Travel Itinerary Help: Madurai - Rameswaram and Tiruchirapalli

[drdoddapaneni]

Hey guys,
We want to go on a 4 day trip to Tamilnadu,basically to see the temples in Maduarai,rameswaram,thiruchirapalli and tajavur.On the last day,we want to spend atleast half a day in Chennai.The distance from my home place to Thiruchirapalli is 737 Km,so it will take almost 12 hours to reach Trichy.My tentative paln is like this.
Day 1 - Reach Trichy by 7 or 8 pm.Night halt at Trichy.
Day 2 - Visit temples in trichy and tanjavur and if possible reach Rameswaram by night.Night halt at rameswaram.
Day 3 - Visit Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi,and travel to Madurai as early as possible.Night halt at madurai.
Day 4 - Depending on the darshan at meenakshi temple,leave Madurai early morning or at 10 am to chennai.night halt at Chennai.
Day 5 - Leave from chennai to my home place which is a 6 hour drive.

Must see temples are Meenakshi temple,Rameswaram temple,Tanjavur big temple and Ranganatha swamy temple,Trichy.Is my plan good?Are there any changes that's going to help me in saving some time? My concerns here are,
1) Can I reach rameswaram on day 2 after seeing temples in Trichy and Tanjavur?
2 ) Can I get back to chennai from Madurai before 3pm?
If this schedule is hectic,then please suggest me any alteratives?
I am travelling with my wife,my son and my mother in law.I am the only driver.Thank you.

 

[furious_driver]

Re: Help regarding travel itinerary,madurai,rameswaram and tiruchirapalli

I suggest you to go to Madurai from Trichy. Trichy to Madurai is hardly 3 hours. This way you get some rest as well as visit temples in and around in Madurai, and if possible, you can leave early to Rameshwaram, which is again just 4 hour drive.

So the change in your itinerary will be.
Day 3 - Visit temples in and around Madurai. Visit Meenaksi temple just in the morning to have good and pleasant experience. Evenings will be chaotic inside and out. Also, once you are done with here, straight away go to Thirupparankundram temple. Then Try to visit Palamudhir temple.

Day 4 - Start to Rameshwaram at early morning, which is as I said just 4 hour trip. You can reach Rameshwaram temple before lunch and visit Danushkodi by afternoon. Once done with that, rest for some time and start to Chennai.

Day 5 - Take enough rest, and start from Chennai around afternoon.

This is just my suggestion. But overall your plan look tightly doable. You haven't give enough time if you ask me.

 

[drdoddapaneni]

Re: Help regarding travel itinerary,madurai,rameswaram and tiruchirapalli

Thanks for the reply,but I need to finish my trip in 4 days.I have to start from Chennai on Day 5 at 5 am atleast.I need to see only Meenakshi temple in madurai.
Day 2 ,I can go to madurai from trichy as you suggested. On Day 3 after finishing darshan early at meenakshi temple I can go to rameswaram and dhanushkodi and finish the sightseeing on day 3 itself.But the problem is it's a long drive from Rameswaram to chennai on day 4,so I want to reach chennai at least by 4pm to do some shopping.Please suggest if there are any alternatives.Thank you.

 

[furious_driver]

Re: Help regarding travel itinerary,madurai,rameswaram and tiruchirapalli

As you said,
On Day 3 - visit Meenaksi Temple in morning, start from Madurai to Rameshwaram before lunch. You can easily reach there by 2-3pm, then go ahead with sight seeing. Try to visit Dhanushkodi first and you can visit temple next morning.

Day 4 - Once done with temple, start ASAP in the morning, so you can reach Chennai by evening. Throughout Rameshwaram to Chennai is GQ road, and you can easily cruise between 100-110 without any fuss. Most probably you will reach by 5pm. Do your shopping and get some good rest.

Day 5 - Get the hell out of Chennai as early to avoid the stupic traffic jams, and you are on your way to Andhra!

 

[Stormerider]

Re: Help regarding travel itinerary,madurai,rameswaram and tiruchirapalli

Tanjavur has many famous temples to visit. If you planned to visit only Pragatheeswarar temple, your plan will work out nicely. In Trichy you have two famous temples in the banks of river Kaveri. Thirvanikaval and Sri Rangam temples. Both are within the radius of 5 kms. Also you can see Kallanai. Tanjore to Rameshwaram, it is completly 2 lane road and not sure with the road condition. If you reach Rameshwaram on day 2, thrid day you can make it relaxed based on activities you planned there. We can take bath in 22 theerthams. Again roads to madurai were 2 laned. Madhurai temple will open at 5.00Am. Usually there wont be much croud during this time. You can finish you darshan before 6.00AM. Even you start by 8.00 AM from madurai, you can reach chennai by 3.00PM.

 

[drdoddapaneni]

Re: Help regarding travel itinerary,madurai,rameswaram and tiruchirapalli

As you said,
On Day 3 - visit Meenaksi Temple in morning, start from Madurai to Rameshwaram before lunch. You can easily reach there by 2-3pm, then go ahead with sight seeing. Try to visit Dhanushkodi first and you can visit temple next morning.

Day 4 - Once done with temple, start ASAP in the morning, so you can reach Chennai by evening. Throughout Rameshwaram to Chennai is GQ road, and you can easily cruise between 100-110 without any fuss. Most probably you will reach by 5pm. Do your shopping and get some good rest.

Day 5 - Get the hell out of Chennai as early to avoid the stupic traffic jams, and you are on your way to Andhra!

Thank you for the reply.One other option is to go to rameswaram on day 3 from madurai and again come back to madurai by night if possible.In that way I can save 1-2 hours time on day 4.ofcourse it depends on the temple timings in Rameswaram.
One more question is if I don't have a place to stay in rameswaram,where should I keep my car when we go to dhanushkodi by jeep?Is there any safe parking place? thank you.

 

[drdoddapaneni]

Re: Help regarding travel itinerary,madurai,rameswaram and tiruchirapalli

Tanjavur has many famous temples to visit. If you planned to visit only Pragatheeswarar temple, your plan will work out nicely. In Trichy you have two famous temples in the banks of river Kaveri. Thirvanikaval and Sri Rangam temples. Both are within the radius of 5 kms. Also you can see Kallanai. Tanjore to Rameshwaram, it is completly 2 lane road and not sure with the road condition. If you reach Rameshwaram on day 2, thrid day you can make it relaxed based on activities you planned there. We can take bath in 22 theerthams. Again roads to madurai were 2 laned. Madhurai temple will open at 5.00Am. Usually there wont be much croud during this time. You can finish you darshan before 6.00AM. Even you start by 8.00 AM from madurai, you can reach chennai by 3.00PM.

Thanks for the reply.Yeah,we are planning to see only brihadeeswara temple in Tanjavur.In trichy as you mentioned srirangam temple is the only one we are interested.

 

[msjawahar]

Can any one tell me the road condition from Rameshwaram to Pondicherry through the ECR ?

 

[Stormerider]

Can any one tell me the road condition from Rameshwaram to Pondicherry through the ECR ?

ECR road is good to go. Only two laned roads. But we can trust and go.

if you are planning to take the following route, then it is completly two laned road. And not sure with road condition after the current rain. Last time when i travelled it is good -> bad. It means it is mixed.

Route 1 :

Pondichery -> kadaloor -> Chidambaram -> Sirkali(Sirkazhi) -> Vaitheswaran Koil -> Thirukadaiyur -> karaikal -> Nagapattinam -> Velankanni -> vedaranyam -> Muthupettai -> Adiramapaatinam -> Jamaliya -> Ammapatinam -> Thondi -> Devipattinam -> Ramanathapuram by pass -> Mandapam -> Rameshwaram.

You will cover many good temples before you come out of Tanjore dist.

 

[msjawahar]

Thanks for your update. Im planning to travel from Kanyakumari. I will be coming via TIrunelveli, Tuticorin, Rameshwaram, Velankanni & Pondy. While returning I will be coming to Villupuram and drive in the 4 lane road back to Kanyakumari. Its gonna be a solo drive in Fiesta.