- Places Visited : Cochin ↠ Thekkady & Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary ↠ Kumarakom ↠ Alappuzha
- Duration : 8 Days 7 Nights
- Estimated Distance : 600 Km`s
This Tour Idea Is Fully Customizable
Kerala is an ideal tourist destination in India for many reasons. Be it for relaxation, nature or culture, you will love to spend a few days in this state. It is a beautiful place with rich green tropical landscapes of beaches, mountains, backwaters and forests. Our 7 nights Highlights of Kerala tour package is a good choice to enjoy the beauty and culture this marvelous Indian state.
- DAY 1 : COCHIN / KOCHI
Transfer to your hotel for 2 nights stay upon your arrival at Kochi. Enjoy a cruise in the afternoon on Cochin Harbour which is one of the major sea ports in India. Besides, it is among the most attractive natural harbours of the world. Cochin Harbour is a busy port where you can see commercial cruise lines and huge container ships. Travelers can enjoy cruise in traditional fishing boats also in this port. Chinese Fishing Nets is another attraction of Kochi. Buy fish of your choice from the local market before you return to your hotel. Move to the lawn of the hotel where they arranges a grill for their guests. Enjoy a cooking session in the evening at your hotel with a chef. He cooks the fish for you. It is the perfect chance to taste delicious fish preparations and to mingle with your fellow traveler.
- DAY 2 : COCHIN / KOCHI
Enjoy your breakfast and join a walking tour in the Fort Cochin area. Then visit the Dutch Palace. You will love the traditional Kerala architecture of this palace. It was built in the mid-16th century by the Portuguese as a gift to the Maharaja of Kochi. Now it is a gallery where you can see the portraits of Cochin Rajas and several beautiful Hindu murals. Paradesi Synagogue is certainly a great place to visit in Kochi. It is adjacent to the Dutch Palace. Built in 1568, it is an oldest synagogue in the world. Aside, it is among the few of its kind in the country. The 16th century St. Francis Church is the final stop.
Enjoy a cultural Kathakali performance in the evening. Arrive early for the show so that you can watch the preparations of the dancers for it. You will love to watch the elaborate costumes and makeup of the Kathakali artists. Simply enjoy the historic and traditional dances.
- DAY 3 : COCHIN / KOCHI TO PERIYAR / THEKKADY
Check out your hotel and travel to Periyar region to enjoy the beautiful natural landscapes. It takes nearly 6 hours to reach this destination from Cochin. You can spend 2 beautiful days in this destination. Each traveler to Periyar loves to watch the wildlife in Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. It spreads more than 357 square miles in the southern Western Ghats region of the Cardamom and Pandalam Hills. This park is a famous tiger and elephant reserve in the state. In addition to scenic charm, this area is notable for its bio-diversity.
Your hotel arranges a few shows including cultural performances in the evening for their guests. After that you can join the chef to get an idea about the use of different spices in Indian cuisines particularly in Kerala dishes. Here you can learn about different spices and how to use them in dishes. Simply taste the cuisines to know how those spices help to make delicious dishes.
- DAY 4 : PERIYAR / THEKKADY
Exploring the Periyar region can be a beautiful experience. Take a ‘soft trek’ in the morning along the beautiful nature trails to enjoy the scenic nature. Some of the valleys of Periyar contain lush tropical evergreen forests. It is a place where you can see deciduous and evergreen forest and marshy grasslands. We arrange a tribal guide to accompany our guests. So, he will point out different wildlife species and birds to make your trip more interesting. He will give all information about this park and be there to answer every question you ask about the wildlife.
After returning to your hotel, a naturalist will join you. He will take you for a tour through the spice garden of the hotel. It is a part of the cooking demonstration in the previous evening. You can watch a short film on the wildlife of the Periyar National Park including Bengal tiger after that. Enjoy a cultural performance at the end of the day.
- DAY 5 : PERIYAR TO KERALA HOUSEBOAT
Check out your hotel to proceed to Alleppey, the panoramic backwater destination. In fact, backwaters are the prime attraction of this tourist place. Board your traditional houseboat here to enjoy a delightful cruise experience. Enjoy an overnight stay in your houseboat and taste a wide range of tasty cuisines. It must be a wonderful experience for the travelers to spend a night in the houseboat. These thatch-roofed traditional houseboats are locally known as kettuvallams or the ‘boat with knots’. Houseboat cruising is the best way to enjoy the natural beauty of Alleppey. Spend the rest of the day to enjoy cruising along the shimmering backwaters.
Backwater cruising is an excellent way for relaxation. Besides, travelers can get an idea about the day-to-day life of the backwater villages. The kettuvallams are usually come with 2-3 bedrooms, a separate kitchen, an en suite basin, WC and a sit out area. Guests can enjoy air conditioning from 9 pm to 7 am. The crew members make your houseboat cruise a memorable experience. Overnight stay in the houseboat.
- DAY 6 : KERALA HOUSEBOAT TO KUMARAKOM
Disembark the houseboat in the morning after your breakfast. Travel to Kumarakom, a scenic backwater village by boat. Check in to the Coconut Lagoon, a resort in this destination to spend 2 relaxing nights. Enjoy your lunch at the family-run homestay, Philipkutty Farm. You can enjoy several traditional dishes here. The cooks of this homestay use locally grown organic vegetables and fruits to prepare dishes. Besides, you will get the chance to mingle with the local family. After that, enjoy a serene sunset cruise on the Vembanad Lake. Watch cultural performances at the hotel in the evening. Overnight stay at Coconut Lagoon.
- DAY 7 : KUMARAKOM
Enjoy a beautiful morning at the butterfly garden of your hotel. After your delicious breakfast, move out for a bird watching tour at the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. Here you can spot many local and migratory birds. Some of the birds that you can spot include kingfishers, flycatchers, parrots, herons and egrets. Be at leisure in the afternoon. It must be rejuvenating to undergo Ayurvedic treatments and massages during this trip. This is the final evening of your tour and the hotel hosts a cocktail party for you at their paddy fields. After that you can enjoy your farewell dinner. Overnight stay at Kumarakom Hotel / Resort.
- DAY 8 : KUMARAKOM TO KOCHI AIRPORT
Check out the hotel after your breakfast and drive to the Cochin / Kochi International Airport or Ernakulam railway station for your onward journey. Guests have the option to extend their stay.
Included in price:
- All accommodations (breakfast included daily)
- Small group activities
- Car rental and private transfers as detailed in the itinerary
- Local taxes
Not included in price:
- Expenses of personal nature like tipping, laundry, telephone / fax calls, alcoholic beverages, camera / video camera fee at all monuments, medical expenses etc.
- Travel Insurance
- Air Ticket
- Any other services not mentioned in the inclusions
Additional Information
- Flights are not inclusive in the cost. We can book flights at a reasonable price if you require.
- Breakfast is not included on Day 01.
- Driver is not a tour guide. We provide tour guides or Driver cum guides at additional cost.
- Tipping is a way of life in Kerala, we recommend tipping your driver.
- Local conditions may necessitate slight variations to the timings of itineraries.
- Check-out time is until 12:00 hrs.
- Early check-in or late check-out is subject to availability and may be chargeable by the hotel.
- KSU reserves the right to change/modify or terminate the offer any time at its own discretion and without any prior notice.
- In case of unavailability in the listed hotels, alternate accommodation will be made in a hotel of similar standard.
- A maximum of 3 adults are allowed in one room. The third occupant shall be provided a mattress/rollaway bed.
- Disputes, if any, shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Kochi.