Private Chennai Day Tour - Art History and Contemporary Chennai
Description
Discover Chennai on our exclusive private day tour led by accomplished, highly educated cultural custodians with backgrounds in History, Architecture and Fine Arts. This comprehensive tour of Chennai takes you to all the highlights of Chennai - Fort St George, Egmore Museum, St Thomas Basilica, St Georges Cathedral, Kapleeshwar Temple and more. We will engage you in lively conversations and debates about Chennai's history, share interesting facts and anecdotes, and also explore the contemporary importance and pulse of the metropolis. Whether you're keen to delve into history, explore bustling markets, or savor authentic cuisine, this tour promises memories to last a lifetime. Please note: 1) The two museums usually part of the tour are closed on Fridays and other special holidays. We will visit alternate sites depending on your interests on such days 2) Lunch is not included. You must pay for your lunch as well as for the guides lunch.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The first stop is on the private tour of Chennai is Fort St George, the first fort built by the British in India, completed in 1639. This is where the story of Chennai started. The fort houses an interesting Museum and St Mary's Church, the oldest Anglican Church in India. It is this fort that enabled the British to take over the "jewel of the British empire", India.
The Santhome Basilica was originally built by the Portuguese in 15 CE. The cathedral today is a magnificent building in the Neo Gothic style. Portuguese tradition has it that St. Thomas arrived and preached in Chennai between 52 A. D. and 72 A. D. It is believed that it is here that St Thomas was buried - making it one of the 3 churches in the world built on top of a grave of an Apostle.
The Kapaleeshwarar temple is an ancient "living" temple - a temple which is still in daily use. The age of the temple is the source of much debate. The commonly held view is that it was built in the 7th century CE by the ruling Pallavas.
Slow drive past the Marina beach - one of the longest urban beaches in the world. There are many colonial era buildings on the facade and you will be engaged in lively conversations about them
We will drive by a fishing market. Deep sea fishing is not done using big trawlers, but by the use of small boats. Everyday, fishermen venture into the sea and come back with catch, which is then sold on the beach
St Georges cathedral is a magnificent church built by the British in 1815 using a lottery fund. St. George's occupies an important place in the history of Protestant Christianity in India. The church has some amazing stained glass windows, as well as very interesting memorials, tablets and statues. We will also take a walk in the churches graveyard - one of the oldest Anglican graveyards in India. As eerie as it sounds, it is not, and is rather fascinating. Some grave stones really have stories to tell here!
The Egmore Museum is one of the finest and oldest museums in India. The bronze sculpture gallery is an highlight and has on display some of the greatest ancient sculptures ever made.
Pondy Bazaar is a thriving market, and we will walk through
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
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Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Tour is of low intensity, but does require some amount of walking on uneven surfaces.
Reviews(24)
The tour was minimal hassle (hotel pick-up and drop-off), comfortable (airconditioned private car), and informative (tour guide is informative and experienced). We learned a lot from the friendly guide and had a great time seeing a mix of Indian and British historical sites, including museums.
I have been in Chennai many times for business but never had the time to see parts of the city. This tour gives you a great overview of Chennai. I can highly recommend it and also thanks to our tour guide Ramesh who did a fantastic job.
Chandan is an expert guide and historian of Chennai and India. He is one of the best tour guides I have met with one of the best driving and backing I have seen in a while.
Haha, thanks for the review Richard! But let’s not forget I couldn’t back into that parking spot that day, there wasn’t enough space! Thank you being patient while I tried and for being an excellent customer!
I had an amazing Chennai City Tour experience with my guide Ramesh. He was really helpful, offering great explanations about Southern Indian culture and religion. Also he make up for weekly close of Fort St George Museum, visiting the beautiful Daksxhina Chitra. My best ratings!
I didn’t realise it was a private tour. Guide was very well informed and I got an awesome history lesson. Saw the highlights as I had to catch a plane later that afternoon
Chandon provided me with just the day I was hoping for, punctuated by wonderful, stimulating and thoughtful conversation. Don't hesitate to engage him!
Chennai is a culturally rich environment with major Hindu and Christian sacred places and important British colonial relics. My visit offered an excellent introduction to them all. The guide was quite knowledgeable and a pleasure to travel with. A really delightful day!
I went on the Mahabalipuram tour with my two children ages 9 and 12. Chandan interacted wonderfully will the children and made the tour fun. The area was beautiful and Chandan was very knowledgable about the sculptures and stories. We will be returning to Chennai and look forward to booking another tour!
It was unfortunate that the museum was closed because it was booked on Friday, We enjoyed the Wildlife Preserve and Takhini Hot Spring tour. We also took some time to take pictures. It was great to take a lot of photos. I am very grateful to my guide, SK. Thank you very much.
Fantastic and immersive day tour of Chennai My wife and I recently took a day tour of Chennai and it was an incredible experience! Our guide, SK, was knowledgeable, friendly, and ensured we made the most of our time. The tour covered all the major attractions, including the Kapaleeswarar Temple, Fort St. George, and the Marina Beach. We also got to try some delicious local cuisine at a popular restaurant. We also travelled in a comfortable SUV. What impressed me most was the guide's ability to share insightful stories and anecdotes about Chennai's history and culture. It made the tour feel more immersive and engaging. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Chennai. It's a great way to experience the city's rich heritage and vibrant culture in a day .
