Navi Mumbai, India

A day tour to Mahabalipuram. I visited Mahabalipuram with my 4 friends. It was a great experience to visit this site with 5 senses. The tour is well ddfined in terms of sequence. Mr. Ramesh, our tour guide our tour guide is well versed with all sites. He gave us very good information on different monuments of Mahabalipuram. Mr. Ramesh and the driver were well coordinated. The vehicle would arrive at very moment we would step out of exit from any monument. We were taken to very good restaurant for lunch as per our requirements given to Mr. Ramesh. He also knows some best spots for clicking amazing pics.Overall, we had a great day at Mahabalipuram with 5 Senses. I definitely recommend them to peope visiting here.

Day trip to Mahabalipuram We got an early start to the day which was good because the sites got busier later on. Our guide in Mahabalipuram, Ramesh, was knowledgeable and made sure we could understand what he was explaining. He knew all the best places for pictures and to share the information in the shade as we are used to much cooler temperatures this time of year. Ramesh and Vijay, our guide with 5 Senses, were great, very helpful and engaged and answered all our questions. Vijay took us to eat a typical Indian lunch before dropping us back at our hotel.

Very interesting tour We really enjoyed our tour with Kannan. We learnt a lot about Mahabalipuram which wouldn't have happened without him. We were very lucky to also have input from a local tour guide who also taught us a lot.

Nothing too much trouble Had an excellent trip with Kannan to Mahabalipuram. The sights were beautiful, and Kannan clearly knew his stuff. Nothing was too much trouble - he even carried our water bottles so we didn't have to take our bags with us. The driver was lovely too, and we learnt so much. Thank you!

Great tour We were recomanded to start early, so weather was still nice for us. Your guide Kannan told us many tips about India. We saw nice ancient temples and lighthouse. Car had climatization, seatbelts and driver drove very nicely. We had great food afterwards and guid showed us how to properly eat it. He also arranged that food was nicely spicy (and not Mordor like).

Last minute booking. I booked this tour late the previous afternoon and 5 Senses were happy to organise this for me at the last minute. They made a lot of effort as I was the sole customer.This is my first trip to India and I was pleased that the tour went exactly as promised. I would not have understood the significance of the ancient structures without an expert guide. Kannam was very helpful and I enjoyed the day.

Definitely recommend The tour with Kannan to Mahabalipuram was great. Thanks to him we didn’t have to worry about anything - transport to and from our accommodation, information about local places, buying entrance tickets, great local food etc. Everything was already covered and included. He also made sure that we had sunscreen, bottle of water etc. Plus he was always ready to take photos of us, even recommending great spots to do so. If you are hesitating about which tour company to choose, then I can definitely recommend this one without hesitation.

An amazing day tour with knowledgeable, considerate and friendly guides and safe driver My tour guide Dhanalakshmi was simply amazing, She collected me from my hotel right on time and started our day with a smile and double checked that I had everything I needed for my day tour (for example proper dress for the visit to the Jain temple). Her knowledge and ability to communicate the history and current culture of Chennai and the sights we visited was very professional yet friendly and conversational. The time we spent at Mahabalipuram was informative, inspirational and fun - so much fun! You will want to bring a camera to document the amazing views of the temple architecture along with the natural beauty of the area. The refreshing coconut juice fresh from a vendor, to the traditional lunch and chai tea all added to the authentic and deeply personal characteristic of the tour. I would highly recommend booking with Dhanalakshmi for this tour as she will teach you about the sites while making you feel welcome and familiar with the local culture and tradition - you will be planning your next visit before the tout is even over! In addition, I felt safe and well cared for the entire day. Cannot recommend this tour highly enough,

Great day! Kannan was an excellent guide for the day. It was an incredible day with loads of local history and beautiful sights. I’d highly recommend this if you’re in town and want a day trip.

Enjoyable Day Trip with Excellent Guide I am an experienced traveller and have used tour guides extensively. I booked this trip after reading some positive reviews about the tour company 5 Senses. We were very impressed with the quality and professionalism of the tour and our guide Vijay. Vijay is an excellent tour companion and a true professional. Our guides were very informative and we learnt a lot about the sites.

Great sightseen temples and a time to talk Raj was not just a great tour guide but a nice person that took his time and patience for talking with me during the trip to each temple. The temples and different destinations are very beautiful , varied and super interesting. Its not just about learning about for what the temple was been use too but also why the location, which gods and the different type of art and arquitechture it was used.Having a tour guide is as important as having a great human being who can share with you personal experience and professional experiences. Thanks Raj it was great meeting you!!And again thanks 5sense.

Extremely Informative and Authentic Our tour guide took lot lot of efforts to ensure that we had a great visit. I was to book the tour last week, but Five Senses requested me to post the tour by a week. They rightly predicted that Mahabalipuram will be all geared up for Modi-Xi summit and monuments closed for public. That was the right suggestion as entry to public was suspended from Tuesday. Tour was very authentic. We had local food and narration about the monuments by a local guide. All in all highly recommended

Day Trip to Mahabalipuram from Chennai - AMAZING This tour was truly amazing. This was my first trip to India and I was unsure of what sites were worth seeing. I found this trip on trip advisor hoping that it would show me enough without being too tiring. Our tour guide was Lakshmi. She took so many great pictures of me and my coworker and went out of her way to make sure we were comfortable. She also made a lot of accommodations (stops for water, non-veg lunch, and took us to drink authentic Hyderabad chai tea) for us along the way. Lakshmi is a very kind and engaging guide that can tell you all of the history behind Mahabalipuram. She also helped me bargain with local shops to ensure that we weren’t paying overprice. I felt safe and learned so much about Chennai. If you are here for a few days, this is a must see place!! Such a great tour.

Excellent! I went on a trip with Kannan to Mahablipuram and I must say Kannan is an excellent guide. Attentive, informative, professional. And very good at photography! The space itself is amazing, but hiring someone to explain the history of the monuments is essential. Choose 5 Senses Tours and you won't be disappointed.

Day trip to Mahabalipuram from Chennai This personalized tour was my best experience in India. Kannan is knowledgable and passionate about his city and region and made great efforts to tailor the tour to my interests. The conversation during the 2 hour trip from Chennai to Mahabalipuram mixed history, archeology, comparative religion, politics and more. In Mahabalipuram, an equally knowledgeable local guide added perspective. The ancient Darvidian carvings were amazing and the icing on the cake was the South Indian meal that Kannan turned into a lesson on local cuisine. I highly recommend this tour.

Amazing and Informative - Leaves you with a warm feeling of their ancient history On business in May 2019, this was a day trip for our group. It was hot, but the tour guide did a great job keeping us in the shade and their was a nice breeze. All the pictures here are acurate and bring back nice memories. Drank coconut water right off the street from a vendor and took an umbrella to fight the heat. Must do!

Hassle free hugely informative day out Vijay and Romesh were excellent. Highly informative about the sights, the history and the more spiritually timeless aspects of the various temples and structures we saw. The trip was efficiently run, free of hustlers and flexed to accommodate the extremely high temperatures of the day. Many thanks indeed

A must do day trip to world Heritage site Really enjoyed this experience. Great insights from my guide Kannan who was very flexible in accommodating last minute ask. Highly recommended!

The guided trip of a lifetime! I don’t know where to begin, perhaps first by confirming this is an incredibly capable, friendly and efficient tour operator. But it’s more than a tour it’s an experience which is custom configured to the guests’ request.I was especially interested in historical landmarks so my schedule was built accordingly. I was picked up in my hotel punctually and in minutes we were on our way. Deep knowledge with interesting takes on history complemented a action-packed day.I can not recommend this team more highly. A+++++ all the way around.P.S. They can be found on the web at 5sensestours dot com

Amazing figures ! World heritage site! The intricate sculptures on rocks are amazing. The entire site is so clean and awesome.

Amazing Stone Carving The previous review is really helpful. The guide Mr. Kannan was on time. They have no problem contacting me using WhatsApp. Mahabalipuram is known as UNESCO heritage site for stone carving and I am glad that I have a chance to see these magnificent man made structures. I chose this tour instead of Mahabalipuram-Kanchipuram combo because it is summer time and the temperature is extremely hot. But there is plenty of time to go both sites in one day. Since I have time left, my guide Mr. Kannan took me for an extra trip to Jain temple, made of white marble and very beautiful and also the cave where St.Thomas was hiding. Both sites are not in the schedule but he wants to show me more that what I've paid for and it is great. He told me that everyone in his team was enthusiastic and I agree. I probably ask this company to customize tour for me again in the future.

Great last minute tour I booked this tour last minute, on a whim. Booking confirmation was quick. Vijay and a private driver picked me up the next morning for a safe, quick drive to Mahabalipuram. The tour was excellent! Vijay is a great guide and conversationalist. It was an educational and memorable experience. I highly recommend.

A++ Trip to Mahabalipuram I did a day trip from Chennai to Mahabalipuram. Was there for business so only had my morning to early afternoon time to spare and Kannan really make the trip unique comfortable and amazing! Kannan's english was excellent (he was a tech professional turned tour guide) and had so much knowledge about the history-- it was like traveling with a professor. As a woman traveling alone, I was initially worried about solo traveling, but attending this tour took away all my nervousness- they picked me up at my hotel in the morning, accompanied me throughout the whole tour - aside from knowing which site seeing places are the best (which is common to many tours), it was the small details that made this tour the best of bests!! They had tickets prepared already for each of the site seeing places, had a waterbottle ready when the heat started coming in, and also knew which locations had better restrooms, was able to stop by an ATM when I needed to, and tailored the tour to avoid the hottest times of the day outside-- and the driver was professional and car ride was extremely comfortable, and Kannan chose a very delicious place for lunch and at the end of the trip they dropped me off at my destination. This was such an amazing tour of history , culture, and exploration of the city. There is no doubt I would choose Five Senses tour again the next time around!! Thank you Kannan for such a great tour of Mahabalipuram!

Excellent and Must do trip if you are in Chennai Excellent and Must do trip if you are in Chennai. Great One, Nice view of Bay of Bengal. Nice bit of Indian Histories, Ancient Royal Architecture. A great way to pass a great day.. You will feel the royalty here....

NICE Trip Trip by road is really a good pleasure. Scenic beauties around, with views of few beach sides are really noteworthy. Some tourist points like Crocodile Park, Tiger cave with beach etc. also add values.

Excellent exploration of history, culture and architecture in the Chennai Area Five Senses Tours did a nice job with the day long tour from Chennai out to Mahabalipuram and back. Kannan's english was excellent and his driver did a nice job through traffic which anyone visiting India will appreciate.The site itself is astounding especially considering the magnitude of the work and the time period of the accomplishment in the 6th century. The tour included a wonderful stop on the way back to Chennai for traditional southern Indian meal and Kannan was wonderfully patient with me as I attempted to eat the food with my hands per the local custom. Kannan also built from my day earlier self-touring around Chennai proper (I had visited the Tomb of Saint Thomas) and helped me visit and put in context historically other sites related to Saint Thomas such as the Mount of Saint Thomas and the cave where he also hid for period of time. We also made a stop to see varies houses of India in a historical village which was excellent and worth the time if you get a good start on your day.A wonderful tour and worth the day if you are in the Chennai area.

Great guided tour The service and overall experience i had whilst on this tour was great and very enjoyable. The guide took a more personal approach to the tour and was very good at explaining the attractions. This has been the best guided tour i have ever experienced.

On the Road to Mahabalipuram on a Royal Enfield I had a great day! I was collected on time by the friendly Vijay, the bike was delivered to my hotel the evening before.I am comfortable on a motorcycle, however was a little nervous about the busy city traffic but felt well supported as we headed south via the busy colourful Fish Market selling their fresh catch along the Chennai foreshore. Vijay kept me in sight and the traffic opened for him like the Red Sea for Mosses.The bike didn't miss a beat as we hit the open road, and stopped for a light brunch close to the coast, before we arrived at the bustling Mahabalipuram. There we met the knowledgeable Ramesh a local guide who took me around the site. He was so patient explaining to me time and time again the relationship between the different deities that are honoured there. Great to have the bike as we were able to ride between the different sites around Mahabalipuram, which is quiet spread out.We had a bit of time so we continued south for a bit riding along a beautiful road under a tree covered canopy,and a stop for coffee. Then returning home with a break for a great lunch of fresh fried prawns (shrimp) and vegetable curry with Naan, YUM!Then back into Chennai just before the evening rush commenced.What a great experience, Thanks Vijay, It lived up to all my expectations and touring on a Royal Enfield was stimulation for all 5 senses. Aptly named tour company.If you are thinking about doing this tour, don't hesitate, it's fantastic!James

A well organized trip At the last minute, I was able to schedule a tour to Mahabalipuram. As I am here on business with limited time, it was so nice to have everything arranged for you. Kannan was promptly waiting for me at the scheduled time. He made sure to check to see what I might have seen before. I mentioned I did a rushed visit to Kapeelashwarar temple during my last Chennai visit so he made time before we left for Mahabalipuram to swing by and gave me an informative tour of the temple. Kannan is passionate about his country and culture and he shared so much during our tour. We even had a local tour guide while we were exploring the sites at Mahabalipuram and he was kind and knowledgeable also. I love documenting my travels and they both made sure I was taking pictures at the right angles. And we also had a fabulous lunch where he made sure to ask about my likes and allowed me to get a taste of many things. Kannan was so attentive to my needs but not overbearing. I thought it was fantastic that they were able to tailor the tour and I was able to see additional things not on the agenda. A perfect day.

A fantastic ride-out to Mahabalipuram Riding a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 to Mahabalipuram with Vijay as your guide is a great way to spend a day; he is also great at explaining what you see and bringing it to life! Fantastic and highly recommended.

Culture seeking Took this Mahabalipuram tour during a short stay in Chennai, and found it to be a great excursion! Private transfer in a very clean and air conditioned vehicle, with hotel pick-up and drop-off, and private tour guide,Dhanalakshmi was very knowledgeable and friendly, I enjoyed visiting the carvings and village. I would highly recommend 5 senses tours company to anyone and Thanks our tour guide Dhanalakshmi to make us a happy day!

Amazing Experience (and Host) Dhanalakshmi from Five Senses Tour hosted me on a tour of Mahabalipuram and Dakshin Chitra. A _great_ day full of amazing sites, stories, and cooking tips! Dhanalakshmi picked me up promptly from my hotel and we took the comfortable car she had hired to Mahabalipuram with a stop for coffee along the way. In Mahabalipuram itself she accompanied me with Ramesh, a local guide from the area. He was great too--easily understandable English, good explanations without overloading me (there are quite a few separate sites to visit). A bit of shopping (no pressure) and then a delicious lunch. After lunch we toured the Dakshin Chitra center. It's the kind of place that could be rushed through without getting much out of--unless you have a guide. Though I was flagging a bit by this time, I am grateful for the explanations and personal tour of the place. Dhanalakshmi was everything you want in a tour guide--knowledgeable, warm, attentive to your needs, and fun. Thanks for a great day.

Not to be missed I took the private car option for this tour. Kannan met me in the hotel and then drove me to Mahabalipuram. He gave a great commentary as we drove there explaining about some of the things we passed and also answered all of my questions such as 'why do cars honk their horns'.it was good to get there early to avoid the heat. The local guide was good. At times it felt a little rushed to make sure we saw everything early, but still enjoyable. We had lunch in Chennai on the way back as the preferred restaurant was not serving lunch (too early) - good food and more than i could eat. We also visited San Thome Basilica as an extra. well worth the visit.highly recommended

Day trip to Mahabalipuram I had a great day trip out to Mahabilipuram with Dhanalakshmi. She collected me from the hotel earlier than scheduled, but I was ready so it was fine. The driver was a good driver - very professional and a safe driver. We stopped for a coffee en route prior to the first temple. When we arrived in Mahabalipuram, we collected a local guide (Ramesh) who explained the history in detail - he was very informative and easy going. The temples and monuments are quite old, (3-6th century) so I was amazed that they were still in great condition! Dhanalakshmi was a great sport - she took photos of me with my DSLR and was very patient (as I like to take ALOT of photos). On the return journey I was asking her about St Thomas' Church and Kapaleeshwarar temple. She then very kindly offered to take me to both places - it was very nice of her to accommodate me spontaneously!! Her husband (also a guide) also joined us for the church and temple, and gave detailed descriptions. Both were polite and very kind people - it was a pleasure meeting them both!

Great tour Great option to see amazing site. Guide and Driver were great, wonderful day. I'm Glad I did this trip

Hilarious visit to Mahabalipuram Hi, I'm simran and I'm from Delhi,Mahabalipuram is a very stunning place to visit. It is a great heritage site. There are various places we have where one can go and have amazing sculptures fornt of his eyes.

Fabulous cultural experience. Highly Recommended !!! A fabulous day trip to Mahabalipuram and the Mylapore temple area with our guide Kannan. Very patiently, conveniently planned and well executed tour. Kannan, our guide, was great with amazing insights into the architectural and historic aspects of Mahabalipuram, Pallava art and temples. Although we had visited these areas in the past, this guided tour really brought forward the layered history, the pageantry, the planning that went behind building these Majestic Pallava Temples and helped us admire this architectural feat in the true sense. Our guided tour also included a Local Guide from Mahabalipuram and a meal at a local restaurant. Very convenient trip and Highly recommended for Business Travelers and families.

All 5 semses used in this fantastic experience Wow. What a day and what an experience. I have travelled to Chennai for work and only had a day to explore. I contacted the team at 5 senses the day before and they were able to run the tour for me.I wanted to see Mahabalipuram after many recommendations. 5 senses made it easy started with hotel pick up by my knowledgeable driver and Cultural advisor Kannan. He was very friendly and able to give lots of information along our journey. It was very hot given the season and Kannan took this into account on my trip to make sure i was always comfortable. When we got to Mahabalipuram we met our local guide who with the help of Kannan guided me through the visual beauty of this UNESCO world heritage site. After visiting a local rock carver we went to Krishna butter ball... amazing.In the heat of the day we had lunch at a local place. A taste sensation. Kannan helped me navigate the food. It was great. The flavours and the smells. I couldn't have asked for more from the food and atmosphere. Given the heat and that i had only one free day in Chennai, Kannan changed the route on the way back to include the St Thomas Church and hill. It was a great end to my day. To be in the cave where St Thomas was nearly 2000 years ago was awe inspiring.My only complaint is that i didnt have more time in Chennai to take another tour with 5 senses. Oh well, there is next time. Everything is included in the price. Don't think twice about these guys you won't regret taking a tour with them. I don't and will have the memories and the photos for many years. I would recommend for business travelers like me who only had a day our tourists who have a week or more.

Excellent! Highly recommended One e-mail, one response, one price. Very convenient, adequately priced. Kannan, my guide was great. Very knowledgeable, patient, and explained everything, from our tour of the ancient sites to the food we ate during lunch. Seriously, you should do it.

Visit to Mamallapuram At this place, I visited the various temples and the Krishna's butter ball. This spectacular site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are rock caves, monolithic shrines, masonry temples and gigantic bas-reliefs, considered as the finest examples of Pallava art.The guide was very generous in his explanations, very kind and he took into account the needs and the level of fatigue according to the requirements related to the visits and the weather.To recommend without hesitation!

A feast for the Five Senses I booked a day tour with Five Senses Tours to Mahabalipuram & Dhakshin Chitra.Kannan was my guide and the embodiment of the cultural evangelist he prefers to be known as.The trip started with a pick-up from my guest house on time. Kanaan's car was very comfortable and soon as we settled into the drive he began to educate me on the important cultural/historical aspects of Mahabalipuram..and actually any other areas that may be of curiosity to a visitor to India such as myself. On arrival we also picked up a local tour guide... Ramesh...which is part of 5 Senses Tours ethos of involving the local community and providing sustainable ecotourism. Mahabalipuram itself was excellent and I cannot recommend seeing it highly enough.Following a tour of Mahabalipuram I had the extra bonus of looking at a Sea Shells museum, which was a treat, followed by a delicious lunch at Hotel Mallama.The afternoon was spent at Dakshin Chitra, a centre for the living traditions of art, performing arts and architecture of India with an emphasis on the traditions of South India. It offers visitors an authentic insight into the lifestyles of the people of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh. During this part of the tour, Kannan was ever at hand to explain/guide through the site.I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and Kannan was an excellent and thoughtful guide who also doubled up as a photographer. He appeared to have thought of everything a tourist would need to make the tour memorable and comfortable. This was a bonus, as the sights visited do sell themselves, the icing on the cake is visiting them with 5 Senses Tours. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Five stars for Five Senses! We booked on the one day Mahabalipurum tour but Narayanan and Kannan had no trouble adjusting the tour to meet our needs such as pick up from the airport and drop off at the station in time to catch a train. Unknowingly, we had booked our tour on the last day of the regional Pongal festival when seemingly the entire population of Chennai hop onto whatever mode of transport is available and head for Mahabalipuram! However, our guide, Kannan, took it in his stride. He anticipated the crush and looked after every step of the way, ensuring that we arrived as early as was practical and then expertly navigated us through the crowds to such an extent that we were hardly aware of them. After Mahabalipurum, we visited the Dakshinachitra museum where Kannan carefully explained how the museum had come into being and then was always ready with extra tidbits of information about each house we were looking at.Throughout the tour nothing was too much for Kannan. He was constantly thinking ahead as to how to best plan the remainder of the tour given the current crowd state and how to fit things in so that we arrived back at the station at the right time despite the very heavy, Pongal inflated, rush hour traffic. He even came with us onto the station, helped us buy a meal and saw us unto our train. That's what I call "service"!I can't praise Kannan and 5 Senses Tour enough for the professionalism and care they displayed throughout the booking and the tour itself. I would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone considering one of their tours.

Professional agency We booked a half day from Chennai to Mamallapuram. Private driver and a perfect English speaking guide. Everything was included: entrances, tolls, parking, lunch (drink excluded). Beautiful experience. Only negative thing a bit pricy we spent 130$ in 2 (8400INR) for a 7hours tour....some days before we ordered an official prepaid taxi at Madurai station for an entire day trip to Rameshwaram and it was 3400INR (lunch not included). Anyway highly suggested

Viewing 4th Century Indian Culture We took a Taxi to Mahabalipuram from Chennai in March 2017, from where we were staying with Sikh Friends who we met in Kuwait in Feb 2014. It was their idea we go there. It was a nice afternoon of Sight-seeing and we were pleased we went. However, don`t get lured into the Stone carving shops by the Guides. The prices were far too high for their economy. It was an important place in the 4th Century and many dedicated carvings were done at that time. Despite being beside the indian ocean and its Salty Sea Breezes and Winds the Carvings have endured considerably well.

Such a great experience! I’ve chosen 5 Senses Tours to do a day trip to Mahabalipuram and was the best decision!Kannan was my tour guide and I just can say only good things about his generosity in sharing all his knowledge and his kind treatment during the whole day we shared.A local guide joined us when we got in Mahabalipuram and this also was a valuable additional experience.Since it was my only day in Chennai, Kannan arranged everything so that I could also see the most interesting sites of Mylapore.I would really recommend this agency for its great service. The tour came to be what I expected and more.Thanks for this great day!