Duration : 06 Nights / 07 Days
Destination : Cochin-Periyar-Alleppy-Trivandrum-Kumarkom.

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DAY 1: To Cochin
On arrival in Cochin you will be taken to BRUNTON BOAT YARD, the finest boutique hotel in Cochin, on the banks of backwaters. This old boat yard, which has been converted into a hotel now, is right in the heart of the FORT area, where one can spend unlimited time wandering around and exploring the buildings with colonial architecture.

Kochi has one of the finest harbors on the Arabian Sea coast and has been a port of call for foreign traders for centuries. Its cosmopolitan character is reflected in the buildings and structures representing various regions of the world. As we explore the streets and backwaters, we will see Chinese, Jewish, Portuguese, Dutch and English architectural styles as a result of the settlement of different nationalities in the city. The city was founded in 1341 following a flood that created a natural and safe harbor and quickly became the chief port on the Malabar Coast. From the 1400’s it attracted Jewish, Arab and Christian settlers from the Middle East as a result of the Royal Family’s move to the city from Muziris, 50kms north. The Europeans began settling from 1500’s as the Portuguese, Dutch and English competed to control the port and the lucrative spice trade.
In the evening you will be taken for one hour show of KATHAKALI- the ancient dance form of KERALA

DAY 2: In Cochin
Enjoy a guided tour in the first half of the day.
The city has three distinctive regions – Ernakulam, the modern region to the East, and the older districts of Mattancherry and Fort Cochin located on a peninsula in the west. The easiest way to get around is by ferry, or by walking through the narrow roads and over bridges.

Following our arrival in Cochin, we will spend today walking through the old sections. Our walking tour will take us to; Jew Town, including the Pardesi Synagogue; the Mattancherry Palace, known locally as the Dutch Palace; Fort Cochin, reminiscent of European streets and houses; the Chinese Fishing Nets on the northern shore of Fort Cochin; and St Francis Church, near to a typical English village green. A highlight is watching the fishermen working the nets (which operate on a weight system) as the sun is setting

DAY 3: To Periyar (192 kms)
This morning you travel approximately 4 hours by private vehicle to Thekkady, the main entrance to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Upon arrival check-into The Spice Village Resort and stay in cottage. The rooms are quite spacious and comfortably furnished. There is a telephone, fan and en suite bathroom with hot running water. The resort’s facilities include swimming pools surrounded by tropical trees and lawns and outdoor restaurants serving a wide range of traditional Indian and international cuisine - as you could imagine spices play a big part in the menu! Spice Village and Shalimar Spice Garden have exclusive Ayurvedic clinics, well equipped for treatments like Pizhichil, Njavarakizhy, Dhara and other natural therapies. During this trip there will be the opportunity to learn about the benefits of Ayurveda and the origins of this holistic Medical system

DAY 4: To Kumarakom (114 kms)
What an idyllic way to start the day, an early morning boat ride on Lake Periyar! Covering an area of 300 square miles Periyar is one of the largest and most frequently visited wildlife reserves in India. It is part of the Project Tiger campaign and animals inhabiting the area include elephant, deer, pig, tiger, leopard, bison, monkeys and malabar squirrel. Whilst actually spotting an illusive tiger or leopard could prove difficult, the mix of wooded hills and valleys make it a wonderful place to enjoy the greenery.

Return to your resort for breakfast then a local guide takes you to view spice plantations of cardamon, pepper and other local specialties. Later drive approximately 3 hours to Kumarakom. An old rubber plantation set around the Vembanad Lake has been sensitively developed by the Kerala Tourism Department into a bird sanctuary. The Vembanad Lake with its majestic canals, streams and distributories along its banks weaves an intricate and beautiful web. This area is a winter home for many migratory birds and species include the darter, little cormorant, night heron, golden-backed woodpecker, white-breasted water hen and many more wonderful birds. After lunch you visit the bird sanctuary with a local naturalist and if possible do your wildlife viewing by boat.

Your overnight stay is at Kumarakom Lake Resort, a heritage resort on the banks of Vembanad Lake. Your ethnic cottage is centrally air-conditioned and set amidst acres of garden

DAY 5: To Alleppey (50 kms)
After breakfast you make a short trip to the ferry point where you board your houseboat. For you we have reserved a private, one room houseboat that travels until sunset when it then anchors for the night, at Alleppey. Your boat has a private balcony with comfortable chairs (perfect for that G&T while the sun goes down!). The rooms are fully furnished with attached bathrooms. The boat has a fully equipped kitchen and an experienced cook to prepare authentic Kerala cuisine with seafood specialties and fresh vegetables. This is your chance to pick up some fabulous cooking tips!

The entire state of Kerala is blessed with plenty of rivers and the resources of many are still untapped. The waterways of Kerala play a major role in the economy of the state as they link remote villages and islands with the mainland. It is an incredibly different experience to cruise in the backwaters in country boats, absorbing the beauty of Kerala's villages. Houseboats, also known as kettuvallam or rice boats, are today one of the major tourist attractions in Kerala, but these boats were used to carry rice bags in their earlier days. These houseboats are uniquely designed using local materials like bamboo poles, coconut fiber ropes, bamboo mats, carpets etc. and are a fabulous way to enjoy exploring the fascinating beauties of backwaters. With their languid grace and quaint design adding another dimension to your cruise in the shimmering blue waters. Overnight: houseboat.

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DAY 6: To Trivandrum (159 kms)
You will get up early today by chirping of birds and occasional ripples in the water. Your breakfast will be cooked before your eyes by your expert boat-crew. Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast while cruising quietly on the unending stretches of these backwaters. The boat will cruise through various canals and waterways giving you an insight into the rural life. Stop at any house and ask your boatman to take you to one of the houses to interact with local people and to witness their way of living. Later check out of the houseboat and switch over to your car for 4 hours drive to Trivandrum (Kovalam beach). Arrive directly at TRAVANCORE HERITAGE for spending rest of the day at leisure. Ovenright.

The Travancore Heritage is a class of its own - conceived and developed as a Heritage Property to bring life to the age-old traditional architectural splendor of the region. This brand new seaside resort is sin eight acres of landscaped environs at Chowara, south of Kovalam, near Thiruvananthapuram. The resoet rt, which overlooks the Arabian Sea, is made from many houses built at various periods in the past 60 - 100 years from several locations in Kerala . There are 45 rooms which includes 8 standard heritage houses, 35 heritage premium rooms and two pool mansion suites set in independent villas. The main swimming pool is of 228 sq. m and has broad pool decks finished in granite with poolside umbrellas and long reclining chairs. The guest room on the first floor has a small library, facilities for indoor games, chess and card games, satellite TV and an internet kiosk. On the basement of the reception building is a conference / banquet hall that will accommodate a 100 people with comfortable and smooth interior lights. Almost all of them provide a view of the sea and the beach and have spacious sit outs with built in elegant reclining antique planters' chairs.

The Resort also has an Ayurveda Center run by a young post graduate Ayurveda doctor, a full-fledged Yoga and meditation center which also offers short-term courses, a beach activity center, a travel desk, a car rental service. Organised cultural performances by professional artists performing art forms giving a glimpse of the richness and variety of Kerala , on request . Short tour packages are also on offer

DAY 7: To Delhi
Morning is free on the beach. Later you will be taken to the airport for your onward flight.