Discover Kerala

Itinerary by boat and bike

Day 1: Individual arrival to Cochin

On arrival at Cochin international airport you will be met by tourist agency representative and transferred to your hotel near to airport inorder to ride straight from the hotel next morning. Overnight stay at Nedumbassery.

Day 2: COCHIN – THATEKKAD ride 44 km/28 miles, moderate

Post breakfast, you will be met by your guide for bike trip with all necessary gears. Later raise your saddle and ride to the countryside, passing a temple, crossing the Periyar River where, if we are lucky, we’ll see elephants from a nearby camp bathing. We are on the slopes of the Western Ghats mountain range and heading towards the Thatekkad Bird Sanctuary, home to rare birds like the crimson-throated barbet, black winged Kite, hornbill, ceylon frogmouth, rose-billed Roller and blue-winged parakeet, to name but a few. On arrival check-in to your hotel for the night. Overnight stay at Thattekkad.

Day 3: THATTEKAD – MUNNAR  ride 85 km/53 miles, challenging

Bird watchers will want to rise early to see how many bird species they can check off before breakfast. Riding from the hotel we follow the Periyar River and the gradually rising trail winds its way through rubber and pineapple plantations to the Valara forest reserve, passing waterfalls on the way. We continue our gradual climb towards our lunch stop at a local restaurant. The afternoon is still up, we’ll climb a total of 1000 m. Today, morning climb of about 600 m in elevation will take us up to Munnar hill station. Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. There are lakes, reservoirs, forests and several tea plantations carpeting the hillsides. Once we have done our hard work of climbing we arrive late afternoon and you have free time, perhaps to cycle 5 km to town if you want to take in the bazaar. Overnight stay at Munnar.

Day 4: MUNNAR – VANDANMEDU ride 69 km/43 miles, moderate

Today’s ride is stunning, as we ride out of Munnar on an undulating country road that takes us through small villages with wonderful views of reservoirs and streams to Kattapana town. After lunch it’s just a short ride to our tranquil resort set amidst a plantation of a wide varieties of spices lsuch as cardamom, pepper, clove, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and many more. We’ll take a guided walk around the grounds to show you all the various spices. Overnight stay at Vandanmedu.

Day 5: VANDANMEDU – THEKKADY – TEEKOY ride 70 km/44 miles, moderate

Easy morning ride to Periyar National Park snuggled in the Western Ghats, one of the world’s richest bio-diversity spots, this is the fascinating natural wildlife sanctuary with more than 40 tigers in residence and herds of elephants. Later ride through the downhill road passing Green Mountains to a planters house for the night. Post lunch free at leisure or go for nature walk with your host followed with a swim in the natural pool. Overnight stay at Teekoy.

Day 6: TEEKOY – KUMARAKOM ride 57 km/36 miles, moderate

The longest ride with with 22 kms of downhill ride before getting to the flat tarmac road, probably the best ride of the trip with simply stunning views. We ride through rubber and spice plantations as we head towards Kottayam, known as the Syrian Christian heartland of Kerala. Here grand churches dot the landscape and we break for lunch at Palai to visit St Thomas Church. Its whitewashed facade and distinct guild ceiling, pre dates its Portuguese renovation. Relax at your hotel set on the shore of India’s second largest lake and there is time to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Overnight stay at Kumarakom.

Day 7: KUMARAKOM – ALLEPPEY  by boat

At 12:30 check-out from the resort and board your privately crewed Kettuvalam/houseboat for a 21:00 hrs stay. Lunch will be served shortly after boarding. The cruise takes you through some of Kerala’s most scenic backwaters, where you can watch the local people living their daily lives, where the only means of transport is by boat. The cruise usually lasts from mid afternoon to dusk. The houseboat moors on the lake for the night. After dark you can enjoy a delicious candlelit dinner to the sound of water lapping the sides of the boat whilst watching the twinkling lights on the distant shore. Overnight on board.

Day 8: ALLEPPEY – COCHIN ride 65 km/41 miles, moderate

After a relaxing breakfast on board, dis-embark at Alleppey and grab your bikes to roll through the coastal road to reach the old part of Cochin. The eventful history of this city began when a major flood in AD 1341 threw open the estuary at Kochi, till then a land locked region, turning it into one of the finest natural harbours in the world. Kochi thus became a haven for seafaring visitors from all over the world and became the first European township in India when the Portuguese settled here in the 15thcentury. On arrival, check-in to your hotel for the night and say bye to your guide and bikes. Afternoon free at leisure. Evening join your vehicle and proceed to the cultural centre. As soon as you arrive watch the Kathakali artist painting his face using natural colours followed witness a sequences of Kerala’s traditional & colourful dance forms. Later drive back to hotel. Overnight stay at Cochin.

Day 9: Departure Cochin

Post breakfast, join your guide at the hotel for a tour of Mattancherry & Fort Cochin, covering the Dutch Palace (closed on Fridays) which was built by the Portuguese in 1555 and was presented to the Raja of Cochin as a gesture of goodwill. The Jewish Synagogue (closed on Fridays & Saturdays) was originally constructed in 1568, but was destroyed by Portuguese in 1662.This was rebuilt two years later when the Dutch took over Cochin. Chinese fishing nets, The St. Francis Church, said to be India’s oldest European-built church was constructed in 1503. Having died in Cochin in 1524, Vasco Da Gama was buried here for 14 years before his remains were taken to Lisbon. Evening in-time transfer to Cochin international airport for journey back home. (No accommodationlLate Check-Out)

Dates & prices valid from April until September 2018. April, August and September are the best months to try to avoid the monsoon rains.

All below mentioned cost is in EURO, Inclusive of all applicable taxes, nett payable to us. Cost per person (pp)

WHAT´S INCLUDED IN THE TRIP?