Kerala Essence: Hills, Wildlife & Backwaters
Package Inclusions
Overview
Tour Itinerary
Arrive at Cochin International Airport (COK) or Ernakulam Junction (ERS). Meet your dedicated chauffeur and embark on the winding ascent into the Western Ghats. Stop en route at the roadside cascades of Cheeyappara Falls and Valara Waterfalls, passing through lush rubber, pepper, and cardamom plantations. Arrive in Munnar (1,600 m), check into your hill resort, and relax amid misty tea hills. Overnight stay in Munnar.
After breakfast, tour Munnar’s scenic highlights: visit the manicured floral pathways of the Rose Garden, make a scenic stop at Photo Point, and explore Mattupetty Dam & Lake (optional speed boating). Continue along the ridge to test your vocal bounce at Echo Point and visit the tranquil waters of Kundala Dam/Lake. In the late afternoon, visit the Tata Tea Museum / KDHP Centre to witness traditional CTC tea processing, followed by an evening stroll through Munnar town. Overnight stay in Munnar.
Drive south through misty mountain passes toward Thekkady (Periyar). Check into your resort upon arrival. In the afternoon, visit a certified organic spice plantation to learn how green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg are harvested. Proceed to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary for a scheduled boat cruise on Lake Periyar to spot herds of wild elephants, sambar deer, and water birds along the forest edge. In the evening, watch a live Kalaripayattu (ancient martial arts) and Kathakali dance show at the cultural center. Overnight stay in Thekkady.
Descend from the Western Ghats toward the coastal plains of Alleppey (Alappuzha), known as the "Venice of the East." Check in aboard your private, traditional thatched-roof Kerala Houseboat (Kettuvallam) at 12:00 PM. Glide through palm-fringed canals, paddy fields, and quiet village waterways. Enjoy freshly prepared traditional Kerala lunch (Karimeen fish fry, red rice, avial), afternoon tea with banana fritters, and a candlelit dinner anchored quietly in the lake. Overnight stay on board the houseboat.
Enjoy a morning cruise and traditional Kerala breakfast before disembarking at 9:00 AM. Drive to historic Fort Kochi: stroll past the cantilevered Chinese Fishing Nets, explore the 16th-century St. Francis Church (Vasco da Gama’s original burial site), view the vibrant murals inside Mattancherry Dutch Palace, and walk the antique lanes of Jew Town and the Paradesi Synagogue. In the afternoon, take a brief walk along Marine Drive before direct drop-off at Cochin International Airport (COK) or Ernakulam Junction for your onward journey.
