It is never too early to start planning and saving for a trip to India, especially if it is your first time.
I am using the tour company I used for my trip to Rajasthan this year because I was so happy with their customer service and they have come up with an amazingly awesome itinerary. It is so amazing that even I, an 8 time traveler to India, am impressed!
I am planning this trip for September 2015 when the hotels are less expensive and the timing gives prospective travelers one year to save. A friend told me she saves every $5 bill she receives for her vacation fund. It all adds up!
Also, as I did with my yoga retreat trip in 2013, a portion of what you pay will be donated to The Banyan women’s shelter in Chennai, India. Go on this trip and you are helping women. Compassion in action.
Where possible we will have time for Yoga and meditation as well as discussions regarding our experiences. We will have one guide throughout the entire trip. You will have ample time for the usual sightseeing and shopping. Travel between towns will be via a comfortable bus. The complete trip will be 15 days with the first and last days being for arrival and departure. Final pricing yet to be determined however I estimate the final price to be under $3,000, excluding your airfare to Chennai.
You can Google all of these cities to learn where you will be going!
The bottom line:
1. if you come on this trip it will be a trip of a lifetime;
2. you will help women in a women’s shelter in Chennai, India;
3. it will be the trip of lifetime
IF NOT NOW, WHEN?
NOTE: O/N = OVERNIGHT IN A CITY
DAY 01 : Arrive Chennai. O/N stay at Chennai.
DAY 02 : Leave Chennai to Kancheepuram (75 kms / 02 hrs), visit Ekambaranathar Temple (element of Earth) & Kailasnatha Temple (shiva temple). O/N stay Kancheepuram.
DAY 03 : Leave Kancheepuram to Tiruvannamalai (130 kms / 03 hrs). Visit Arunachaleshwarar Temple (Element of Fire), circumbulate Arunachala Mountain
O/N stay at Tiruvannamalai.
DAY 04 : At Tiruvannamalai visit Sri Ramana Mahrishi Ashram. O/N stay at Tiruvannamalai.
DAY 05 : Leave Tiruvannamalai to Pondicherry (100 kms / 0230hrs drive). O/N stay at Pondy.
DAY 06 : Visit French quarters (old part) of Pondicherry & Auroville International village.
DAY 07 : Leave Pondicherry to Kumbakonam (180 kms / 04 hrs drive), enroute visit Chidambaram Sri Nataraja Temple (Element of Sky), and later continue to visit Gangai konda Cholapuram (Shiva temple). O/N stay at Kumabakonam.
DAY 08 : At Kumbakonam, visit Kumbeshwarar temple (Shiva), Swamimallai Temple (Murugan), Darasuram Iravateeshwarar Temple (Shiva). O/N stay at Kumbakonam.
DAY 09 : leave Kumbakonam to Trichy (110 kms / 03 hrs drive), enroute visit Tanjore Sri Brahadeeshwarar temple (Shiva) and Tanjore Palace with Art Gallery. O/N stay at Trichy.
DAY 10 : At Trichy, visit Rock Fort Mountain temple (Ganesh), visit Srirangam Ranganathaswami Temple (Vishnu), Thiruvaanaikovil Sri Jambukeshwarar Temple (Element of water). O/N stay at Trichy.
DAY 11 : Leave Trichy to Karaikudi (90 kms / 02 hrs), on arrival visit Chettinadu village well known for their architecture and Chettinadu food and where group can witness the Chettinad cooking demonstration at the hotel.
For more info of Chettinadu, please visit http://www.srmuniv.ac.in/downloads/chetinad.pdf
O/N stay at Chettinadu.
DAY 12 : Leave Karaikudi to Rameshwaram (150 kms / 0330 hrs drive), O/N stay at Rameshwaram.
DAY 13 : At Rameshwaram for full day visit of Sri Ramanthaswami temple. O/N stay at Rameshwaram.
DAY 14 : Leave Rameshwaram to Madurai (175 kms / 04 hrs drive), visit of Tirumalai Nayak palace and Sri Meenakshi temple with rituals. O/N stay at Madurai.
DAY 15 : Full day free for independent activities and connect evening flight at Madurai airport to Chennai.
Linda's Yoga Journey 
hola linda, ive just spent 3 days reading your whole blog from start to finish – wonderful. thank you im a wee scottish wifie living in the north of spain and my yoga has been influenced by both paul grilley and the lovely mr. schiffman – on dvd – i think of it like having the best teachers in the world in my living room-. i had a wonderful teacher called mooie scott in scotland in the 90s whose own teachers has studied with vanda scaravelli – and when i moved to spain i just never found anyone like her so started practising my own freestyle! it coincided with internet really taking off and one of the first sites i foundand loved was the shiffman forum, my husband bought me the grilley anatomy and yin yoga dvds just on a hunch that same christmas – bless! and here i am all these years later im an english teacher/massage therapist and since 2004 have had the great privilege of translating for dr. peetambar mishra every year on his travels in europe teachinhg yoga and ayurvedic massage- he lives in varanasi and one day i hope to get there. he´s not a big famous yogi just a wee guy carrying on his family tradition- im 52 next month so took great inspiration from the fact that
you made your first journey at around my age – why am i telling you this !! no idea – just that thanks didnt seem to be enough- take care keep on keepin on loveandpeacexxx
l
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thanks so much for reading! and I would LOVE to visit Spain!
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