Kerala - Special Adventures and Honeymoons (ITHKR8S)

Duration: 10 days (may vary)
Areas: India
Tour types: Honeymoon Adventures

Description

Strewn with rivers, lagoons and the meandering Backwaters, covered in coconut groves and flanked by sunny, palm-fringed beaches, Kerala truly is a small slice of paradise set in thelush landscape of southern India. Explore fishing villages where colourful boats stand in the harbour against a backdrop of Chinese fishing nets, unwind aboard your private traditional kettuvallam houseboat (a converted rice barge) as you sail through the uniquely quiet Backwaters, and discover a world of exotic spices to rejuvenate yourself with the healing touch of India's ancient medical science of Ayurveda.

Tour itinerary

Day 1,KOCHI (COCHIN)

Arrive and transfer to your hotel, The Old Courtyard. Kochi (or Cochin) is set on a cluster of islands and narrow peninsulas and has one of the best natural harbours in the world. It is one of the most unique and fascinating towns in India

Day 2,KOCHI

Morning tour of Fort Cochin and a cruise through the harbour. In the evening you can watch a performance of Kathakali Dancing. (B)

Day 3,THEKKADY

Transfer to Thekkady in the scenic foothills of the Western Ghats. Coffee and tea plantations spread across the hills and there are acres of rubber plantations. Thekkady is the ideal place to stay for a visit to Periyar Wildlife Reserve. Overnight at Shalimar Spice Garden. (B)

Day 4,THEKKADY

The Periyar Wildlife Reserve is one of the largest in India with elephant, sambhar, wild pig, flying squirrel and over 260 species of bird life. Today you will take a guided walk into the park and a boat cruise in search of the wildlife that comes to drink by the water’s edge. (B)

Day 5,HOUSEBOAT

A short transfer takes you to the starting point of your houseboat cruise through Kerala’s waterways and lagoons. This is the most romantic way of seeing one of the most beautiful areas of Kerala and you can relax and watch the world go by, sipping from a tender coconut and enjoying the sheer peace of the palm-fringed waterways. You spend the night on board the houseboat. (BLD)

Day 6,KERALA BACKWATERS

Your next stop is a picturesque small village where you stay in the beautiful Casa del Fauno, a small and stylish boutique hotel adjacent to Vembanad Lake. (B)

Day 7,KERALA BACKWATERS

A full day to explore the surrounding areas by foot or dugout canoe. (B)

Day 8 to Day 9,MARARI BEACH

Transfer to Mararikulam, a village just south of Kochi with a beautiful white stretch of beach. The beach is still quiet and it is still possible to watch the fishermen bringing in the night's catch if you visit the beach in the early morning. Marari is an excellent place to soak up the sun and enjoy the sea. Overnight at the Beach Symphony. (B)

Day 10,KOCHI

Transfer to Kochi airport for your onward flight. (B)