Mahabalipuram tour by Tourism Ministry approved company
Description
When Marco Polo sailed past this coastline in the 13th century he recorded seeing a city of seven pagodas rising above the sea. Only one still stands. Archaeologists have found the others submerged offshore. The Pallava kings of the 7th and 8th centuries carved an entire world from the boulders here — five Mahabharata chariots from single rocks, a hundred-foot bas-relief with a satirical cat imitating a holy man while mice gather around it, a five-metre boulder balanced on a slope for thirteen centuries that a British administrator failed to move with an elephant, and the Shore Temple still reflecting in the Bay of Bengal at high tide. Our private Mahabalipuram tour from Chennai covers all of it with a cultural guide who brings every stone to life. Private car, expert guide, all entry fees and lunch included. 5 Senses Tours is recognised by the Department of Tourism, a winner of the Outlook Responsible Tourism Award and the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Award.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Make the first stop of the day at the Pancharathas, or five chariots, a series of monolithic temples built by the Pallavas.These are rock cut monolith temples structures built in the 7th century. Each of the 5 rathas or chariots are dedicated to the lead cast of the Mahabharat epic- Draupadi, Arjuna, Nakul-Sahadeva, Bhima and Yudhister. There is also a sculpture of an elephant next to the ratha of Nakul-Sahadeva. Once you stand towards the rear of the elephant you will notice that there is an uncanny resemblance between the rear of the chariot and the elephant.
We next visit Arjuna’s Penace, a bas-relief monument that’s considered one of India’s most magnificent pieces of ancient art, depicting vivid scenes from the Mahabharata. The relief is 100 feet long and 45 feet tall! The main story being told is how Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers, performed severe austerities in order to obtain Lord Shiva's weapon.
Pandava cave is the largest cave-temple at Mahabalipuram The cave is supported on six pillars and two pilasters. The highlight of the architecture are the spectacular sculptures of mythical creatures called Yali on the pillars.
The next stop is Krishna’s Butterball, a granite boulder that’s poised on a stony slope. This curious boulder seems to defy Newton's laws of gravity and has not moved an inch despite being in this precarious position on the slope for more than a thousand years.
The Varaha cave is carved out of huge piece of granite and dates back to the 7th century. This temple took several decades to be completed. There are squatting lions adorning the pillars which support the hall. Another highlight are the sculptures of two guardian angels who protect the sanctum.
This cave is a fine example of the spectacular architecture style of the Pallavas. The rock cut temple is dedicated to the holy trinity of Hindu Gods- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are fine carvings of elephants as well.
This is a imposing chariot carved out of a single stone. Originally dedicated to Lord Shiva, it now has the deity of his son Lord Ganesh. It was built in the 7th century by King Mahendravarman I. The other highlight of this temple are the 18 inscriptions in ancient grantha and nagari scripts of Sanskrit.
Built in the year 640, it is India’s oldest light house and one of the oldest in the world. Mahabalipuram was a very busy port since the 7th century and hence this lighthouse played a significant role in keeping mariners safe.
Two of the most impressive works of art of Mahabalipuram reside in this cave. It has 2 imposing bas-reliefs on the walls. The first one is Lord Vishnu sleeping on top of the coils of a serpent. The other is with Goddess Durga fighting with the demon Mahishasura on a lion.
Our last port of call is the Shore Temple. The magnificent temple overlooks the Bay of Bengal and was an important centre during the reign of the Pallavas when Mahabalipuram was the main port of their Kingdom. Built by King Raja Simha during the early 8th century, the Shore Temple is a landmark in the architectural landscape of India. Marco Polo referred to this as the seven pagodas. The existing temple is the last surviving of the 7 which once stood as a beacon for sea farers.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up from all hotels in Chennai
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(465)
We had a brilliant experience on the 5 Senses Tour, guided by the incredibly knowledgeable Kannan. His depth of understanding regarding the history of the local monuments brought every single stop to life. Rather than just reciting dates, Kannan wove fascinating historical context and rich stories into the day, making the narrative both engaging and easy to absorb. The entire tour was a delight, made all the better by Kannan’s thoughtful service and attentive care. He catered to our pace, made sure we were comfortable throughout, and kept the energy high without ever feeling rushed. What truly stood out was his remarkable flexibility. When we requested a change to the itinerary's final activity, Kannan seamlessly adjusted the schedule to take us to the basilica instead. This turned out to be a wonderful and completely unexpected highlight of our day—a stunning site that we would have missed without his willingness to adapt on the fly. If you are looking for an insightful, well-run, and memorable tour, ask for Kannan. His expertise and warm hospitality made for an unforgettable afternoon.
We had a brilliant experience on the 5 Senses Tour, guided by the incredibly knowledgeable Kannan. His depth of understanding regarding the history of the local monuments brought every single stop to life. Rather than just reciting dates, Kannan wove fascinating historical context and rich stories into the day, making the narrative both engaging and easy to absorb. The entire tour was a delight, made all the better by Kannan’s thoughtful service and attentive care. He catered to our pace, made sure we were comfortable throughout and kept the energy high without ever feeling rushed. What truly stood out was his remarkable flexibility. When we requested a change to the itinerary's final activity, Kannan seamlessly adjusted the schedule to take us to the basilica instead. This turned out to be a wonderful and completely unexpected highlight of our day—a stunning site that we would have missed without his willingness to adapt on the fly. If you are looking for an insightful, well-run and memorable tour, ask for Kannan. His expertise and warm hospitality made for an unforgettable afternoon.
My guides were friendly and shared a lot of information. However the tour felt rushed and simplified. I asked to skip the lunch and I thought that would give me more time to walk and explore but we just ended up back at my hotel early. I recommend simply hiring a basic uber (which is akin to the car I was transported in) and do a self-guided walking tour once you get there. It’s a safe and easy location to see without a guide and then you won’t feel bustled in and out of the car all morning. The signage and QR code info is great and it will cost you a third of the price. Also, you won’t have the awkward but familiar component of the tour when you think you’re going to learn about carving and craftsmanship but actually you’ve been taken ‘to my friends shop’ to buy stuff. Always an unpleasant part of any tour.
When I visited mahabalipuram about 20 years ago I just thought of it simply as a place with beautiful rock carvings. My understanding changed completely after my recent tour to Mahabalipuram with 5 Senses Tours and their amazing tour guide Mr Kannan. The way Mr Kannan explained each and every carving relating them to Hindu Epics and modern theories of evolution with so much detail and passion was truly captivating. It got me to see and appreciate Mahabalipuram in a whole new light. Thank you Mr Kannan and 5 Senses Tours
Mahabalipuram is a Unesco world heritage site. Without a good and knowledgeable guide it would not be easy to appreciate the place. Our guide kannan was an excellent guide knowledgeable in history religion n indian epics which are relevant to understand the place.it was a worrhwhile trip n thanks to kannan
I recently visited Chennai and had a wonderful experience with Kanan as our guide. From the moment we met him, he was friendly, welcoming, and professional. He made us feel comfortable straight away and took great care of us throughout the tour. Chennai is a large and busy city, so having a knowledgeable local guide made our visit much easier and more enjoyable. Kanan showed us a wide variety of interesting places and helped us make the most of our time. The tour was well organised but never felt rushed. We had enough time to look around, take photographs, and enjoy each place properly. Kanan has excellent knowledge of Chennai and explained the importance of the places we visited in a clear and interesting way. His explanations helped us understand more about the city, its history, culture, and people. He was always happy to answer our questions and did so patiently. What impressed us most was his genuine concern for our comfort. He regularly checked that we were enjoying ourselves and adjusted the pace when necessary. He was polite, calm, reliable, and easy to speak with. His friendly personality created a relaxed atmosphere and made the whole experience feel personal rather than like an ordinary organised tour. We also appreciated the variety of places he introduced to us. Each stop gave us a different view of Chennai and helped us appreciate the city more fully. Kanan knew how to balance giving us useful information with allowing us some time to explore independently. Travelling in an unfamiliar city can sometimes be stressful, but Kanan handled everything smoothly. We were able to relax and enjoy the day because we knew we were in safe and capable hands. His local knowledge and experience added real value to our visit. Our time in Chennai was made much more memorable because of Kanan. He is an excellent guide who clearly takes pride in his work and genuinely wants his guests to have a good experience. I would highly recommend Kanan and his company to anyone visiting Chennai. Whether it is your first visit or you simply want to discover more of the city, Kanan will make your tour enjoyable, informative, and comfortable. We were extremely pleased with his service and would gladly choose him again. Thank you, Kanan, for making our Chennai visit so special and memorable.
Our second tour with 5 Senses was another fantastic experience, this time exploring Mahabalipuram. Having enjoyed our Chennai city tour, delighted to have Kannan with us again as our guide. Mahabalipuram was truly spectacular. The carvings and sculptures were the highlight for my friends and I - the detail and craftsmanship were simply amazing to see up close. What made the experience even more enjoyable was having Kannan explain the stories and history behind the different sites and carvings. His explanations and storytelling made even the smallest details fascinating and gave us a much deeper appreciation of what we were seeing. We also appreciated that the day was not rushed. Kannan ensured we had plenty of time to take in the different sites, admire the carvings and enjoy the experience together as a group of friends. Kannan was very accommodating and made sure the day suited our pace and interests and he took very good care of us! 5 Senses once again impressed us with the organisation of the tour. Everything was arranged smoothly, including the transportation and driver, and we could simply relax and enjoy the day without having to worry about the logistics. Having now done two tours with 5 Senses and Kannan, I can genuinely say that both experiences have been excellent. Mahabalipuram was a wonderful addition to our Chennai trip, and I would definitely recommend 5 Senses and Kannan to anyone wanting to explore the history and culture around Chennai.
My second private guided tour with Mr Kannan and he brought the historical significance of the sights to live by combining his knowledge with contemporary references. Thank you!
Excellent tour of many different Chola Dynasty temples -some serene and calm and others busy with festivities and the throng of the faithful. We even saw an elephant in one. Advice - wear beach shoes (flip-flops) that are easy to remove as I was for ever taking my lace-up shoes on and off to enter the temples. Some people gave up altogether and just went barefoot everywhere (as locals did), but if you worry about cleanliness and foot hygiene, then carry some wet wipes to clean your feet prior to putting your shoes and socks back on. It was a lovely day with breathtaking temples and a lovely guide and driver
Amazing tour with very knowledgeable Guide! One of the highlights of our trip. We definitely recommend to friends and family.
