Kerala Trek & Trails

Arrival at Cochin. Transfer Directly to Munnar, after half the distance the roads get windy and nature green. On arrival check in at Tea County. Rest of the day free to get familiarised with the surroundings and weather. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive by jeep for an hour and a half to the trek point at “Silent Valley”. The Walking Trail is around 4 hours through Tea Plantations and Eucalyptus. Picnic lunch served enroute. Reach Base Camp at an altitude of 2000 meters. Dinner and Overnight in Tents.

Breakfast. Trek to the second highest mountain peak of South India, Meesapulimala – at an altitude of 2635 meters. The Trek today will take about 6 to 7 hours. Passing through the valley of Rhododendrons, grasslands and shola forests, the trail is genuinely refreshing. Delicious Picnic lunch served enroute. Back to the tent by evening. Dinner and Overnight in Tents.

After breakfast, embark on a 5 to 6 hour trek down to Ellapatty Village. Trek passes through small streams and pine plantations.Descending trek will take you to the spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and Dams. Picnic lunch served enroute. Reach Ellapatty village and transfer by jeep (30 minutes) to the camp. Dinner and Overnight in Tents at Top Station Oorkadu (1800 meters)

Breakfast. Trek for 4 to 5 hours to reach the Valley of Vegetables. Carrot,Beatroot,Potato,Cabbage and Beans are in common. Interact with the farmers.You will pass through an old tribal village “Vattavada”. Picnic lunch served enroute. Trek ends at Koviloor village. This village has the major produce of vegetables in the state. Dinner and Overnight in tent.(1900mtrs)

 

Breakfast. Say Farewell to the trek team and drive to Madurai – Your Next Destination. Rooms for Wash and Change available enroute. Drive down to the Mainland. Known for the imposing Meenakshi Temple, Madurai is one of India’s oldest cities dating from the 6th century BC and today an important cultural, religious and commercial center of South India. Check in at the Hotel. Later the day Proceed to visit the Night Ceremony at the Meenakshi Temple. Enjoy dinner at a local Hotel with magnificent views of the Temple. Night ceremony is when Lord Shiva is taken to the Bed Chamber of Parvati. After the visit return to the hotel. (Transport to the hotel, temple and back will be by TUK TUK.. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Proceed on a tour of Madurai, enjoy the unique opportunity to make a Stop at the Madurai’s flower market, which is one of the Biggest in the southern region, and transacts as much as 10 tonnes of flowers in a day, mainly the renowned Madurai malli and other flowers like marigolds, tuberoses and roses. Later join on a walking tour through the ancient city of Madurai with our Story Teller and chance upon her stories; of fickle kings and towering monuments;of whimsical Gods and Eatra ordinary mortals. Some set millennia ago and some of
a more recent village. Then stop at the nearby Tirumalai Nayak Palace , built in 1636 by king Thirumalai Nayak, in Indo-Sarcenic style with the input of an Italian architect. Back to the hotel. Rest of the Day Free. Overnight at the hotel.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and take a beautiful drive from the plains to the green mountains of the Nilgiris. Rubber, Coffee and Cardamom plantations and tea gardens will follow. On Arrival proceed directly to a Spice Plantation. Experience a typical plantation lunch followed by a walking visit where you can touch, smell and taste almost all the spices seen worldwide. Due to its location in the lower mountains around 1000 meters above sea level, Periyar is blessed with numerous types of spices. Evening: Visit to a local theatre to see “ Kalaripayattu” – a ferocious martial art form of Kerala. Free for a stroll through the spice Markets of Kumily.overnight stay.

After an early breakfast, go on a full – day Bamboo rafting – a community based initiative including the tribal community. This excursion takes the participants into the remote areas of the Periyar National park through a 2hrs trek and a peaceful and relaxing bamboo rafting. This is a very good opportunity to experience the Flora and Fauna of the region. Return to hotel. Rest of the day free. Overnight.

After breakfast Checkout and drive downhill to Kumarakom. This town slumbers on the banks of the famous Vembanad Lake, with its majestic canals, streams and distributaries along its banks, weave an intricate and enchantingly beautiful web. The bird sanctuary close by is an ornithologist’s paradise and a favourite haunt of migratory birds. Check-in at your hotel. Rest of
the afternoon free to explore the Resort and its activities. Later the day indulge in an rejuvenating Ayurveda Massage (Included),.

Breakfast. Proceed with an half-day excursions in the Aymanam Village (30 minutes drive from Kumarakom). Aymanam is the village in Arundhathi Roy‟s novel „The God of Small Things‟. Mostly starts with a country canoe ride to experience the tranquility, to begin with. Inland birds clatter nonstop, Flowering hedge, Coconut bridge. Fish traps,Disembark and the day go as it passes by. Visit a temple, walk through the villages where we still have the live Snake abodes – Families preserve these abodes in natural surroundings. Later Visit a „Kathakali master’ -Kerala‟s traditional theatre, Kathakali adapts act styles of ancient Sanskrit stage of India with Visual presentations of human expressions. Return to the hotel. Rest of the Day at Leisure. Overnight stay.

Breakfast. Drive towards Alleppy –dubbed Venice of the East. By noon embark the Houseboat for your Backwaters cruise. These boats are a reworked version of kettuvallams of olden times and made out of huge planks of Jack wood, joined with coir from Coconut shells.These original kettuvallams were once used to carry tons of rice and spices. They are today converted into comfortable floating accommodation offering enchanting cruises through the backwaters. Cruise through the palm fringed canals enjoying the beauty of rural village life. Keralan meals served on board. The trip continues through a wonderful area of the lush green vegetation of Kerala backwaters. Disembark after Tea and Snacks!! Drive on to Cochin. Overnight stay

Early Morning – Go Kayaking in the backwaters at the City of Cochin – an activity popular among the local community. Return to Hotel for Breakfast.by mid day Proceed on a walking tour of Fort Kochi. Go on foot to visit of the famous Chinese Fishing Nets of Cochin. visit St. Francis CSI Church, the oldest European church in India built in 1503, where the Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama was originally buried and pass by the Santa cruz Basilica, one of the finest and imposing churches in India. Enjoy a stroll through the colonial charm.Back to hotel. Later the day Go on to visit the Jewish Synagogue at the heart of what is locally called the Jew Town, and finally the Dutch Palace (closing at 5 pm) with its beautiful mural paintings from the 17th century. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure in the streets of this Heritage township. See its markets, Fruit stalls, Antique shops and more. In the evening discover the famous dance drama of Kerala – “Kathakali”. This dance can be characterized by meaningful gesticulations, amazing costumes and very extensive make-up. The stories are mostly taken from the Indian epics Mahabharatha and Ramayana. Return to Hotel. Overnight stay.

Breakfast. Transfer to Cochin International Airport for home bound flight

…Tour Ends…