Kumbakonam Tour Packages from Coimbatore

How far is Kumbakonam from Coimbatore?

Kumbakonam is about 310 km from Coimbatore by road, roughly 6.5 hours in a private car. The town is in Thanjavur district, about 40 km from Thanjavur, so most trips pair the two. Our driver picks you up in Coimbatore and stays with you through the temple circuit.

Why do people visit Kumbakonam?

The town has roughly 188 Hindu temples within its limits, hence the name Temple City. It also hosts the Mahamaham festival every 12 years, which drew over 4 million pilgrims in 2016. The main temples inside the town are:

• Adi Kumbeswarar. The oldest Shaivite shrine in the town.
• Sarangapani. The largest Vaishnavite shrine, with a twelve-tiered gopuram.
• Nageswaraswamy. A Shiva temple with a separate shrine to Surya.
• Ramaswamy. Known for the Ramayana scenes on its walls.

The town is also known for Kumbakonam degree coffee, a filter coffee made with undiluted milk, and for brass, bronze and copper vessels.

What are the Chola temples near Kumbakonam?

Darasuram, about 3 km from the town, has the Airavatesvara Temple, built by Rajaraja II and completed in 1166. It is part of the UNESCO Great Living Chola Temples group, listed in 2004 with the Brihadisvara temples at Thanjavur and Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

The temple is classed as a chariot temple, with carved wheels and horses on the front hall, and has steps near the bali-pitham known as the singing steps because they produce musical notes. Gangaikondacholapuram (also written Gangaikonda Cholapuram), built by Rajendra Chola I in 1035, is about 70 km from Thanjavur and is the third temple in the same UNESCO group.

Which temples are the Navagraha temples?

The nine planetary temples sit in villages around Kumbakonam. The temples are spread over three districts and one Union Territory, so a car makes the circuit practical. The list:

The Navagraha Temple Tour from Coimbatore covers all nine in 3 days. Swamimalai, one of the six abodes of Murugan and known for bronze casting, is also close by and appears in the Arupadai Veedu Tour Package.

What does a Kumbakonam tour package cost?

Plans start at ₹11,200 per person. One price covers the AC vehicle, driver, fuel, toll, parking and a 3-star hotel. Meals, entry tickets and personal expenses are extra.

The price moves with group size, hotel category and festival dates. Send your dates to +91 86101 62373 and we confirm the hotel in the quote.

When is the best time to visit Kumbakonam?

January to March is the comfortable stretch for walking temple corridors. Summer temperatures reach about 40 °C, and most of the town's rain falls in the north-east monsoon from October to December. Winter nights fall to about 20 °C.

Combine with Thanjavur, Chettinad or Madurai for a longer circuit, or browse Tamil Nadu tour packages for the full list.

What is the Mahamaham festival?

Mahamaham is held in Kumbakonam every 12 years and draws pilgrims from across India. The 2016 edition drew over 4 million people. If you plan around it, confirm the dates with the temple authorities.

What else is in Thanjavur district?

The Thanjavur district tourism page lists Swamimalai, known for handicrafts, the Papanasam temples built by Chola kings, the Thirukarukavur Karparakshambigai temple on the Vettaru riverbed, Schwartz Church built in 1779 beside the Siva Ganga tank, and the Thanjavur Palace, about 1 km from the Brihadisvara temple. The Thanjavur Kumbakonam 3 Days Tour Package combines the Thanjavur sights with Kumbakonam.