Kerala Experience with Homestays & Boutiques -

Duration: 15 Days

Location: Cochin, Munnar, Periyar, Alleppey, Marari

An Overview

This is specially crafted with a good mixture of unique storytelling and accommodations at luxury homestays and boutique hotels. Kerala enjoys unique geographical features like an equable climate, serene beaches, tranquil stretches of unique backwater canals, amazing hill stations, exquisite wildlife, sprawling tea plantations, unending spice gardens and many more.

This trail takes you through the most sought-after attractions and experiences through Kerala. You will get to know so close the local community and their lifestyle, varied cuisine and the local traditions. Some exquisite strolls and treks are also a highlight of this tour. Visit to the royal part of Cochin will be an interesting stroll too. You will never forget the local life experiences you come across during the tour. An E bike tour, visit to an organic farm and watching a martial art live show etc are some special highlights.

Tour Highlights:

Kathakali-The Dance drama of Kerala

Colonial tour of Cochin using E bikes

Country canoe cruise with farm lunch prepared by village women

Fishing harbor visit

Stroll through the busy market

Spice Farm visit with Farm lunch at a homestay

Exclusive visit to the Dolmen site at Marayoor

Visit to the Tribal village

Trekking in the wildlife sanctuary

Tea plantation trekking with Tea Factory visit

Traditional lunch at a village home in Marayoor

Cookery show -The best way to interact with a housewife so close

Organic Farm visit with Farm lunch

Bullock Cart Ride

At A Glance

14 Nights stay in Kerala

Houseboat lunch cruise with lunch on board

Local community oriented sustainable Tourism activities

Interaction with women entrepreneurs who earn living from Responsible Tourism

Activity Level:

Active Leisure with soft treks and experience trails

Day 01 – Cochin

On arrival at Cochin Airport, you will be met & transferred to your hotel/homestay. Day to relax after long flight. Evening visit a traditional Kathakali center to watch the exclusive dance drama of Kerala.

Cochin the queen of the Arabian Sea is one of the most interesting cities of India and has one of the finest natural harbors in the world. A root-conscious people of Kerala have preserved their past not only in the form of history books but also in the form of monuments and palaces. Places, palaces and institutions of historic value are being preserved conscientiously. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 02 – Cochin

Morning, after breakfast, proceed for a guided village backwater canoe Cruise at Poothotta followed by lunch at the farm house. Afternoon back to Cochin for sightseeing. This tour will be a sustainable concept using E Bikes to visit the monuments. (3 PM to 6 PM). Visit St Francis Church, Jewish Synagogue, Dutch Palace, Chinese Fishing Nets etc. Cochin still keeps its colonial profile left over by many of the foreign influences by British, Dutch & Portuguese. Evening to walk around Fort Cochin to see the life around. Overnight at the Hotel/homestay.

Village backwater Cruise – A journey in a country boat into the pristine purity of a typical village backwater of Kerala…. goes through the zigzagging narrow canals and paddy fields fringed with coconut palms…..watch rare birds….a demonstration on coir making or a village kitchen etc. Your lunch will be prepared by the wife of our boatman with fresh catch from the river. Our guide Peter can tell you many stories about the Nature and life around.

Cochin Sightseeing – St Francis Church, built in 1510 by friars brought to India by Vasco da Gama, is the first European church built in India and is the site where Vasco da Gama was buried. The Jewish Synagogue was built in 1568, Chinese hand-painted tiles are one of the attraction. This, the only Synagogue in India has a nostalgic past of a Jewish Diaspora. The “Dutch Palace” was built in the 1550s; the palace contains excellent mythological murals and a rare example of traditional Keralite flooring – a subtle mix of burnt coconut shells, lime, plant juices and egg whites – which gives the effect of polished marble.

Fort Cochin & Mattancherry are twin cities carry a flavor of the colonial era. Jewish, Arabs, Portuguese British all came to Cochin for trading and Mattancherry was the spice trade headquarters due to the proximity of Cochin Port. While Fort Cochin became the administrative headquarters, Mattancherry maintained its trading status. The colonial stature and buildings still make Fort Cochin a favorite destination for tourists. It’s getting an upgrade once its declared as the first heritage city in India. Fort Cochin was also a part of Muziris route. It will be interesting to know that around 13 religious communities are harmoniously living in Fort Cochin and Mattancherry. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Jains, Sikhs etc. are few among them.

Day 03 – Cochin -The Royal story

After an early breakfast, you will be taken to a fishing harbor to see the fishermen life connected with the business. Later have a walking tour through Broadway Market followed by Vegetable market visit. Afternoon for an interactive tour through the Royal remnants of Cochin. We provide an alternate narrative to visitors through the Cochin Royal Heritage Trail which tells the story of Cochin through that of the Cochin Royal Family, while still covering Cochin’s relations with the Europeans as well as other communities, thereby sharing a lesser known but very fascinating and important element of Cochin’s history. The Cochin Royal Heritage Trail takes visitors to the erstwhile royal town of Tripunithura and relates stories connected to the Royal Family of Cochin. The trail ends with high-tea with present day members of the Royal Family. Evening visit Pepper Trails Kitchen to witness a cookery show followed by dinner with the host family. Your Hosts Simi & Kishore will receive you at their home to become a part of their home for few hours. Simi will be demonstrating few Kerala dishes and you are also supposed to be a part of cooking your dinner. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 04 -Cochin – Munnar (4 Hour Drive)

Morning, after breakfast, proceed to Munnar, known as nature lover’s paradise. You will drive through Midland crops like Rubber, arecnut, pineapple etc. Enroute stop at a farm House for lunch followed by a Spice farm visit. On arrival in Munnar, check into your hotel. Rest of the free to relax in the nature. Overnight at the Hotel.

Munnar is set at an altitude starting from 1500 MSL which reaches 2695 MSl at Anamudi, the highest peak in South India. The vast expanse of tea gardens, exquisite flora and fauna are additional attractions to this green beauty. There are many wildlife sanctuaries around Munnar. So the activities in Munnar can be varied from a tea plantation walk, tea making experience, medium or hard treks, Wildlife exploration, birding, camping etc.

Day 05- Tea Story: From Plant to Packet

Full day guided Tea Trail experience. You will be driven to a Tea Plantation to go with the workers to pluck the tea leaves and you will go through the whole process of making tea. Lunch will be served at the Estate Bungalow. Later after lunch, visit a tea factory to understand the tea making process. You may stop in Munnar town for buying fresh tea. Overnight at the Hotel.

Day 06- Marayoor Tribal Village & Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Full day guided village experience tour. After breakfast you will be driven to Marayoor Village where you will walk through the side of sandalwood forest followed by visiting a tribal village where you will see a different way of life. Because of the present literacy and education, the life of tribal people is changed a lot, though. Visit to a rock cut temple, ancient inscriptions etc. Walk to the Mount of the Dead, a world-famous Megalithic site with dolmens, dolmenoid and dolmenoid cists. Visit to a traditional sugarcane farm and Jaggery (black sugar) manufacturing. You will visit a village home for a traditional lunch on banana leaf. Later you will be taken to Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary for a guided trek through the wet evergreen forest to watch wildlife. Overnight at the Hotel.

As you go on the nature trail in Chinnar, you are bound to come across a fascinating plethora of bird and animal life. Chinnar Sanctuary is located in the eastern slope of Western ghats sharing its flora and fauna with Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and Eravikulam National Park. Elephant, gaur, leopard, spotted deer, sambar, grizzled giant squirrel, hanuman languor, long eared fish owl etc. inhabit the Chinnar forests. The grizzled Giant squirrel is an endangered species.

Day 07 – Munnar – Periyar (4 Hours)

Today, you will be transferred to Periyar, the famous wildlife destination of Kerala. Evening visit a theatre to watch a live Martial Arts performance. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 08 – Periyar-Cumbum Valley Organic Farm

Early morning go for a short trekking or boating through the Sanctuary to watch wildlife. After breakfast, drive to Harvest Farms for a guided tour through an Organic fruit and veg farm along with a hatchery. Enjoy a traditional lunch prepared with homegrown products or locally sourced. You will be taken for a bullock cart ride through the farm village for a local experience. Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

Harvest Fresh Fam is a certified Organic farm located in the heart of beautiful Cumbum Valley in Tamilnadu State amidst cloud kissed mountains, bubbling streams and lush farmlands. You will stroll among pomegranade, papaya and mango orchards, watch the bees and its saplings, composting methods, livestock and herbal gardens. Climb the watch tower for a commanding view of the valley and to sum up with a sumptuous meal of local cuisine made from home grown or locally sourced ingredients.

Day 09 – Periyar-Alleppey Backwater Village (4.5 Hours)

Early morning, go for another boating or trekking in the sanctuary. After breakfast, drive to Alleppey, which is famous for its backwater & scenic beauty, sprinkled with traditional houseboats, country crafts, rural lifestyles and Tranquility. Enjoy the backwater life. Overnight at the Homestay.

Backwaters is the unique attraction for Kerala. With its vibrant and genuine lifestyle, one would find it a serene abode to have a peaceful life experience. For a traveler, there can be exciting life scenes around like the women washing clothes at the river side or housewives rowing private canoes to reach home, a coconut climber or a toddy tapper.

Day 10 – Backwaters

Full day to rewind on the backwaters. Breakfast at your hotel/homestay. Your host will take you for a village exploration around. Overnight at the Homestay.

Day 11 – Alleppey Houseboat

Enjoy your breakfast at the resort. Later drive to Alleppey to board your exclusive Houseboat for a cruise through the backwater villages followed by overnight stay on board. Your meals are freshly cooked and served on board. Explore the amazing backwater life of Kerala! Overnight at the Houseboat.

The uniqueness about a houseboat cruise is the breathtaking view of the untouched and otherwise inaccessible rural Kerala. The houseboats have all the creature comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen where your meals are cooked on board. The food from the local cuisine is served by the Kuttanad locals, on board and the crew are men. Enjoying a cruise in these backwaters is not to be missed, as it leaves you feeling fully rejuvenated. You get to experience the native way of living. The experience on the Houseboat is not the one to be explained by words. Its to be lived and evolved by yourself.

Day 12– Alleppey – Marari Fishermen Village

Enjoy your breakfast on board. Later , checkout & drive to Marari, a relatively quiet beach paradise of Kerala. Rest of the day at leisure at your resort on the beach. You may opt to go for an Ayurvedic Massage or a village walk through the nearby fishermen village. Overnight at the Homestay.

Day 13 – Marari Fishermen Village-Story of life harmony

Full day at the resort. An authentic experience of Kerala’s traditional fishing villages, and a re-creation of an ancient, harmonious way of life. By evening it may interesting to visit the local temple to watch the local crowd coming for worship and socialization. Overnight at Homestay.