Enchanting Kerala Tour

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Duration : 10 Days / 09 Nights
Places Covered : Trivandrum - Kovalam - Kanyakumari - Kovalam - Periyar - Kumarakom - Houseboat - Allepey - Munnar - Cochin - Next Destination

Day 01 Trivandrum - Kovalam
Upon arrival in Trivandrum airport drive to Kovalam and en route a brief city tour and sight seeing of this unique temple town before being transferred to Kovalam Beach near by.

Day 02 Kovalam - Kanyakumari - Kovalam
Breakfast will be at hotel. Relax at the beach till afternoon.
Leave for Kanyakumari and arrive after a short drive of 2hrs. Witness sunset in Kanyakumari and then return back to Kovalam beach.

Day 03 Kovalam
Breakfast will be at hotel. Relax at the beach.

Day 04 Kovalam - Periyar
Proceed to Periyar and check in at hotel on arrival. Periyar wildlife sanctuary is home to nomadic tribes of wild elephant, boar, deer, the great Indian tiger and more. Evening go for boat cruise in the lake to watch wild animals. Overnight stay will be at Periyar.

Day 05 Periyar
Morning, after breakfast boating through Periyar lake - Wildlife sanctuary. You can visit the rare species of plants and animals. Afternoon visit spice plantations like cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, tea estates etc. on your way back to the hotel, you could stop at the local market and pick up some fragrant spices. Stay the night at Periyar Spice Village.

Day 06 Periyar - Kumarakom
In the morning, leave by road for Kumarakom. Rest of the day is free to relax at the world famous spa and ayurveda resort. Overnight will be at Kumarakom Lake Resort.

Day 07 Kumarakom - Houseboat
In the morning leave your hotel and drive towards the lake Vembanad. Reach and visit the Bird Sanctuary. Backwaters are a network of lakes, canals and estuaries and deltas of forty-four rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. The backwaters of Kerala are a self supporting Eco-system teeming with aquatic life. The canals connect the villages together and are still used for local transport. Over 900 km of this labyrinthine water world is navigable. Check into a traditional houseboat of Kerala Style and go on a leisurely backwater cruise along the lake on a thatched houseboat. The houseboat with all modern comforts lets you discover the countryside at your own pace. You will have lunch, dinner and breakfast in the Houseboat. A ride on the houseboat is a fabulous way to explore the fascinating beauty of the backwaters. Cruise through the backwaters to Allepey.

Day 08 Allepey - Munnar
Upon disembarking from your houseboat at allepey a brief city tour introduces you to the city. Alappuzha is famous for its boatraces, houseboats, coir products, fish and lakes. Alappuzha remains prominent on the tourist trial of Kerala as one of the major centres for backwater boat trips. "Kuttanad" in Alappuzha is one of few places in the world where farming is done below sea level. Kuttanad is a land of lush paddy fields and is called the 'Rice Bowl' of Kerala. Kuttanad stretches for 75 Km sandwiched between the sea and the hills. The backwaters of Kerala are a unique product of Kerala and are found nowhere else in the world.

Upon arrival in Munnar witness tea gardens spread like a green carpet over hundreds of kilometers. Munnar is located at the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathani & Kundala. This hill station was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji. This flower which bathes the hills in the blue every twelve years, will bloom next in 2006 AD. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India - Anamudi, which climbs up to over 2695 m.

Day 09 Munnar - Cochin
Arrival at Kochi.
Proceed for a half day sight seeing of Cochin by boat. A few interesting sites included in the tour are the Chinese fishing nets along the Vasco Da Gama Square, Santa Cruz Basilica, St. Francis Church, VOC Gate, Bastion Bungalow, etc. Apart from these architectural splendors, an array of restaurants serving fresh seafood is also popular among tourists. The Chinese fishing nets erected on teak wood and bamboo poles work on the principle of balance. Records say they were first set up here between AD 1350 and 1450. Vasco Da Gama Square, the narrow promenade that parallels the beach, is the best place to watch the nets being lowered and pulled out of the sea. Over night stay at hotel.

Day 10 Cochin - Next Destination
In time transfer to the airport for your onward flight.