Kerala highlights Plus backwaters tour
Location: India
Duration: 9 Days
Witness the sublime beauty of Kerala on this 9 day Kerala tour package!
Kerala is one of India’s top tourism destinations with good reason. On this Kerala tour, visitors will explore a colonial port town, laze about on the backwaters, wander majestic tea covered hills, and relax on one of Kerala’s world famous beaches. Starting from Kochi, this 9 day tour package takes guests through the best of Kerala, the south India state that National Geographic Traveller has named one of the “50 places to see in a lifetime,” and one of the “ten paradises of the world.”
Day 1: Kochi
Our guide will welcome you at Kochi International airport and transfer you to Fort Kochi, known for its Dutch, Portuguese, and British colonial architecture. In the evening we will go on an orientation walk in the area followed by a welcome dinner.
Day 2: Kochi
In the morning we will first spend time with some fishermen at the famous Chinese fishing nets and there will be a chance to try pulling the nets yourself!
We will later visit “Jew Town” where the first Jewish people settled in India and Paradesi Synagogue, the first in India. We will also visit the Dutch Palace, gifted to the Cochin Royal Family by the Dutch.
In the evening, you’ll attend an amazing Kathakali performance. Kathakali, a 17th century dance-drama that originated in Kerala, will capture you with its elaborate costumes, make-up, and most of all, complicated facial expressions.
Day 3: Kochi / Munnar
Today we will drive (6-7 hours) to Munnar in the morning. During the long, winding journey to Munnar, you will make several stops where your guide will show you many aspects of domestic and agricultural Keralan village life. We will also visit a toddy shop (liquor made from coconut sap, which you can try) and we will enjoy a delicious sea food lunch (also visited by Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsey).
Arriving in Munnar in the late afternoon, from the hustle and bustle of Kochi you’ll barely recognize where you are amidst the rolling mountains, fresh air, and tea plantations stretching as far as the eye can see.
You’ll have time to get settled into your guesthouse and explore Munnar a bit on your own. You can go for a short hike or you can sit back and relax with a good book, a nice cup of tea, and enjoy the scenery.
Day 4: Munnar
Today we’ll do a full day tour in Munnar. We will visit Munnar’s tea museum to really understand what makes this hill station famous; you’ll learn how the tea transforms from a simple leaf to a piping hot cup of chai. We will also visit the very scenic Echo Point and the Rose Garden. In the evening you have an option to watch Kalaripayattu (martial art of Kerala), join a tea tasting event or learn some Kerala recipes at your hotel kitchen with the chef!!
Day 5: Munnar / Alleppey
Today we’ll continue south from Munnar to Alleppey (5 hours), home to some of Kerala’s most famous backwaters. Along the way, we’ll stop off at various places including a spice plantation to learn about the ingredients that make Indian cuisine so vibrant. If the season allows, we will meet some beekeepers and taste some of the local produce.
We’ll arrive in the afternoon, settle into our guesthouse, and your guide can recommend a number of restaurants for dinner this evening after the long journey.
Day 6: Alleppey
We will begin early in the morning with a visit to a local fish market, where your guide will help you choose delicious seafood to be cooked on board our very own houseboat for lunch! We’ll then make our way to the backwaters and board our kettuvallam (Keralan houseboat). It will be a relaxing day spent cruising along the backwaters, a vast network of lakes, rivers, canals, and lagoons, observing and occasionally visiting some villages and rice farms. We’ll stay overnight on the open water on our houseboat (bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms) and enjoy the Kerala style lunch, dinner and breakfast cooked by our chef on board.
Day 7: Alleppey / Kovalam
This morning we will check out of the houseboat and will travel to Kovalam (3 to 4 hrs). In the afternoon, you will have free time to relax on the stunning beach or you can partake in water activities, cooking classes, yoga/pilates, ayurvedic treatments and shopping.
Day 8: Kovalam
Today we will go on a day trip to the very southern tip of India, Kanyakumari, where you will experience some incredible views of the Indian Ocean and Arabian sea. We will get a boat to the 41-meter-tall Thiruvalluvar Statue. In the evening we have the optional visit to Jatayu Park to see the world’s largest bird sculpture.
Day 9: Kovalam (Departure)
This morning we will finish the tour and we will transfer you to the airport or local train station unless you decide that you want to spend more time in Kovalam.
What to expect:
- 9 days duration
- Start in Kochi and Finish in Kovalam
- All Accommodation and Transportation included
- Family meals and some other activities included
- Enjoy a stress free trip as your designated Tour Guide will take care of everything
- Tour is fully customisable to your needs, such as adding another city, upgrading hotels etc
Please Note: Entry fee to any monument and any optional activity is not included in the trip cost.