Arrive Cochin
Arrive Cochin - the Oasis state of Kerala. This inter connected series of Islands & shoreline presents a vivacious blend of Cultures & Religions overnight stay in Malabar house.
Cochin
Morning visit to Fort Cochin, St. Frances Church to see the town of Vasco da Gama we also see the Jewish Synagogue & The Mattancherry “Dutch” Palace Today evening a memorable experience in any journey in Kerala is aBoat Trip along the Palm Fringed Lakes & Backwaters of the Area; we enjoy this extraordinary excursion today. As we sail along the shady canals we see cantilevered Chinese fishing nets. From our launch, we enjoy use of narrow produced – Laden dugouts & the everyday life of families living on narrow spits of land between the waters. Later we attend the performance of the Kathakali, one of India’s most famous Classical dances. Lavish Costumes & Exotic makeup & Masks intensify the beauty of the dancers, intricate moments, and Overnight: Malabar House.
Kochi - Alapuzzha 53 Kms / 1h 30m
After breakfast Cruise the backwaters & explore the rural life in & around Alleppey to Kumarakom Sail route: Kainakary - Kuttanad - Kumarakom
Lifetime Experience House Boat - the moving master piece, have been plying the inland waterways of southwest India for untold centuries and originally used as cargo rice boats. The fully furnished and palm covered boats (single & double) bedrooms with attached bath, sit out, kitchen and living room made of traditional wood. In each houseboat, there is 3 men staff (crew), comprising a cook and two well-trained punters throughout the cruise. Punters stand on each end of the boat for punting and directing the boat. Kerosene-lit lamps along will be available for light and mosquito nets will be provided. Traditional vegetarian and non-vegetarian Kerala cuisine is served. A journey through the backwaters of Kerala which offer one of the world's truly unforgettable experiences, myriad network of silent lagoons, freshwater river, and hyacinth covered canals that wind their way through colorful corridors of forests, palms and fruit trees. A canoe expedition via an intricate network of canals, through backwater villages where daily continues unaltered, as it has for centuries. You will see lush palm groves and stretches of rice fields.
Alapuzzha - Vechoor 25 kms / 45 mins
Disembark after breakfast and leave for Philipkutty’s Farm which is on a manmade island in Lake Vembanad. You can then tour the farmland - Staying at Philipkutty’s Farm is an excellent opportunity to enjoy the real Keralan experience in a fascinating location, with a caring family to look after you. It is a special place, as it provides something different, especially for those who prefer small and friendly places, and, could just be, the perfect hideaway for the bespoke traveller.
The waterfront villas are entirely independent and away from the family residence. The first villa designed by Karl Damscen, a Swiss architect, is a traditionally styled, antique filled, open plan affair, with sufficient space for a couple and an extra bed if need be. The other villas are the same in style and deco, but with separate bedroom, living room and ‘sit-out’ facing the peaceful waterfront.
All this is set on a beautiful small farm island which was actually reclaimed from the backwaters (Vembanad Lake). The working farm, which practices sustainable / organic methods of farming, is two metres below the lake level and has coconut, toddy, nutmeg, banana, cocoa and pepper cultivation not to forget the jumbo prawn (scampi) and karimeen (pearlspot) found in some of the farm canals. Though accessible by road (up to the opposite bank), it is the ‘vallam’ (country boat) that will finally take you across. Overnight stay in Philipkutty’s Farm.
Vechoor - Kanam 46 kms / 1h 20m
Today you are ferried across in a local boat to just opposite the house where a car will be waiting for you. You will be driven to Kanam via Kottayam for your stay at Serenity. Serenity is set in a rubber plantation on a small hilltop. OvernightSerenity at Kanam Estate.
Kanam
Your choice: spend some time watching the resident elephant at work (and feeding him bananas!) Take undisturbed walks (a rarity in India!) in the surrounding rubber plantation, finding out how rubber is produced. The area is also home tococoa, pepper, coffee, cardamom, pineapple, tapioca, papaya and banana plantations Kottayam, or laze by the pool in the shade of pepper and papaya trees. Overnight Stay.
Kanam-Thekkady 77 kms / 2 hrs
Drive to a tranquil hill retreat of Periyar upon arrival check in hotel. Evening enjoy Safari Cruise with best trained guide inPeriyar Game Sanctuary– the best way to see & enjoy the Wildlife Activities, Cruise in the Periyar Lake in the cool surroundings and the panorama spreads around tropical jungles, Wild elephants & birds of myriad varieties. With an area of 777 sq kms in the hills of Western Ghats amongst the animals are wild elephants which can be seen and photographed at close quarter’s wild boar, Sambar, Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog and langur monkey. Overnight stay.
Thekkady
Game viewing by boat trip for some water-based game viewing. Though it is a Tiger Reserve, the famous striped beasts are rarely seen; you can expect to see elephants, deer and maybe macaques or langurs, as well as birdlife. Overnight at Shalimar Spice Garden.
Thekkady – Munnar 86 kms / 3 hrs
After breakfast drive to Munnar upon arrival check in hotel. Munnar – is situated at the confluence of three mountains streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni & Kundala. Later visit to Mattupetty – 13 kms away from Munnar, situated at a height of 1700m. It is famous for its highly specialized Dairy Farm – the indo Swiss livestock project. Over a hundred varieties of high yielding cattles are reared here. Visitor is allowed to 3 of the 11 cattle shades at the farm. The Mattupetty Lake & dam just a short distance from the farm, is a very beautiful picnic spot. This sprawling Kundala tea plantationsand the Kundala Lake are the other attraction in the vicinity. Overnight at Windermere Estate.
Munnar - Palakkad 159 kms / 3 hrs
Today you are driven for Pallakad for a homestay experience at Kandath Tharavad. Pallakad is quite different from what you have seen so far in Kerala: known as the rice bowl of Kerala, you will be surrounded by paddy fields with a backdrop of distant hills. Mr. Bhagwaldas, your host, offers a whole range of things to do, from a bullock cart ride to trekking, birding or cycling. Overnight at Kandath Tharavad.
Palakkad-Ooty 136 kms / 4h 10m
Today you head to Nilgiris - The Blue Mountain - with its two famed hill stations, Coonoor and Ooty. The last part of the journey will include a 1-hour toy train ride: the car will drop you at Coonoor station and collect you at Ooty afterwards. This is a much better way of getting to the other side of the Nilgiris, as the hilly road is quite busy with a lot of hairpin bends.Glyngarth Villa, a pretty old bungalow with 6 big ensuite rooms your home for 2 nights at Glyngarth Villa.
Ooty - Bandipur National Park – Mysore 125 kms / 3h 15m
Country side driven to Mysore, En route you cross Bandipur National Park. Take jeep safari to see the group of Elephants and other animals upon arrival your home for 2 nights at The Green Hotel.
Mysore - Srirangapatnam 18 kms / 30 mins
Mysore is a beautiful city of stately palaces, gardens, parks and museums. Your tour of Mysore includes visits to City Palace, Chamundi Hill (where Nandi, a huge monolithic image of Shiva's Bull, is always garlanded with flowers and held in high esteem by Hindus), and the colorful and aromatic spice markets. In the afternoon you can visit Tipu SultanSummer Palace at Srirangapatnam. This evening, enjoy the beautiful and exquisitely illuminated Vrindavan Gardens, which sprawl amid gorgeous cascading fountains. Overnight at Green Hotel.
Mysore - Sultan Bathery 115 kms / 2h 30m
After breakfast driven to Tranquil, a homestay in a coffee plantation Kupumudy Tea Estate a few kilometers fromSulthan Bathery while here, you can go for various well-signed treks in the huge estate, varying in length and difficulty from a short plantation tour (vanilla & coffee) to a hike up to a 3000-foot viewpoint. You may want to visit the nearbyEddakal Caves - a 1 km trek up hilly terrain to see 5000-year-old etchings. Your stay for 2 nights at Tranquil Plantation Hideaway.
Sultan Bathery - Vythiri 35 kms / 1 hr
Drive to Vythiri is located in the Wayanad District in North Kerala, India. Wayanad is rich in coffee and spice plantations. Wayanad is steeped in history and traditions which historians claim date as far back as 10 centuries before Christ. They refer to the Edakkal Caves as evidence where ancient carvings have been traced to a highly civilized people from the pre-historic stone ages. Wayanad is also home to proud indigenous tribesmen. Numerous tribal communities co-exist with a well-settled planter population. Overnight stay at Green Magic Tree houses.
Vythiri - Thalassery 104 kms / 3h 30m
Morning driven to Tellicherry spend a night at a gorgeous Colonial Guesthouse overlooking the sea. There's acinnamon plantation, a pool, bicycles for hire - and of course the beach. In the evening you can enjoy excellent home cooking, both vegetarian and non, with the option of a lesson from Faiza if you pre-book. Overnight stay at Ayisha Manzil.
Thalassery - Kozhikode 70 kms / 2h 30m
Say good bye to this fascinating land of Malabar Coast and driven to Calicut airport for your flight to next destination.
