Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram in a day

Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram in a day tour from Chennai was fabulous. Both the tour guide and driver were excellent. We were dropped off close to each venue and the guide gave us detailed information as we went along. The guide was very knowledgeable about the history of all areas we visited. He also recommended photo spots and took pictures of our group.

South Indian Gem I went back in February and Balaji was awesome. I felt safe and was lucky enough to see the wonderful temples. Balaji gave a wealth of information on the culture of South India and showed me wonderful silk shops, as well. So grateful I had this opportunity to visit South India.

Very nice My tour guide Kalpana is very kind and clear introduce the history of these places. The private car is also very comfortable. Feel safe here.

Good place to visit Mahabalipuram is a coastal town located in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is famous for shore temple and pancha rathas. It is accessible by air, road and railways via Chennai.

Wonderful day visiting Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram We had a wonderful day visiting the various sites at Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. This is a must do if you are in Chennai. We are very happy we took the longer option that combines the two locations as both cities have numerous sites of great historical significance. Kannan our guide war very knowledgeable and provided a lot of insightful information that is necessary to really understand the historical significance of those sites. He was patient and we did not felt rushed. We had time to take pictures and ask additional questions. on some of the sites there was also a local guide but we were happy to have Kannan with us as the level of information was relatively minimal and a bit harder to understand. Pick up was on time and our private driver also did an amazing job driving us around safely. We really love as well the lunch option that allowed us to try different dishes. Everything was too notch from a logistic and communication point of view. Overall a wonderful experience and really a great option if you have only a few days in Chennai. Would totally recommend.

Temples in Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram Toured the temples in Machibalipiram and Kanchipuram with Nivi. She was a fabulous tour guide with lots of information about the sites and meaning behind the gods and Hinduism. She was very considerate checking on what I’d like to eat for lunch. She made me feel very comfortable as a solo female traveler in a country that I had never visited before. If you want a great guide, ask for Nivi!!

Must See Tour from Chennai Magnificent sites, very immpressive. Nivi was a very knowledgeable guide, who provided us all important informations.

A great day out A great day with Balaji and our driver, both professional, knowledgeable and accommodating throughout the day - not to mention the help with photos too! Great communication from the tour organiser in advance as well.

Amazing temples The tour was great, Nivi, my guide, was perfectly on time picking me up at the hotel. She’s very prepared and super helpful. All was explained to me once i got in the car and throughout visiting the temples. If you need a tour guide Nivi is your girl. She will help you with everything even bargaining which around here is very important. I was very impressed and very happy after the tour. Five starts to Nivi she’ll take good care of you.Keep in mind is a full day tour.

A great experience even for solo travelers Balaji was great, informative, and overall a fun personality to be around. From the start, it aas a fun ride and really eye-opening at the different temples. I enjoyed mainly getting my first dhoti. Thank you for the wonderful memories!

Fabulous way to spend the full day Absolutely fabulous way to spend the day. I wnt with my 20 year old Son and we both took away so much information and created a wonderful memory together - with photos to share for many years in the future Our guide Kannan was so knowledgeable about all of the temples and monuments and passed on so many handy tips about staying in Chennai in general. The meal we went for was first class and we experienced so many new things that we would never have encountered had we travelled without Kannan.I am new to using this travel company but will definitely use them again as the trip, guide and driver were first class - Thank you once again

Fascinating and enjoyable temple and monument tour A really excellent tour of some of the incredibly amazing cultural highlights of Tamil Nadu. Kannan was an excellent and thoughtful host and guide, who made the experience enjoyable ad interesting at all times.The South Indian vegetarian lunch was also delicious. All in all, a pleasure from start to finish.

Review of our excursion Nivi our tour guide gave very in depth descriptions of everything we saw. Just an awesome experience.

A must see Head a phenomenal day of visiting Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. My guide Kannan was ver knowledgeable and concise with his explanations. Gave an overview first, followed by more precise descriptions as we went through the sites. The tour was supposed to last about 12 hours but since we went on a Sunday it was complete in 10 hours. This tour is definitely one that is a must see for those visiting Chennai. Highly recommended

Amazing day in Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram Amazing day in Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram. Landscape and explanation were very good. Thanks a lot to Ganesh for this great day, all was perfect, and huge thank you to local guide Ramesh for his very clear and interesting explanations.

Great trip! Today’s trip was amazing! As a single female traveler, I felt very safe and confident to explore. The guides, including Nivi, were so informative and friendly. The lunch was also delicious. Highly recommend!

Great tour We organized the tour in advance by mail, everything worked very well, the boss replies very fast and answers all questions.We had a great organized tour, nice guide and nice and safe driver.

Fun, solo tour with Ganesh Ganesh and I had a great day . He arrived on time, had a nice car with great aircon l, is a safe driver and was so flexible with our itinerary- accommodating a few shopping detours as well as being an expert guide for the main attractions, which were great. Added bonus - he’s a great photographer so I got some good shots of myself at the various sites. I requested we upgrade lunch (at my expense) as I wanted seafood- and Ganesh took me to an amazing place he knew and we ate like royalty. All in all an unreal way to spend a Sunday. I’d highly recommend the tour and Ganesh!

Great tour of imortant temple sites We had a great time with Kannan as our guide. We knew it would be a long day driving in traffic, yet he was open to questions throughout and also gave us info about other sites in Chennai and of certain areas we passed.Kannan shared highly detailed information about each site, including historical, architectural and especially religious context to make each stop within the sites noteworthy. I spent hours afterwards summarizing what I learned to keep the experience in my heart.My only quibble is that I didn’t feel the government guide at Mahabalipuram added any value. Kannan elaborated after each explanation and showed his knowlegdge to be at least equal.I highly recommend this tour. Just be aware that the drive can be very slow and taxing, but well worth the effort!

Great tour of lots of ruins, working temple and historic house Balaji was main tour guide who accompanied me most of trip with a local guide called Romesh taking over for Mahabalipuram. Romesh wizzed me round sites pretty quickly but provided lots of detailed information about the ruins. Might have been nice to take it a bit slower but I was glad to not spend any longer in the sun. Balaji did a great job of taking photos for me. It was interesting to visit large working temple in Kanchipuram and also a historic house with Balaji. Wasn’t keen on visit to 2 shops (one with each guide) but that’s maybe my preference. A comprehensive tour with a lot packed in. Recommended.

Superb day with Nivi and Ramesh! It was fantastic! Nivi helped us navigate the cultural aspects of the day: temples, silk weaving, South Indian tali lunch. Ramesh brought alive Mahabalipuram with his insights. Great driver weaving through the traffic - perfect day not to be missed!

AMAZING Full day of sightseeing, nicely paced out with enough breaks in between. Our guide Hareesh was extremely knowledgeable and made the absolutely amazing. Chosen place for lunch was perfect. Definitely recommend this tour.

Well organised and enjoyable day Kanan and I got on well. He's conscientious and ensured all the details were taken care of. As a solo traveler this visit would have taken 3 times as long. We had enjoyable conversations and hold no reservations in choosing them again.

Fantastic day trip to wonderful antique sites Having a limited time to visit Chennai and its surroundings, I choose this trip to have the most possible in one day. And it entirely meet my expectations! You can not understand the culture in south India without going to Kanchipuram, one of the antique pilgrimage destination with renowned temples, and pray along people from all around India and beyond, to gods and deities just introduced to you by a very knowledgeable guide speaking an impeccable English, Hareesh in my case. Mahabalipuram is astonishing with lots of unexpected rock carving to create temples and to reveal incredible stories that were explained to me by a very experimented and certified local guide Ramesh.Yes is a long trip, although I didn't feel it was. All along the way I was receiving a lot of information from Hareesh, not only about the placed that I visited, but also on county's history, religion, culture. And the landscape is beautiful and totally worth to see a bit of real life in Tamil Nadu.Not to forget to mention the skills, patience and calm of our driver of the day Anand.

Great tour This tour was fantastic! Kannan and the other people were fantastic guides. It is totally worthy and we have learnt lots of different things. I highly recommend it 😊

Nice Place To Visit Nice Place To Visit. Here, quantity and quality of food is great and sufficient. Service and staff is also good.

Wonderful trip to two Unesco world heritage sites. Wonderful day trip from Chennai. It takes you to two Unesco world heritage sites. The Shore Temple is one of the oldest in Southern India. Ganesh was a great driver and guide. Very personable.

Wonderful tour, the long day is so worth it When I booked this tour, I was hoping to get Kannan as guide, based on previous reviews here. I got my wish, he was wonderful! Kannan is a fount of information and has a great sense of humor. You must be prepared for a long day: Kanchipuran and Mahabalipuram are in opposite directions, then add the Chennai traffic. But the car is cool and comfortable, and the driver we had, Nizam, was wonderful too. 5 Senses calls their guides “Cultural Evangelists” and that, they are. We started with a stop at the Heritage house, to see what a typical Indian house looked like, the parts of the house, common household items and their use. Next stop was the temple at Kanchipuram. Kannan patiently explained how it was constructed, what the British did in their attempt to save it, how parts of that attempt failed, but if not for it, nothing would remain today after 1300+ years. The next stop was Ekambareswarar Temple, also over 1300 years old. Kannan was full of information about the temple, and we learned a thing or too about Hinduism as well. We stopped for a delicious South Indian vegetarian lunch that we will never forget. Then be ready for a long drive to Mahabalipuram. Kannan will tell you all about it when you get there. The other nice thing about this day was there were extras because we just mentioned interest: we stopped at a silk store in Kanchipuram where we got high quality silk items, with no hardsell involved. At the end of the day, back in Chennai, Kannan took us to drive by Marina Beach to show it to us, and we got coffee and cookies to revive us at the end of the long drive. I will forever crave Indian coffee. Then he took us to Santhome Basilica, just because I said that was one of my goals to see it before leaving Chennai. I truly appreciate the knowledge and hospitality of our Cultural Evangelist, Kannan. I highly recommend this tour.

Passeio super agradável e cheio de histórias Passeio extremamente agradável. Atendimento nota 10 do guia principal e dos demais. Me pegaram no hotel no horário combinado. O guia dominava o assunto e mostrou muito conhecimento. Explicações com bastante detalhe e fáceis de entender. Tudo super agradável e de uma forma leve.

Great experience I booked the 5 senses tour from Chennai to Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram in January 23. I travelled alone and had a private guide and driver. The guide was Ganesh and he did a great job explaining everything in detail. We went first to Kanchipuram where we visited two temples and a silk factory. I felt safe and well guided all the time, he provided with everything I needed without having to ask. For the tour in Mahabalipuram Ganesh was there but I had a second guide, Ramesh, a specific guide of the Mahabalipuram monument complex. He again explained everything in detail and made sure I understood everything. Lots of information and lots of beautiful places to see.The drive back and forth from and to Chennai was a bit long but Ganesh and the driver made sure I was comfortable and made it an enjoyable experience, part of the tour. I strongly recommend this tour to anyone that is in Chennai and has a day to visit these two places.

A must when you are in Chennai Mr.Kannan was a great guide full of hospitality and knowledge with skills to share his knowledge with a foreigner like me.If I visited all the places just by myself I could have never been impressed as much as I really was! He also showed me a beautiful Jain temple upon my request (I would say this kind of flexibility is something notable and exceptional). I was never bored even in the traffic jam since he shared interesting stories about each neighborhood we passed by.And thanks to him I had an awesome lunch, which actually was my first meal this year. I finally had a chance to try traditional South Indian meals and he told me how to make the best of it...it actually was the best meal I ever had since I arrived in India!Let me share my gratitude to the driver as well, I never felt unsafe (while I often do when I take a taxi in the city center) and very attentive all during my trip.

A great way to see the two cities in a day! We did the day trip with 5 senses and Nive our tour guide did a fabulous job in educating us and making sure we were comfortable all throughout trip. Highly recommend this day trip!!!

An excellent day Excellent guide, Nivi, expertly guided us through the day. A very informative and enjoyable day. Lunch was very good too!

Worth it!!!! Fun, exciting and worth it. The tour guides, Preethi and Ramesh, were perfect. Preethi was very accommodating, friendly, and professional as the main guide. She made sure the tour is smooth and fun. Ramesh being the tour guide in Mahabalipuram made sure that you will learn a lot about the stories/histories of the monuments. He is also fun. They are highly recommended. Worth the money you pay for and the time spent.

Индивидуальная экскурсия по Махабалипурам и Канчипурам. Первое знакомство с Индией у нас с мужем началось в городе Чиннае. Откуда мы и отправились на экскурсию в Махабалипурам и Канчипурам с экскурсоводом Каннаном.Нас забрали из отеля и мы отправились в первый город откуда и началась сама экскурсия. Машина была чистая и с кондиционером. Водитель вёл аккуратно , не смотря на хаусное движение. )Экскурсия мне и мужу понравилась, я ранее не соприкасалась с культурой и вероисповеданием Индусов и от слова совсем ничего не понимала. Рассказано было всё дитально и доходчиво погружаясь в исторические факты.Ещё понравился момент, что Каннан показывал куда лучше встать для лучшего ракурса фото.Рекомендовала бы я эту экскурсию? Однозначно да! Ведь за одну поездку посещаются разные храмы и города, ещё увидели производство сари .))Особенно удобно с личным водителем и экскурсоводом, т.к. экскурсия идёт без спешки спокойно и размеренно, позволяя окунуться в культуру и насладиться процессом.Большое спасибо Каннану и водителю за интересную и комфортную экскурсию.

Храмы древности и чудеса света Отличный тур. В общем получилось больше 12 часов. Объекты интересные. Гид приветливый и терпеливый. Если любите храмы и чудеса света то точно стоит съездить. Жена на английском не говорила по этому все переводил.Не было спешки и навязывания доп услуг. Все в дружелюбном формате. В целом рекомендую.Так же отлично подсказывал где место для фото лучше.

A Chennai must do Our whole day was a truly memorable experience. The Kanchipuram Temple was amazing and Mahabalipuram could only happen in India. Both temples deserve many days exploration. A high light was lunch with our guide, Kannan. Not only did we get expert descriptions of the temples, their art, history and functions, we got a culinary guide through a Hindu meal. Then an added bonus of a tour of St Thomas Cathedral and St Thomas’ tomb. Our 5 senses were truly saturated…..

Kanchipuram and MAhabalipuram tour This was a full day but worth it. The temples and carvings at Mahabalipuram were probably my favourite, and the large boulder a surprising addition that I had not anticipated. We were also rewarded by a small group of wild dogs who appeared on the skyline at dusk which made for a fabulous photo. THe temples at Kanchipuram were also stunning. The 1008 pillars and images of Shiva Lingham were stunning. The tour can't fix the Chennai traffic and distances involved, and our guide Preethi was full of information as to the background of all the sights - including the amazing mango tree. The company were 100% reliable and thanks also to the driver , Selvam for delivering us safely back to the hotel.

Loved it! Everything was lovely. Narayanan was a wonderful guide and very informative. The cab was comfortable and the driver was pleasant.

Great day in the South of India The day's visit to the temples and monuments of the Chennai region was perfect. Great driver and fantastic guide ready to make you discover his country.The explanations, the stories are fascinating and delivered with a lot of humor.I highly recommend spending this day with them and discovering the wonders of South India.

Lovely PREETHI was excellent and Mr Gopal was as well. Thanks for a great time. Lovely temples and delicious food

One day sightseeing in Chennai Trip was a whole new experience about Hindu temples and vibrant history behind those stunning architecture. Prashanth did his best to explain every single piece of information. He made me feel comfortable, took my photos etc. good chaps.Unnikrishnan drove the car patiently, we had a smooth safe journey at the end of the day.Highly recommended!

Excellent tour Kannan was an exceptional tour guide. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about history, architecture, and various other cultural insights from him on a long and eventful day of touring. He knows the content and locations well and has good recommendations for how to navigate covering both sites in a timely manner.he also takes great photos, highly recommend!

a must go experience! This was an incredible tour! I had only one day available and found this tour online. I've contacted the company since I wanted to include the Silk weave experience in Kanchipuram and they gladly arranged it. It's worth mentioning that this tour takes almost the whole day (approx, 12h door to door), so I don't recommend having any plans for the rest of the day - you will be exhausted! They were also very realistic when I asked to include the Silk weave, that it's possible to do it, specially because I was traveling solo, but I would have to do some other parts of the tour a bit faster.My guide Kannan and the driver picked me up at 7.30am in my hotel and we started the day in Kanchipuram, visiting Kailashnath and Eakambareshwar temples. We later went to Sri Varshini silk house, where you can learn about the process and even purchase all sorts of silk products.We had a delicious vegetarian lunch, that Kannan made sure to explain all the typical dishes and we headed to Mahabalipuram. There we visited all the monuments, including the Shore Temple and the five rathas. It's breathtaking and you understand why the place is part of UNESCO World Heritage Site! You'll also have the opportunity to buy the stone carved pieces from the super talented artists there to finalise the experience. After 12+ hours I was finally back at the hotel.It's important to highlight that Kannan was super friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, patient and polite. When you travel alone, mostly when you're woman, that's something to value! He was always taking care of my wellbeing, making sure everything was running smoothly and that we were able to see everything proposed. Definitely recommend the tour, it's super organized, I felt very safe and Kannan was true to his title as 'cultural evangelist'.

Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram temples tour. The tour of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram temples sites with Ganesh and Nidi was great! Well worth it. I enjoyed every minute of the fully packed day. The temples and historical sites were most interesting, and Ganesh and Nidi were the most wonderful, professional, and friendly guides! I truly enjoyed their company.

A beautiful day and great experience We had a wonderful day with our guide Preethi. After she picked us up at our hotel, she showed us around the temples in Kanchipuram and told us a lot about religion, architecture and culture. She gave us insights in all sorts of topics, looked out for us the entire day and made sure we were comfortable. At lunch, we enjoyed the best south Indian food and got to know many new flavours. In Mahabalipuram Mr Ramesh took over. Thanks to his impressive knowledge we learned a lot about the monuments. The trip was perfectly organised and a lot more than we expected. We definitely recommend traveling with Preethi.

A daytrip more than worth it if in Chennia This is a very good tour and all works smoothly about it, from booking to pick up to the visit and drop off. The guide I had (Ramesh) was knowledgeable and friendly.The experience is well worth it for those who are in Chennai. I would definitely favour Mamallapuram over the rest.

A day in Chennai with Preethi This is a great way to get a see what Chennai has to offer. I would highly recommend our guide Preethi. Her knowledge is vast and she was a pleasure to spend the day with.

Fascinating whistle too tour Our tour guide was Preethi was the perfect tour guide - A fabulous experience of Temples, churches and Fort George. Fascinating insights to the history, culture and religion in Chennai.Recommend tour for a whistle top experience.

Fun filled day in/near Chennai! Both gentlemen were impressive and exceeded our expectations for the whole day experience. Ganesh was a wonderful driver and Ramesh was a wonderful guide. They both spoke excellent English and were great hosts.Our tour involved quite a bit of driving, but included far more sites than we expected. One of them is a world heritage site!Ganesh provided us plenty of water and ensured that enough bathroom stops.We saw many things, including :Kailasanathar TempleEkambareswara TempleSeveral monuments in Mahabalipuram, including and old and new lighthouse with a view of the seaStopped by an active loom/silk shopStopped by an active art/stone carving school/vendorPlease note that the active temples (s) have dress codes that also do not allow shoes to be worn, so travelers should be aware there is some barefoot required.

Trip to Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram Ganesh took me and a couple of my colleagues to Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram today. For Kanchipuram, Ganesh himself doubled as the tour guide, and we had a person named Ramesh as the tour guide for Mahabalipuram. All of us enjoyed the drive, the camaraderie, elaborate explanation of the history of the places, and the numerous pics that were taken & shared by both Ganesh and Ramesh.

Excellent Experience Ganesh and Ramesh were extremely friendly and helpful. Their English was great. The tour was very informative. Be prepared to walk without shoes, or bring sandals you do not mind taking off.

Gern wieder! Die Tour im Süden von Chennai war echt gut. Die besichtigten Orte waren sehenswert und der Guide Ganesh war fantastisch. Das ausgewählte Restaurant für den Lunch fand ich nicht so ansprechend, Ganesh hat sich sofort um eine Alternative gekümmert. Ein toller Service.

Great tour! Nive and Ganesh were excellent guides and the tour exceeded my expectations. The sites were each unique and impressive. We took a side tour to the beach to watch a Ganesha festival which I highly enjoyed. Highly recommend!

Nice experience and recommend Very informative tour. Learned a lot on the india culture. Driver and tour guides are very patient and nice. Just be careful not to get raped off in shops. They charge higher prices for tourists

Incredible one day tour Had a great experience visiting many of the beautiful temples in the region near Chennai. Highly recommend if you are interested in architecture, art, mythology, history, craftsmanship, and many other themes. My tour guide Kannan was wonderful and very knowledgeable and knew how to convey many stories and anecdotes to further make the visits interesting. My driver was also very nice and the car was very comfortable.All in all, if you have time for one tour in Chennai, this is the one.

Wonderful tour One can always visit a place on their own but when that same visit is undertaken in the company of a guide the experience is heightened. Kannan our guide was knowledgeable, patient, professional & took great care of us. Highly recommend this tour to anyone wants to visit these two places.

One day tour Had a great whole day tour with Balaji. Beautiful temples and monuments. If ancient history and architecture is your thing, this is your one day tour.

Ancient Architecture Balaji was great along with Palu our driver. We took this tour after a week of work here in Chennai. Beautiful temples and monuments. Highly recommended.

Temples and Monuments Tour near Chennai The day tour of Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram was an excellent experience to see historical sights near Chennai. The tour consisted of both a private guide and driver for myself and a family member. Thus, the tour was small and personal which was very helpful when visiting these types of sites. I felt I was in good hands with folks who knew what they are doing. Our guide, Kanaan, was very knowledgable with the history of the monuments and temples. He provided a local's perspective on the history of the area. and briefed us ahead of time regarding customs and protocols which gave me some peace of mind that I was being respectful of the sites and people. As an added bonus, Kanann accommodated our interest to spend some extra time shopping for silk products in Kanchipuram and getting some stone carvings in Mahabalipuram. I felt this tour was a great choice for the the privacy and convenience. I highly recommend if you have a whole day while staying in the Chennai area! Note that this is a full day tour consisting of a lot of driving. However, given the bustling traffic and scenery for most of the drive, the time went by fast from watching India alive outside my window.

Great Tour Very personalized tour and great guide. The lunch was also tasty and a great way to enjoy the local culture.

Awesome Tour Experience Last month I visited these 2 places with my family. Really it was a great experience for all of us. Will visit again.

Visit of both sites in one day Great way to get both sites in in one day. My guide was engaging, thoughtful, and knew his stuff. Would use this group for future tours

Deep dive into the amazing. cultural history of Tamil Nadu I took the your h Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram in a day from Chennai with. I can highly recommend this tour. The temples and sites included in the tour are astonishing and gives an impression of the great history of Tamil Nadu. . Mahabalipuram truly deserves it status as Unesco World heritage site. The guide was very knowledgeable and explained very well in english. Included was also a true south India meal. We sent a lot of time in the car, but t was worth the effort.

Excellent all day tour! This was an all day tour during the summer heat or 2022, but our family all made it through the day and loved the experience. Our tour guide Kannan was excellent, and gave some of the best historical explanations for traditions and history in the temples I've experienced during 4 separate trips to India. He was very accommodating to our needs and provided great conversation. The vehicle was excellent and provided an cool escape to the heat. If you are looking to visit a lot of places around Chennai during a single day, this is your best bet. We were very pleased and I would recommend it.

If You Want the Perfect Day, Take This Tour! We had a wonderful experience, take this tour! My sister and I were looking to see a few archeological sites and learn more about the area. Kalpana, our guide, went above and beyond to share her knowledge and help us have an enriching experience. We visited a variety of temples, including ancient temples now designated historical sights as well as a live temple bustling temple filled with visitors and believers. We were also fortunate to meet artisans who weave sarees and craft sculptures. It was a long and wonderful day! Kalpana was so sweet and helpful, she also took every opportunity to take our pictures! This tour was a one stop shop for learning about Hindu beliefs, history, and culture, all facilitated by a wonderful and knowledgeable guide. Thank you for the lessons and memories!

Just Great Both places were just great. My guide Balaji was very helpful and I enjoyed every minute of the trip.

A must-do if visiting Chennai Phenomenal tour! If you have one day to see temples, I highly recommend this tour to get a look at both Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. My guide Balaji was very knowledgeable about the sites we visited. Getting to see the Kanchipuram sari weavers and a historic house in Kanchipuram were huge bonuses. The A/C car was also incredible for the brutal heat.

Temple Tour Fantastic tour of temples today. The guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. Everything ran seamlessly and to the expected timeframes. Tried local cuisine and went shopping for silks. Would highly recommend this tour provider.

Wonderful ride, amazing archeological sites The driver was really good, we felt very safe during the whole rode and reached destinations very fast. Kannan, who was our tour guide, has excellent knowledge of the viseted sites and gave us even extra information on carvings etc. Emergency bathroom breaks were possible. Overall a great experience.

素晴らしいツアーでした。 個人でこのツアーを利用しました。世界遺産のマハーバリプラムも素晴らしかったですが、今回のこのツアーではカンチープラムが想像以上に素晴らしかったです。歩く距離が多いので疲れましたが満足しました。

Une expérience incroyable et très enrichissante. Sans aucun doute le meilleur moyen de visiter Kanchipuram (et ses temples) et Mahabalipuram (et ses monuments), 2 villes riches en histoire.Vijay maîtrise l'histoire des temples et la spiritualité Hindoue, tandis que Ramesh connaît parfaitement l'histoire des différents monuments. Rien à redire, tout est parfait. Je recommande à 100%.

A unique cultural experience Our guide Kanan made sure we were able to see as much as possible in our time and added another temple that was very unique. We enjoyed the commentary and learning more about Indian culture. Our driver navigated safely and was always close by to take us to the next location. We appreciated the bonus sites at the best restroom spots as well! The food at lunch was also great and a good way to try various dishes. It was truly a unique experience and we feel blessed to have been able to experience this tour.

Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram with 5 Senses Tour and our guide : Mr.Kannan. We had taken a day tour with the 5 senses tour and our guide Mr. Kannan to Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram.Our guide was polite,respectful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about showing us around.He took us to Kanchipuram,showed us the oldest temple made out sand and explained us the history behind that. He took us to another beautiful temple made by Cholaz. It was vastly built and I strongly recommend a must visit to this temple.He explained us every little thing about this temple,then he took us for some good kanjeevarm saree shopping.The shop was good and we also got to experience the silk weaving process.Mahabalipuram was also nice as it had 5 rathas, shore temple. What I learnt from this tour with Mr.Kannan is one can always visit on their own but it's only when you visit a place with a good guide,your learning and experience of the place is very good ,indepth and different.So,I definetly recommend 5 senses tour and with Mr. Kannan.Thankyou,PoojaKush Bajaj

An amazing and memorable day trip with Rajiv, an expert guide from 5-Senses This was the first trip to India and to Chennai, Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram for my three adult children, who are world-class travelers. Mr. Narayanan of 5-Senses set up the one day tour to Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram and we could not have wished for any better tour. A perfect, more than satisfying tour that far exceeded our expectations. Indeed, we were fortunate to have Rajiv, as our guide. He was not only knowledgeable and an expert on the culture and history of the region but an able interlocutor for our ever questioning kids. Rajiv truly educated and guided us through not just the sites but their history and relevance to contemporary living. Rajiv did not speak to impress us. He spoke only when needed and kept our interest high throughout the trip. My family and I have been fortunate to live or travel through over 20 countries during our overseas work and we have often used private tour guides in Mexico, South America, Europe, Middle East, former Soviet Union, and Far East Asia. Mr. Rajiv is easily among the top three guides we have had in the past and Mr. Narayanan and his 5-Senses among the very best tour operators in the world. A great unforgettable experience for me and my family.

Highly Recommend We had the most amazing day leaning about the temples and history of India. Kannan was a wonderful tour guide - very knowledgeable, easy to communicate with, and ready to make your day as memorable as possible. Although the tour involves multiple sites in one day, it does not feel like a long day and is definitely worth it!

Incredible tour! We booked with Kannan and he was wonderful! Very knowledgeable about the history of India and all of the temples that we went to. Very polite and communication was not a problem at all. I would highly recommend booking this tour if you want to learn a lot about India's history.

Excellent Tour of Ancient Temples! Our tour guide was incredible. He really knew the details of the religious temples we were able to go see, and it truly was enlightening. Not only that, but our guide (Vijay) monitored what we liked and didn't like, and made sure to include more of the former in his discussion with us!

Great learning experience and introduction to India I visited India for business and only had one day to explore. Going with this tour group was the right choice! My guide Mythili was very friendly and knowledgeable, and took her time explaining the details and answering my numerous questions. This tour is very much at your own pace, and open to your choices should you or your group want to go somewhere specific. I always felt safe during the tour and knew Mythili was looking out for my best interests!

A complete tour to two wonderful places The tour was great as expected. We visited Kanchipuram first. We had to leave our shoes at the front gate of the temple and walk into central compound. Remember to wear Socks as there are small stones and loose gravel along the way into the sanctum. Also, the granite gets really hot as you get into the afternoon hours so wearing socks can really protect your feet from the heat. The temples were amazing. The carvings done on the pillars were astounding. Mahabalipuran was majestic as well. Highly recommend this tour.

Must-participate Tour Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram are worth visiting if you have a whole day free.A 12-hour tour is filled with many places of historical interest.I participated solo, but the price is surprisingly low.My tour guide, Vijay, was so experienced and knowledgeable that he could make explanations of the places I visited in detail, and answer all the questions I asked him.His English does not have that strong Indian accent, making it easy to understand to people like me whose native language is not English.Keep in mind that you should not participate in this tour in the rainy seasons.

Well run tour! Was picked up at the hotel at 7am and then had a wonderful day. The driver and tour guide were very good, and Balaji was attentive and spoke good English. The attractions were very nice and I would highly recommend this tour.

Thoughtful, engaging and memorable tour Our group is 4 met Rajkomar in Chennai for a two day tour including local highlights and the UNESCO site Mahabalipuram , Raj spoke excellent English and was thoughtful, and engaging in discussions about social and cultural heritage . A bus tour or guidebook gives you facts while a personal tour gives you a memorable impression. At the historic sites there were granite stone sculpture demonstrating both beauty , majestic aspirations and incredible stone carving skills. The highlights including local active temples, watching love cobra and venomous snakes and the majestic carvings in stone of life events and mythology . Raj took us to wonderful resturant for the best food I had in southern India with both fresh fish and vegetarian dishes .

Highly recommended Great experience! I was wondering covering both in a day might be too much, but it turned out OK. My guide Mythili and driver Raj were both great personalities and I learned a lot about Hindu, temples, local customs, architecture, etc.

A Wonderful Day Tour to Extraordinary Sights My wife and I had a private full-day tour of two spectacular locations near Chennai. Our first stop was at two ancient (400 year old) temples in the town of Kanchipuram. The temple were truly impressive in size and detail, with tall structures covered with elaborate carvings. Next we visited Mahabalipuram, a place that definitely deserves its UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The shore temple, balancing rock, and ancient lighthouse were all Interesting, but the Panch Rathas stands out as most extraordinary. 400 years ago, ancient Pallava kings had hundreds of craftsmen take an enormous football field size monolithic granite outcropping and carve it into five large structures, one being a life size elephant. Pictures can not do it justice. You have to see this with your own eyes. Everything we did on this trip was greatly enhanced by our tour guide, Kannan and our hardworking driver, whose name I don’t recall. We have been on numerous tours but never have we met a tour guide so dedicated to his clients. Kanan spent much of the long drive to fill us in on Indian culture. He led us through each site, sharing his knowledge to explain what we were seeing. He brought us to a great local restaurant and could find us a decent toilet whenever needed. He added places to the published itinerary because he wanted us to experience as much as possible. For example he brought us to a traditional house house full of antiques. He also added an extra stop at the old church of San Thome, built in the 16th century by the Portuguese, over the tomb of Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. This is one of only three churches in the world built over the remains on an apostle. We felt very fortunate to have Kannan as our guide.

A wonderful day in kanchipuram and mahalipuram We had a wonderful day seeing many different types of temples, how silk sarees and stone sculptures are made. We highly recommend this tour, a must see in Chennai!

A very good experience in chennai Our Guide was really knowledgeable. We enjoyed our Tour very much. would highly recommend to anybody staying in Chennai area.

Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram in a day from Chennai with Guide This is for my trip with my aunt this Saturday; our guide Ganesh is very thoughtful! He saw us enjoyed a local snack at lunch restaurant and then bought 2 packages for us as gift without telling us! Also he is very knowledgeable about the heritage temples and did a very good explanation of everything thing we saw during the visit! Really like it!

Great trip Would strongly recommend this tour as I was well taken cared and the local guide in Mahabalipuram had very good knowledge about all the historical monuments.

Kachipuram & Mahabalipuram Excellent trip, I enjoyed every aspect of the tour. The temples are amazing and each one so different and unique. The stone craftmanship is mind blowing id you consider the tools they used.My guide, Ganesh, went the extra mile) more than once and took me to yet another great place which is not even on the tour plan. It is called the Mahaviralayam Jain Museum. The whole building is built from white marble. This is a "must do".

Unforgettable trip to Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram With a group of dear friends we took a one day tour from Chennai to visit Ekambeswarar temple, Kailasanathar temple, Mahabs 5 rathas, oil lamp light house , shore temple, arjuna's penance, Krishna butter ball. Tour guide Satish made sure this was an unforgettable and wonderful experience which included also detailed instructions to eat a proper delicious south Indian lunch.

Extraordinary Day Exploring Indian History and Culture I had a fantastic time on this tour. Kannan, my guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. He allowed me to take in the sites at my own pace and shared an incredible amount about the history, culture and people. He was even very gracious in taking pictures for me, since I was a solo traveler and I'm not great at selfies. From the food to the sites, and even the drive through the countryside between towns, I was able to experience more on this tour than I expected. We were even able to squeeze in one extra stop at the end on the way back to the city. I am very grateful to 5 Senses Tours for the experience.I would highly recommend this tour to my own friends and family, as well as anyone visiting Chennai.

Excellent your of temple sites around Chennai Excellent tour of the temple sites around Chennai. Guides were knowledgeable, helpful and excellent company. Food was also excellent. Strongly recommended!

Great tour to Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram We had a great tour to Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram with 5 senses tours. Satish was our guide and shared lots of insights about Indian history, culture and religion that made our visits to the old temples very interesting. The temples are really worth seeing, dating back to the 6th century ac, some of them still in use. We also had a delicious South Indian vegetarian lunch, another highlight too! It was a full day with lots of sightseeing and overall very enjoyable!

Extraordinary Temple Tour! This tour exceeded our expectations! Each temple and site was unique. Our guide Vijay was exceptionally knowledgeable explaining the history, art and beliefs. His English was impeccable. We especially enjoyed Kailasanathar Temple where we took time out to meditate. Vijay let us set our own pace, including coffee, lunch and rest stops. We never felt rushed. A tour not to be missed!Marissa and Sonia

Great experience with Five Senses Tour I am the kind of traveler who likes to explore on my own and always ready to be critical of boring, monotonous tours. I wanted to commend Five Senses and our guide Kannan in particular for providing a great customized experience in our outing to Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram. Kannan quickly took a measure of our family and he brought out aspects that would engage us throughout a long day together. We talked and exchanged views all day while enjoying all the different historical sites and their nuances. We were well taken care of and we had a great time. Ever attentive, Kannan made sure we fed - body and mind. Highly recommend the tour and this outfit.

Look no further, this is a great FULL day exhilarating tour. Working non-stop while in Chennai, I was looking to squeeze in some time to see something ancient and cultural outside of the city. After looking through numerous available tours, I chose this one, and I am pleased I did. Vijay patiently waited for me at the Park Hyatt early morning (to beat traffic) and we headed out to see ancient temples and rock carvings, silk weavers and even an enormous, perilously balanced boulder. I had no idea what to expect. I assure you, you will be WOWED at every stop along the way. Vijay was thoroughly professional, conversational, friendly and knowledgable. It was such a nice day and worth every rupee! Go ahead and book a tour without fear . . . you'll be glad you did.

Très belle visite Nous avons visité les différents sites avec notre guide Satish. Satish est ponctuel. Il a un très bon niveau d’anglais et de parfaites connaissances sur les différents sites.Le déjeuner, typique du Tamil Nadu, fut très bon. Lors de la visite de Mahabalipuram, nous avons été accompagné d’un nouveau guide qui a pu nous expliquer en détails les différents lieux.Nous recommandons fortement cette visite.

Absolutely Wonderful Experience We had an amazing time visiting Kanchipuram and Mahabilipuram with Kannan. He was so kind and friendly from the beginning of the day, through to the very end. Kannan was incredibly knowledgeable and shared the history of each temple and monument with us, making the trip a fun and educational experience. We started at Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple and went from there to Kanchi Kudil, a historical museum in Kanchipuram. We also went to Shri Ekambareswarar temple and did a quick stop at Sri Varshini Silk House before heading to Mahabilipuram. We stopped for lunch at Hotel Mamalla Bhavan Pure Veg Restaurant, which was delicious. In Mahabilipuram, we started at the Ratha temples and then went to the Shore temple. We went to several of the cave temples before going to Butterball Rock and finally ended the day by going to the Old Lighthouse (the Olakkanesvara temple). I can't believe we managed to do so much in one day. It was a truly wonderful experience.

Amazing Temples Spend a fabulous day with Kannan touring the Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram temples. Went to K first - impressive, informative comments by guide. Stopped at silk weaver and learned how that works. No pressure to buy, but did anyway. M was most impressive! What a fascinating place. Was crowded as we were there in Jan 1. Beautiful monuments and scenery. This tour is a full day - and by that I mean about 12 hours.Kudos to 5 Senses as a great tour company.

マハーバリプラムとカーンチープラムへのshort trip とてもフレンドリーなガイドさんで良かったです。ランチは手で食べる方法や手順を教えて頂き楽しく食事出来ました。

Our 8th trip to India and this was indeed the best! Thanks to Vijay, Venkat and 5 Senses Tours we got a most interesting cultural and heritage tour of Chennai, Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. Our stay at the iconic Taj Connemara was also amazing.

Best Indian temple tour We've been to temples in Angkor Wat, Cambodia and in Lalibela, Ethiopia, so we were not expecting to be as blown away as we were during our tours of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. These temples are more stunning in many ways and an absolute photographer's delight. We've also seen the rock-hewn temples in Ethiopia but were even more impressed by the monolithic structures we saw in this particular tour.It makes a huge difference when you get an expert guide like Vijay Kalidas, who is a native Tamil and very knowledgable about temple history and architecture. Ask him about Vedic classics; he'll tell you about all the millions of gods and their manifestations and incarnations, which will deepen your appreciation of the temples.If you have only a few days to see these sites, it's absolutely imperative to get an experienced and flexible guide and a good driver. The combination of Vijay and his sidekick driver Venkat made everything enjoyable. So ask for both of them. Whatever you do - DO NOT drive yourself around. It's not worth it even for the most experienced drivers who use GPS maps. You'll have to know your way around; otherwise, you'll waste a lot of time. Vijay can bring you to authentic Tamil restaurants and craftsmen and help you avoid tourist traps. You'll get to appreciate Tamil culture with Vijay as your guide. He asked some Tamils in the temples to pose with us at the temples. That resulted in some of our most memorable photos.

A Day I Won’t Forget My trip to Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram made for a fantastic day. My guide, Ganesh, and my driver were so patient and accommodating - they didn’t even mind when I thought I’d lost my phone at an ATM only to find it on my third panicked look through my bag. The temples were beautiful and very clearly powerful places. Mahabalipuram was a wonder. Ganesh kept me laughing and interested all day. To top off the day we even stopped for tea and samosas on the way back to my hotel. I would 100% do the tour again.

An amazing day trip from Chennai! On my last day in India, I was looking for a day trip from Chennai and had heard about the temples in the Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram area. By luck, I booked this tour and highly recommend it to anyone. Satish, my tour guide, was personable, friendly and extremely knowledgeable - not only about the temples and sites we visited but also for all my other questions about the towns and Indian life we saw. Lunch was excellent and I was able to try a variety of traditional Indian foods. Satish made the whole day easy, starting with picking me up from the hotel and driving to Kanchipuram to see the temples - both spectacular. We then visited sites at Mahabalipuram and ended the day driving back to Chennai along the coast as the sun set. Not a bad way to end my time in India!!! Thank you Satish! It was an amazing experience.

An amazing experience with a great guide Satish our guide is an amazing guide, wealth of knowledge and extremely professional. The temples visits were an experience beyond words. Satish was great in explaining all the history plus local knowledge. Totally enjoyed the vegetarian lunch, had two servings. Highly recommended, amazing experience and professional service.

it was freaking amazing it was clear fun even for teenagers .you guys did an amazing job choosing destination. I had a great time and the price is even better.thank u!

History and Humidity: Welcome to SE India It was a long day but absolutely fascinating. We booked through 5 Senses Tours and they were very easy to work with. Our driver was terrific, our guide, Kannan was knowledgeable, attentive, gave us space to absorb all that we were seeing and provided expert insights while we saw so much in our 12 hour tour. 5 Senses picked us at 7:30 am from our hotel and off we went. We went to Kanchipuram first and experienced two site - Kailasanathar Temple and Ekambareswarar Temple - very different places, fascinating practices, architecture and purpose of each. We visited one of the hundreds of silk weaving stores and enjoyed the lovely hospitality, short demonstration and beautiful products to browse and purchase (we bought some scarves -- gorgeous and very good prices). Lunch at a typical Andhra restaurant - delicious. The off to Mahabalipuram for a full afternoon of history, culture and exquisite insight in Hindu religion and practices. Pancha Rathas, Shore Temple, Descent of the Ganges, Krishna's Butterball...it was an excellent tour, with a great guide, comfortable and safe car and driver and door to door service. Our guide, Kannan was professional and helpful. Thank you for an excellent experience. Highly recommend.

Day trip you should not miss! Visiting temples might be too much for one day but the truth is, both Kancheepuram and Mahabalipuram had interesting and unique things to offer. I was extremely happy I chose this package and decided not to trade off any of these destinations. My guide was Balaji, very friendly and fun to be with. I was a solo traveler and he made sure I was comfortable and safe during the entire trip. He was very patient and excellent when taking photos too. In addition, the car was clean and had functional seatbelts! Both my guide and driver were presentable too. Points of improvement: Thought my driver was driving really fast and had mini heart attacks while on the road. Mahabalipuram tour was quite rushed. And I did not enjoy the food because I don’t eat dairy and spicy food. Wish there were more options!

Solid tour in a fascinating region I booked this tour alongside the full day chennai tour the next day, and I ended up getting the same guide and driver for both days. Both were excellent. Since this tour is a very long one, the guide made sure I was aware and offered to switch the days as an option. The guide was very knowledgeable and kept a close eye to make sure I was comfortable. All entrance and camera fees were covered, which was a very professional move. And the guide asked me about what i wanted to eat rather than forcing a particular restaurant. The temples and structures in Tamil Nadu region are truly amazing. And I definitely plan to explore more of the south now that i've had a taste.

Perfect day trip from Chennai 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.

Great Tour The trip was well organised and Kannan was great tour guide - very knowledgeable and considerate. It was an amazing day trip! Cheers

Best day out! This was the best private tour I have ever been on. The arrangements made on WhatsApp were well organized and extremely helpful. Upon pickup the guide pointed out highlights on our drive to Rajiv Gandhi memorial. Then to Kailashnath temple which was amazingly preserved. Loved the opportunity to get up and personal with the temple, not kept behind a rope to see the details intact over the decades. Kanchi Kudil (100 year old house) was amazing to let use experience how everyone lived, and how life has not changed a great deal over time. A traditional south indian lunch was amazing and I share this experience with everyone I meet. The afternoon filled with temples, caves, and stories of butter balls, had us laughing and enjoying the history. This trip was amazing and I would recommend it to everyone who has a hay to explore the area surrounding Chennai. An absolute must. Thank you to Kannan and our driver! Memories I will have forever.

Great experience I was in Chennai only for one day and decided to go for this tour to see city and attractions as much as I can. The tour and guide were great, I received a lot of information about Indian history and culture. Car had A/C so it was a comfortable ride for me. Kennan, the tour guide, was very helpful. Thanks again for organizing this tour.

Great experience We have enjoyed a wonderful day through ancient Hindu temples, nicest of all the stone carved Descent of Ganges and the other bas-reliefs in Mahabalipuram, Vijay has been a perfect guide skilled and prepared with a deep cultural and philosophical background .

An outstanding day trip! Balaji and the driver were at my hotel on time and he was super friendly. He spoke great English and gave me lots of helpful information. The rides to the various temples were somewhat lengthy (1.5 hours and 2 hours) but the scenery and conversation made it go by quickly. I cannot underscore how amazing some of these sites are. It is something you really should see. They challenge the splendor of European cathedrals and are way WAY older. We had an amazing lunch in Mahabalipuram and then met an expert guide to take us through that area. He too was super friendly and spoke great English. He was able to answer specifics about the various temples we visited around Mahabalipuram. I highly suggest this tour. It was a great way to spend the day and I feel like I learned a lot. And when you book see if you can get Balaji!

Very interesting trip to see some unique and historic part no too far from Chennai Very interesting trip and well organised - no rush. There was time for lunch, shopping, admire places. Definitely recommend as both places are very unique and worth seeing. Both guide as the local guide were very helpful, informative and was nice to spend time wit them.

What an amazing day!! This tour has so much packed into it that it is amazing that it is only one day!! It is a wonderful mix of temples, history, culture, colours, scenery and people that enriches all of your senses. Kannan and our driver were so attentive and professionalthroughout the whole day. I have been on a tour with Kannan before and once again he went above and beyond ensuring we were well fed, comfortable and entertained. This is a long day, but don't be deterred by that as it is packed full of extraordinary things that you will want to experience. Thanks Kannan and the 5Senses team for another amazing day!!

Wonderful and informative tour We booked this tour last minute, but still got a confirmation email and contact through WhatsApp immediately. Kannan and our driver picked us up from the hotel the the next morning and were headed off to Kanchipurim. While there we saw a few temples, a traditional silk weaver and had lunch. Kannan was very helpful throughout including explaining what each dish was at lunch and how each it in the traditional Indian style. After lunch, we headed off to Mahabalipurim. The stone carving and ocean views in Mahabalipuram were spectacular and having a guide to show us many of them was key as I’m sure we would have missed some if we had tried to go alone. Kannan even took us to a Jain temple on the way back. This tour is very long, but the air conditioned car and frequent stops break up the day. Make sure to bring plenty of water and maybe a snack for the late afternoon. I would highly recommend this tour and 5 Senses Tours.

Excellent way to see India for first-timers Kannan was patient and knowledgeable about everything we saw. We got to see so many excellent things that we'd have missed if we'd gone to the places ourselves, and it's really nice to have an AC car to rest in at the right times. Highly recommended!

Fascinating and informative tour of southern India This was such an interesting tour! All the historical sites and architecture, and Vijay was a font of information on India's history. The temples and silk of Kanchipuram and the buildings carved out of Mahabalipuram's living rock were amazing, as was the temple on the seashore. Vijay had endless patience for my constant questions and I really appreciated his willingness to explain everything I was asking about, since this is my first trip to India and there was so much I wanted to know. I liked the fact that they use local guides as well, providing employment for the people in town. This was definitely my favorite tour in the country. Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram are 'must sees' when in southern India, and I highly recommend 5 Senses tours.

Amazing day trip! We had an amazing day out with Mr Kannan our guide and Renu our driver! We were picked up from our hotel in an AC car (very important in humid Chennai!) and headed out to Kanchipuram in the morning, had a South Indian vegetarian lunch, and Mahabalipuram for the rest of the afternoon. Mr Kannan always provided great insights to the history of the places and threw in other details as well, always making sure that we are comfortable and enjoying the tour! He also knew all the best spots for pictures and we had lots of great pictures together. At the end of the day Mr Kannan and Renu kindly made a small detour to Buhari for us to do a takeaway of biryani, parrotha and curry - perfect end to the day! Although it was quite a long car ride and extensive day out, I highly recommend taking this day trip! Thanks Mr Kannan and Renu for your hospitality!

Friendly guide Our guide Kannan was very friendly and accommodating. We felt comfortable throughout. We covered a lot of grounds, visiting many temples. A great experience, would recommend.

A great first day in Chennai It is an incredible once in a lifetime experience; our guide was mr Kannan.I am 15yrs old and even a teenager like me will enjoy this in depth experience full of regional and historical knowledge of the Chennai area as well as things you wouldn’t fibd in books or brochures and great restaurants.Thank you for this great experience 5 Senses.

Tour personalizado excelente Este tour te permite conocer los templos de Mahabalipuram y los tempos de Kanchipuram desde Chennai. El tour es muy bueno, siendo el guía llamado Vijay muy amable y aportando gran cantidad de información interesante de todos los lugares visitados. El guía permitió comprender de mejor forma la religión Hinduista, siendo cercano y directo, permitiendo comprender que significa el hinduismo realmente. En los templos, en especial en los activos, permitió poder entrar y empaparse del hinduismo, pero manteniendo el respeto. 1005 recomendable el tour y 100% recomendable Vijay como guía turístico!

Personalised private tour My tour guide was Kannan and my driver was Kanaka. These gentlemen ensured I was well looked after. I was unsure about booking the tour as the single person price was steep or so it seemed, and then I had my doubts as I was warned that a once in 40 year festival was underway in Kanchipuram attracting hundreds of thousands devotees and so it looked like I would miss out on 50% of the tour as advertised with what I felt would be poorer substitutes. That all said, after a discussion about the risks of heading to Kanchipuram and taking our chances with traffic and vehicle access, Kannan honoured my choice and we went on to have a fascinating day - visiting all of the attractions as listed. Kanaka was a careful driver, and made sure I always exited and entered the vehicle in a safe and respectful manner. Kannan was informative and thoughtful - little touches like taking pictures for me, of me on my camera and holding items as required. He ensured I stayed respectful to the culture, advising when I needed to have my shoulders covered, shoes off, or to not take photographs. I was bought little snacks enroute and a local banana leaf meal, during which mindful of my likely tastes Kannan advised me of the order to eat the little side dishes in. The sights themselves were everything I would have wanted, made all the more interesting by Kannan's knowledge. In the end I thought the trip was worth the money I had paid, and I would have struggled to see these sights trying to go it solo!

Fantastic day in Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram My tour guide was Vijay. The whole tour was very well organised. I received all contact information (including a photo of Vijay) in advance of the trip. The pickup on the hotel was in time. Vijay speaks a very good english and has a very good knowlege about the visit area, temples, history and explained me a lot about the Hindu religion. The temples and places we are visited were very impressive. I can recommet these tour to all visiters in Chennai. The price is not so cheap (if you are the sole person), but your will receive an appropriated service for this (good car with driver, additonal guide in Mahabalipuram). Overall a very nice, impressive day. Thank you to 5Sense for this phantastic time!

Wonderful way to view these sites Our guide, Vijay, was incredibly informative and helpful! he picked us up promptly and spent the entire day with us. It was great to get a local's perspective and attention to answer all our questions. I would highly recommend this trip!

Great We had a very good day, nice trip and sightseeing. Our 3 guides were great and friendly 🙂 the sites are interesting and beautiful! Totally happy 🙂

Great day in Kanchipuram and Mahalipuram with Kannan I travel to Chennai a lot for business but usually do not have any time to explore the local culture and the architecture. This time I had a full day off from work for May Day so I decided to take a tour with the local guide to Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram. Kannan made this day and experience unforgettable. Everything was so very well organized and I felt very safe and comfortable throughout the tour. I was picked up from my hotel on time and we traveled in a car with AC with a very good driver. Kannan's English was excellent and he told me a lot about each place we visited, answered all my questions, took so many pictures of me and the surroundings (he knew all the great spots) and gave me necessary tips on how and where to shop and not overpay. Southern Indian lunch experience was unforgettable - I enjoyed it so much. On the way back we also stopped in Jain temple fully made out of marble. This wasn't part of the tour but was definitely worth the visit. At the end of the tour i was dropped off back in my hotel. I highly recommend taking this tour and Kannan as a guide. Thank you for an awesome day!

Fantastic day packed with lots to see. Kannan was my tour guide on this trip today and my head is still spinning from all that we did. From the visits to the silk weavers and traditional Tamil home to the temples in Kanchipuram, I was awed over and over again. After a traditional South Indian lunch in a local restaurant, we were off to Mahabalipuram's amazing sights. Kannan had an additional guide who specializes in the history of Mahabalipuram's temples and monuments and the two of them gave me quite an education! Kannan is friendly, knowledgable, and considerate. As other reviews say, there is a fair amount of driving, but I enjoyed that part too. It was nice to get out of the city of Chennai and see the sights of the countryside as we went from town to town.

Pasu Cheung Very professional and friendly Tour Guide with sincere care and good service. Would recommend friends for the same tour definitely. Many thanks.

When the customer needs are listened to Daily trip from Chennai to visit Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram.I was very satisfied: the guide Kannan was professional, nice and willing to understand my needs and my preferences to adapt the tour where possible. He speaks an English easily understandable also for a Westener.The tour was well prepared, without any idle time but giving you the additional time you need to make your photos or to contemplate the beautiful place I have seen.Very appreciated the lunch 100% Indian style I had in Kanchipuram.Definitely I suggest this agency and this tour. If I come again in South India, I will ask for them to organize something else.

Amazing guide with a passion for history It was an amazing and in depth tour. We were able to fit everything in and 3 extra stops. My guide Kannan was incredible. So passionate about history and the culture of his country! I had an amazing time on an unforgettable trip.

Great visit! Vijay was a great guide during the trip, we enjoyed a lot our day trip full of culture and taste of India, we would definitely recommend it! I thought it was a little bit pricey for just one day but it ended up being so worth it. We only had one day to visit so this trip is an awesome combination to do lots of stuff in just one day. Go for it!

Friendly Guides and Beautiful Attractions Mr Kannan (our guide) was excellent throughout the entirety of our trip. This tour is excellent for those who have limited time in Chennai, and who want to have a quick sightseeing oppourtunity, while also indulging in traditional Indian food. We thoroughly enjoyed our time spent on this tour!

Top Service with focus on customer happiness and extreme good history knowledge Five Senses Tour to Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram was worth every cent. The high quality service started from the pick-up and ended with the submission of pictures taken during the day after the drop off back in the hotel. The tour guide Kannan spoke extremly good english. The historical, religous and behavioral information he provided was extremely imformative and highly appreciated. He even trained me how to better bargain and I improved a bit. I wished I had more time here to enjoy one of the other tours offered by 5 senses.

Beautiful Ancient Rock Carvings and Sculptures Excellent service, where driver and tour guide escorted us from our hotel lobby to all the locations that sparked an interest amongst us. Mr Kannan was very knowledgeable about the sites which we were taken to, the lunch provided was excellent and of north Indian origin. It was simply delicious, and serving sizes where very large. Thanks for an amazing experience in Chennai and Mahabalipuram.

Smoothly organised Our guide Mr. Kannan was very knowledgeable and articulate. Mahabalipuram is a very interesting place.

Old Granite Rocks & Unusual Places A good friend of mine and I used to have a long-running story of how everything was based on, stemmed from, and led to rock. Not the music, but the stuff mountains are made of. Well, today I saw some big rocks. If you live in the USA, you may have heard of a big chunk of granite that resides just outside of Atlanta, GA, called Stone Mountain. But, I am not in Georgia—I am in Chennai India.Chennai on the SeaThe capital of Tamil Nadu, one of India’s 29 states, Chennai rests on the coast of the Indian Ocean in southern India. With a population of over 7 million people, Chennai seems to be spread out to the ends of the earth. Discovering anything in the city requires an expert guide. My guide was Kannan Inbasekaran, whose life story is as impressive as his knowledge of such things as local history, geography, Hinduism, Christianity, and law (that’s another story). Kannan presented himself as an “evangelist for Indian culture,” rather than a tour guide. He lived up to his claim.Rock CitySo, these big granite rocks live south of the city in a place called Mahabalipuram, or மஹாபலிபுரம் in Tamil. I thought it might have some profound translation, but it does not. Nor does it need one with is profound carvings. Mahabalipuram also lies along the Bay of Bengal at the Indian Ocean, and even though the size of its granite does not match the mammoth Stone Mountain, the ancient sculptors of Tamil Nadu did some mammoth work on these rocks.The first rock I visited appears to be several rock structures, and slightly mundane upon a cursory glance. But if one looks closely at the entire structure, they might begin to realize that they are observing one contiguous chunk of granite. Moreover, as ancient wars stopped its carvings before they were finished, one can readily see that the sculpting was done from the top-down. Its perfect symmetry can be misleading, as such a feat is not very easy to accomplish. Several other temples in various stages of sculpting were visited, including a lighthouse on top of an elephant’s back who has a temple in his belly. Although you might not be able to tell the rock was being formed in the image of an elephant, the lighthouse was operational, before the British construct a new but less impressive one.Doubting ThomasAfter we left Mahabalipuram, we deviated from our planned tour, at Kannan’s suggestion and followed the “footsteps of St. Thomas.” Either Kannon sensed that I was spiritual and assume I was Christian, or he observed that the heat and the climbing had exhausted me, and I eagerly accepted his suggestion.St. Thomas was one of Jesus’s twelve disciples. Thomas accepted the Great Commission to take the Gospel to the “uttermost parts of the earth,” and went to India. We do not know if he ventured to Madras, which was renamed Chennai in 1996, or whether the city bore another name prior to Portuguese occupation in 1552.It is believed that Thomas was here between 52 and 70 A.D. Several religions have had influence in India, including Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism, but this region was predominantly Hindu, some of whom did not take kindly to Thomas spreading the Gospel. So, after a series of miraculous escapes, including a new opening suddenly appearing in a cave as an escape route, Thomas was ultimately slain on what is known as Mount Thomas. The Portuguese are said to have moved his body from its tomb when they encamped at Chennai.It appears that even Thomas could not escape from the granite forever. Many of us will leave this world with nothing but a granite or marble stone as evidence that we were ever here. So, perhaps my friend Paul and I were on to something. This is something I would have missed without the flexibility of Kannan and the tour company, 5 Senses Tours. Kannon must have a sixth sense.5 Senses5 Senses Tours are the best I have been on in India. Narayanan is the chief mentor at 5 Senses Tours. He has been conducting tourism management classes for budding entrepreneurs for over 2 decades, so his guides/ambassadors are carefully chosen and well-trained. Narayanan is an avid traveler and a connoisseur of classical forms of art and culture. He strongly believes that travel should stimulate the mind, body & soul. He plays a key role in ensuring guests get to experience the cultural diversity of India through sight, smell, hearing, touch, and feel.Kannan was born, raised, educated, and lives in Chennai. He is very passionate about Indian culture. With a background in Human Resources, Kannan’s mission in life is to provide an immersive cultural experience to people traveling to India. He is delightful company and ensures guests get to taste authentic local cuisine at places the locals swear by. Having traveled extensively in South India, he knows the right places to take people to experience the rich traditions and customs which characterize this part of India. He is well educated, having two bachelor degrees and a master’s degree, and he speaks English very well.

Interesting and hassle free Interesting tour of 2 truly beautiful places. Pick of from the hotel and even though a lot of time is spent on the car The time goes on fairly quickly as Kannan is really knowledgeable and you get to discover really interesting stuff. The day is really packed but there’s loads to see. Only negative thing are the shops stop. Give it a try!

Touring ancient Hindu temples on the coast We enjoyed a wonderful day touring ancient Hindu temples thanks to our our knowledgeable guide Kannan. Mahabalipuram is a picturesque port city that is home to striking granite temples, religious reliefs, and statuary carved from solid rock. The tour also included a trek up a scenic bluff above the town, to see pair of lighthouses (ancient and modern) perched above the clear blue sea. 5 Senses Tours took care of all the logistics getting to and from Mahabalipuram, and Kannan's narration at each stop provided insight into the culture and the people who built this architectural gem.

Great day indeed I spent my birthday on this day trip to Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram and it was a very special visit indeed.Vijaybhai is an excellent guide and truly allowed us to experience the sites in all its glory including his patience with my family and our preferences. Cherry on top was the birthday cake he got me to end of the day which I truly appreciated.