Itinerary
- Day 1
Kochi
You'll land in Kochi, a historic spice port where colonial architecture reflects centuries of trade and cultural exchange. If your flight gets in by 1pm, there's an afternoon harbour cruise around Fort Kochi on the schedule. Around 6pm, you'll meet your tour leader and other travellers, then head to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner to kick things off.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Group meeting with tour leader and fellow travellers
Optional Activities
- Afternoon harbour cruise around Fort Kochi (arrive at hotel by 1pm to join)
- Pre-tour hotel nights in Kochi (arrange through sales representative)
Landmarks/POIs Fort Kochi - Day 2
Kochi
Your tour leader takes you through Fort Kochi and Mattancherry's historic neighbourhoods. You'll see St Francis Church and Santa Cruz Cathedral, then check out the iconic Chinese fishing nets along the water. After that, Mattancherry Palace comes next, followed by wandering through Jew Town's antique shops. If you're interested, there are options to learn about hand lace work or catch a Kathakali dance performance later in the afternoon.
Included Activities
- Sightseeing tour of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry
- Visit to St Francis Church
- Visit to Santa Cruz Cathedral
- Visit to Mattancherry Palace
- Visit to Jew Town
Optional Activities
- Learn about hand lace work with Thomas Chettan at Little Queen Embroidery shop
- Kathakali dance performance (late afternoon)
Landmarks/POIs Fort Kochi St Francis Church Santa Cruz Cathedral Mattancherry Palace Jew Town - Day 3
Kochi to Thekkady
The drive to Thekkady takes five to six hours, but you'll stop at a traditional rubber plantation in Kanjirappally along the way. Your guide shows you how rubber tapping works and you'll see regional crops like rambutan, mangosteen, and coffee growing. Lunch happens at the plantation house. Once in Thekkady, you take an evening walk through a spice garden to see different spices thriving in the region.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at the plantation house)
Included Activities
- Visit to rubber plantation with rubber tapping demonstration
- Walk through rubber plantations
- Lunch at plantation house
- Evening walk through spice garden
Landmarks/POIs Kanjirappally rubber plantations Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary - Day 4
Thekkady
Before breakfast, you're out on a guided nature walk through Periyar National Park for about two to three hours, looking for wildlife signs and local fauna. The afternoon is yours to explore the village bazaar and browse spice shops. Come evening, a local family demonstrates cooking at their home, and then you'll have dinner served right in their garden surrounded by spice plants.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at a family home in their garden, among a variety of spices)
Included Activities
- Nature walk in Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (approximately two to three hours)
- Cooking demonstration at a family home
- Dinner at family home
Optional Activities
- Boat cruise on Periyar Lake to look for elephants, otters, wild pigs and buffalos
- Ayurvedic massage
- Kathakali dance show
- Martial arts performance
Landmarks/POIs Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary Periyar Lake - Day 5
Thekkady to Alleppey
You're driven to Alleppey over four to five hours, then board a traditional wooden houseboat at midday. The cruise takes you through the backwaters and lakes where you can watch village life and tropical vegetation from the boat. As the sun drops over the paddy fields, the houseboat anchors for the night and you settle in by the bank.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Houseboat cruise through backwaters and lakes
Landmarks/POIs Alleppey Backwaters - Day 6
Alleppey to Kovalam
After breakfast, you leave the houseboat and visit the Coir Museum to see how coconut products get made. Then it's a four to five hour drive along the scenic Malabar Coast toward Kovalam, with a stop at Mannarasala Temple to see its 100,000 snake images. You'll pass through Quilon for a tea break before arriving in Kovalam with time to check out restaurants and settle in.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Coir Museum
- Visit to Mannarasala Temple
Optional Activities
- Explore Kovalam restaurants
Landmarks/POIs Coir Museum Mannarasala Temple Quilon - Day 7
Kovalam
This day is free for you to relax on Kovalam's sandy beach or hunt for souvenirs. Fresh seafood and tandoori dishes from local beach restaurants are perfect for meals here. You can opt for a half-day village tour at Mannadikonam or take a full-day excursion to Kanyakumari where three seas meet, potentially visiting Padmanabhapuram Palace and Suchindran Temple if you choose that option.
Optional Activities
- Half-day village tour at Mannadikonam (approximately one-hour drive)
- Full-day sightseeing from Kovalam to Kanyakumari (approximately 8am-6pm)
- Visit to Padmanabhapuram Palace (extra cost, if open)
- Visit to Suchindran Temple
Landmarks/POIs Kovalam Beach Kanyakumari Padmanabhapuram Palace Suchindran Temple - Day 8
Kovalam
Your tour wraps up today. You can either start heading home or stay longer in Kovalam to enjoy the beach. Check with your sales representative about post-tour accommodation options or ways to combine this trip with other India experiences if you're interested in extending your time.
Optional Activities
- Extend stay in Kovalam (arrange through sales representative)
- Combine with India's Golden Triangle
- Combine with Colours of Rajasthan
- Combine with Sri Lankan Highlights
