Mahabalipuram Heritage Day Tour: Shore Temple & Five Rathas

Eight centuries of carved granite: temples, reliefs and a boulder that defies gravity

A guided day tour of Mahabalipuram's ancient monuments (the Shore Temple, Five Rathas, Arjuna's Penance and Krishna's Butter Ball) with a live guide in English or French, local lunch at a beachside restaurant, and time to watch artisans at work before sunset at the shore. Children from age 3 are welcome. Bottled water is provided.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Mahabalipuram heritage sites

• Visit Shore Temple
• See the Pancha Rathas
• View Arjuna's Penance
• Visit Krishna’s Butter Ball
• Explore Krishna cave temple
• Explore Durga cave shrine
• Visit Varaha cave temple
• Enjoy local lunch at beachside restaurant
• Experience local sculptors' artistry
• Relax on the beach
• Watch sunset at Shore Temple

The experience

The Shore Temple anchors this tour: an 8th-century stone structure built under the Pallava king Narasimhavarman II, it stands on the Coromandel Coast as one of South India's oldest temples and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From there the day moves through Mahabalipuram's other carved monuments: the Five Rathas, monolithic temples named after the Pandava brothers and carved from a single granite boulder in the 7th century, and Arjuna's Penance, a massive rock relief on two boulders depicting the Descent of the Ganges. Krishna's Butter Ball, a granite boulder that appears to rest impossibly on a slope, sits among these stops as well.

A local lunch at a beachside restaurant breaks the morning of walking and looking. After eating, the tour includes time to watch local sculptors at their work before moving to the beach itself for a rest. The day ends with a return to the Shore Temple for sunset, completing a loop through the site that opened the morning.

Your guide speaks either English or French throughout, and the tour runs two to three hours in total. Bottled water is included. Wear comfortable shoes for walking on uneven stone and bring sun protection for the open-air monuments.

What’s included

• Bottled water.
• a live guide speaking English or French.
• local lunch at a beachside restaurant.
• time to watch local sculptors and relax on the beach.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00

AgesAdult (16 to 49 years) · Senior (50 to 70 years) · Youth (11 to 15 years) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Infant (3 to 4 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Paid on siteUS$ 6.49

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical level

Operated by Madras Horizon

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or French throughout, so you follow the commentary comfortably if either language is your own. If you speak both, you can choose which one suits the group you're traveling with.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 15 years); Child (5 to 10 years); Infant (3 to 4 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Shore Temple and why is it on this tour?

The Shore Temple is an 8th-century stone structure built under the Pallava king Narasimhavarman II and stands as one of South India's oldest temples. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the opening stop of the day, then visited again at sunset to close the tour.

What are the Five Rathas and how were they made?

The Five Rathas are monolithic temples carved from a single long granite boulder during the 7th century under Pallava king Narasimhavarman I. Each ratha is named after one of the five Pandava brothers and their wife Draupadi from the Mahabharata epic, though they are temples, not actual chariots.

What does Arjuna's Penance show?

Arjuna's Penance, also called the Descent of the Ganges, is a massive rock relief carved on two giant granite boulders in the 7th century. It depicts the descent of the sacred river and is one of Mahabalipuram's most detailed carved monuments.

Is there time to relax during the tour, or is it all walking?

The tour includes a local lunch at a beachside restaurant and time afterward to relax on the beach and watch local sculptors at work before the sunset visit to the Shore Temple.