Chennai (Madras) Tours
Mahabalipuram Private tour from Chennai by car with guide and lunch by Wonder
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Mahabalipuram Private tour from Chennai by car with guide and lunch by Wonder

By Wonder Tours
Recommended by 96% of travelers
96% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 18-78
Duration: 7h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English, French
More
Written guide
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
: English
More


  • Professional tour guide
  • Lunch
  • Entrance charges
  • Pick and drop to Chennai hotel
  • Entry/Admission - Trimurti Cave
  • Entry/Admission - Pancha Rathas
  • Entry/Admission - Arjuna's Penance
  • Entry/Admission - Krishna's Butter Ball
  • Entry/Admission - Shore Temple
  • Entry/Admission - Varaha Cave Temple
  • Entry/Admission - Pancha Pandava Cave
  • Entry/Admission - Mahishasuramardini Cave
  • Entry/Admission - Mahabalipuram
  • Entry/Admission - Mahabalipuram Lighthouse
What's not included
  • Personal expenses
  • Gratuities
  • Beverages


Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
    Pickup details
    • Our tour guide will meet and pick up you from all hotels in Chennai.
    Hotel pickup offered
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
      Airport pickup offered
      During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included airports.
      • Chennai Airport, Chennai (Madras) India
      Port pickup offered
      During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included ports.
      • CHENNAI PORT, 37MV+M95, Chennai Port Trust, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600001, India
      End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

        • Not wheelchair accessible
        • Near public transportation
        If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 107256P8

        • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
        • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
        • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
        • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
        • Most travelers can participate
        • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
        • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

        • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

        If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 107256P8

        From
        $99.00
        $94.05
        per adult (price varies by group size)
        Select date and travelers

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        About the operator
        Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
        • Wonder Tours
          317
          India
          Joined in November 2018
        • T1377LVharryl
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Fabulous!!
          Yummy food tour with our guide rajesh. We visited the busy bazaar area and local food stalls with our guide. One of the best food tour.
          Written January 31, 2025
        • Reshisam1969
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great day out in Pondicherry
          We had a brilliant trip to Pondicherry. Rajesh was very knowledgeable and took us to very interesting places and to get some great South Indian food. Both Rajesh and Siva were extremely professional for the whole day and made it a great experience!
          Written January 31, 2025
        • N4386INlauriek
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Fabulous
          Fabulous walking tour with our guide rajesh at busy market area.We visited multiple shops in this tour which was amazing.
          Written January 27, 2025
        • 303bhavinp
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great food tour!
          We had an excellent time doing this food tour. The food was delicious and varied, and establishments clean and safe. Rajesh our tour guide was brilliant, with great background knowledge of the local area and the venues we visited. 5 stars!
          Written January 24, 2025
        • Vivian P
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Highly recommend this tour
          I really enjoyed being driven around Chennai. Got to see so much in one day. Rajesh is very well educated on the sites and very easy to get along with. Highly recommend this tour.
          Written January 18, 2025
        • emmadabell
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Amazing trip around Chennai
          Amazing half day trip learning about the history of Chennai. My guide, Nanda, was super knowledgeable and friendly. When we visited religious sites, he was very clear about behaviours, attire, etc, which I would never have known had I visited without a guide. I also had the BEST masala dosa ever!
          Written January 16, 2025
        • stephaniekC2651XV
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Mylapore with Rajesh
          We really enjoyed this tour with our guide Rajesh. We visited the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, the Saint Thomas Cathedral Basilica, and the Sriramakrishnamarmath Temple. Rajesh was very knowledgeable and friendly.
          Written January 10, 2025
        • paichunma
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          A great day tour around Chennai
          We were in Chennai for 3 nights, and we booked this tour in the last minute in the first evening for the next day. Thank Rajesh, our tour guide, for his flexibility, so we had the chance to enjoy this wonderful tour. Rajesh has a MBA degree in tourism management, and certainly knows his trade very well. He is very knowledgeable about each attractions, Not only he could explain every attraction in detail, he was also able to answer our curious questions. Besides, he was very accommodating to our pace, and took us to a very nice restaurant for lunch. Both chicken and mutton biryani were very tasty. We also had mango lassi and coconut smoothie, and they were all included in the price. Overall, this is a wonderful tour that perfectly fits our schedule. We would highly recommend it.
          Written January 6, 2025
        • I717AQlisad
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Awesome tour
          We had awesome tour with our tour guide at Pondicherry. He was just great. Really made me and my husband feel like we'd known him forever. He was witty, very funny and super knowledgeable.
          Written January 3, 2025
        • Neelima C
          0 contributions
          3.0 of 5 bubbles
          Unexpected tour of Pondicherry
          I want to preface my review by saying the communication with the company was excellent before the tour. We asked for flexibility in the tour schedule and they did a fantastic job of meeting our needs! They were very easy to communicate with through email and WhatsApp. Our actual tour was not what we expected of our day. We thought there would be more information shared by the guide throughout the experience. He seemed like a very nice man but he wasn't responsive to our need for knowing more information about things. For example, we thought we would get more information about the architecture or history during the French heritage walk. He was very flexible in making the itinerary work for our needs. We loved the huge banyan tree at the ashram because we had never seen a Banyan tree with multiple roots before.
          Written December 28, 2024
        • Expedition42012
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great tour of South India
          We went on a week’s tour of South India visiting Chennai, Pondecherry, Velankanni, Munnar and Kochi with Wonder Tours. Extensive discussions took place upfront with Rajesh, who had great ideas and was very helpful in finalising our itinerary. He was also very flexible when minor changes needed to happen. We were driven in a Toyota Innova, which was very comfortable. Both drivers, Dhandabani and Senthilkumar, were very experienced and safe drivers as well as very pleasant. In each city Rajesh arranged experienced local guides. We would certainly recommend Wonder Tours.
          Written December 21, 2024
        • alexaV3013JP
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Mylapore wonders
          The walking tour was amazing and professional especially the tour guide rajesh was excellent in the explanation and very patient with us.
          Written December 19, 2024
        • 150petersons
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Highly recommended!
          This tour is highly recommended for the people who need to try flavor of Chennai in short time.Our guide brought us to the coffee shop which was fantastic.
          Written December 19, 2024
        • 150petersons
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Excellent tour
          Excellent tour with our guide and driver.Both places are great and accommodation is decent.Our guide was friendly and more knowledgeable.
          Written December 19, 2024
        • H6280YHsaral
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great service
          We contacted Wonder tours for our visit to Tamilnadu.They provided great transportation and great guides in the entire trip.We will recommend Wonder tours.
          Written December 15, 2024
        See all 317 reviews
        These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

        Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

        Popular mentions

        5.0
        5.0 of 5 bubbles85 reviews
        Excellent
        78
        Very good
        4
        Average
        2
        Poor
        1
        Terrible
        0

        Richard J
        Sheffield, UK1,731 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Jan 2025 • Couples
        This is advertised as a full day tour from Chennai. As there seemed to be no other tours advertised for those staying in accommodation closer to Mahabalipuram we still chose this tour.
        The pick up was efficient and timely and we were conveyed promptly to the archeological site. The driver introduced us to an official guide who was helpful, spoke good english, and provided a comprehensive tour over the main sites.
        The organisers of this tour might wish to advise clients in advance that if they have accommodation close to Mahabalipuram then maybe a different itinerary could be possible.
        This tour did offer "what it says on the tin" as is said in th UK.
        Written January 13, 2025
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi We are happy that you enjoyed your Mahabalipuram tour. It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing Multi-day tours in North and South India.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours
        Written January 16, 2025
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Jacob
        3 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        A day trip to Mahabalipuram from Chennai offers a fascinating glimpse into ancient Indian history and architecture.Our guide Basha and Rajesh done a great job
        ! The journey, just an hour's drive away, is well worth it. Mahabalipuram is renowned for its stunning rock-cut temples and sculptures, including the Shore Temple and the Pancha Rathas, which showcase exquisite craftsmanship. The beachside setting adds to the charm, providing a scenic backdrop to explore these historic wonders.
        Written August 5, 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi We are happy that you enjoyed your Mahabalipuram tour . It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing Multi-day tours in North and South India.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours team
        Written August 6, 2024
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Tim H
        New York City, NY2 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Sep 2024 • Couples
        We recently visited Mahabalipuram, and it was a captivating experience. The day began with exploring the iconic Shore Temple, an architectural marvel with its stunning seaside views. The Pancha Rathas were impressive, each intricately carved and unique. We also enjoyed the breathtaking Arjuna's Penance, a grand bas-relief showcasing intricate storytelling.Our guide has done great job.
        Written September 10, 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi We are happy that you enjoyed your Mahabalipuram tour . It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing Multi-day tours in North and South India.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours team
        Written September 12, 2024
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Douglas F
        Lewes, DE109 contributions
        3.0 of 5 bubbles
        Oct 2022
        The trip was advertised to visit nine sites. We ended up seeing the Shore Temple, the Five Rathas, Arjuna's Penance, the Cave Temple of Krishna Mandapa, and Krishna's Butter Ball. We didn't see any of the others listed on the tour. The tour was also listed at 7 hours, but for some reason our tour was only five hours door-to-door. We left at 9:30, travelled one hour to Mahabalipuram, spent three hours seeing the sites and having lunch, a one hour return trip and we were back at our hotel by 14:30. There was no explanation given regarding the short tour or the missing sites.

        For the price of this tour, we could have used our hotel and driver in a BMW7, had tour guides, and toured for eight hours. Most of the tour also included a cramped and crowded vehicle that included the driver, the main tour guide, the site tour guide, and my wife and I in a compact vehicle. Not sure why there were two tour guides necessary.

        All in all, it was good to see the sites that we did, but we were shorted on the tour in both time and the sites that we were shown.
        Written October 16, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi, Thank you for your review. We are delighted you enjoyed Mahabalipuram tour.We also appreciate you feedback on duration. Due to rain, we reduced the time for our guests safety and we use travel manager to organize entire trip and local guide for detailed explanation about the place.It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing Multi-day tours in all over India.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours team
        Written October 17, 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Vania K
        Seattle, WA76 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        We had the best time exploring Mahabalipuram with Rajesh and Basha! I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed Mahabalipuram as much if I had explored on my own. Basha was extremely knowledgeable about the area, and the tour was both insightful and fun. You could tell that he was prepared to go into much more detail if requested, both from a historical perspective and from Hinduism perspective. He answered all our questions with the authentic knowledge and enthusiasm of someone who grew up living in the area.

        Throughout our tour, Rajesh and Basha thoughtfully made sure we were comfortable. It was a super hot day, and we didn’t heed their advice to go early in the day. They made sure we had plenty of shade and water, and accommodated when some people in our party decided to retreat back to the clean, air conditioned bus.

        We had plenty of time to explore on our own, and both Basha and Rajesh were more than happy to offer being the photographer for our group. The cherry on top was the amazing lunch we had on our way back to Chennai. We got to choose from an extensive menu and our hearty meal was served on a banana leaf. It was probably my favorite meal in India and there’s no way I would’ve found this restaurant without the tour. From the way Rajesh and Basha chowed down the lunch, you could tell they took us to a place they genuinely liked!

        I highly recommend Wonder Tour as a great way to explore the area with local guides.
        Written August 25, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi Vania , Thank you for detailed review. We are happy that you enjoyed your Mahabalipuram tour. It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing South Indian Multi-day tours in Tamilnadu,Pondicherry, Karnataka and Kerala.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours team
        Written August 26, 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Karen
        New York City, NY51 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        It is an amazing UNESCO world heritage site that you need to see. People watching of the pilgrims with their red and yellow colors makes it even more interesting.

        Rajesh and Wonder Tours arranged a tour that was both comfortable and informative. We were picked up at our hotel by a thoughtful and good driver. Basha was the guide at the site who was knowledgeable and clear, answering all questions. We were driven from one area of the site to another. All were well explained and we had plenty of time to take pictures and explore. At the site we had a favorite coconut juice treat.

        After the site we had a delicious South Indian lunch where Rajesh made every effort to accommodate everyone’s diets and tastes. Then full of wonder at the site and with contented stomachs we were driven back to our hotel.

        See Mahabalipuram and do it with this tour that makes you comfortable, informed and well fed!
        Written January 9, 2023
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi We are happy that you enjoyed your Mahabalipuram tour. It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing Multi-day tours in North and South India.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours team
        Written January 15, 2023
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Gregory F
        2 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Jul 2024 • Solo
        The Mahabalipuram private tour from Chennai was simply amazing. Rajesh S. and Akadhar B. coordinated the tour and provided comprehensive details of all temples and artifacts. Both are hard working and kind people who focused on making sure I had the best experience possible.

        In addition, the trip was flawless with prompt pick-up and drop-off times and simply some of the most beautiful sites. I would request Akadhar and Rajesh on future trips.
        Written July 17, 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi We are happy that you enjoyed your Mahabalipuram tour . It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing Multi-day tours in North and South India.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours team
        Written July 22, 2024
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Peter W
        Sydney, Australia1 contribution
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Jun 2023 • Couples
        I am grateful for having this tour and it was more than a pleasure. I recommend this tour 100% if you are Chennai no matter if you staying longer or short term! Rajesh took me to all the interesting places and gave me so many insights.You will learn a lot you wouldn't without the local guide showing you around.Great breakfast and lunch!!
        Written June 17, 2023
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi We are happy that you enjoyed your Mahabalipuram Private tour . It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing Multi-day tours in North and South India.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours team
        Written June 21, 2023
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Agnes N
        London, UK2 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Mar 2023 • Couples
        Rajesh is an excellent very knowledgeable guide.Also we used local guide Basha at
        Mahabalipuram.He is also kind and helpful and has a great sense of humour. The day went really fast! I highly recommend the tour!!
        Written March 4, 2023
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi We are happy that you enjoyed your Private Mahabalipuram tour. It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing Multi-day tours in North and South India.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours team
        Written March 4, 2023
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Saaliya D
        Kerobokan Kelod, Indonesia5 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        So easy and reassuring to book with Wonder Tours online. They called me immediately after I booked to let me know everything is confirmed. Much assuring when everything seems to be online. The your itself was brilliant, well planned, easy going and flexible. The guides, Rajesh and Swaminathan were extremely courteous, friendly and knowledgeable, especially with when it’s all about historical and heritage sites!! I’ll definitely be using Wonder Tours again with my family this time, thanks Wonder Tours for the memories.
        Written January 22, 2023
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi We are happy that you enjoyed your Mahabalipuram tour. It was our pleasure to hosting you. We are doing Multi-day tours in North and South India.We are waiting to do more tours with you and it definitely gives you a Wonderful experience. Cheers, The Wonder tours team
        Written January 24, 2023
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        …
        Showing results 1-10 of 83
        *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

        Mahabalipuram Private tour from Chennai by car with guide and lunch by Wonder provided by Wonder Tours

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