Cochin - Munnar (150km/4hr)

In the morning, you will go on tour of Cochin. You will visit St.Francis Church- the oldest European church in India, the Santa Cruz Basilica built in 1557 by the Portuguese, the Dutch Palace, the spice market and the 15th century Chinese fishing nets believed to have been brought by Chinese traders and a Jewish Synagogue in what is locally called the Jew Town. Later drive to Munnar, a town situated at the confluence of three mountain streams - Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala, with vast expanses of tea plantations, rivulets, waterfalls and cool weather and ideal for trekking and mountain biking.

The hill station of Munnar once used to be the summer resort of the erstwhile British administration in south India and the town has many remanents of colonial architecture. Arrive and check into your hotel / resort and unwind. Spend the rest of the day at leisure and enjoy the natural beauty of your surroundings.

Overnight at the Hotel / Resort.

Munnar

Today you will go on a sightseeing tour of Munnar starting with a visit to the Tea Museum. The museum houses curios, photographs and machinery; all of which have a story to tell on the origins and growth of tea plantations in Munnar. Later you will visit the Eravikulam National Park - located about 15 km from Munnar, the park is famous for its endangered inhabitant - the Nilgiri Tahr(a mountain goat unique to the area). Spread over an area of 97 sq. km., this park is also home to several species of rare butterflies, animals and birds.

A great place for trekking, the park offers a magnificent view of the tea plantations and rolling hills caressed by blankets of mists. The park becomes a very popular destination when the hill slopes here are covered in a carpet of blue due to the flowering of Neelakurinji plant endemic to this part of the Western Ghats, once every twelve years. You will then visit Mattuppetty known for its storage masonry dam and a beautiful lake where you could go on pleasurable boat rides, enjoying the surrounding hills and landscape. Spend the rest of your stay in Munnar walking through the enchanting tea estates enjoying the tranquillity.

Overnight at the Hotel /Resort.

Munnar – Thekkady (110km/3.hr)

After breakfast, drive to Thekkady, one of the finest wildlife reserves in India. Spread across the entire Periyar district is picturesque plantations and hill towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks. One of the 27 tiger reserves in India, the Periyar valley in Thekkady is the oldest.

Arrive and check into your hotel / resort. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or go on a spice plantation tour where you will be enticed by not only the aroma of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, pepper and nutmeg but will also get to know how they are grown, harvested and processed before they reach the supermarkets. In the evening you could go for a boat ride on the Periyar River, where you will have the opportunity to sight elephants and other animals along the banks.

Overnight at the Hotel /Resort.

Thekkady

Today you have the options of a three-hour escorted jungle trek or engage in a full day jungle trail involving bamboo rafting and treks or a jeep safari.

Overnight at the Hotel / Resort.

Thekkady – Houseboat (180km/4.5hr)

In the morning check out of your hotel and drive to Kumarakom, a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake, a part of the Kuttanad region. The bird sanctuary here is a favourite haunt of migratory birds and an ornithologist's paradise.

Arrive and embark on your private house boat cruise. Present day houseboats, huge, slow exotic barges used for leisure trips are in fact reworked version of the traditional ‘Kettuvallams’ that were used to carry rice and spices before the advent of alternative forms of transportation. The houseboats contain all the creature comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cosy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling. Parts of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm open out to provide shade and allow uninterrupted views. Meals will be cooked onboard and supplemented with a fresh catch of fish from the backwaters.

On this cruise you will enjoy vignettes of the ethnic life of rural Kerala beside the backwaters. You will encounter locals travelling in canoes and vegetable sellers, fishermen and other traders bringing house hold goods in small wooden boats. En route your captain will anchor the boat at nearby villages, paddy fields, temples and other places.

Overnight on the House Boat.

Houseboat – Mararikulam (15 km / 45 minutes)

After breakfast you will disembark at Alleppey Jetty and drive to Mararikulam, a picturesque fishermen's village. The pristine white sand beaches offer you unparalleled quiet in astoundingly beautiful settings. Arrive and check into your resort. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or you could enjoy an Ayurvedic massage in the resort centre.

Overnight at the Hotel /Resort.

Mararikulam - Cochin Airport (90km/2.5hr)

You will be transferred to Cochin airport to board a flight to your onward destination.