Madurai Sightseeing Tour from Rameswaram

A full day in Madurai

Madurai lies about 170 km from Rameswaram, roughly three and a half to four hours by road each way. That leaves a good part of the day for sightseeing, but not enough of it to cover everything the city holds - which is why we offer a few different plans rather than one fixed list.

Each plan below is built around the Meenakshi Amman Temple, which almost every visitor wants to see, and then goes in a different direction depending on what matters most to your family.

Choose your plan

The places these plans cover

Meenakshi Amman Temple

The temple at the centre of the city, dedicated to Meenakshi and Sundareswarar. Its towering gopurams, the Hall of Thousand Pillars and the Golden Lotus Tank are the reason most visitors come to Madurai. The temple closes for a few hours around midday, which is why every plan above places it first.

Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal

A seventeenth-century palace built by King Thirumalai Nayak, a short distance from the temple. What survives is chiefly the great colonnaded courtyard and the audience hall, with their heavy pillars and stucco work.

Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple

The first of the six Arupadai Veedu, the sacred abodes of Lord Murugan, on the south-western edge of the city. The main shrines are cut into the rock of the hillside.

Pazhamudhircholai Murugan Temple

The sixth of the Arupadai Veedu, set in wooded hills north of Madurai. It is the smallest and quietest of the six, and the drive up to it is part of the visit.

Alagar Kovil (Kallazhagar Temple)

A Vishnu temple in the Alagar hills a short way from Pazhamudhircholai, which is why the two are usually visited together. It is central to the Chithirai festival, when the deity is carried down to the Vaigai river.

Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam

One of the largest temple tanks in Tamil Nadu, with a mandapam at its centre. It is a short stop rather than a long visit, and it is at its best when full.

Gandhi Memorial Museum

Housed in a seventeenth-century palace building, the museum holds among its exhibits the dhoti Gandhi was wearing when he was assassinated. Worth an hour if your plan allows it.

At a glance

Distance from Rameswaram	About 170 km each way
Driving time	Roughly 3.5 to 4 hours each way
Trip length	Full day
Vehicle	Car or tempo traveller with driver, depending on your group size
Plans available	Four - see above, or tell us what you would like to cover
Fare	Quoted on enquiry; may differ slightly for a later return

Planning your day

If you are unsure which plan suits you, the simplest guide is this. Plan A if this is your first visit to Madurai and you would like an unhurried day. Plan B or C if there is one particular temple you have come for. Plan D only if you are following the Arupadai Veedu and want both abodes in a single day.

You are not held to any of them. If you would rather swap a place, drop one to spend longer at Meenakshi, or add somewhere that is not listed, tell us when you enquire and we will build the day around it.