| Cochin | Jew Town, synagogue, Spice market, Chinese fishing nets, Kathakali dance performance |
|---|---|
| Munnar | world's highest tea estates, Eravikulam National Park, NilgiriTahr |
| Periyar | Periyar Wildlife Reserve, Elephant Ride , Spice Plantation |
| Kumarakom | Huge Vembanad Lake & famous Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. |
| Alleppey | Houseboat on the Backwater |
| Kovalam | Beach |
| Trivandrum | Padmanabha Swami Temple, Sri Chittira Art Gallery |
Day 01Arrive Cochin
Arrive by morning flight after a traditional 'Swagat' (Welcome) our representative would assist you at the airport & transfer to hotel for check in. Cochin always had a very popular & historical sea trade connection with Middle East, Mediterranean Europe & Dutch. It has one of the finest natural harbours on the Arabian coastline. Its cosmopolitan character is reflected in the buildings & structures representing different regions of the world.
Post lunch guided visit of Cochin:
Jew Town, synagogue; built in the year 1568, is magnificently decorated by Chinese tiles & Belgian chandeliers. Giant scrolls of the Old Testament can be found here.
Spice market, where the air is filled with the pungent smell of spices & history that brought the world to its doorstep.
Chinese fishing nets, (Cheenavala) are distinctly unique to Cochin. It is believed that traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan introduced these nets here
Evening, we take you to view a Kathakali dance performance (time for photography of a lifetime) Enjoy and observe the elaborate pre dance make up ritual.
Overnight Hotel – Cochin
Day 02Cochin – Munnar ( Drive 150 kms - 04 hrs)
Post breakfast drive to Munnar, most popular hill stations in South India, situated at the confluence of three mountain streams Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni&Kundala. It was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British officers in South India. Sprawling tea plantations, picture book town, winding lanes, trekking & holiday facilities make Munnar a unique experience.
Overnight Hotel – Munnar (B)
Day 03Munnar
Post breakfast private guided sightseeing of Munnar
The world's highest tea estates spread like a green carpet over a large area
Eravikulam National Park (Closed - January & February), the best place to see the rare NilgiriTahr(mountain goat). This sanctuary was set up for the preservation of the endangered NilgiriTahr.
Overnight Hotel – Munnar (B)
Day 04Munnar – Periyar ( Drive 160 Kms / 5 Hrs)
Post breakfast driven to Periyar Wildlife Reserve; Set on an attractive lakeside, it is South India's most popular Wildlife Sanctuary. Periyar is a place to cruise on the lake & gives an opportunity to see wildlife. It is home to tigers, leopards, elephants, bison, antelopes, Sambhar, wild boar, monkey, a wide variety of birds.
Next we explore the sanctuary to experience the beauty & ecological pattern, followed byvisit to the spice garden where you can see how spices like pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and nutmeg are grown.
Overnight Hotel – Periyar (B)
Day 05Periyar– Kumarakom (Drive 160 Kms / 5 Hrs)
Start your day with an elephant ride (subject to availability) which is the best and safest way to explore the remotest and densest areas of the forests. If you are more keen in combing denser areas of the forests and search for some fierce creatures. Riding an elephant takes you back to the royal era, when only the Kings use to ride on these majestic creatures.
Post lunch drive to Kumarakom, known for backwaters, huge Vembanad Lake & famous Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.
Overnight Hotel – Kumarakom (B)
Day 06Kumarakom – Alleppey (A/C Houseboat) (Drive 160 Kms / 5 Hrs)
Post breakfast drive to Alleppey, Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey, is a town in Kerala. A town with picturesque canals, backwaters & lagoons, it was described as the Venice of the East. It has a wonderful past, it owes its existence to the sagacious Diwan Raja Kesavadas in the second half of 18th century. Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala with the unending stretch of paddy fields, small streams & canals with lush green coconut palms, was well known even from the early periods of the Sangam age. History says Alappuzha had trade relations with ancient Greece & Rome in BC & in the middle Ages. Alleppey now is the hub for backwaters tourism in Kerala.
On arrival we board the houseboat, locally called Kettuvallam, cruise around backwaters of Kumarakom – Alleppey to observe & experience the daily life of the villagers along the backwaters.
Overnight Houseboat (B, L, D)
Day 07Alleppey – Kovalam (Drive 160 Kms – 06 Hrs)
Disembark from the houseboat and drive to Kovalam en-route visiting the Padmanabha Swami Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu is held sacred by the Hindus from antiquity. The temple has a large complex with a huge Gopuram. It has a tank beside it for ritual bathing. Next we visit It is situated north of the city, at Museum road & 400m east of Indian airlines. It displays an eclectic assortment of historical & contemporary ornaments, temple carts, ivory carvings & life-size figures of Kathakali dances in full costume. It has a famous collection of 8th-18th century south Indian bronze.
Sri Chittira Art Gallery, an excellent collection of Indian art with examples from early to modern schools. Paintings by Raja Ravi Varma & works from Mughal & Rajput miniature paintings & Tanjore paintings embellished with semi- precious stones are displayed.
Overnight Hotel – Kovalam (B)
Day 08Kovalam
Day at leisure on the beach shore
A private romantic farewell dinner (Fixed Menu) at a seafood speciality restaurant.
Overnight Hotel – Kovalam (B)
Day 09Kovalam–Trivandrum (30 Minutes Drive)
Trivandrum Departure
Transfer to airport to board the flight for home country taking back wonderful memory of Kerala Gods won Country.
Unique Experiences
Cochin
A private cooking class (approx 90 Minutes) to explore both vegetarian & non vegetarian south Indian cuisine This cooking session will acquaint you with the typical culinary delights of Southern India. The authentic delicacies cooked with traditional exotic spices will definitely give you a gastronomical bliss.
Munnar
On arrival, relax with an ayurvedic treatment Shirodhara, (Gradual pouring of warm herbal oil on the forehead) followed by full body Abhyanga (massage) by a gay friendly male therapist. (Approx 90 minutes)
Kumarakom
In the evening, we take you for a private candlelight kerala Costal cuisine dinner (Fixed Menu) on the lake front.
Alleppey
Later in a day proceed for a traditional way of fishing tour through the backwaters. Laze under the cool shade of some trees with a fishing rod and bait targeted to trap unsuspecting fishes.
Vaikom
A village backwater cruise at Vaikom. Enjoy the life-style of the villagers and village backwater cruise through narrow canals, river, lakes & lagoon for 02-03 hours with a local guide. En route visit coconut farms, Coir villages, spices and herbal farms, bird watching and other village activities. Followed by a traditional Kerala lunch on banana leaf.
Kumarakom Start your day with a personal introduction to yoga / meditation class (Maximum 90 minutes) which will rejuvenate you “India is known for its ancient knowledge of yoga all over the world since time immemorial”.
