Duration: 16 Days
Places
to Visit: Mumbai - Cochin - Munnar - Periyar - Changanacherry -
Aranmula - Varkala - Kovalam - Trivandrum - Mumbai
Our
popular and long running journey to south India! Biking, hiking, a backwater
boat ride, a stay in an Indian arts centre, a wildlife reserve and the
beach, all combine in this unhurried visit to Kerala. We first travel to the
Periyar wildlife reserve where there are tiger, elephant, deer, wild boar,
monkeys, fish eagles, hornbills and many kingfishers and walk through
plantations of cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, cumin, cinnamon and pepper. In the
cool Cardamom hills, where we have seen wild elephant, we hike above the tea
estates to reach the highest peaks in south India at over 2500m. In Cochin,
the spice centre of India, we catch the public ferry-boats between the
islands before our own boat journey glides away down the tranquil Kerala
backwaters to an arts centre where we can practice or watch woodcarving,
martial arts, south Indian cooking and Kathakali dance. Finally we bike
toward the coast, 4-5 hours daily before the sun gets too high. Through the
palm trees there will be views of the Arabian Sea and we spend a final day
at a golden beach.
ITINERARY
This trip is 16 days ex Cochin and returning from Trivandrum. The
first and last days refer to the days of arrival and departure from Mumbai
or Delhi, and are not necessarily the days you depart from or arrive back
home. Please give us the flight details for the exact itinerary. Note that
Cochin and Trivandrum are closer to Mumbai than to Delhi and hence please
check your international flights to Mumbai, which would be preferable.
Day 1: Arrive at Cochin Breakfast would be at the hotel.
Transfer to airport for flight to Cochin.
Arrive
Cochin and transfer to our accommodation at Fort Cochin, the site of
historic palaces, churches, an ancient Jewish synagogue and architecture
reflecting the visits of Portuguese, British and Dutch traders.
Cochin is a diverse and colorful port/city, spreading over 4-5 islands and
peninsulas. The main town of Ernakulam is on the mainland. All the islands
are connected by a ferryboat network and therein lies the charm of an
exploratory two days here. Around the headland of Fort Cochin, a phalanx of
cantilevered Chinese fishing boats dips into the sea at high tide. In its
back streets, there is an aroma of ginger, cardamom and other spices, piled
high in every nook and cranny.
Relax for the day.
Overnight will be at Cochin.
Day 2:
Arrive Munnar By road in 4 hours
Breakfast at hotel.
Transfer to Munnar.
Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha,
Nallathani & Kundala. 1600 meter above sea level this hill station was once
the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India. Sprawling
Tea plantations, picture book towns, winding lanes, and holiday facilities make
this a popular resort town. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and
grasslands here is the Neelakurinji. This flower, which bathes the hills in
the blue every twelve years, will bloom next in 2007 AD. Munnar also has the
highest peak in South India - Anamudi, which towers over 2695 m. Anamudi is
an ideal spot for trekking.
Lunch on the way to Munnar and dinner
at the hotel.
Overnight will be at Munnar.
Day 3 and 4: Munnar We have a choice of mountain walks
depending on the weather and changing restrictions. One option is to climb
Chokran Mudi (2179m), which takes us through forestry and tea plantations
onto a high granite ridge with dramatic views of the Western Ghats and
beyond, over mountains and ridges into Tamil Nadu. This is the toughest day
on the trip, approx. 5-6 hours with some effort required, but the views on
top will be ample reward. Look out for eagles and kites and maybe tiger or
bison droppings, though we will be far too noisy for a close encounter with
either of the latter! Our other route is easier, in the Parvatti Hills.
Pleasant and varied, it starts in the tea plantations and leads through
forest inhabited by lion-tailed macaque monkeys and onto a broad grassy
ridge, which is often shaded by trees. From the top, Anamudi (Elephant
Mountain, 2694m) and Chokran Mudi look spectacular.
All meals for
both the days would be included in the tour.
Both the nights will be
at Munnar.
Day
5: Arrive at PeriyarBy road in 4 hours
Breakfast at
hotel. A four hour drive southwards over rolling hills and coffee
plantations to the PERIYAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, one of the major wildlife
reserves in India. Indian elephants, wild boars, lion-tailed monkeys, ibex,
tigers, leopards and sloth bears are on the list. The park surrounds a
large, many-fingered lake and a dawn or dusk foray on one of the boats will
be a thrilling experience. It is from the lake rather than vehicles that the
wildlife is viewed. The sanctuary is rich in bird life. Great hornbills,
kites, darters, herons, egrets, owls and kingfishers are in abundance.
Surrounding the reserve are many small spice plantations and we spend an
absorbing afternoon searching for pepper, cardamom, turmeric, cloves,
nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and betel.
Lunch and dinner will be
served at the hotel.
Overnight will be at the hotel.
Day 6: Periyar Early breakfast and reporting at the boat
landing on Lake Periyar to cross over to the starting point of the trek.
After about two hours of hard walk, you hop on to a country raft (its just
bamboo poles bound together) paddled by tribal boatmen. Absolute silence is
the secret and soon you will be able to witness wild animals strolling down
to take a drink from the lake. If it's your lucky day, sightings could
include Elephants, Bison, Bore, Samba, Hyena and of course different bird
species. Tigers being very shy of humans are very rare sightings but one
never knows… After about three hours on the raft, head back to firm
land and walk back to civilization and your Village Resort. It's been a long
day and you deserve to put your legs up and enjoy a tall cooler. Lunch would
be packed and served in the jungle while a lavish dinner would be served at
the hotel.
Overnight would be at the resort.
Day 7: Arrive at Changanacherry By road in 4 hours
Breakfast would be at the resort.
A pleasant ride back out of the
hills takes us to Changanacherry, on the fringe of the coastal plain. We
pass rice-fields, banana, tapioca, rubber and coffee plantations,
cross-waterways and nudge our way through bustling small towns. We stop en
route for an authentic south Indian meal served on banana leaves.
Our boat awaits and we begin a thrilling and colorful boat ride (3 hours)
through the 'backwaters' to Ambalaphuza, all sitting on the roof to see
more! The term 'backwaters' actually refers to the extensive network of
rivers, lakes, canals and lagoons that lace the coastal plain interior
coastline and stretch from Cochin almost down to Trivandrum. Small canoes,
elderly sailboats, coconut-laden barges, tiny skiffs full of school
children, Chinese-style Junks and thatch-covered country craft are common
sights.
Our accommodation for the night is a simple but idyllic
bungalow. (Very comfortable authentic heritage bungalow with attached
bathrooms).
Dinner would be laid out in the dining room of the
bungalow.
Day 8: Changanacherry
Rest, or go for a walk along the waterside.
You can take part in
a host of "Village Activities" and off course they would be all
under supervision of the local helpful villagers. One such activity is to
climb a coconut tree and pluck your own one. You could also take a small
raft and go out fishing with local baits and handmade fishing rods.
Overnight would be again in the Bungalow.
Day 9: Arrive at Aranmula Leave after breakfast for another
memorable cruise down the backwaters to Chengannur. A short distance away
(10km) is Aranmula, set amid rice fields and coconut palms.
We
stay at a dance and arts centre in simple Indian Style Accommodation. A
French woman, who recognized that without arts and cultural program based in
South India, many of the old traditional musical and martial arts risked
dying out, set up the centre dramatic.
On our visit we will be
the special guests at a performance of music and Kathakali, the classical
dance drama of South India. A speciality at the centre is Kerala-style
vegetarian food served on banana leaves, delicately prepared and delicious.
Overnight would be at the ARTS CENTRE.
Day 10: Aranmula We join workshops on dance, music,
woodcarving, yoga and Kalaripayat - the martial art of South India. To be an
accomplished Kathakali dancer or to engage in Kalaripayat at a high level
takes many years of dedicated study, and this introduction allows us to
glimpse another world where priorities are very different to the West. We
can book a relaxing Ayurvedic body massage and also watch the elaborate
Kathakali make-up being painted on the evening's dance performers.
All meals would be vegetarian. Overnight would be at the ARTS CENTRE.
Day 11: Biking We cycle along narrow rural lanes, linking
small villages. We will encounter some traffic when cycling through small
towns, but for the most part the roads are quiet and fairly flat. Often
beyond the palm trees there will be views of the Arabian Sea. It will be an
exciting new dimension and will bring many friendly encounters with the
local people.
Each day, an early start (6.30am) to cycle for
around four hours before the sun climbs too high. Overnight would be at a
small beach hotel closer to Aleppey. Lunch and dinner would be at the
resort.
Day 12: Biking A morning cycle ride to arrive at Varkala in
time for a dip in the Arabian Sea. Varkala is in a beautiful location and
balanced between traditional India and growing pressures of tourism. We stay
in a simple guesthouse with delicious delicately prepared Kerala food. There
is an important Hindu temple and bathing GHAT here and each new year a well
attended Hindu festival spread over several days dedicated to an enlightened
guru, Sree Narayana Guru, attracts thousands of pilgrims to a nearby
village.
Meals would be at the resort.
Overnight will be at
GARDEN RETREAT.
Day 13: Biking
Spend the morning cycling in the beach and meeting locals. Rest of the day
would be spent relaxing.
All meals will be at the resort.
Overnight will be at Garden Retreat.
Day 14: Reach Kovalam The final day's biking through coconut
palms and small fishing villages ends just to the north of Trivandrum. A
local taxi ride completes the journey and we spend our last evening in
Kerala in beach bungalows by the Arabian Sea at Kovalam.
Lunch
would be at Trivandrum or Kovalam depending on the time. Dinner would be a
lavish spread of SEAFOOD and LOCAL WINE.
Day
15: Departure Breakfast at resort.
Transfer to the
airport of Trivandrum for flight to Mumbai or Delhi.
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