Kerala and the Western Ghats
Holiday Itinerary
Day 1: Arriving at Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) Airport in the morning, we meet the local guide and transfer to the group hotel in Kovalam. At leisure on the beach.
Day 2: After breakfast, we take a scenic drive to the boat jetty in Alleppey, where we board the houseboat which will be our accommodation for this night. Backwaters cruise to Kumarakom.
Day 3: Disembarking, we rejoin our transport for the drive up into the Western Ghats, stopping for lunch en route. Arriving at Thekkady, we check in to our hotel and the rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
Day 4: This is South India's finest reserve, home to elephant deer, bison and leopard. We have a day-hike in the reserve with a forest guard. Optional elephant ride en route back to the hotel.
Day 5: Today, we drive to Madurai, check in to our hotel and have the afternoon free to visit the amazing Sri Meenakshi Temple, with its sculpted and colourful pyramidal towers.
Day 6: We have a pleasant drive up into the Western Ghats, to the hill-station of Munnar, which sits beneath Anamundi (2695m), Kerala's highest peak. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 7: After a short transfer, we set off on our first day of trekking to the ridge-top camp above the Kolukumalai tea estate. We have the chance to visit the nearby estate and tea factory.
Day 8: Trek through tea plantations and butterfly forest to reach the summit of Meesapulimala (2600m), looking out for Nilgiri thar and even wild elephants en route. Descend to a streamside camp in Rhododendron Valley.
Day 9: Early start for our walk through high grassland valleys known as 'sholas', descending gradually through the tea plantations above Ellapatti to our camp.
Day 10: Our last day's trek takes us through rolling plantation country with far-reaching views, en route to the Top Station on the old rope-way, where we camp.
Day 11: After breakfast, we drive to Kochi and check in to our hotel. In the evening we will go to see a Kathakali dance performance.
Day 12: A full day to explore this 500 year-old Portuguese city, with its palaces and forts, as well as its picturesque Chinese fishing contraptions. We spend a second night in Kochi.
Day 13: KE Land Only package services end after breakfast. Transfers to Kochi Airport are provided.
