Complete Tour Of Kerala

The Ultimate Kerala Experience

A full and detailed sightseeing tour of Kerala in a relaxed fashion will require an itinerary lasting about 9 days. Our flagship program is probably the most comprehensive Kerala tour currently available and includes visits to all of the major attractions and places of interest.

After visiting the fabulous port city of Cochin, travel to the tea covered Western Ghats and the plantation town of Munnar with some of the most beautiful landscapes in India.

Thekkady, at mid-altitude, is the land of spices and the air is filled with the aroma of cardamom, vanilla and pepper. The Periyar National Park has a large population of wild elephants and can be visited by boat or by foot on nature trails.

Kumarakom is an idyllic resort on the backwaters with some of Kerala’s best hotels located on the banks of the vast expanse of water known as Vembanad Lake.

The full 2 day Backwater Journey by Rice Boat is truly One Of The World’s Great Travel Experiences!Deluxe Rice Boats are like floating luxury hotels, enabling you to explore the backwaters in supreme comfort while stopping every few hours or so to explore life by the canal banks.

Recommended For: Anyone who wishes to see the whole of Kerala in a comprehensive tour.

 

Day 01

Depart UK

Depart UK – Overnight flight.

 

Day 02

Cochin

The Old Harbour Hotel  

Relax On Arrival At Cochin
Relax on arrival at your hotel at Fort Cochin, inside the historic quarter of the city.

Kakthakali Dance Performance
The evening can be spent attending a performance of Kerala’s world famous Kathakali Dance.

 

Day 03

Cochin

The Old Harbour Hotel

Sightseeing At Fort Cochin With A Local Guide
The Mattancherry Palace (1555) has a museum with some of the finest murals in India. The Pardesi Synagogue (1568) lies at the heart of the fascinating Old Jewish Quarter of Cochin.

Travelling north towards Fort Cochin, the pretty Church of St Francis is the oldest church in India (1503) built by the Portuguese. From the Parade Ground numerous streets full of interesting and historic buildings radiate in all directions.

The bizarre Chinese Fishing Nets overlook the harbour channel. These are best visited in the early evening when you can taste the local catch of the day at tiny eateries along the roadside.

 

Day 04

Munnar

Windermere Estate

Munnar And The High Ranges Of The Western Ghats
The road that goes up from the coastal plains of Kerala to the Western Ghats is one of the most scenic in India. Travelling through pepper and cardamom plantations you reach higher altitudes where vast tea estates cover mountain slopes in a sea of green.

Munnar was developed as a Hill Station by the Scottish tea planter James Finlay, who founded the famous colonial period High Range Club. South India’s highest peak, Annaimudi (8842 ft) towers in the distance and the mountain slopes are covered by thick ‘shola’ forests.

 

Day 05

Thekkady

Elephant Court

Abraham Spice Garden And Kumily Spice Villages
An extensive organic garden where you can have a guided tour to experience rare varieties of flora, including Ayurvedic medicinal herbs, a huge variety of spices, fruits, and flowers indigenous to Kerala.

The village of Kumily is the Spice Bazaar of Kerala. It is a small town with wholesale and retail merchants selling spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper and vanilla.

 

Day 06

Thekkady

Elephant Court

Wildlife Safaris At Periyar National Park
The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary preserves the thick jungles around the idyllic Periyar Lake and has a unique biodiversity. There are some 750 wild elephants, herds of Indian Bison, Wild Boar, Sambar, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Indian Wild Dog and four species of primates including the rare Lion-tailed Macaque. Most elusive of all are about 40 Indian Tigers and Leopards.

Most people experience this with a 2 hour boat trip around the Periyar Lake, which is great for close encounters with elephants that feed at the edge of the waterline. If you are more into nature, we would highly recommend an alternative small group Guided Nature Trek through the park escorted by Forest Department rangers.

 

Day 07

Kumarakom

The Coconut Lagoon

Descent Through The Cardamom Hills
Travel down the wooded slopes of the Western Ghats to reach Kottayam, the gateway to the backwaters. Suddenly everything turns lush, green and tropical.

Kumarakom
One of India’s most beautiful resort locations is an idyllic backwater destination situated on the banks of the Vembanad Lake. It is an unbelievably beautiful paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields, coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways and canals adorned with white lilies.

 

Day 08

Kumarakom
The Coconut Lagoon

Relax At Kumarakom
Almost all the hotels are located on clusters of islands and are reachable by boat, so the focus is mostly on relaxation. All hotels usually offer free Sunset Cruises to observe spectacular sunsets over Vembanad Lake.

 

Day 09

Backwaters
Luxury Private A/C Rice Boat

The Backwaters
A boat journey through Kerala’s Kuttanad Country, a 75km stretch of shimmering waterways incorporating rivers, lagoons and lakes is one of the World’s Great Travel Experiences.

The waterways are lined by swaying palm trees and Chinese Fishing Nets, cooled by a gentle breeze, and studded with water hyacinths. All kinds of craft ply these waters ferrying cargoes of spice, rice, nuts, coir (coconut fibre), copra (dried coconut) and people.

Your Luxury Private Rice Boat
All Rice Boats have A/C Cabins and a fully equipped kitchen with an experienced cook to prepare authentic Kerala cuisine including sea food specialties and fresh vegetables.

DAY 1 – Kumarakom To Alleppey
Cruises start at 12:00 noon when your Rice Boat collects you direct from the jetty of your Kumarakom hotel. You will initially cruise through the vast Vembanad Lake the largest natural lake in Kerala, and its margins where one can see below water level paddy cultivation. Reach Moonnattinmugham for night anchoring.

 

Day 10

Backwaters
Luxury Private A/C Rice Boat

DAY 2 – Alleppey’s Southern Backwaters
Your cruise continues after breakfast towards the ancient St. Mary’s Church, the famous Nehru Trophy Snake Boat, and the famous Buddha statue called ‘Karumady Kuttan’. Onwards to Kayamkulam Lake, where one can see a highly picturesque fleet of Chinese Fishing Nets.

Night anchoring is at Vallikkavu, where the famous ‘hugging guru’ Matha Amrithanandamayie’s Ashram is situated. If interested you can visit to her Ashram in the evening.

 

Day 11

To Kerala’s Beaches Or Cochin

The cruise continues back towards Alleppey Jetty where you disembark at 10:00 am

Optional Beach Stay At The End Of Your Tour
A tropical coral reef with giant turtles and exotic species of butterfly fish.

NOTE: You can choose as many beach nights as you require.

 

Depart Kerala

Depart Kerala – Daytime flights arrive back in UK the same day.

NOTE: If you do not require a beach stay, you may need to add a stopover night at Cochin prior to your departure.

* We will send you a detailed quote with flight options, descriptions of hotels used and daily schedules. 

: Exclusive Boutique Hotel