South Indian Treasures Kerala & Goa , India
A 12-day journey experiencing the life & history of Kerala & Goa. Explore coastal cities along with tea & spice plantations. Enjoy a boat ride through Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Witness classical dances. Experience life in the backwaters with your very own houseboat and private chef. Stay in a beautiful 200 year old property run by an amazing host family, and gain some Indian cooking skills to carry back home.
Day by Day
Arrive in Kochi. You will be met by our representative and chauffeured to the Burton Boatyard Hotel.
Become familiar with your surroundings with a half-day history and cultural tour of Kochi. Enjoying piping hot local chai/coffee at Sree Balaji’s Coffee House. (Home to an inspiring modest couple who uses funds of their shop to travel the world. ) End the evening enjoying a masterful Kathakali Dance performance. Relax overnight at the Burton boatyard Hotel.
Journey to 5,000 ft following the forested foothills and tea plantations to The Spice Tree in Munnar.
After breakfast visit to tea/coffee plantations & museums.
Visit Talayar Bungalow, Talayar Tea Estate (approximately 40-minute drive), take a guided tour to the tea factory, learn the history of Munnar tea and the different process of tea making followed by tea tasting and lunch.
Later continue visit to Tea Plantation & Factories and return to hotel and enjoy your stay. (Sunday is closed).
Travel through a Journey of the Senses. Munnar – Periyar (By car – 4 hours). As the road winds through mountains, you will descend through a carpet of tea bushes, estates of tall rubber trees and gardens of coffee, cardamom and pepper. Finally arrive at Spice Village, just outside Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, is one of the premier reserves of Southern India, and home of the wild elephant, the bison, antelopes, langurs, sambars and occasional tiger.
Take a boat-ride through the sanctuary (dependent of water levels) followed by an exploration of a spice plantation.
Check out from Periyar and drive to Alleppey (4 hours drive) to board your own Kettuvallom (House Boat). Lunch & Dinner are prepared by your private chef – specializing in fish delicacies like white prawns, pearl spotted fish, crabs and mussels. Overnight in your own private Kettuvallom.
Alleppey – back to Kochi (By Surface) – Goa (Flight). Disembark the House boat and transfer to Kochi airport – Approx 3.5 hours’ drive Board the flight to Goa. You will be met on arrival and escorted to the hotel. Overnight stay at Acro Iris, a boutique homestay, with a history of 200 years. It is run by Mr and Mrs Ganesh.
Immerse yourself in Goan history and culture with a full-day’s guided tour that includes an authentic Goan lunch served at a local spice-plantation.
Take home some cooking skills with an authentic Goan cooking class with a professional chef. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Enjoy your final day in Goa relaxing and reflecting on your journey.
You will be chauffeured back to the the Goa International Airport (GIO) by 11 am.