Chennai tour in car with guide-winner of traveller's choice award
Description
Chennai city tour is an unforgettable cultural immersion in the company of an English speaking guide. It is a proud winner of the Traveller's Choice award for 2025, by TripAdvisor out of 8 million listings. The organising company is approved by the Ministry of Tourism. An audio guide is available on request in French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin & other languages. Visit the ancient town of Mylapore which used to trade pepper and fine cloth with Rome for gold. Experience mesmerizing rituals in the 7th century temples of Kapaleeswar. Learn the science behind the rituals and role of temple in modern Indian society. We visit San Thome Basilica to see the relics of St Thomas, who came here 2000 years ago. Ramakrishna Math, a monastic organisation, and Fort Saint George provide a vivid history of how the East India Company came as traders and became the rulers of India. Saibaba temple, Vivenakanada House and Marina beach add up to the unforgettable experience.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We head towards Mylapore an ancient residential neighborhood of Chennai whose history goes back to Roman times when it used to trade pepper and fine cloth with Rome for Gold! We visit the magnificent Kapaleeshwar temple. Built in the 7th century this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built in Dravidian style architecture it has a towering “Gopuram”. Guests can expect a mesmerizing experience of rituals and serenity inside the temple. Our cultural evangelist will demystify the happenings in the temple!
We visit a unique monastic organization called Ramakrishna Math, dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna the 19th century saint. Guests will get to see the universal temple, the shrine, a beautiful Mantapam, a multimedia museum and an enchanting library.
This is a temple dedicated to Sai Baba, the great mystic who united Hindus and Muslims and preached about universal love and brotherhood. The temple is built with white marble and has a lamp which has been lit for more than a 100 years
We visit the famous San Thome Basilica, the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore. We can see relics of St Thomas here. It is one of only three churches in the world that has been constructed on the tomb of an apostle. The other two are St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, and Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain.
Fort St George is the first English Fortress built in 1644 by the East India Company. We will visit St Mary’s Church, the oldest Anglican Church of India. Our cultural evangelist will take you to a quaint museum rich with relics of the colonial times and retell the story of how the East Indian company morphed from a trading company into the ruler of India!
We will explore the memorial for Swami Vivekananda who was a great philosopher. His speeches at the World’s Parliament of Religions held in September 1893 made him famous as an orator by divine right and as a messenger of Indian wisdom to the western world. On Mondays it is closed.
Walk on the Marina Beach, sip in the festivity and learn the legacy of the City through its statues. Get to know why a Bull Fight is close to the heart of Chennaites at Jalikattu memorial. Climb an old Light House for an incredible perspective of Chennai! Note the light house is closed in Mondays.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Dress code is conservative, covering knees and shoulders
Reviews(286)
Hareesh was very nice and the tour was perfectly designed. They also ask you what you want to do in case there are other things you want to see. The car was air conditioned and came with multiple waters. I highly recommend even if you are solo.
This tour was perfect. Well structured, informative and interesting. My guide - Jainath was well informed and brought in lots of interesting trivia. We toured two temples, a museum and marina beach for a half day tour. Great value for money.
Kannan was very knowledgeable about Chennai! I really enjoyed the visit to The Tomb of St. Thomas on the tour!
If you have the time for tour in the great city of Chennai this is the one for you. The tour was incredibly well-organized, covering the history of Chennai and how it came to be. The tour highlights cultural significance of their monuments and good viewpoint of local life. My guide Kannan was the definition of brilliance as he passion for the city was almost profound as his knowledge about the city. He shared fascinating stories behind each landmark,whilst making the experience feel personal and engaging. I truly believe that from various temples, significant landmarks and scenic Marina Beach, every stop provided uniqueness and wasn't handed the same way. I now leave Chennai with deep appreciation and highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to get a taste of this city.t on the full tour with Guide
This was an informative and interesting tour that covered the highlights of Chennai. Our guide Jainath was very knowledgeable and happy to share his insights with us. There is a lot of ground covered and it’s a great starting point to explore the so many historical and cultural sights. Well worth doing.
We had a fantastic experience on the private Chennai city tour for an immersive cultural experience with Five Senses Tours, and I would highly recommend it. Kannan, our guide, was exceptional. He is knowledgeable, engaging, and very attentive throughout the day. What makes him stand out is his ability to explain not only the history but also the everyday cultural context of Chennai in a very clear and interesting way. He is also extremely well organised and ensures that everything runs smoothly while keeping the experience relaxed. The tour itself is very well designed and truly immersive. You cover key highlights of the city such as temples, colonial landmarks, and cultural sites, while also getting a real sense of local life. It feels much more than a standard city tour. The private car setup adds a lot of comfort and flexibility, allowing you to go at your own pace and focus on what interests you most. Everything is handled seamlessly from pick up to drop off. Overall, this is an excellent way to discover Chennai in a meaningful and well organised way. A big thank you to Kannan and the Five Senses team for delivering such a high-quality experience.
I don't usually do guided tours but Ganesh was a lovely guide! It was a very comfortable way of seeing the top sites of the city with some glimpses of what everyday life looks like in Chennai. There are a lot of different cultural elements to the tour, from religion, to fisherman's neighbourhoods and some good local food and snacks. Definitely glad I had the chance of squeezing all of this in my 24 hours in Chennai.
Really friendly and interesting time spent with Hareesh . He brought all the sights to life with stories and cultural insights and a natural enthusiasm. He was responsive in including our interests during the day. Would highly recommend this tour.
We were picked up from our hotel at the appointed time. Our guide , Kannnan , gave us a thorough introduction to the city of Chennai. It was a wonderful private tour covering the major temples , churches and museums and other sites. Kannan was a great guide- he took care in explaining the history of the temples and ensured we were comfortable at all times. We never felt hurried. We even had time for a leisurely lunch. Would definitely recommend!
Our day tour with Kannan and Ardil was excellent. The temples were beautiful and Kannan ensured we felt welcome and also taught us how to respectfully enjoy this cultural experience. Lunch was a culinary journey and we very much enjoyed Kannan’s company throughout. Ardil is a five star driver. I highly recommend 5 senses.
