Classic Kerala

Day 1

Calicut – Wayanad: Land at the beautiful coastal city of Calicut and travel to Wayanad by road (3 hours) with our representative. Visit Edakkal caves to see the pictorial remnants of civilisation dating back to 5,000 BC.

Day 2 

Wayanad: Enjoy the adrenaline rush of a wildlife safari in Muthanga wildlife sanctuary, a biodiversity hotspot. The 24-kilometre safari is a chance to spot the Asian elephants, bears, wild gaurs (bison), spotted and sambar deers or even a leopard. After lunch at a local home, we take you on a spice tour, tea trail and finally cool off at a waterfall in the middle of a rainforest.

Day 3 

Wayanad - River Nila: Drive down to the historic and scenic River Nila (4 ½ hours). After lunch with a local planter's family, we take you on a leisurely cruise down the Nila on a thoni (traditional boat). The day ends with a visit to Thunjan Parambu Literature Park and Vakkad beach.

Day 4

River Nila: Get your hands dirty learning pottery with local artisans, and watch them weave magic on clay. Be blown away by creating intricate designs such as tea pots and door locks at the bell metal workshop, which is a craft confined to a few families in the region. It is also your chance to order for a souvenir to take back home. The day ends with time spent with young folk artists who showcase the folk heritage of River Nila.

Day 5

River Nila: Spend the first half of the day in interactive sessions with the masters of classical arts at Kalamandalam. Watch the sun go down while cooling off on the numerous sand banks that dot the River Nila.

Day 6

Nila - Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary: Drive down to Chimmony (2 hours). Our naturalist will hand hold you and lead you on a light trek through the wilderness which is comprised of tropical evergreen and deciduous forests. The day ends camping under the starlit sky by the rainforest.

Day 7 

Chimmony - Fort Cochin: Start the day early with a birdwalk with our naturalist and then drive down to Cochin (2 hours). Attend a Kathakali performance in the evening at a theatre in Fort Cochin.

Day 8

Cochin: Go on a hand held heritage walk of the fabulous Fort Cochin, Check out Fort Cochin jew town, synagogue, spice markets, the Dutch palace, St Francis Church and Chinese fishing nets.

Day 9

Cochin – Periyar: Drive down to the Periyar wildlife reserve (5 hours), the home of the regal Royal Bengal Tiger. The first activity is a light three hour night treak to explore the wonders of life in the jungle after dusk.

Day 10

Periyar wildlife reserve: Spend the entire day trekking and rafting on bamboo rafts along the scenic Periyar Lake. The day offers a good chance of spotting wildlife in close quarters.

Day 11

Periyar – Kumarakom: Drive up to the idyllic backwaters of Kumarakom (4 hours). Kumarakom is about 10kms from Kottayam and is the most beautiful backwater stretch in Kerala. Wind down and relax at a backwater resort in Kumarakom.

Day 12

Kumarakom – Alleppey: Check into a luxurious houseboat for a leisurely overnight backwater cruise. Enjoy the dining experience on board and watch as time slows down to a crawl in the idyllic settings of the backwaters.

Day 13

Alleppey – Marari: The houseboat drops you at Alleppey and then you transfer to a beach resort in Marari (45-minutes).

Day 14

Marari - Cochin Aiport: Transfer to Cochin airport. 

How your travel makes a difference to the local community & environment 

• Spice tours were started to support small farmers and spice planters in and around Wayanad to find an alternative, supplementary source of income. The tour provides a glimpse into the issues surrounding the struggles of spice farmers against fluctuating prices and globalisation.

•  Thoni cruise: The boats used as well as the oarsmen are from the local communities. The cruise is an an alternative, supplementary source of incomes for people who otherwise mine sand illegally from the river bed.

• Evening with the folk artists is part of a movement to revive the dying folk art and music forms in the River Nila basin.

• The visit to the potter community is an appreciation of the efforts to rehabilitate the potters. Our visits expand the knowledge about the program and provide them financial support.

• In Periyar and Chimmony, the nature-related programs are operated by local community members belonging to the Eco Development Committees (EDCs). The benefits are transferred directly to the community members. Trekking assistants and guides were mostly poachers and the entire program in Periyar was designed to rehabilitate them. All parts of our trek routes and campsites follow zero waste management. During and after every trek, we collect and dispose plastic waste that might have been left behind by other tourists and local people.

  ---