Kerala Tea Estate, Backwater & Kovalam Beach Tour

Duration	Destination	Departure
11 days and 10 nights	India (Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarakom, Kovalam)	India (Cochin)

Description

This phenomenal trip in the lap of nature is pursued by fascinating cities. Explore Fort Kochi, old-town quarters famous for its cobblestoned lanes, Dutch, Portuguese & Jewish heritage. Then drive to Munnar a town in the Western Ghats mountain range, a hill station and former resort for the British Raj elite, surrounded by rolling hills dotted with tea plantations and a sanctuary for Nilgiri Thahr. From here head to Thekkady a paradise for wildlife flora & fauna. Thenafter drive to Kumarakom a backwater resort set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake. Day cruise from here to Alleppey in a houseboat serving meals on board. At the end unwind yourself on the hippy loved beach of Kovalam. Private transport, local guide & monuments entrances are part of our package price.

---

Category
3 Star Hotels (Private Tour) Bed & Breakfast en
Price includes • Assistance on arrival at airport. • 10 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels. • Daily breakfast & meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner) • Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program. • English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program. • Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary. • Bottled drinking water in car. • Government taxes. Price does not include • Any flight tickets. • Camera charges at monuments. • Meals other than mentioned in day plan. • Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc. • Gratuities & optional activities. • Anything not mentioned in inclusions.
4 star hotels (Private Tour) Bed & Breakfast en
Price includes • Assistance on arrival at airport. • 10 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels. • Daily breakfast & meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner) • Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program. • English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program. • Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary. • Bottled drinking water in car. • Government taxes. Price does not include • Any flight tickets. • Camera charges at monuments. • Meals other than mentioned in day plan. • Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc. • Gratuities & optional activities. • Anything not mentioned in inclusions.
5 star hotels (Private Tour) Bed & Breakfast en
Price includes • Assistance on arrival at airport. • 10 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels. • Daily breakfast & meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner) • Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program. • English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program. • Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary. • Bottled drinking water in car. • Government taxes. Price does not include • Any flight tickets. • Camera charges at monuments. • Meals other than mentioned in day plan. • Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc. • Gratuities & optional activities. • Anything not mentioned in inclusions.

Program

Day 1:
Arrive Cochin
On arrival at Cochin airport assistance & transfer hotel check in. In the evening enjoy Kathakali, a traditional dance form of Kerala with lavish costumes, exotic makeup, masks etc. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2:
Cochin - Munnar (140kms) (B)
City tour visiting Fort Cochin St. Frances Church, Jewish Synagogue, Mattancherry Dutchs Palace & Chinese fishing nets. Later drive to Munnar check in & Overnight at hotel.

Day 3:
Munnar (B)
Visit Pothamedu, Mattupetty dam, Rajamala hill, Eravikulam National Park, Mattupedi Dairy Farm, Echo Point & Tea Museum. Overnight at hotel.

Day 4:
Munnar - Thekkady (110kms) (B)
Drive to Thekkady via Ramakkalmedu one of the windiest places in Asia and being so, one can find here a wind farm generating electricity. Visit Frog Rock, Turtle Rock and the highest twin-statue in Kerala called Kuravan & Kurathi. Evening watch Martial Arts & Kathakali Dance show. Overnight at hotel.

Day 5:
Thekkady (B)
Explore Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on a boat. Sanctuary is home to tigers, elephant, rare lion-tailed macaques, sambar deer, leopards and Indian bison. Later spice plantation tour to see crops of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee etc. Overnight at hotel.

Day 6:
Thekkady - Kumarakom (132kms) (B)
Drive to Kumarakom, a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake, in the Kuttanad region. Visit Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, an ornithologists paradise a favourite haunt of migratory birds like the Siberian stork, Egret, Darters, Bitterns, Brahminy kites, Marsh Harries, Teals and several varieties of Herons roost. Overnight at hotel.

Day 7:
Kumarakom - Day Cruise (B,L)
Transfer to Alleppey boat jetty to board houseboat and sail through the tropical countryside enchanting backwaters. Start sail through scenic backwaters, passing through one of the few areas in the world where farming is done below sea level. Lunch on board during the 4hrs cruise. Rest time free and easy to relax in your hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 8:
Kumarakom - Kovalam (190kms) (B)
Disembark from houseboat and transfer to Kovalam, check in at hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel.

Day 9:
Kovalam (B)
Visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Attukal Temple, Napier Museum, Kuthira Malika & Sri Chitra Art Gallery. Drive through famous beaches Shankumugham Beach, Kovalam Beach & Vizhinjam lighthouse. Overnight at hotel.

Day 10:
Kovalam (B)
Day free and easy to relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel.

Day 11:
Kovalam - Departure (Flight) (B)
As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.

Price includes

• Assistance on arrival at airport.
• 10 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels.
• Daily breakfast & meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner)
• Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program.
• English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program.
• Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary.
• Bottled drinking water in car.
• Government taxes.

Price does not include

• Any flight tickets.
• Camera charges at monuments.
• Meals other than mentioned in day plan.
• Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc.
• Gratuities & optional activities.
• Anything not mentioned in inclusions.

Itinerary

Day	Overnight	Itinerary highlights
1	4 StarsKochi	Kochi - Cochin Airport
2	4 StarsMunnar
3	4 StarsMunnar
4	4 StarsThekkady
5	4 StarsThekkady
6	4 StarsKumarakom
7	4 StarsKumarakom
8	4 StarsKovalam
9	4 StarsKovalam
10	4 StarsKovalam
11		Trivandrum - Trivandrum Airport

Accommodations provided in each place

Place	3 Star Hotels	4 star hotels	5 star hotels
Kochi	The Dune Hotel/ Abad Plaza or similar	Casino Hotel/ Le Maritime or similar	Xandari Harbour/ Le Meridien or similar
Munnar	Fort Munnar/ Abad Copper Castle or similar	Nature Zone Jungle Resort/ Fragrant Nature Munnar or similar	Chandys Windy Woods/ Tea County or similar
Thekkady	Abad Green Forest/ Hotel Treetop or similar	The Elephant Court/ Cardamom County or similar	Spice Village/ Carmelia Haven Resort or similar
Kumarakom	Abad Whispering Palm/ Cocobay Resort or similar	Eastend Lake Song/ Goldfield Lake Resort or similar	Coconut Lagoon/ The Zuri or similar
Kovalam	Harmonia Beach Resort/ Sagara Beach Resort or similar	Esturay Island Resort/Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel or similar	Raviz Kovalam/ Vivanta by Taj - Green Cove or similar