Day 01 – Arrival Cochin
On arrival at Cochin International Airport by an early morning flight, you will be received to drive to Fort Cochin, the colonial hub of Kerala. Check into your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Afternoon a Tuk-Tuk tour of Fort Cochin covering Chinese Fishing nets, St Francis Church & Santa Cruz Basilica. Evening watch a Kathakali show at a live theatre. Overnight at Cochin.
Fort Cochin still keeps its Colonial remnants reminding us about the presence and passing of various invasions and historic moments. Fort Cochin & Mattancherry ,the twin cities closely connected are great examples of the sustainable preservation of a cultural heritage which still chills a curious traveller.

Day 02 – Cochin-Poothotta Village (01 Hour Drive)
After an early breakfast, you will be driven to a serene backwater island village-Poothotta for an exclusive experience which is a part of our Community Based Responsible Tourism. On arrival at the other side of the island, the local host along with a guide will receive you to cross the river in a canoe. Further you will be taken through some breath taking narrow canals and village activities like coir making. You will be offered a home cooked meal by the local family.

This is an exclusive experience offered to our travellers as a part of our community support imitative and the economic benefits go to the host family which eventually support the local circular economy and sustainable living.
Afternoon, drive back to Cochin for a guided sightseeing covering the historic monuments and cultural heritage. Highlights will be Dutch Palace Museum, Jewish Synagogue and Jew Town. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 03 – Cochin- Periyar (5 Hours Drive)
After an early breakfast, drive to Periyar, a destination known for Periyar Tiger Reserve and sprawling spice farms. Enroute visit a rubber plantation. On arrival, check into your hotel. Evening watch a live martial art show -Kalaripayattu at a local theatre. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 04 – Periyar-Half day Jungle Hiking
Have an early breakfast. At 9 AM, proceed for a hiking safari with bamboo rafting inside the Periyar Sanctuary. Packed lunch will be provided. This hike will give you a glimpse of Periyar Tiger Reserve and its conservation strategy. Return to the resort by 3 PM.
This is one of Kerala’s first Responsible Tourism Programs as a part of rehabilitating the tribal people who lived inside the Sanctuary and sometimes Poachers and hunters. With the help of an Eco Development Society (EDS), these people are now the guards of the forest for the best conservation and the best guides for tourists because they know the forest very well including the movement of wild animals. The revenue from these programs help the Government to give back to the Community to enable them to have decent living.
Afternoon, visit a spice farm for an orientation. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 05 – Periyar-Kumarakom (4.5 Hour Drive)
After breakfast, check out and drive to Kumarakom, a Sustainable Tourism Village which bagged the UNWTO Ulysses Award for the Best Responsible Tourism Destination in the world. Enroute stop at a tea plantation to understand the tea making pocess. Later continue driving to Kumarakom.
On arrival, check into Coconut Lagoon, a serene backwater resort set on the Vembanad Lake. Enjoy the tea time at the resort. Overnight at the resort.

Day 06 – Kumarakom
Breakfast at the resort. Later, you will go for a guided village experience tour organised by the local villagers. The tour will take you through the village houses and their livelihood jobs. The best part of the tour is that you can interact with the local people who are a part of the tourism activities in the region. Later have a lunch from the local restaurant run by a Women Self Help Group or at a village home which is again a part of the Community Based Tourism in the Region.
Afternoon, return to the Resort. Evening, sunset cruise. Overnight at the resort.

Day 07 – Kumarakom- Alleppey Houseboat (1 Hour Drive)
After a leisurely breakfast, you will be driven to Alleppey to board your exclusive houseboat for a cruise through the Vembanad Lake followed by overnight stay on board. Your meals will be freshly cooked and served on board. Overnight stay on board Houseboat.
Houseboat in Kerala backwaters was one of the most community oriented project in tourism as this industry created a huge employment opportunity for the local people. The traditional culinary heritage is being conserved and sustained to offer the regional Alleppey/Kuttanadan cuisine on board the Houseboat. The interesting part is that all cooks on Houseboats are men. Houseboat also gives an opportunity to the local fishermen and other vendors to sell their products. Even when the local farmers had many climatic chaos like floods which resulted in heavy crop loss, at least the availability of employment to many on Houseboats was a great boon to the local community. Two consecutive floods followed by the Pandemic have made the living in this region a real livelihood issue. During your cruise, you may see the new houses coming up which are all built on raised pillars in fear of floods during Monsoon. As the crew are from the local community, with proper training, now they are taking a special interest on keeping the waters clean and garbage free.

Day 08 – Alleppey-Marari Beach (1.5 Hours Drive)
After breakfast on board, check out to visit a Hindu temple in Alleppey. Later drive to Marari Beach, a serene fishermen village known for its life and livelihood activities. On arrival, check into your hotel (Check in time is 2 PM). Afternoon for a rejuvenating Ayurveda Massage at the resort. Overnight at Marari Beach.

Day 09-11 – Marari Beach
Full day at leisure. You may walk around the fishermen village or walk to the nearby Hindu temple in the evening to watch the social gathering for prayers. You may also opt for a rejuvenating Ayurveda Massage. Overnight at Marari Beach.
You will have options for in house experience programs like organic farm visit with a culinary trail with the chef at the resort, butterfly watching, night owl watching, local tuk tuk tours etc.

Day 12 – Cochin Departure (2.5 Hours Drive)
Today, you will be transferred to Cochin International Airport to connect your flight home.

*This program is curated keeping CGH Earth Experience Hotels for accommodation. There may be slight changes in the experience activities, if accommodations are changed.