Abad Metro /Abad Fort or similar
Our CategoryOfficial Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
8 days 7 nights
South India, Kerala
Cultural Tour
Group & Private
01 Pax onwards
Warning: If you read the itinerary of this tour you will want to book it!
There is a reason why Kerala is referred to as “God’s own country” and featured in National Geographic Traveler’s 50 greatest places of a lifetime – it is gorgeous! On Travelbay’s 8 Day Private Tour, you get to experience the port city of Kochi, the wildlife sanctuary and spice plantations of Periyar, spend a night on a houseboat in Alleppey and relax on a gorgeous beach in Marari.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:-
NOTE:- This is a private tour with your own private vehicle and personal guides and drivers. We can also book it for a couple, a family, or a group of friends as per your request. Please raise a request for the same to us and we will revert to you.
Your journey begins in the port city of Kochi, also known as Cochin. On arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for check in. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure.
Overnight in Kochi
Meals included: None
Enjoy a tour of Kochi in the morning and discover what an interesting mix and blend of cultures Kochi is home to. Chinese, Judaism, Portuguese, Dutch and of course the British have all left their mark on this tropical port of the Malabar coast. It makes for a wonderful city to explore.
Some of the main sights covered will be the Chinese fishing nets, the Vaniar Dhobi unit, the Dutch Palace*, the Paradesi Synagogue* (the oldest in India, built in 1568) and the vibrant spice markets, still going strong after hundreds of years.
The quaint Old Dutch houses around Jew Town are now home to boutiques and antique shops.Spend the afternoon at your leisure. In the evening see a Kathakali dance performance, the ancient pantomime dance drama of Kerala. Arrive a little early to see the performers applying their make-up and preparing for the performance.
*Optional extra: This evening, rather than having the usual dinner, you can choose to partake in a cooking demonstration followed by dinner with a local culinary expert where you will learn the intricacies of cooking Keralan cuisine.The cost of this is USD 50 per person.
* Please note: The Dutch Palace is closed on Saturdays and the Paradesi Synagogue is closed on Fridays and Saturdays. We recommend starting this tour any day of the week except for Thursdays and Fridays.
Overnight in Kochi
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Today you will be driven inland to Periyar (around 4 hours).Along the way enjoy the gorgeous views of the surrounding tea fields, rubber and other plantations.
In the afternoon visit a spice plantation and learn all about how spices are grown. Enjoy the aromas of cinnamon and discover the beauty of the cardamom flowers and the pepper plant leaves.
Overnight in Thekkady
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Periyar National Park is a thick forest located in the Cardamom Hills of Thekkady. Discover the many birds and watch out for elephants, sambar, Malabar giant squirrels and wild boars all of which are common sightings. The area is also home to tigers but sightings of these are more rare.
This morning enjoy a nature walk in the park with a guide from a local tribe. Spot squirrels, birds and other wildlife as you explore this wildlife sanctuary. You will need long pants and enclosed shoes for the walk.
In the afternoon take a boat ride on Lake Periyar. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the National Park this boat trip is a great way to spot more wildlife and take in the scenery at the same time.
Overnight in Thekkady
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Drive down the hills of the Western Ghats (mountain range) for around 4 hours to the backwaters of Alleppey. Set on Vembanad Lake, this is one of Kerala’s most beautiful spots and where you board your Houseboat.
Enjoy cruising in the labyrinthine waterways and see local village life as it has been for years - fisherman casting their nets, children coming home from school by canoe, and ‘toddy tappers’ men who can scale the tallest coconut palms in order to extract the sap.
*A note on the Houseboats or Kettuvallam as they are called:
These are traditional boats made out of wood, bamboo, coconut fibre, jute, coir etc. and have air-conditioned rooms with an ensuite toilet and shower. They are 1 - 4 bedrooms depending on the size of your group. Each boat has a kitchen where the cook prepares the meals, plus an open area with a dining table and sitting area with sofas and chairs. After you board the boat there is usually a short cruise before the boat is moored and lunch is served.
After lunch continue cruising through the narrow canals. Around sunset the boat is moored again and dinner is prepared and then served. Overnight the boats stay moored in the same place to give you a restful night’s sleep. In the morning after breakfast cruise back to where your car and driver will be waiting for you.
Overnight in Alleppey
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
After a leisurely breakfast cruise through the narrow backwater canals towards your boat jetty. Along the way watch the locals go about their daily activities, with villagers working in the rice fields, ferries plying their trade and local fisher folk fishing.
When you reach the boat jetty disembark your boat and drive to Marari one of the beautiful palm fringed beaches of Kerala (around a 40 minute drive).
Overnight in Marari
Meals included: Breakfast
Spend today at your leisure. Relax by the beach, take a stroll or if you are feeling a little more active explore the village and surroundings of the resort by bicycle and discover local fishermen at work as you meander along the sleepy lanes. Or if you wish you can enjoy the interesting process of coir (coconut fibre) making in nearby villages. Whatever you choose Marari is simply a delightful place to be.
Overnight in Marari
Meals included: Breakfast
This morning you will be driven back to Kochi (around a 2 hour journey) and taken to the airport in time for your flight home or on to your next destination.
Meals included: Breakfast
7 nights' accommodation
Check-in & check-out time: generally, check in is after 2 pm and check out before 12 pm. Early check-in and late check-out FOC are subject to room availability at the discretion of hotel. Guaranteed early check-in and late check-out may generate additional charges.
13 meals as per itinerary - 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners.
All airport transfers - by private vehicle.
Assistance by rep/driver at the airport during International arrival and departure
All transportation throughout the tour in a private air-conditioned vehicle. The vehicle used will depend on the size of your group and will range from an air-conditioned car for groups of 2, a Toyota Innova for groups of 2 or 3, a minivan for groups of 4-10 people and for groups over 10 a coach will be used.
English speaking guides. Private or small group tour you will have a local guide in each location but for large group of 8 pax or more will have an accompanying guide/escort for the trip.
Entrance and sightseeing fees as stated in the itinerary.
Free Wi-Fi available at the hotel lobby or room (as per availability in hotels).
Mineral water on tour days with our compliments.
Taxes and service fees.Upon raising request for quote of your tour online, Travelbay will go through your request and will contact you with details regarding price, availability or any other details that you have requested. Our response is typically with-in 24 hrs . Once you give us a go ahead, we will request you to send us a booking advance and start holding accommodation and transportation for your tour.
As soon as we have confirmed the dates (usually within 48 hours sometimes a little longer at weekends) we will email you your booking confirmation.
We will request further information from you to ensure that all your personal preferences are taken care of. This will include details such as dietary requests, allergies, health issues, emergency contact and any special requirements. We will also request a copy of each traveller’s passport and the arrival and departure details.
Capital City: New Delhi
Population: 1.366 billion
Languages: There is no national language in India. Hindi and English are both official languages. India has over 1,000 spoken languages. The languages with the most number of speakers are Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi and Tamil.
Currency: Indian Rupee (INR)
Time Zone: (GMT+05:30) Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi
Dialling code: +91
Religion: Hinduism is the predominant followed by Islam, Christianity, Sikh, Buddhism and Jainism
The best time to visit India is from October through to March. At this time, the weather across India is mostly warm and dry.
India is a large country with a huge range of varying climates. Most of the country is sub tropical with hot, humid summers and mild winters. Below is a very general overview to give you some idea of what to expect.
North India
South India:
How to get there
This tour starts and ends in Delhi.
Flights from Australia to India are approximately $900 – $1,200 per person return. The actual price varies depending on departure city, time of year and luck of the draw!
Travelbay works together with an excellent corporate flight booking company and we would be happy to provide you with a free quote.
If you choose to book your flights with Travelbay, we charge a $50 booking fee for this service.
Most nationalities require a visa when travelling to India. You need to apply for and receive your visa before you depart.
You can apply for an e-visa online or you can apply for your visa via VSF Global who works in conjunction with the Indian embassy. For more information you can visit our visa information page.
To find out the visa requirements for India, you can also check here with Visalink.
Please note: We attempt to provide you with the latest information and links. However, please be aware that it is each traveller’s responsibility (and not Travelbay’s) to ensure that you have a valid visa if required for any country you visit.
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