In Tapovanam, Tulabaram is available only from 10-10:45 AM. Crowded on weekends & can take more time. Be there by 9:30 AM. Puja will end by 10-10:15, after which Tulabaram can be done. Call ahead with the approximate weight, so that they have the approximate weighing scale. They offer Rice (Arisi), Sugar (Sakkarai), Vellam (Jaggery).
Minimal 1Day 1: Chennai to Trichy, Kumbakonam, Thajavur or Srirangam. Stay.
Day 2: Anbil, drive to Tapovanam. Stay. Sights en-route or detour to Koothanur.
Day 3: Pada Puja & Tulabaram. Drive back.
Minimal 2Day 1: Chennai to Tapovanam. Stay.
Day 2: Pada Puja & Tulabaram. Drive to Anbil. Darshanam in the evening. Stay.
Day 3: Drive back. Sights en-route or detour to Koothanur.
Minimal 3
Day 1: Chennai to Srirangam. Stay.
Day 2: Anbil Darshanam in the morning. Koothanur Darshanam in the evening. Stay in Vaitheeshwaran Kovil.
Day 3: Drive to Thapovanam.
Day 4: Pada Puja & Tulabaram. Back to Chennai.
Minimal 4
Day 1: Drive to Koothanur. Stay in Kumbakonam.
Day 2: Wake up early. Drive to Anbil. Darshanam. Drive to Thapovanam.
Day 3: Pada Puja & Tulabaram. Drive back.
Minimal 5
Day 1: Chennai to Tapovanam. Stay.
Day 2: Pada Puja & Tulabaram. Drive to Srirangam. Stay.
Day 3: Drive to Anbil. Darshanam. Drive to Koothanur in the evening. Darshanam. Drive back. Arrive late night.
Minimal 6
Day 1 (Sat): Chennai to Thiruvarangam Perumal Kovil (open whole day). To Thapovanam, check in to Ashramam. Visit Thirukkovilur in the evening: Veerataneshwarar Shivan, Ulagalantha Perumal. Visit Siddhalinga Matam. Back to Thapovanam. ~ 260 km
Day 2 (Sun): Pada Puja & Tulabaram. Drive to Srirangam. If time permits, Srirangam Kovil, Thiruvanaikkaval Kovil. Stay. ~200 km
Day 3 (Mon): Anbil Darshanam in the morning. Koothanur Darshanam in the evening. Thirunallar Darshanam. Stay. ~170 km
Day 4 (Tue): Back to Chennai. Possible visit to Thiruvengadu and/or Pichavaram. ~300 km
East Coast & Eastern Ghats drive: 1 month
East Coast north to south:
Day 1: Chennai to Vandalur zoo, Muttukadu boat house (water sports), crocodile bank. Stay in Mahabalipuram.
Day 2: Drive to Vedanthangal bird sanctuary, Mudaliar Kuppam: water sports, Pondicherry (Puducherry).
Day 3: Pondicherry: Chunnambar boat house (water sports), Paradise beach (ATV ride, fish spa, water sorbing, bungy trampoline, gyro ride, Canoeing, Kayaking, Swimming, Jet Skiing, surfing)
Day 4: Pondicherry: Ousteri Lake / Ossudu Lake wetland national park (boating), Auroville, Arikamedu (historical), Karaneshwara Nataraja pyramid temple, botanical gardens
Day 5: Drive to Chidambaram kovil, Pichavaram mangrove forest boat ride, Vedaranyam kovil, Point Calimere (Kodikkarai) wildlife sanctuary jeep safari (can get to interior with warden's permission_ or drive through, Chozha light house. Stay
Day 6: Muthupet boat ride in lagoon, till Point Calimere, Thondiyakaadu wildlife sanctuary, Udayamarthandapuram Birds Sanctuary (Ramsar site, needs permission), Voimedu wildlife park. Stay
Day 7: Drive to Thiruvarur temple, Koothanur temple. Stay in Kumbakonam or Thanjavur.
Day 8: Anbil Darshanam. Trichy butterfly park (largest in Asia), 37 feet Sanjeevana Anjaneyar, Kalanai, Sittanavasal Jain caves. Stay in Trichy.
Eastern Ghats south to north:
Day 9: Pachai malai
Day 10: Puliancholai, Kolli Malai
Day 11: Jarugumalai, Salem (tallest Murugan vigraham), stay in Salem
Day 12: Yercaud sky park (roller coaster ziplining, rope course, glass sky walk, sky surfing, sky cycling, aviary, night park, laser show, mystery tunnel, trampoline, aquarium)
Day 13: Yercaud Grange Tree Top adventure park (ATV, zipline, rope course, water bike, archery, shooting, tree climbing, Lake crossing, kayaking, water roller zurfing, trampoline, 4x4 offroading, coffee plantation, mechanical bull riding, tent camping)
Day 14: Yercaud
Day 15: Shevaroy hills
Day 16: Hogenakkal water falls
Day 17: Kalvarayan hills
Day 18: Yelagiri Xtreme Adventures (Zipline , bungee jumping, sling shot, ATV ride 250cc, shooting, archery, water zorbing, human slingshot)
Day 19: Yelagiri Cloud forest park & zoo (animals, birds that sit on our hands & drink from hands, feed rabbits, birds, chicks, bamboo walk, butterfly garden, archery, golf etc)
Day 20: Yelagiri Wild Zone (zurfing, human slingshot, zipline, atv, rope walk, archery, paint gun, ATB biking)
Day 21: Yelagiri Thrill valley (zipline, human sling shot, paintball shooting, atv, rope course)
Day 22: Yelagiri Mountain View adventure park (Zipline, Paintball, ATV, Bunjee Ejection, Giant Swing, Trekking to waterfall)
Day 23: Yelagiri Cuckoo birds park, other attractions
Day 24: Jawadhu hills
Day 25: Sathanur dam & crocodile park, Tapovanam Stay
Day 26: Tapovanam Pada Puja & Tulabaram, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore Stay
Day 27: Vellore fort, golden temple, Armamalai cave. Kanchipuram. Drive back to Chennai
