| Tour Durations |
10 Nights / 11 Days |
| Destination |
India |
| Specialty |
A Luxurious Experience of Kerala, India |
| Tour Customization |
Possible |
Thema
Take a luxurious tour of Kerala and soak in the sun, feel the cool sea breeze, and breathe in the aroma of fragrant spices. This is an artistically designed tour for ‘gourmet’ customers to magical Kerala. Stay at luxury hotels in Kerala and visit Kerala's scenic tourist destinations. Take houseboat cruises along tranquil Kerala backwaters or sunbathe on Kerala’s white sand beaches. Visit pilgrimage sites, wildlife sanctuaries and hill stations. See thrilling snake-boat races and mesmerizing Kathakali recitals, while exploring the immense culture of Kerala. Experience in style the magic of what locals call ‘God's Own Country’.
Day 01: Arrival Cochin
Namaste! We are welcomed the traditional Indian way with hands clapped together. After immigration and custom formalities, we are assisted and driven through the city to our hotel.
Overnight: Taj Malabar, Cochin (2 nights) (Dinner)
Day 02: Cochin
Today we explore Cochin, the commercial capital of Kerala, with one of the finest natural harbors in the world. Ancient mariners from Arabia, China, Holland, Britain and Portugal have all left their ‘cultural mark’ on this beautiful island-city, often referred to as the Venice of the East. Here we tour the Dutch Palace, St. Francis Church, the Jewish Quarter with its old Synagogue and take a boat tour to visit the Bolghatty Palace and observe the fascinating Chinese fishing nets in action. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 03: Cochin / Ooty (290 km / 06 hrs)
Today we leave for Ooty, also known as Udagamandalam - the "Queen of hill stations" and it’s the capital of Nilgiris - "Blue Mountains” district. It is one of the most popular tourist resorts in India, and a land of picturesque picnic spots. It used to be a popular summer and weekend getaway for the British Rulers during the colonial days. It is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level. Upon arrival in Ooty, we check in to our hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to wander around and enjoy the freshness of the surroundings.
Overnight: Taj Savoy Heritage, Ooty (1 night) (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 04: Ooty / Munnar (drive 200 km / 04 hrs)
After breakfast we depart for Munnar, en-route enjoying the scenic beauty, the marvelous waterfalls and the high mountains with the ‘low flying’ clouds passing by. Once in Munnar we check in to our hotel. Munnar is situated at 1600m above sea level and was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in
South India. Our sightseeing tour includes a visit to Pothamedu Plantations, which offers an excellent overview of the tea, coffee and cardamom plantations in Munnar.
Overnight: Club Mahindra, Munnar (1 night) (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 05: Munnar / Periyar (drive 200 km / 04 hrs)
After breakfast at our ‘Club’, we will drive to Periyar. This will be our full day at the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, spent by game viewing. This is one of the best-known wildlife sanctuaries in the south, and attracts a large number of nature lovers every year. Also called the ‘Thekkady Wildlife Sanctuary’, this place is ideal for watching the animals in their natural habitat. Lying close to the plantations, in the rich jungles of Periyar, Thekkady is one of the world's most fascinating natural wildlife reserves.
Spread across 777 sq. km, of which 360 sq. km is thick evergreen forest, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. The greatest attraction of Periyar remains the large herds of
wild elephants that come down to the lake's edge.
Overnight: Taj Garden Retreat, Periyar (1 night) (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 06: Periyar / Kumarakom (drive 185 km / 04 hrs)
After breakfasts depart for Kumarakom. We’ll be enjoying the scenic beauty, a breathtaking paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways and canals adorned with white lilies. Situated on the shores of Vembanad Lake, in this small water-world you will come across plenty of traditional country crafts, boats and canoes, which will take you into the heart of this scenic lake. The resort offers comfortable accommodation and exclusive leisure & healing options, like the Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Massage Therapy, yoga, Meditation, boating, fishing, angling and swimming. The
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary located on the banks of the Vembanad Lake, the ornithologist’s paradise, is a favorite haunt of migratory birds like the Siberian stork, egret, darter, heron and teal. A cruise along the Vembanad Lake is the best way to experience the Sanctuary.
Overnight: Taj Garden Retreat, Kumarakom (1 night) (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 07: Kumarakom / Trivandrum / Kovalam (drive)
Today we leave for Kovalam and visiting en-route Thiruvananthapuram, earlier known as Trivandrum, which is now the capital city of Kerala. The name literally splits into "Tiru", "Anantha" and "puram" meaning "the town of Lord Anantha". The Lord Anantha Temple is in the heart of the town and for generations, the kings have called themselves "Padmanabha-Dasa" or the "servants of Lord Anantha-Padmanabha", and ruled the state as the representatives of Lord Anantha-Padmanabha. We visit the beautiful Temple of Padmanabhaswamy, the Chitra Art Gallery, Napier Museum and the local market.
A scenic and easy drive gets us to the beautiful Beaches of Kovalam, on the Malabar Coast near Trivandrum. The palm-fringed bays and secluded coconut groves are natural requisites of a relaxed stay. The boundless blue waters of the Arabian Sea and miles of white sands washed away by the surf at the feet of the stalwart palms, as well as the rocky promontories make this beach an incredible paradise.
Overnight: Taj Green Cove Resort, Kovalam (3 nights) (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 08: Kovalam / Kanyakumari / Kovalam (drive)
Today we enjoy a full-day tour to the "Lands End" of India: Kanniya Kumari. This is the southernmost tip of peninsular India where the waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea meet. A place from where one can see spectacular sunrises and colorful sunsets. On balmy evenings one can witness the sunset, while the full moon is rising on the opposite part of the sky! Later we return to Kovalam.
(Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 09: Kovalam
Today is a free day for you to enjoy relaxation at the beach resort, or to take a short backwater cruise.
Optional Ayurvedic Massage also available. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 10: Kovalam / Trivandrum / Mumbai (drive & fly)
After breakfast drive to Trivandrum airport in time to connect with our flight to Bombay. On arrival in Mumbai, we are transferred to our hotel. Evening is kept free for us to venture through the busy nearby bazaars.
Overnight Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai (1 night) (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 11: Mumbai / Homebound
After breakfast we’ll enjoy a half-day city tour of Bombay, visiting the ‘Gateway of India’, the Gandhi Memorial, the Dhobhi Talod (an open-air community laundry), & the Prince of Wales Museum. Late in the evening we are transferred to the airport, in time to connect our flight home or our next destination.
End of our tour and services .
