Programme:

Day 01: Cochin Arrival

After arrival, a full day city tour of Cochin. A walk inside the old quarter Fort Cochin with its colonial buildings from Portuguese era and a walk on a seacoast promenade with its typical Chinese fishing nets. Visit to the Santa Cruz Basilica or house of Vasco da Gama, famous navigator, who was buried in 1524 in local St. Francis Church. You will continue to Mattancherry quarter with preserved Jewish ghetto with synagogue and you will visit also the Mattancherry Palace with unique frescoes of Keralan art school. Overnight.

Day 02: Cochin – Athirapally – Cochin (75 km/2,5 hrs drive)

After breakfast, drive to Athirapally, a land encircled by waterfalls. Start your trip from Athirapally Waterfalls which cascades from 25 m down into the valley famous for its lush forests with many endemic and endangered species of flora and fauna. Then move to Vazhachal Falls, and then veer over to Charpa Falls. After taking a bath and snaps in all these waterfalls, we go back to Cochin for overnight.

Day 03: Cochin – Munnar (130 km/4 hrs)

After breakfast you will be transferred to Munnar, a hill station and centre of main Keralan tea region. A city surrounded with beautiful hills (including the highest peak of Indian peninsula Anaimundi (2695 m)) studded with tea plantations lays in a height of 1600 m. On the way you will stop to see Valara and Cheyapara waterfalls. Overnight in Munnar.

Day 04: Munnar

After breakfast, a full day programme in Munnar surroundings. A drive around a tea plantations, visit to the Tea Museum and the Spice Garden where you will learn everything about growing of various spices like pepper, cardamom or vanilla. A next programme will be dependent on time and your decision – you can visit Eravikulam National Park where lives one of the rarest species of hill goats in the world – Nilgiri Tahr which is famous for its tameness and friendliness. An another extraordinary option could be trip to the Top station with the highest tea plantations in India. This region is also famous for its rare flower species Neelakurunji which colour local hills to purple only once in 12 years. Overnight in Munnar.

Day 05: Munnar - Thekkady (95 km/3 hrs)

After breakfast, a drive in the hill road from Munnar to Thekaddy crossing Cardamom Hills with beautiful views of cardamom, tea and rubber tree plantations. Before the trip, you can visit the interesting Mattupetty Dairy Farm which is often nicknamed the “Indian Switzerland”, then move to Kundala Lake or visit the fun-filled echo point. In the afternoon, arrival in Thekkady, accommodation in a hotel and overnight. 

Day 06: Thekkady – Periyar NP - Vagamon (45 km/1,5 hr)

After breakfast, a visit to Periyar National Park which is one of the most visited nature reserves in India. The park is filled with fun and activities including a bamboo raft trip, jeep rides, nature walks or a boat ride in evening. During the day you will have the opportunity to watch many various animal species like wild elephants, antelopes, sambar deer, Malabar flying squirrels, parrots and with bit of luck you can also spot a tiger or leopard. In the afternoon, there is an optional elephant safari or visit to the spice plantation. Later a drive to Vagamon and overnight.

Day 07: Vagamon - Kumarakom (80 km/2,5 hrs)

Just after your breakfast, get ready for a lovely trip in Vagamon. First give a visit to Vagamon Falls, and then head to Pattumala Church with its interesting architecture. The next stop will be Vagamon Lake and finally the Mundakayam Ghat. En-route you can enjoy many beautiful views of the valleys, tea estates and plantations.  After this, a drive towards Kumarakom for overnight.

Day 08: Kumarakom - Kovalam (190 km/5 hrs)

Breakfast. Optional early morning visit to the famous Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary with a possibility to spot a many bird species. Rest in Kumarakom, and then start a drive to Kovalam and stay there for the night.

Day 09: Kovalam – Poovar – Kovalam (17 km/45 min)

After breakfast, a drive to Poovar, a town lying on the coast of the Arabian Sea and surrounded with many villages and water channels. You will take a boat ride and watch the lush vegetation and birds around a local water channels and you can take a bath on the beach near the mouth of River Neyyar. Then you will visit an elephant farm to encounter these huge but cute animals and you will have an option to take an elephant ride in a forest. Later, we drive back to Kovalam, relax on the beach and overnight.

Day 10: Kovalam - Trivandrum (17 km/45 min)

After breakfast, relax on the beach and then we will drive you from Kovalam to Trivandrum (Tiruvanantapuram) airport prior to your departure back to Cochin.