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Spice Retreat 14 Nights / 15 Days
Destinations covered: Cochin-Munnar - Thekkady - Kumarakom - Kovalam - Kanyakumari - Rameshwaram - Madurai - ChennaiDay 01: Arrive Cochin
On arrival at International airport meet our representative and transfer to hotel. Relax for the rest of the day or take a walk along the historic colonial streets of Fort Cochin. Watch a Kathakali Show (Traditional art performance of Kerala). Overnight at hotel in Cochin
Kochi (colonial name Cochin) is a vibrant city situated on the south-west coast of the Indian peninsula in the breathtakingly scenic and prosperous state of Kerala, hailed as 'God's Own Country'. Its strategic importance over the centuries is underlined by the sobriquet Queen of the Arabian Sea. Informally, Cochin is also referred to as the Gateway to Kerala.
Day 02: Cochin
After breakfast proceed for a guided tour of Fort Cochin and the Jew Street in Mattancherry. Visit the synagogue, century’s old churches and palaces, colonial buildings, Chinese fishing net etc. Spend your evening on the nearby Fort Cochin beach or ferry across to Cherai Beach which is half an hour away. Come back to the hotel or visit Ernakulam city for souvenir and other shopping on Mahatma Gandhi Road. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 03: Cochin - Munnar (140 Kms-4 hours drive by road)
After breakfast drive to Munnar. Throughout the journey enjoy beautiful streams small waterfalls, Rubber, Pepper cardamom and Tea plantations and thick forests. Arrive Munnar and check in at resort.
Munnar : - breathtakingly beautiful - a haven of peace and tranquillity - the idyllic tourist destination in God's own country. Set at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district, Munnar was the favoured summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. Unending expanse of tea plantations - pristine valleys and mountains- exotic species of flora and fauna in its wild sanctuaries and forests - aroma of spice scented cool air
Day 04: Munnar
After breakfast start for a full day sightseeing of Munnar watch beautiful mist kissing romantic green meadows- mind-blowing hills sleeping under green carpet(Tea Gardens) visit Mattupetty Lake and Dam, Echo Point, Kundale Lake, Blossom Garden, Rajamalai, Eravikulam Wildlife sanctuary and Tea Plantation.
Overnight stay at Munnar.
Day 05: Munnar - Thekkady (120 Kms- 4 hours drive by road)
After breakfast check out of hotel and start for Thekkady. Drive through panoramic Western Ghat hills covered with spice plantations and occasional view of waterfalls and streams. On arrival at Thekkady check into hotel.
Thekkady : - one of India's most fascinating natural wildlife sanctuaries, where you can watch wildlife at close range. The vegetation, the flora and fauna and the birds of Thekkady are uniquely rich, vast and varied that it does not bear semblance to any other wildlife sanctuaries in the world. Even a casual visitor to this place will not fail to observe the special ecological pattern of Thekkady.
Afternoon experience the mind bowing view of calm crystal clear periyar lake to view the wildlife. Overnight stay at Thekkady.
Day 06: Thekkady - Kumarakom (145 Kms- 4 hours drive by road)
After early morning breakfast start for Kumarakom. Arrive Kumarakom and check in at resort.
Kumarakom : - When nature is all you need to recuperate, Kumarakom is undoubtedly the most invigorating, fascinating paradise in Kerala, God's own country. The slender coconut palms standing here, there and everywhere, never ending paddy fields, meandering lagoons and backwaters, mangroves nesting birds of a hundred varieties can peacefully calm and invigorate your mind with renewed inspiration for your vocation and life. That is the pristine beauty of Kumarakom.
Visit the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. In the evening canoe down the narrow canals. Join the evening sunset cruise or enjoy the beauty of backwater by just relaxing near Vembanadu Lake.. Overnight stay at the resort.
Day 07: Kumarakom (Houseboat)
Breakfast at resort. Morning at leisure at resort, 1230 hrs check in at houseboat. Rest of the day at leisure on the House Boat. Sit back and relax while the boat cruises through the narrow serene backwater canals. Lunch, Evening Tea/Coffee with snacks, dinner and enjoy your evening on the sundeck away from polluted cities and maddening crowd.
Overnight stay on House Boat.
Day 08: Kumarakom - Kovalam (172 Kms-4 hours drive by road)
After breakfast Disembark house boat at 9 am and board cab to proceed for Kovalam. Check-in at hotel at Kovalam. The rest of the day is kept for leisure at the Kovalam Beach. Overnight stay at Kovalam.
Kovalam : means a grove of coconut trees and true to its name the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees. Azure water and favourable climate make Kovalam a favorite year-round spot for swimming. Sea here is pacific and shallow where you can take a dip in the saline waters. Surfing and swimming are among the other water sports possible in Kovalam beach. Many people from different countries and cultures, intermingle with each other and get together in this paradise of the South and spend their leisure time joyfully.
Day 09: Kovalam - Kanyakumari(87 Kms-2 hours drive by road)
After breakfast proceed for Kanyakumari. Arrive Kanyakumari check in at hotel. Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, It lies at the meeting point of the three bodies of water: the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Mannar and the Indian Ocean. is the terminating point of the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.Afternoon islet visit to explore ancient Kanyakumari temple, Vivekanda Rock Memorial, built in 1970, and the sky kissing 133 feet statue of Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar, one of the biggest statues in Asia. Kanyakumari is noted in India for its heavenly sunrise and sunset. On clear, full-moon evenings, (Chitra Pournami) At one time one can also see the moon-rise and sunset creating a contrast of colour in sky - on either side of the horizon.
Day 10: Kanyakumari - Rameshwaram(320 Kms-8 hours from train)
After breakfast proceed for Rameshwaram. Arrive Rameshwaram and check in at hotel. Rameshwer is located on an island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is less than 40 kilometres from the Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka. The religious island is spread in an area of 61.8 square kilometres and happens to be in the shape of a conch. The beach of Rameshwaram is famous for its beautiful sea featured with no waves at all. The presiding deity here is in the form of a Linga with the name Sri Ramanatha Swamy, it also happens to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.The epitome of South Indian architecture boasts of the largest temple corridor in India. Different rulers built the Ramanatha Swamy Temple over a period of time starting from the 12th century. The temple comprises twenty two wells where the taste of the water of each well is different from the other.
Day 11: Rameshwaram - Madurai( 172 Kms -04 hours drive by road)
Morning breakfast proceed for Madurai. Arrive Madurai check in at hotel. Afternoon is at leisure to explore local life and culture. Evening offer aarti in Meenakshi Temple. Overnight at hotel.
Madurai : One of South India's great temple towns, Madurai is synonymous with the celebrated Meenakshi Temple. Situated on the banks of river Vaigai, Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil era more than 2500 years old. Madurai was an important cultural and commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. It was the capital city for the great Pandya kings.
Mennakshi Temple : This is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu to have four entrances facing four directions. The complex is in around 45 acres (180,000 m2) . The temple is surrounded by 12 towers, the tallest of which, the famous Southern tower, rises to over 170 ft (52 m) high.
Day 12: Madurai
After breakfast visit the great Tirumala Nayak Palace, Alagar Hills, Tirupara Kundran Rock temple. Overnight transfer to Chennai (344 Kms-9 hours drive by train).
Day 13: Chennai
On arrival Transfer to hotel. Remainder of the day is at leisure to explore commercial town. Overnight at hotel in Chennai.
Chennai is the fifth largest city in India and the capital city of the Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandal coast of the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the Musical and Cultural Capital of India. The city is known for its classical dance shows and Hindu temples. The Tamil film industry, known as Kollywood, the second largest after movie industry (after Bollywood) in India, is based in the city.
Day 14: Chennai
After breakfast proceed for full day excursion to Mahabalipuram (60 km -1 hr drive by road) and Kanchipuram (78 km 1:30 hr
drive ).
Mahabalipuram - A UNESCO World Heritage site is an architectural marvel of Dravidian style incorporating Buddhist elements. These rock cut and monolithic monuments constitutes cave temples and monolithic chariots (Rathas). A walk around these monuments inspires to connect a bond with royal dynasty of Pallava.
Kanchipuram - It is well regarded as City of thousand temples. Kanchipuram attained its highest stature in 4th to the 9th centuries as capital of pallav dynasty. Kanchi has magnificent temples of unique architectural beauty bearing eloquent testimony to its glorious Dravidian heritage. Buddhist monk Bodhidharma (A.D. 520) went to China from Kanchipuram to spread Buddhism. He stayed at the Shaolin Monastery and preached Buddhist ideologies. At that time he trained the local people in the art of Varmakkalai. The art underwent many changes and came to be known as Shaolin kung fu or boxing. Evening return to Chennai. Overnight at hotel.
Day 15: Chennai Depart
After breakfast transfer to International Airport connect flight to onward destination.