Arrive Cochin, where on arrival you will be transferred to the hotel.

Its name itself brings up thoughts of fishing nets, spices, Ayurveda and ships sailing over the blue sea. Appearing to be growing daily and different from the rest of Kerala, it’s a fusion of traditional and modern cultures. With skyscrapers touching the sky on one hand against the shadows of the majestic Fort, Kochi is everybody’s delight. Interestingly, the common factors between both these worlds are the red city buses, yellow auto rickshaws, and ever-friendly people. From old times, the city has been host to Arabs, Chinese, Dutch, Portuguese, French and the British traders who also came here to admire this piece of beauty. It now is one of the fastest growing cities in the country with three IT parks in close proximity. It isn’t difficult to determine the potential of this city in terms of business and employment. To sum it up, Kochi is the best starting point to explore God’s own country, since most famous places in Kerala are here, close to each other. Spend rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight In Cochin.

Breakfast at the hotel. Later enjoy city tour covering Mattancherry Palace- gifted to the king of Cochin, by Portuguese in 1555, about 500-year-old Jewish Synagogue, Chinese fishing nets, local spices market. Later in the evening enjoy the colourful performing art – Kathakali Dance.

Overnight in Cochin.

After breakfast, drive to Munnar - derived its name from the confluence of the three rivers around which the town grew. Today, it offers beautiful vistas, cardamom and spice plantations, aromatic oil factories, sights of several endangered species and the purple-blue of the Neelakurinji flowers that bloom every 12 years.

On arrival in Munnar, check-in at the hotel. Later proceed towards Tea Museum which gives an insight into the history of tea plantations of this region. Later visit Mattupetty Dam, Eco Point, and Flower Garden.

Overnight in Munnar.

After breakfast, start your drive to Thekkady (Periyar) and on arrival check-in at the hotel. Spend rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight in Thekkady.

Post breakfast, enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Periyar. Set high in the ranges of the Western Ghats in Kerala, is the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve. Periyar wildlife sanctuary has a picturesque lake at the heart of the sanctuary. Herds of playful wild elephants have made Periyar Lake their favorite haunt for frolicking in the water. They can be witnessed in bathing and swimming here. Enjoy a boat ride on the lake to view the wildlife at close quarters. Other inhabitants of Periyar include the leopard, wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur, bonnet macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur (Indian bison), wild boar and sloth bear.

Later, take a spice plantation tour. The aroma and pleasant ambiance of the spice and tea plantations of Periyar are fascinating. Spices found in Thekkady include pepper, clove, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, vanilla and curry leaves.

Overnight in Thekkady.

After breakfast, drive to Alleppey and board your houseboat on arrival. Alleppey, "Venice of the East" has a large network of backwater canals that meander through the town, surrounding villages and Vembanad Lake. Cruise through the beautiful and scenic backwaters of Kerala, while you stay in the houseboat.

Overnight On Houseboat.

Start the day with morning breakfast and then you check out from the houseboat at 10:00 a.m. Today you will drive from Alleppey to Kollam which is 90 km. far and takes around 2 hours to reach. Upon reaching Paravur near Kollam, check in at the Fragrant Nature Resort and take some rest. The stunning location and breath-taking beauty of the resort with take your tiredness away. The postcard scenery view of the resort will make your stay a wonderful experience. At 4:30 pm, we have arranged for you a serene garden walk accompanied by Ayurveda talk with the doctor who will share insights about in-house Ayurveda plantation within the resort. After enjoying your time with Mother Nature, at around 6 pm you can attend a 45 minutes cooking demonstration with the chef who will teach you how to prepare the local delicacies of Kerala and give you insights about the local food culture. During night explore a range of cuisines at the famed garden restaurant and enjoy a dining experience conjured with choicest ingredients.

Overnight Stay at the Resort.

The 8th day of your Kerala holidays starts with a rejuvenating activity i.e. bird and butterfly watching tour within the resort at 7 am. The tour gives you an opportunity to see different kinds of birds and butterflies living in their natural habitat. After the tour, at around 7.30 am till 8.30 am, you will be offered a refreshing one-hour speed boat tour. This is going to be one of the most memorable experiences you will have on this trip. The speed boat passes through the beautiful mangroves and landscapes giving you an opportunity to witness the local village life very closely. After having breakfast, between 10 am to 1 pm you may take some rest and enjoy the in-house resort facilities and later after 1 pm, head to the famous beaches of Kerala, Varkala Beach (15 km. from the resort) and Kappil Beach (8 km. from the resort). Also known as Papanasam Beach, Varkala Beach is a beautiful stretch of sand renowned for its solitude and impeccable beauty. The water of the beach is known to have medicinal and curative properties. It is believed that taking a dip in the holy waters can cleanse your body of impurities and all sins. In addition to this, it offers a pleasing view with crystal blue waters and cliffs in the backdrop. Kappil Beach is a beautiful beach-backwater destination known for its tranquillity, natural beauty and soothing atmosphere. The glittering waters of Arabian Sea, golden sand and thick groves of casuarinas trees make this place a must visit. The west side of the beach is the blue Arabian Sea and the east side is the greenish waters of Edava Narayana Lake which merge together to give a mesmerising view. Enjoy dinner at the Lakefront dining or poolside dining as per the weather conditions.

Overnight stay at the backwater resort.

Start of your day with a delicious breakfast and gear up for an exciting day of adventure ahead. A scenic destination that is a must-see during your trip in Kovalam is the Lighthouse Beach. This picturesque location has silvery-white sands and coconut trees that dot the perimeters of the beach. The highlight of this beach is the 30-metre high lighthouse situated at the far-end of this beach. You can reach the top of this spot by climbing a total of 142 steps. The spot also has an observation deck which offers some stunning sights of the surrounding areas Kovalam Hawa Beach is also a fantastic beach to get some much-needed sunlight and to enjoy the lovely sunsets in Kovalam. You may spend the rest of the day shopping in and around the numerous markets that are situated near the beach area. These markets are the perfect place to purchase some authentic Kerala goods such as spices, aromatic oils, wall décor and other memorabilia.

You may check in at the hotel 3 nights @ Leisure

Full day is at Leisure at the resort at kovalam.

Breakfast at the hotel. Later assisted transfer to the TRIVANDRUM AIRPORT to board a flight to onward destination.

To find out more information and make a reservation, contact one of our Specialist Travel Experts directly on 0800 840 8192. Alternatively, fill out our enquiry form or send us an email at travel@claridontravel.com