Planning a South India temple trip? IRCTC’s 12-day package starts at Rs 24,100

Travelling across some of South India’s most popular temples usually means arranging multiple trains, hotels and local transport. IRCTC’s Dakshin Bharat Yatra Ex Sikar brings these arrangements together in a single Bharat Gaurav special tourist train package.

The 11-night/12-day journey begins from Sikar on October 21, 2026, and ends on November 1. The tour covers five major destinations — Tirupati, Rameshwaram, Madurai, Kanyakumari and Markapur.

Boarding will also be available at Jaipur, Ajmer, Bhilwara and Chittorgarh.

Five major temple destinations on the route

The tour includes visits to the Lord Venkateshwar Swamy Temple in Tirupati, Sri Ramanath Swamy Temple in Rameshwaram, Meenakshi Temple in Madurai and Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Temple in Markapur.

In Kanyakumari, passengers will get time for sightseeing, including the Rock Memorial, Gandhi Mandapam and Sunset Point.

What the 12-day journey looks like

The train leaves Sikar at 7 am on October 21, with scheduled boarding stops at Jaipur, Ajmer, Bhilwara and Chittorgarh before heading south.

October 22 is primarily a travel day. The train passes through major stations including Ratlam, Bhopal, Itarsi, Nagpur, Balharshah and Gudur.

On October 23, passengers are scheduled to reach Renigunta at 10 am before being transferred to their accommodation in Tirupati. The following day is reserved for darshan at the Lord Venkateshwar Swamy Temple.

The journey then moves to Rameshwaram, where passengers will visit the Ramanath Swamy Temple on October 26. On October 27, the group heads towards Madurai for a visit to Meenakshi Temple before continuing to Kanyakumari.

After sightseeing in Kanyakumari on October 28, the train heads towards Markapur. The Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Temple is the final major religious stop on October 30.

The return journey begins thereafter, with the train scheduled to reach Sikar around 7.30 pm on November 1.

How much does the IRCTC package cost?

The Economy Sleeper package costs Rs 24,100 per adult, while the Standard 3AC option is priced at Rs 37,810. The Comfort 2AC package costs Rs 50,290 per adult.

For children aged 5-11, the fares are Rs 22,715, Rs 36,175 and Rs 48,330, respectively.

What does the package include?

The fare covers the Bharat Gaurav train journey, accommodation, transport, sightseeing, vegetarian meals, travel insurance, security and applicable taxes.

Economy passengers get non-AC accommodation and transport, while Standard 3AC includes AC rooms with non-AC buses. Comfort 2AC includes both AC accommodation and AC buses.

Passengers should note that monument entry fees, boating, adventure activities, local guides, room service, tips and personal expenses are not included.

IRCTC has also stated that the itinerary and timings are tentative and may change depending on train operations. The tour will operate subject to the required minimum number of bookings.