Kerala - God's Own Country

Arrive late evening at Kochi International airport. You will be met by our representative outside the customs gate and escorted to your hotel.

Kochi, formerly known as Cochin, is a fascinating city on the north Kerala coast and is now one of India’s largest ports and an important naval base. Arrive in Kochi and check-in at your hotel. In the afternoon, enjoy an orientation tour of Kochi. Begin your exploration with a walking tour that takes you around Fort Kochi, the city’s most historic part. Begin with the church of St Francis, the oldest European-built church in India. Continue to the Jewish Quarter where you visit the historic synagogue, built over 400 years ago. It contains beautiful Belgian glass chandeliers and is paved with hand painted tiles from China. Also visit The Dutch Palace at Mattancherry. Built in 1555, its coronation hall and painted murals are noteworthy features.

Enjoy a day at leisure in Kochi for a personal exploration of Fort Cochin, antique and spices shopping, In the late afternoon, enjoy a Kathakali dance performance at a local theatre. The most spectacular form of dance in India, the origins of Kathakali go back 500 years. Before the show you will have a chance to attend the make-up session of the actors.

This morning after breakfast leave for Allepey. Late morning embark on the houseboat for a cruise on the backwaters.The rice boats are traditionally known as Kettuvallom which means 'boat with knots'. The entire boat is held together with coir knots only, not a single nail is used during the construction. Kettuvallom were formerly used for the transport of goods like rice, spices and coir from the isolated villages of the interior to the towns. A houseboat cruise on the backwaters is a truly unique experience. You will be awed at the vast expanse of paddy fields that surrounds these beautiful backwaters and the boat will stop at villages giving you an opportunity to glimpse village life in rural Kerala.

This morning disembark at your hotel jetty. Kumarakom, an enchanting backwater destination located on the picturesque Vembanad Lake. The blue backwaters and the surface of the lake reflect the azure sky, contrasting with the amazing shades of green of the mangroves, coconut palms and paddy fields that cover the verdant countryside

Day will be spent at leisure. You will have the option to enjoy Ayurvedic/spa therapies or choose from different activities available at the hotel. Ayurveda is the art of healthy living that enables you to create harmony in your daily life by applying self-knowledge and self-care. The word comes from the Sanskrit language and literally means Science of Life. It is an ancient art of healing that has been practiced continuously throughout Kerala for over 5,000 years. Ayurveda is probably the oldest authentically recorded healing science in existence today and includes yoga philosophy and integration of the body, mind and consciousness.

This morning drive to Periyar. One of the world's most fascinating natural wildlife reserves, Periyar National Park is spread across 777 sq km. It was declared a tiger reserve in 1978 and attracts visitors from all over the world. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. The greatest attraction of Periyar is the herds of wild elephants. Arrive in Periyar by afternoon and check-in at your hotel. In the afternoon enjoy a boat ride on Lake Periyar. Cruise around taking in the cool surroundings and the panorama. The lake spreads around tropical jungles where one can see wild elephants, Indian gaur, monkeys, spotted deer, barking deer, wild boar and birds of myriad varieties.

This morning drive through the hills of Munnar – known as the high range of the kingdom of Travancore is set with a backdrop of rolling mountain scenery, craggy peaks, manicured tea estates and crisp mountain air. It is the commercial centre of some of the worlds’ highest tea growing estates.

This morning, enjoy full day visit of the popular attractions of Munnar. Anaimudi, at a height of around 2695m is the highest peak in southern India and can be viewed from Munnar. Attukal an ideal place for long trekking, Attukal is situated between Munnar and Pallivasal. The place is a feast for the eyes with its panoramic waterfalls and rolling hills. Chithirapuram - this small hill station exudes an old-world charm with its old playgrounds and courts, bungalows, and sleepy little cottages that point to its colonial past. Situated at a distance of around 10km from Munnar, Chithirapuram is home to Pallivasal hydel power project. Nyayamakad - an excellent picnic and trekking point, Nyayamakad is situated at a distance of 10km from Munnar near Rajamala. Nyayamakad is a land of scintillating waterfalls with water cascading down from a height of around 1,600 metres.

Muttupetty - 13km from town and situated at a height of 1700m, Muttupetty is famous for its highly specialized dairy farm; the Indo Swiss Livestock Project. Over 100 varieties of high yielding cattle are reared here. Visitors are allowed into three of the eleven cattle sheds at the farm. Visiting times are from 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. For more information give the place a call on: 30389. Tip: The Muttupetty Lake and dam, just a short distance from the farm, is a very beautiful picnic spot worth taking time out for. Mudapetty Dam - 10km from Munnar, this popular picnic spot has activities like boating and horse riding and is a great place to spend the day especially if visiting with children. Eravikulam National Park - By driving north from Munnar for 30 minutes and then hiking a few kilometres, you reach this sanctuary which is home to over three thousand free-roaming ibex, elephants, lion-tailed macaque, and the Nilgiri tahr (an endangered mountain goat). Declared as a National Park in 1978 it covers 97km of rolling grass hills forested valleys and is one of the 'must do' activities in the area.

This morning drive to Cherrai – located in the northern side of Vypin Island, a suburb of the city Kochi. It is one of the most visited beaches in the state. The beach is around 10km long and is ideal for swimming as the tide is mostly low and the waves are gentle. It is known for frequent dolphin sightings. It is one of the few places where the backwaters and the sea can be seen in a single frame.

Full day at leisure at beach.