
Pondicherry – Mahabalipuram – Pichavaram Mangroves
fromEx. Pondicherry Bus stand / Train station
It’s time to walk barefoot on the beach. It’s time for a colorful trip to “a corner in India that is forever French”, Pondicherry.
- Reviews 0 Reviews0/5
- Vacation Style Holiday Type
- Activity Level Challenging
- Group Size Medium Group
Hello Explorers!
How about a fun trip with full of action & swag? How about serene beaches, colorful streets, a bit of history, lots of tasty food, all in a refreshing coastal setting of Pondicherry?
Being a French colony in India for more than 350 years, the memories of French history are still felt in the streets of Pondicherry with its colorful buildings, clean surroundings, and laid back lifestyle. It has a diverse set of things to offer for tourists.
On this mini backpacking trip, we will head to the beautiful beaches (Promenade, Serenity, Paradise), take a dip in the Sea, visit colorful streets of French colony with colonial architecture, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Museum, the heritage village of Auroville – an experimental township where people from different countries live together in peace. We will also taste deserts in French bakeries, try street food and indulge in shopping close to White Town, a famous colony in the heart of Pondicherry.
After Pondy, we will give a visit to Mahabalipuram that is famous for monuments, chariots, ruins & an ancient temple overlooking Bay of Bengal.
Finally, we will also go on a day trip to Pichavaram Mangroves that is considered one of the largest mangrove forests in the world & go on an exciting boat ride through the back waters.
Come join us on this mini backpacking trip to 3 unique destinations in India.
Highlights of the Pondicherry Trip:
- The French Colony walk
- Serenity Beach Dip
- Pondicherry Museum, Aurobindo ashram
- Auroville “Golden Globe” visit
- Paradise Beach Dip
- The ruins & temples of Mahabalipuram
- Pichavaram Mangroves
- Evening at Promenade (Rock Beach)
- Lots of shopping
- Social gatherings & night party.
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Travel to/from Pondy:
- Trip starting/ending point: Pondicherry
- Trip starting time: 8AM on Day-1
- Trip Ending time: 8PM on Day-3
- Pickup/Drop will be arranged at Bus & Train station of Pondicherry as per above fixed timings.
Travel within Pondy:
- Local Travel by Sumo/Innova/Eeco/Tempo or similar tourist vehicles.
Stay:
- Deluxe Homestay on shared basis.
- AC Rooms with beds (separate for men and women)
- Attached washrooms with hot water facility.
Food:
- 3 Breakfasts are included.
- Lunches & Dinners are self-sponsored.
- Please check Inclusions, Exclusions of Pondicherry trip below for complete list of things included in your trip cost.
Things to carry for Pondicherry:
- Original Driving License and another Photo ID card (Aadhar, Voter ID)
- Toiletries, moisturizer, light towel, lip balm, wet wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste etc.
- Cap/Hat (to avoid getting tanned)
- Sunglasses (to keep your eyes fresh)
- Power bank, charger, camera (if you wish to)
- Proper water bottle for your trip.
- Disposable garbage covers (to separate used/unused, dry/wet clothes)
- Your personal medications, if any
- Pair of water wear to take a dip in the Beach
- Carrying a handwash/sanitizer/tissues will help during the trip
- Carry a lil bit of cash for food, shopping and misc. expenses
- Don’t carry expensive items. You are responsible for your own belongings.
What’s next after booking your trip:
- A Whatsapp group shall be created on the trip day and Vehicle & Trip Leader details will be shared.
- This trip involves traveling with strangers and night stays (if any). Please be mindful that:
- It is mandatory to share your personal information with the team along with a copy of your government approved ID card.
- You will need to share your co-traveler(s) details if you have booked more than one seat.
- Live location of the vehicle will be sent in the group once it starts at the first point.
Seasonal Variations:
- Sept to Feb: Pondicherry has a pleasant climate after monsoons until the beginning of summer. Peak season comes towards the end of the year. Note that there will be seasonal cyclones in the Bay of Bengal a couple of weekends towards Oct/Nov which we cannot predict in advance. Based on the weather forecast at that time, we may have to cancel a trip or two in those months.
- June to Aug: Monsoon months are a good time to visit Pondicherry for a leisurely trip. But getting in the Sea would be risky because of the high tide.
- Mar to May: It gets hot and humid in the summer months. There are other better places to travel in these months like Sakleshpur, Coorg, Chikmagalur, etc.
- AC accommodation on sharing basis
- Local Travel in Pondy, Mahabalipuram, Pichavaram
- 3 Breakfasts
- Entry tickets everywhere
- Local guide at Mahabalipuram
- Pichavaram Mangroves Boating
- Trip Captain
- Fixed Pickup/Drop from Bus stand / Railway station
- A lot of entertainment..!!
- Lunches, Dinners, Party expenses
- Any adventure sports or rides
- Any misc. expenses not mentioned in the inclusions above.
Terms & Conditions
- The itinerary is fixed. No special requests to change itinerary/schedule shall be entertained. Do not give advice(s) to the Trip Leader(s) to change the itinerary.
- Cooperate with the organizer(s) in following the schedule set for the day (especially getting up and getting ready in the morning). This will ensure travelers won’t miss out on the real fun part that is traveling.
- Every traveler is responsible for his/her for your own safety. Don’t indulge in any illegal or silly activity that causes harm to you or fellow travelers.
- Do not wander into the forest away from the designated trail for treks. There may be snakes, scorpions, and dangerous animals.
- Unexpected situations: It may happen we do not cover all the places mentioned in the itinerary because of unpredictable reasons like bad weather, landslides, wild animal presence, abrupt blocking of sites by the police/forest department, delay in travel because of an issue with our group itself, traffic conditions, etc. In most cases, if the time permits, the organizer(s) will take travelers to an alternative place. But in some cases, we may have to skip a place altogether.
- Absolutely no littering. We swear to protect our environment.
- No alcohol & smoking during travel, treks, and other outdoor activities. There would be a separate window and space (usually at night) to have these at the campsite/homestay for interested people.
- Travelers are expected to respect each other and help each other. Avoid discussing sensitive matters like sex, politics, and religion/caste/race.
- Using foul or abusive language, eve-teasing, arguing with fellow travelers/organizer(s), and/or involving in the physical assault will not be accepted and will stand a chance of being deserted by the group then and there.
- The event will stand canceled if less than 8 travelers signed up for the trip/trek which will be informed 24 hours before the trip start time.
- Every traveler is expected to sign a liability/waiver form given by the organizer(s) after boarding the vehicle. This liability form will discharge Muddie Trails of any unexpected incident like injury/death/theft etc.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation by Traveler
- 80% refund/100% postponement if you inform about your cancellation before 48 hours of the event start time. An email has to be sent to muddietrails@gmail.com to raise a cancellation request.
- No refund/postponing is allowed within 48 hours of the event start time whatever is the reason (Health, Accident, Covid, Family crisis, Office issue, or anything else).
- No refund/postponing is allowed for partial payment – booking fee – which is done to book your slot.
- No refund during/after the event.
Cancellation by Muddie Trails
Muddie Trails may decide to cancel the event if there are less than 8 travelers signed up for the trip/trek.
What if we don’t get the minimum number of people for the trip?
We have 2 options in this case:
Option 1: Complete refund.
Option 2: Switch to any other trip of the same weekend or future weekends. The difference amount will be collected from you or paid back according to the new trip cost.
Cancellation due to external factors
Muddie Trails may have to cancel the event in case of external factors that are beyond our control like Natural Disasters, Extreme Weather Conditions, Red Alerts, Political Disturbances, Bandh/Curfews, Local Issues, Road Blocks, Train cancellations, Covid-19 or any other disease outbreaks etc.
In these scenarios:
- No Refund is allowed.
- 100% trip amount can be used for any other new trip of the same weekend or future weekends. The difference amount will be collected from you or paid back according to the new trip cost.
- Once you confirm your participation on the new trip, all the above Cancellation policies will apply for the same.