11Days Classic Kerala

Price from: $3598 per person on Twin sharing basis

Cochin – Munnar – Periyar – Kumarakom – Backwaters – Kovalam – Trivandrum

 

Get insights into the southern state of Kerala, with its famous backwaters influencing the daily lives of people in the region. Visit the tea gardens and beautiful natural landscape of Munnar and Periyar wildlife reserve before taking an enchanting Houseboat Cruise on the backwaters and ending with a few days at the famous Kovalam Beach.

 

Highlights: Fishing nets in Cochin, Tea plantations, Backwater Cruise, spice gardens, beach stay

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Cochin

Arrive in Cochin and transfer to Hotel. A special treat awaits us this evening as we proceed to witness the strength and vigour of Kathakali dance drama, as it enacts episodes from great Indian epics. The extremely stylized gestures, the elaborate make-up, the masks and the splendid costumes of these all-male dancers, recreate an incomparable sense of pageantry.

Day 2

Cochin (B)

Morning tour of Cochin, the commercial capital of Kerala, with its wealth of historical associations and its magnificent setting on a cluster of islands and narrow peninsulas. Of special mention is the older parts of the Fort Cochin area. This part of the city reflects an unusual blend of medieval Portuguese, Dutch and English country life grafted onto the tropical Malabar Coast. The 16th century Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, is a fascinating fort with elegant buildings and interesting collections from the Royal traditions of the region. The unique feature of Cochin is the unexpected and isolated Jewish community, whose origins date back to AD 52. They are self-contained in Jew Town and have their own Synagogue.

Afternoon at leisure.

 

Day 3

Cochin – Munnar (B)

Morning drive to Munnar, the highest town of Kerala with a cool, bracing climate exuding old-world charm and popular for extensive tea and cardamom plantations on lustrous rolling hills. Some of the plantations here lie at an altitude of 2100 m making them among the highest in the world. Visit a Tea Museum. This museum basically is a demo model of a working tea factory and show the basic processes of tea making. This museum was established by Tata Tea and features rare exhibits and photographs that trace the tea industry, right from its formative years to the modern times. Also visit a tea plantation and tea factory to see the processes involved.

Day 4

Munnar (B)

Morning visit to Pothamedu, to see the tea, coffee and cardamom plantations of Munnar. Also visit Devikulam, an idyllic hill station with its velvet lawns, exotic flora and fauna.

Day 5

Munnar – Periyar (B)

Drive to the wildlife reserve at Periyar on a scenic route dotted with plantations of rubber, cardamom, cocoa, green pepper and areca nut. In the evening, enjoy a nature walk through the spice plantation.

Day 6

Periyar (B)

Take a morning tour of the nearby garden where various species of spices and other aromatic plants are cultivated.

Day 7

Periyar – Kumarakom (B)

Drive to Kumarakom through the backwaters, ‘Jewels of Kerala’. Visit of Kumarakom bird sanctuary in the afternoon.

Day 8

Kumarakom – Houseboat (B/L/D)

Drive this morning to pier to board a Houseboat. A houseboat cruise is the best way to explore the beauty of the backwaters; sit back and relax while the boat cruises through the narrow serene backwater canals that take you through nearby villages. Cruise on the backwater canals in a personal, luxurious kettuvalam (houseboat), watching the paddy fields painted rich greens, rice barges and village life along the slim canals of Kerala.Enjoy your evening on the sundeck away from polluted cities and maddening crowd. The only disturbance will be the twinkle of a shining star or the leap of a fish near you.

Day 9

Houseboat – Alleppey – Kovalam (B)

Late morning, disembark at Alleppey jetty, also known as “Venice of the East” for its narrow canals and backwaters. Drive to Kovalam for a beach stay. Kovalam is one of the best places to enjoy a traditional Ayurvedic massage.

Day 10

Kovalam (B)

Day at leisure.

 

Day 11

Kovalam – Trivandrum (B)

Transfer to Trivandrum airport.

 

Private program - can start any day of the week and can be customised

 

Included: Accommodation in 4* Hotels and Deluxe Houseboat, meals as shown above, transfers & sightseeing using air-conditioned private car with driver, local English speaking guides, entrance fees at monuments, current taxes.

 

Note: Please contact us if you require more information on different Hotel categories.

 

Prices quoted are valid till 30 September 2024. Cost above is indicative, based on Low Season in NZ Dollars and subject to change due to fluctuation in exchange rates. Please read T&C before booking. Call 09 410 5060 or 0508 EXOTIC (0508 396 842) or email info@exotic.net.nz for more information.