Project Description
KERALA COAST
KERALA COAST
COCHIN (KOCHI)
Never miss an opportunity to see beautiful things. For you are about to embark on a journey through the coast of Kerala, it’s called God’s Own Country, for this beautiful state in Southern India is written in God’s own handwriting. We will pick you up from the airport and our representative will assist you for a speedy checkout and drive you to your hotel. Later in the afternoon, we will start the first ride of the day to Fort Kochi. We take a walk through the historical past and riches of the state. St. Francis which is the first European church in India and Vasco de Gama was buried here initially; see the hypnotic and magnanimous Chinese Fishing Nets; just past the church goes the road to the Dutch Cemeteries gate engraved with the year 1724 on it. It also happens to be the oldest cemetery in India forming a silhouette against the backdrop of the Arabian Sea by the setting sun. End your evening with a cultural dose of Kerala’s ancient dance drama Kathakali, or if you like you could also see the artists in the green room, where all the magic of the make up art happens. This all happens at the Greenix village that is an interactive art and cultural centre.
COCHIN (KOCHI)
Ride through fish farms, paddy fields, coconut tree canopies; we will be visiting Mattancherry Palace to see closely at the life of the Royal family of Kerala. The palace is also known as Dutch Palace bespoke of its Kerala-style traditional architecture plus some influences from the colonial settlements. Mural paintings, coins and artefacts become the main attraction for tourists from all over the world. You will be then cruising through the Ernakulam backwaters through exotic sightseeing, boating and fishing experiences. Here you will get up close with the art of boat making and fish farming. Take a walk through the enchanting aroma of freshly produced spices at the Spice Market.
COCHIN to MUNNAR
We will be driving from Cochin to Munnar via Koottickal Valley admiring the bird’s eye view of Kerala and the Western Ghats. This drive is considered to be one of the most breathtaking drives in the country – hairpin curves, lush plantations of rubber, vanilla, coconut, pineapple, nutmeg and more, thousands of species of butterflies and birds, cool breeze and the sweet and warm scent of spice cultivation. We will take a stop in the valley for a guided plantation walk where you can see coffee being picked, rubber being tapped, pineapple plantations and planters at work. If you are interested you can also know and see how they collect the sap. Also, talk to experts at work. You will hear stories from the past of how locals here pioneered the art of plantation since the British settled here.
MUNNAR
We will start the ride towards Munnar and reach the Top Station. This is the topmost point in Munnar located in the Kundala Valley that offers bird’s eye view of the Western Ghats and the valley of Theni District in Tamil Nadu. Apart from the otherworldly views, you have tea plantations, waterfalls, thriving forest life and Neelakurinji flowers (Strobilanthus) that bloom only once in twelve years. Later, we will make a visit to the Tata Tea Museum that charts the history and evolution of tea. You will be guided through the various stages of tea processing.
MUNNAR-THEKKADY
Today we will ride on the high terrain of Cardamom Hills through the lush green tea, cardamom, and spice plantations, pass jungle routes, spice trails, little streams of water and small waterfalls against the blue painted sky. We will reach Periyar and walk into Spice village that is an amazing expression of creativity and imagination to village life. It is specifically meant for people who want to take a deep dive in the unique spices that grow here and about the enriched culinary offerings. Know what is best suited for you and how spices are used as traditional medicines for various ailments.
THEKKADY
At Kumily Village, we will visit a garden of spices where you get detailed and expert knowledge on spice cultivation, organic farming and use of plants in medicine. Kerala is the world top producer of spices in the world and what could be better than spending some time knowing about them some more. Our next stop is Periyar National Park which is 780 square kilometres dense, hilly forest, with 350 square kilometres of core parkland. The best way would be to take nature walks, bamboo rafting, or a jeep safari. Oh yes, and tête-à-tête with the elephants too. You can take a ride on them.
THEKKADY-KUMARAKOM / ALLEPPEY
While you explore Coconut lagoon the heritage backwater on the Vembanad Lakeside and a lakefront villa called Purity that boasts of its proximity with the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, we will also take a bike ride from Cardamom Hills to Vagamon Tea Garden that is spectacularly known to take you deep in the valleys to discover the three rivers – Mullayar, Periyar and Pamba; dams, tea tracts, shola forest, elephant parks, farms and lakes. The ride gives you a 360-degree view of the extraordinary geography of Kerala; UNESCO is considering to include these hills in the list of World Heritage Sites.
ALLEPPEY
This day is all about you and your stay in a private houseboat while you gently cruise around in the morning, savour in the environs, cacophony of the millions of birds around, water gently making sounds beneath and villagers passing by in their canoes doing regular chores, squeals of children playing – simply one of the most unique experiences.
MARARI BEACH / EZHUPUNNA
Take some time off the backwaters at Marari Beach. 11 km away from Alleppey, this quaint beach is ideal for a quiet time Kerala away from the crowd. A moment to put together our thoughts and experiences of the journey. While in the north end of the beach you pamper yourself with world famous Kerala Ayurvedic massage by an expert, the south end treats you with local delicacies. Enjoy a mesmerising dance performance, watch the picturesque sunsets and much colourful fishing boats lined up on the beach.
ALLEPPEY-COCHIN (KOCHI)
Alleppey is surrounded by scenic villages, paddy fields, churches, temples and rare birds and this definitely calls for a scenic boat ride that takes you through these serene passes; take a good look at how everyday life looks like here, have a conversation with the local; welcome to Old Venice, as it is also known as. Your trip has come to an end. Take back the experience, share stories and encourage others to travel with you when you get back home