Day 1 – Arrive in Kochi

On your arrival in Kochi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Later in the evening, enjoy a scintillating collage of dances native to Kerala – a unique medley of the traditional dance forms such as Mohiniattam, Kathakali and Theyyam; the rendition is bound to leave you benumbed

Overnight Kochi

Day 2 – Kochi

Explore the historical & heritage delights of Fort Kochi this morning over a guided walking tour, showcasing the mix of Dutch, Portuguese, British and Jewish influences that make the city unique. Visit the old quarter of Fort Kochi, its seaside promenade and also the ‘Jew Town’ area where you can walk down the famous Jew Street lined with shops that sell curios, antique pieces of crockery, carved wooden furniture, bronze & brass sculptures and jewellery. Later in the day, take up a classic Kerala cuisine cooking demonstration and learn to prepare authentic dishes such as curries and Indian pancakes; vegetable stew and some sea food specials.

Overnight Kochi

Day 3 – Kochi – Kalady – Athirapally (80kms / 4hrs)

Leaving Kochi behind, travel to the temple town of Kalady which is the birth place of Adi Shankara who propagated the Advaitha school of thought. While here, visit the Shankara temple located on the banks of the river Periyar, the Advaita Ashram modeled on the Ramakrishna temple at Belur in Kolkata and the eight storied Keerthi Stambam which narrates Adi Shankara’s story through wall paintings along the spiral stairway. Later proceed to the breathtaking Athirapally waterfalls for your night stay. Besides undertaking guided treks to the base of the falls, you could also visit a tribal establishment to meet and interact with the tribesmen besides feasting on a meal prepared by them

Overnight Athirapally

Day 4 – Athirapally – Munnar (135kms / 4hrs)

Awaken to the rumble of the falls and the busy chatter of exotic birds. Make a leisurely start for your onward journey to the picturesque hill town of Munnar characterized by long winding lanes, playing mists, floating tunes of early morning radio, hurling waterfalls, fragrant cardamom bushes, sprawling tea plantations, lakes and reservoirs. Munnar is also known for Neelakkurinji, a rare plant which flowers only once in twelve years, during which the hills and valleys get, bathed in the blue of the Neelakkurinji blooms. Munnar is also emerging as a destination for adventure tourism in Kerala with its stunning topography being ideal for paragliding, trekking and rock-climbing

Overnight Munnar

Day 5 – Munnar

Spend the day taking in the delights of Munnar at your pace – visit the Eravikulam National Park home to the endangered mountain goat species of the Nilgiri Tahr, the Mattupetty dam with its still water reflecting the tea gardens around and options of water sport activities, the Kannan Devan Tea Museum explaining the method of tea manufacturing and selling different varieties of tea. There are also guided walks and jeep tours through plantations letting you observe and participate in the plantation activities such as picking and processing of cardamom, coffee and pepper. You could also take up an afternoon cycling tour to enjoy visuals normally missed from the insides of a cab.

Overnight Munnar

Day 6 – Munnar – Kumarakom (160kms / 4.5hrs)

Bid adieu to the hills and make your way to the famous backwaters of Kerala, travel to the rich green, sleepy little village of Kumarakom which has become synonymous with backwater cruises across the world. Located on the Vembanad Lake amidst mangrove forests and coconut groves, Kumarakom offers to calm and invigorate your mind through visuals of never ending paddy fields, slender coconut palms, meandering lagoons and backwaters. On arrival in Kumarakom, check into you lakeside resort – your stay for the next two nights

Overnight Kumarakom

Day 7 – Kumarakom

Explore Kumarakom the local way today – start with a boat ride to a village and be welcomed with cheers and garlands, learn how to climb a coconut tree under the aegis of a local who demonstrates both the laborious traditional method and the modern mechanized way for a treat of fresh tender coconut, stop at a coconut grove for a taste of the famed Kerala toddy fresh out of a pot as you learn the process involved, try your hand at weaving coconut leaves and coir making before winding up with a traditional lunch of boiled rice and other delights served on a plantain leaf. Later indulge in a traditional Ayurveda massage amongst a full range of treatments on offer at the resort

Overnight Kumarakom

Day 8 – Kumarakom – Allepey (house boat)

The Houseboats of Kerala aka the ‘Kettuvallams’ were initially designed to transport men and materials from the isolated and interior villages of Kerala’s backwater areas. After almost facing a slow death due to transport modernization, these Kettuvallams have now resurfaced in a more sophisticated and luxurious form of the houseboats. Board your luxury houseboat this morning for your overnight journey to Allepey – put your feet up and take to the slow movement of the houseboat, the gentle touch of the cool breeze from the backwaters, the coconut palms on either side of the banks, scenes of the villages with boat jetties and its passengers; rendering an unforgettable experience. Lunch and dinner would be onboard the houseboat

Overnight Houseboat

Day 9 – Allepey – Kovalam (180kms / 6hrs)

After checking out from the houseboat, be transferred to the beach retreat of Kovalam. Reach by late afternoon, check in and unwind for the day savoring visuals of the sun setting over the Arabian Sea

Overnight Kovalam

Day 10 – Kovalam

Spend the morning at leisure in Kovalam, lazing on the beach, sunbathing or even go swimming. You could go cruising on a catamaran (handmade wooden boat), indulge in some water sports like kayaking or even empty your pockets on a shopping spree over purchases of some colorful batik sarongs, jewellery inspired by sea-shells from many of the little shops lined by the beach near the lighthouse area.

Overnight Kovalam

Day 11 – Kovalam – Thuckalay – Trivandrum – Kovalam (127kms / 6hrs)

This morning travel to Thuckalay to visit the 16th century dated Padmanabhapuram Palace, a magnificent wooden palace of the Rajas of the erstwhile Travancore replete with 17th & 18th century murals, colored mica windows, royal chairs with Chinese carvings, the Queen Mother’s palace with painted ceilings, rosewood and teak carved ceilings with 90 different floral designs. On your return, stop at Trivandrum to visit the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, a famous shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu where he is seen lying on a hooded snake winding up with a Kalaripayattu (traditional martial arts native to Kerala) performance

Overnight Kovalam

Day 12 – Kovalam – Trivandrum (departure)

Checkout and be transferred to the airport in Trivandrum for your return/onward flight