South India: Explore Kerala
7 days from Fort Kochi to Wallarpat Island
From $ 1019
Duration7 days

Get a taste of the Indian tropics on a compact seven-day trip to India’s southwestern coast. Stroll Kerala’s sandy shores, glide through its backwaters along quiet canals on a houseboat, explore villages and farms, and savour some of the country’s most incredible flavours. Venture into a part of India that’s truly off the beaten path amid the cool, luxuriant greens of this tropical paradise.

This tour is operated by

  • Duration: 7 days
    Service level: Upgraded
  • Starts in: Fort Kochi
    Physical Grading: Light
  • Ends in: Wallarpat Island
    Ages: 12+
South India: Explore Kerala - Tour Map

Itinerary

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Day 1: Kochi
There are no planned activities until this evening's welcome meeting, so check in and enjoy the city.
Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.
Day 2: Kochi/Thekkady
Meet a local spice expert, learning the medicinal and culinary uses of spices and their importance in the life of Kerala and all of India.
Visit the Dutch Palace and Jewish Quarter of Kochi. After, travel to Thekkady, the spice capital of India, and visit spice and tea Plantation for a walk with a local expert to understand the medicinal value of Spices and the process of manufacturing of Tea.
Meals: B
Day 3: Thekkady
This morning, enjoy a boat ride on Periyar Lake to view bird and other wildlife of Periyar National Park. After, visit a local family home for a cooking demonstration and lunch. Relax this afternoon or opt to take a nature walk, before a Kalaripayatt (Kerala traditional martial art) performance at a local theatre.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 4: Thekkady/Kumarakom
Continue to Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the state of Kerala. Explore the rural backwaters and take a country boat to Manjira village, meeting local people and learning about coconut farming and rural life. Watch a toddy tapping demonstration and enjoy a taste of coconut water, fresh from the tree.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 5: Kumarakom
This morning, meet with a representative of the Vembanad Wetlands Conservation Program to learn about the ongoing work by local communities to conserve the lake and surrounding wetlands. This project was created by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), an organization that National Geographic has collaborated with on many conservation projects across India over the past decade. Continue by boat to a fish sanctuary established by traditional fishermen through the program. Meet with some of the fishermen and see firsthand how their traditional ways of collecting and processing clams are models for the management of lake resources. Continue to explore Allepey, a golden streak of land surrounded by rivers, lakes, lagoons, and canals, by private houseboat. Relax on the deck and enjoy the scenery, watching daily life take place along the water.
Meals: B
Day 6: Vypīn Island

Start place: Wallarpat Island

Free time on Vypīn Island.

End place: Wallarpat Island

Meals: B
Day 7: Vypīn Island

Start place: Wallarpat Island

Depart at any time. Hotel checkout is at 12:00pm. It is very easy to arange a transfer from the resort to the Cochin airport - your CEO will be happy to assist.
Depart at any time.

End place: Wallarpat Island

Meals: B

Inclusions

Included

  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Spice Experience, Thekkady Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Family Cooking Demonstration, Thekkady Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Visit Vembanad Wetlands Conservation Program, Kumarakom
  • Arrival transfer
  • Walking tour of old Kochi
  • Visit a tea factory
  • Wildlife viewing on Periyar Lake
  • Kalaripayatt performance
  • Walking and boat tour of rural villages
  • Houseboat trip on the Kerala backwaters
  • Kathakali cultural performance
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
  • Transport

    Minibus, Houseboat, Taxi, Walking
  • Accommodation

    Hotels/resorts (6 nts)

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