Day 01 – Arrival Cochin
On arrival at Cochin International Airport, you will be received to drive to Fort Cochin, the colonial hub of Kerala. Check into your hotel. Afternoon. Tuk tuk tour of Fort Cochin. You will visit Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church and Santa Cruz Basilica. Evening visit a traditional Kathakali Theatre to watch the Dance Drama of Kerala-Kathakali. 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, drive 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 at Mattancherry. Highlights will be Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue & Jew Town. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 03 – Cochin-Ooramana – Munnar (5 Hour Drive)
Morning, after an early breakfast, proceed to Munnar, known as nature lover’s paradise. Enroute, you will be taken to a village called Ramamangalam to visit the village temples built in Kerala Temple Architecture. This program is conducted as a part of our village empowerment program and to support the conservation of old temples in Kerala. Lunch at a local home. Afternoon, you will continue drive to Munnar. On arrival, check into your resort. Overnight at the Resort.

Lifescapes Of A Farming Village-Ramamangalam
Villages in Kerala still try to maintain the cultural heritage of the region including local farming, traditions and cuisine. As a part of our Sustainability initiative, we are working together with Ave Stella Maris College and Ramamangalam Panchayath to support the circular economy of the region and to support the conservation of a village culture and tradition. We conduct this tour with the help of local story tellers and young, amateur guides. The entire returns from this tour will be given back to the local community at the village to support the conservation of its culture and heritage.

Ramamangalam which is just 25 kms away from Cochin, still carries the local flavour of a farming village with rich traditions and a cultural heritage. Our below day trip will showcase some cultural,lifestyle and farming elements for which the village is proud of.
The temples we showcase in this tour are managed by the local trusts which need support for the maintenance and up keeping the architectural structure which are hundreds of years old.

On arrival at Ramamangalam, you will be guided to visit the village temple which is an architectural marvel with a Kerala traditional architecture. The minute carvings on wood depicting the stories from the Hindu epics are marvellous to the eyes.

Later drive through the village to watch and understand the farming culture in the village. We will pass through paddy fields, rubber,tapioca and pineapple farms depending upon the season. Though so close to the Metro city Cochin, this village still carries a long farming tradition well preserved.By noon, visit a local family to have a traditional lunch.
Afternoon drive to Munnar as per your itinerary.

Munnar …breathtakingly beautiful – a haven of peace and tranquility – an idyllic tourist destination in God’s own country with unending expanses of tea plantations… pristine valleys and mountains…exotic species of flora and fauna in its wild sanctuaries and forests…aroma of spice scented cool air. Munnar has all these and more…. It’s the place you would love to visit… It’s the place you would wish never to leave. Set at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district, situated at the confluence of three mountain streams, Munnar was the favored summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. Sprawling tea plantations, picturesque towns, winding lanes, trekking and holiday facilities makes Munnar a holiday resort. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji a flower, which bathes the hills in blue once every twelve years. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India – Anamudi – which towers over 2695 M and is an ideal spot for campers who like trekking.

Day 04 – Day trip to Marayoor & Chinnar
After an early breakfast, drive to Chinnar wildlife sanctuary for a guided walking safari for 2-3 hours. By noon, reach Marayoor for lunch followed by a walk through an ethnic village to watch many farming methods, sugarcane units, sandalwood forest and Dolmens. Evening return to Munnar for overnight stay.

Day 05 – Munnar-Periyar-Tea Plantation Experience
After breakfast and check out, you will be taken to a private tea plantation to experience the farming process. You will go with the workers in tea plantation to pluck tea leaves and interact with them. Later you will be taken for walk through the plantation followed by a farm lunch inside the plantation. Afternoon, drive to Periyar. On arrival in Periyar, check into your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 06 – Periyar
Early morning, guided walking safari in Periyar National park. Later guided spice farm visit followed by a plantation lunch. Evening watch a live martial art show -Kalaripayattu at a local theatre. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 07 – Periyar- Alleppey Houseboat (4.5 Hours Drive)
After an early 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 – Kumarakom-Marari Beach (1.5 Hours Drive)
After breakfast on board, you will be brought to Kumarakom, a Sustainable Tourism Village which bagged the UNWTO Ulysses Award for the Best Responsible Tourism Destination in the world. 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.
Later drive to Marari Beach, a serene fishermen village known for its life and livelihood activities.On arrival, check into your hotel. Overnight at Marari Beach.

Day 09 – Marari Beach
Today, you will have a rejuvenating Ayurveda massage at the resort. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at the resort.

Day 10 – Cochin Departure (2.5 Hours Drive)
Today, you will be transferred to Cochin International Airport to connect your flight home.