ONE DAY TRIPS FROM CHENNAI
Planning a Day Trip from Chennai?
Home the Same Night.
Tell us where and how many. Your driver collects you from your door, paces the day so everyone from the children to the elders keeps up, and has you home by night.
Chennai Travels runs one day trips from Chennai by private car to Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Pondicherry, Tirupati, Srikalahasti, Thiruthani and Tiruvannamalai, plus a Chennai one day tour package for city sightseeing. Most trips leave between 5 am and 8 am and bring you home the same night. Fares start at ₹3,600 per car for a sedan to Vellore.
Why take a day trip from Chennai by private car?
Because a temple day runs on darshan times, not bus timetables. Most people planning a one day trip from Chennai are taking parents or grandparents to Tirupati, Kanchipuram or Tiruvannamalai, and the worry is the same: a late start, a long queue, elders tired by noon and a drive home in the dark.
Chennai Travels has planned one day tour packages from Chennai since 2009. Your driver knows when each temple opens, where the group can stop for lunch and rest, and which roads to avoid, so the day runs on time without you managing it. Families rate Chennai Travels 4.7 stars from over 100 Google reviews.
Travel without worry: your pickup is confirmed the night before, and one coordinator stays on WhatsApp all day.
Comfort every mile: a private AC car for your family or group, sanitised daily and sized for the elders and the luggage.
A fare you can trust: a written quote with what is included before you travel, and the rate quoted is the rate charged.
Which temple day trips can you take from Chennai?
Eight temple day trips leave Chennai: Kanchipuram, Vellore Golden Temple, Kanchipuram with Vellore, Tirupati, Srikalahasti, Thiruthani, Tiruvannamalai, and Tiruvannamalai with Vellore. Each one day temple trip from Chennai is paced around darshan times, with lunch and rest stops so elders can keep up.
Kanchipuram
Kamatchi Amman, Varadharaja Perumal, Vaikunda Perumal, Kailasanathar and Ekambareswarar temples, with time for silk shopping.
From ₹4,500 per car
Vellore Golden Temple
Ratnagiri Murugan temple, Vellore Fort and museum, Jalakandeswarar temple and Sripuram Golden Temple. Planned for families and senior citizens.
From ₹3,600 per car
Kanchipuram and Vellore Golden Temple
Kanchipuram temples in the morning, lunch on the way, Vellore Fort and Sripuram Golden Temple in the evening.
Fare on request
Tirupati
Tirumala darshan and back the same night.
From ₹8,000 per car
Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu temple
Two departures a day, so you can pick the pooja slot that suits you.
From ₹5,000 per car
Thiruthani
The Murugan hill temple, one of the Arupadai Veedu, back before dinner.
From ₹4,500 per car
Tiruvannamalai
Arunachaleswarar temple and Ramana Ashram.
From ₹5,200 per car
Tiruvannamalai and Vellore
Arunachaleswarar temple and Ramana Ashram, then Sripuram Golden Temple on the way home.
Fare on request
Which shore and heritage day trips can you take from Chennai?
Five shore and heritage day trips leave Chennai: Mahabalipuram, a Mahabalipuram half day, Mahabalipuram with Kanchipuram, Pondicherry, and Mahabalipuram with Pondicherry. Early starts get you to the monuments before the crowds and the midday heat.
Mahabalipuram
DakshinaChitra, Crocodile Park, Muttukadu boat house, Kovalam beach, Shore Temple, Arjuna’s Penance, Five Rathas and Krishna’s Butter Ball.
From ₹4,500 per car
Mahabalipuram half day
Crocodile Park, Shore Temple, Five Rathas, the lighthouse, Arjuna’s Penance and the Butter Ball, back in Chennai by 2 pm.
From ₹4,500 per car
Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram
Mahabalipuram monuments in the morning, lunch, then Kamatchi Amman, Ekambareswarar and Kailasanathar temples.
From ₹5,500 per car
Pondicherry
Auroville Matrimandir, Aurobindo Ashram, Manakula Vinayagar temple, the museum, the promenade and Chunnambar backwaters.
From ₹7,500 per car
Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry
The shore monuments on the way down, Pondicherry by afternoon, home the same night.
From ₹7,500 per car
How much do one day tour packages from Chennai cost?
Fares start at ₹3,600 per car for a sedan to Vellore and ₹4,500 for Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram or Thiruthani. Fares are per car for the whole day, not per person; the table shows the lowest fare for a sedan (up to 4) and an SUV (up to 6).
| Trip | Sedan (up to 4) | SUV (up to 6) | What the fare covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanchipuram | ₹4,500 | ₹5,800 | Car, driver, fuel, parking |
| Vellore Golden Temple | ₹3,600 | ₹5,000 (Innova) | Car and driver with fuel |
| Kanchipuram and Vellore Golden Temple | On request | On request | Car, driver, fuel |
| Tirupati | ₹8,000 | ₹9,200 (Innova) | All inclusive transport |
| Srikalahasti | ₹5,000 | ₹5,500 (Innova) | Fuel, driver batta, tollgate, parking and state permit |
| Thiruthani | ₹4,500 | ₹5,800 | Car, driver, fuel, parking |
| Tiruvannamalai | ₹5,200 | ₹7,100 (Innova) | Car, driver, fuel and tollgate |
| Tiruvannamalai and Vellore | On request | On request | Car, driver, fuel |
| Mahabalipuram | ₹4,500 | ₹5,800 | Car, driver, fuel, parking |
| Mahabalipuram half day | ₹4,500 | ₹5,800 | Car, driver, fuel, parking |
| Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram | ₹5,500 | ₹6,500 | Car, driver, fuel, parking |
| Pondicherry | ₹7,500 | ₹9,000 (Ertiga) | Car, driver, fuel |
| Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry | ₹7,500 | ₹9,000 (Ertiga) | Car, driver, fuel |
Entry tickets, temple pooja tickets and meals are paid on the day. Larger groups: Pondicherry trips run in a tempo traveller from ₹13,500 and a 21 seat AC mini coach from ₹18,000; for other trips, tell us the head count on WhatsApp. Chennai Travels confirms every fare in writing, and the rate quoted is the rate charged.
How do you book a day trip from Chennai?
Step 1
Tell us where, when and how many
On WhatsApp, day or night.
Step 2
Get your written plan and fare
Vehicle, timings and what the fare covers, in writing.
Step 3
Travel
Pickup confirmed the night before; your coordinator stays on WhatsApp all day.
What time do day trips leave Chennai?
Most trips leave between 5 am and 8 am. Tirupati leaves at 6 am to reach Tirumala in the morning and is back in Chennai by late evening. Srikalahasti has a 5 am and a 12 noon departure. Mahabalipuram trips start a little later, at 7 am or 8 am, because the drive is shorter. Your pickup time is confirmed the night before.
Will the driver wait while you are at darshan?
Yes. The car and driver are yours for the whole day, so the driver waits at the temple however long the queue takes. Every Chennai Travels driver is background verified and trained, and never uses the phone while driving.
Can you see two places in one day from Chennai?
Yes. Four pairs fit comfortably in a day: Kanchipuram with Vellore Golden Temple, Mahabalipuram with Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram with Pondicherry, and Tiruvannamalai with Vellore. Tell us which temples matter most and we plan the order around darshan times.
Is there a one full day Chennai city tour by bus, like the TTDC Chennai darshan bus?
Yes. Tamil Nadu Tourism (TTDC) runs shared Chennai city sightseeing buses, often called the Chennai darshan bus; ticket prices, timings and pickup points are set by TTDC and booked on its website. The bus follows a fixed route and timetable shared with other travellers.
If you would rather keep your own pace, a private car runs on your clock; see the Chennai local sightseeing packages below.
Which Chennai sightseeing and local tour packages can you book?
Our Chennai local sightseeing package is a private AC car for your family from 8 am to 6 pm: Marina Beach, Kapaleeswarar Temple, Egmore Museum, Vadapalani Murugan Temple and Elliott’s Beach, from ₹4,500 for up to 4. See the Chennai one day tour package or all Chennai tour packages.
What do you pay on the day?
Entry tickets, temple pooja or special darshan tickets, and meals are paid on the day at the counter. Ticket prices are set by each temple and monument and change from time to time, so check at the counter or ask your coordinator on WhatsApp.
Pick the place. We'll plan the day.
Without a plan, a temple day becomes a late start, a long queue and tired elders on the drive home. With one, your family has darshan on time, eats and rests well, and is home the same night.