Chennai to Mahabalipuram by Force Urbania

Fifty-eight kilometres and about an hour and a half on the ECR, assuming you are clear of the city. Leaving after eight in the morning through OMR traffic can easily add an hour, which is the whole argument for an early start on a route this short.

A morning covers the main monument cluster. A full day lets you add the Tiger Cave, the sculpture workshops and a stop at Covelong or Muttukadu on the way back, which is what turns it from a sightseeing errand into a proper outing.

No. The route stays entirely within Tamil Nadu, so no interstate permit applies. The only charge beyond the fare is the ECR toll, billed at actuals against the receipt.

At the designated parking that serves the monument cluster, yes. From there the Shore Temple, Pancha Rathas and the bas-relief are within a short walk of each other, which is the sensible way to see them in any case.

A fair amount, on open ground with very little shade. That is manageable in the morning and hard work by midday between April and June. If anyone in the group has difficulty walking, tell us when you book — some of the monuments are reachable much more easily than others.

Late afternoon, which catches out groups who set off after lunch expecting to arrive and wander. Check the current timing when you plan, and treat a morning departure as the default rather than the ambitious option.

Yes, and it is the natural way to do both. Mahabalipuram sits roughly a third of the way down the same road, so stopping there on the way to Pondicherry costs you an hour or two rather than a separate trip. Tell us when booking so the day is planned with the stop in it.

Whichever fits the group — this is one of the few routes where the road decides nothing. Flat, wide and no climb. If you are continuing to Pondicherry with luggage, take the 13 seater rather than the 10.

Well surfaced and genuinely scenic, and single carriageway for much of its length. That means overtaking a slow lorry in a long vehicle is a patient business rather than a difficult one. It is easy driving and the most pleasant road out of Chennai.

November to February. The site is open, exposed and hot from April to June, and the walking is what makes the heat matter. The northeast monsoon can bring heavy rain and standing water on parts of the ECR, though it rarely stops the trip.

Muttukadu for the backwaters and Covelong for the beach and fishing village, both a short detour from the highway with room for a long vehicle. On the way back these work better than on the way out, when the priority is beating the heat to the monuments.

It is one of the better ones for it. The drive is short, there are places to stop, and the monuments are outdoors with room to move rather than a queue to stand in. The heat is the only real constraint, which is another argument for going early.