Overview
The East Coast Trail is a motorcycle tour from Chennai to the Coromandel Coast. Ride a Royal Enfield Classic along the scenic coast from Chennai to Kanyakumari the southernmost point of the Indian mainland. You will be visiting the World Heritage site of Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry, mangrove forest in Pichavaram, ancient temples in Chidambaram, a forgotten Danish port of Tranquebar, Rameshwaram where a train runs over the sea, Madurai the temple town, and Kanyakumari to witness the confluence of 2 seas and an ocean!
Highlights
- Starts and ends in Chennai
- Spend the day exploring these 7th century rock cut monuments of Mahabalipuram
- Visit the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram
- Take a stroll at the Karaikal beach
- Ride to Tranquebar, a forgotten town which used to be a trading post of the Danish
- Continue to Rameshwaram, the town with India’s first Sea bridge
- 7 nights accommodation + breakfasts
- Escort rider / guide
Itinerary
Day 1: Chennai to Mahabalipuram (60 km / 37 miles)
Mahabalipuram is an ancient town and was known to be a trading post during Roman Times. The legendary Marco Polo referred to Mahabalipuram as the city of 7 pagodas. You will spend the day exploring these 7th century rock cut monuments.
Day 2: Mahabalipuram to Karaikal (225 km / 140 miles)
After breakfast you explore the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram and then ride 225 km to reach the beach town of Karaikal. In the evening you will take a stroll at the Karaikal beach.
Day 3: Tranquebar and Rameshwaram (300 km / 186 miles)
You ride to Tranquebar, a forgotten town, which used to be a prosperous trading post of the Danish in the early 17th century. You spend half a day experiencing a heavenly beach, magnificent specimens of Danish architecture, a church where the first Bible was printed in Tamil language and the 400-year-old Fort Dansborg. You then ride to Rameshwaram, the town with India’s first sea bridge.
Day 4: Rameshwaram to Kanyakumari (300 km / 186 miles)
In the morning you will visit the Ramanathaswamy temple. It is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Next you will visit Danushkodi, a thriving town destroyed by a tsunami. It is one of the best white sand beaches of India. You will also explore India’s first sea bridge. This railway bridge runs over the raging Indian Ocean!
Day 5: Kanyakumari, where India ends!
Today you will stay the entire day in Kanyakumari. This is the southernmost point of India. You will visit the place where you can see the confluence of 3 great water bodies - Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean.
Day 6: Kanyakumati to Madurai (250 km / 155 miles)
You ride to the temple town of Madurai. In the evening you will visit the magnificent Thirumala Nayakar Palace, built by the Nayak Kings in 1636. The highlight of the day will be the Meenakshi Temple. Over the last 2500 years Madurai Meenakshi Temple has been the lifeline of the City of Madurai.
Day 7: Madurai to Pondicherry (335 km / 208 miles)
The french town of Pondicherry beckons you today. You will ride 335 km from Madurai to reach Pondicherry. In the evening you will take a walk through the famous promenade of Pondicherry facing the lovely Bay of Bengal.
Day 8: Pondicherry to Chennai (165 km / 103 miles)
In the morning you will visit the Ashram of Sri Aurobindo the saint and philosopher, and the most famous citizen of Pondicherry. A french heritage walk follows this. You will also visit Auroville, the unique global village, where thousands of people from across the world have given up their nationalities and are living as global citizens. You ride 165 km to reach Chennai.
Ride Details
- Bike
- rental bike (Royal Enfield Classic)
- Mileage
- 1,635 kilometers / 1,016 miles
- Daily rides
- 60 - 335 kilometers / 37 - 208 miles
- Meals
- breakfasts
What's included
- Royal Enfield motorcycle rental
- Escort rider / guide
- Hotel for 7 nights with breakfast
- Entrance charges
Not included
- Airport transfers
- GST
Accommodation
On this tour, you will be accommodated in various hotels. Please note that hotels will be booked depending on availability.
Getting There
On this motorcycle tour from Chennai along the East Coast, you will ride through scenic beaches all along the Coromandel Coast including the famed beaches of Pondicherry, Tranquebar, Karaikal, Rameshwaram, and Kanyakumari. [+](https://www.tripaneer.com/5-senses-tours/8-day-east-coast-trail-guided-motorcycle-tour-from-chennai-to-kanyakumari-in-india# "Zoom in") [−](https://www.tripaneer.com/5-sense
