Top Chennai Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises

Get a primer on Pallava-style architecture on this full-day private tour to Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram. Benefit from personal attention and the ability to travel at your own pace while visiting the Ekambareswar and Kailasanathar temples, then a local saree weaver. Moving on to the port of Mahabalipuram, see the Five Rathas, the shore temple, and Arjuna's Penance, learning about them through guided commentary.

Gallic culture and history is alive and well in the old French colony of Pondicherry, a short day trip from Chennai. With this day tour, you'll not only get to walk through the historic old city, but you'll also get to visit Auroville, a gargantuan international community that has been bringing generations of people from around the world to live together in harmony since it was founded in the 1960s.

Explore Chennai's Mylapore neighborhood with a local guide and learn about the rituals of daily life, hear stories of gods and demons, and gain a deeper understanding of local customs and traditions. This popular walking tour showcases the highlights and the history of this incredible city and is not to be missed.

Visit the Taj Mahal and make it back to Chennai in time for bed with this whirlwind trip to India's most celebrated monument. You'll get up bright and early and fly up to Delhi, where you'll be ferried by private car straight to Agra. After a morning visit to the Taj Mahal, you'll get the chance to see one of the city's other main attractions, the UNESCO World Heritage Agra Fort, with a little time for shopping thrown in before returning to Chennai.

Chennai is full of old heritage buildings, from ancient Pallava-era temples to colonial-era churches and public buildings constructed under British rule. This tour takes you to some of the most interesting structures, from the 7th-century Kapaleeswarar Temple to the 20th-century Ripon Building, all in the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle.

Travel by private, climate-controlled vehicle to Mahabalipuram, the seaside Tamil Nadu city famous for its UNESCO-listed rock-cut caves and monuments. See impressive, three-dimensional illustrations of the Mahabharata—India’s national epic—cut from colossal stones, and marvel at the ancient coastal Shore Temple. Tours include complimentary hotel pickup and drop-off in Chennai.

Escape the kinetic energy of urban Chennai on this private daylong tour of Pondicherry. Gain insider’s insight into the spiritual heritage of this region with a stop at Sri Arubindo Ashram and learn more about its colorful cultural heritage on a visit to Pondicherry Museum. Listen in as your personal guide shares stories and trivia about its French colonial past, and search for hints of this ancient rule in the language, food and people of the region. Finally, journey to Auroville, where you’ll visit the domed Matrimandir temple where Integral yoga is practiced and learn more about the spiritual community that surrounds it.

Mahabalipuram is an ancient port town known for its 6th-century rock-cut temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore exquisite stone statues on this exclusive city tour, which gives an in-depth overview of sites like the famous Five Rathas, a set of Dravidian rock temples, and the Sea Shore Temple, an 8th-century granite shrine facing the Bay of Bengal. Round out the day with visits to DakshinaChitra, a “living museum” dedicated to showcasing South Indian culture, and the Madras Crocodile Bank.

Explore the highlights of Chennai on a full-day private tour of the city. See the St. George Museum, St. Mary Church, San Thome Church, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, and the Government Museum, and get photo ops of architectural gems like the Central Railway Station, Parry's Corner, and the High Court.

See the eclectic marketplaces and colorful bazaars on this memorable walking tour of Chennai. Explore George Town and uncover the stories of daily life and local people as you listen to your friendly local guide share historical legends and old folklore. You'll navigate the crowded markets and narrow lanes as you experience the life of a local on this interactive and engaging tour that's not to be missed.

Explore a medieval kingdom’s capital and visit its renowned sari makers on this all-day tour. After a convenient pickup from your Chennai hotel, travel by private vehicle or your own motorcycle to Kanchipuram. Stop by two architecturally significant 7th-century temples before immersing yourself in the craft of sari-making. Meet a weaver and see how traditional looms are used to transform mulberry threads into gorgeous garments.

Experience the splendor of the Taj Mahal and its surrounding historic monuments with this private two-day tour from Chennai, complete with airfare and hotel lodging. During the course of your trip, you'll not only get to see the Taj Mahal, the nearby Agra Fort, and the Taj-view gardens of Mehtab Bagh, but you'll also have plenty of time for shopping for local handicrafts.

Chennai is home to some of India's most beautiful examples of Dravidian temple architecture, and you'll get to see some of the city's finest with this tour of sacred and religious sites. Highlights include the Kapaleeshwarar Temple (Mylapore), which dates back some 300 years and the even older Sri Parthasarathy Temple (Triplicane), which was first established way back in the 8th century.

Experience authentic Chennai on this amazing walking tour of the old town with our fun and entertaining storytellers. This walking tour will give you a great induction of the city, its history, its vibrant culture, and its people with lots of wonderful stories about the city, fun facts and must do things in the city. Our walks are blend of historical elucidation and curious anecdote laced with mildly scurrilous talk about past and present celebrities and defunct royals. We will cover some of the city highlights along with hidden places and forgotten nooks of the old city during the walk.

Expore the Pallavas Grand architectural masterpiece on this full day tour from Chennai. Kanchipuram is a spectacular temple city known as city of thousand temples which reflects the Glorious Traditions of South India with its noted temples. Then experience UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Mahabalipuram group of Monuments, which was carved out of rock along the Coromandel Coast in the 7th and 8th centuries rathas (temples in the form of chariots), mandapas (cave sanctuaries), giant open-air reliefs such as the famous Descent of the Ganges, and the Shore Temple, with thousands of sculptures to the glory of Shiva

The coastal town of Mahabalipuram makes an ideal day trip from bustling Chennai, but organizing admission fees and transportation to explore independently takes up valuable sightseeing time. On this tour, reach Mahabalipuram in comfort by private vehicle—with entry fees and round-trip transportation from your Chennai hotel included. Explore the Cave temples and rock sculptures with your guide to lead the way, and gain insight into Mahabalipuram’s fascinating 7th-century history.

Kanchipuram, known as the “City of a Thousand Temples,” is one of India’s seven holy cities. Visit five different temples on this convenient day trip from Chennai, which includes round-trip transportation in a comfortable, private vehicle. Get a peek at local masterpieces, including a thousand-pillared sculpted hall and buildings from the Pallava and Vijayanagar dynasties, all in one whirlwind visit.

Visit the Arignar Anna Zoological Parkon a private full-day tour from Chennai. The zoo is home to about 170 species of mammals, reptiles and birds, along with a variety of plant life, including rare species including the Bengal tiger, white tiger, European brown bear, and Muscovy duck. This private tour makes it easy to take in one of the largest zoos in South Asia, and includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Chennai.

First time in Chennai? Make the most of a private guide and flexible itinerary on this 4-hour sightseeing tour. Unveil the secrets of Chennai’s rich history and heritage as you tour the fascinating Government Museum and admire the 17th-century Fort St George. Then, keep your camera poised as you drive along the scenic Marina Beach and visit the stunning Kapaleeshwar Temple.

Spend your day exploring Chennai's cultural hub of Mylapore, with this day tour. Your morning will be spent visiting the iconic 7th-century Kapaleeshwar Temple and the San Thome Basilica, followed by a traditional South Indian lunch in a local restaurant and visit the shrine at Ramakrishna Math, followed by a visit to the 17th-century Fort Saint George before returning to your hotel.

This tour is led by a cultural evangelist who will bring alive the cultural heritage of Chennai through Marina. Marina Beach is where the pulse of Chennai can be gauged. Soak in the atmosphere and meet the city's people. While the statues tell the history of the city, the beach itself is where common people gather to voice their opinion on issues to those in power.

Visit the beaches and gardens of Chennai, and discover the natural side of this bustling Indian city on this sightseeing tour. Following a pickup at your Chennai hotel, spin to pretty Besant Nagar Beach and admire sweeping views over the coastal scenery. With a guidebook to lead the way, enjoy the peace and tranquillity of exploring the Huddleston Gardens and the local music scene at the Kalakshetra Dance School independently.

Kanchipuram—the city of a thousand temples—is famous for its Hindu shrines and silk-woven saris. Enjoy a full-day journey to the ancient temple town on this guided private tour from Chennai. Learn the histories behind some of the city’s most sacred sites and thriving heirloom industry, and admire dazzling garments made from pure mulberry silk and gold thread.

Visit one of India’s most impressive, contemporary-built temples on this full-day tour of Sri Lakshmi Narayani Golden Temple, with round-trip transportation from Chennai. Explore a unique architectural wonder, landscaped in the shape of a five-pointed star and covered in real gold foil. Tours include hotel pickup and drop-off, plus stops at Jalakandeswarar Temple and Vellore Fort.