About the expedition

Around 70 to 100 million years ago, the coastline of South India ran through what is now Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu. A warm, shallow sea covered the land, full of coiled ammonites, sea snails, oysters, sea urchins and sharks. When these animals died, they sank into the mud and lime on the seabed and were slowly buried. Over millions of years, those layers hardened into rock. The sea retreated, and the old seabed became dry land.

Over one weekend, you will hunt for fossils at two sites with geologists and paleontologists, learn how to identify and record what you find, and take your finds home.

What you might find

Ammonites: coiled shells of squid-like animals, the most prized find in Ariyalur

Belemnites: bullet-shaped internal shells of another squid relative

Gastropods: fossil sea snails

Bivalves and oysters: clams and oysters, some very large

Sea urchins: star-patterned fossil urchins

Fossilised wood: tree trunks and branches that turned to stone, keeping their grain and growth rings

Shark teeth: small, but a great find if you spot one

Highlights

Two fossil hunting sessions, at a younger and an older rock formation
A geology session on reading rock layers and identifying your finds
A fossil museum visit to see the region's best specimens
A review of the weekend's finds with the resource people
A limestone mine or cement plant visit (subject to permission)
Gangaikonda Cholapuram, an 11th century Chola temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site
A personal fossil hunting kit to keep

Date: 17 to 19 October 2026

Bengaluru to Bengaluru