Kochi (Cochin) Trip Overview
This short tour is mainly designed to match the direct flight schedule of Arkia Airlines between Tel Aviv & Kochi.Seven nights of real fun and great sights around.You will see a lot of Responsible Tourism programs to support the local community as well as experiences to the traveler.Martial Arts show in Periyar and Full day guided trekking & Bamboo rafting in the Periyar Sanctuary will be highlights .Village tour in Poothotta will give you a different picture of Kerala village life.This program can be customized for any other traveler too.
Additional Info
Duration: 8 days
Starts: Kochi (Cochin), India
Trip Category: Outdoor Activities >> Nature & Wildlife
Explore Kochi (Cochin) Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Kochi (Cochin), Kerala, India
This short tour is mainly designed to match the direct flight schedule of Arkia Airlines between Tel Aviv & Kochi.Seven nights of real fun and great sights around.You will see a lot of Responsible Tourism programs to support the local community as well as experiences to the traveler.Martial Arts show in Periyar and Full day guided trekking & Bamboo rafting in the Periyar Sanctuary will be highlights .Village tour in Poothotta will give you a different picture of Kerala village life.This program can be customized for any other traveler too.
Itinerary
Day 1: Cochin
Stop At: Kerala Kathakali Centre, near Santa Cruz Basilica K.B. Jacob Road, Fort Kochi, Kochi (Cochin) 682001 India
Kathakali is a dance drama form of Kerala.The stories played here are mainly from the Indian Epics like Mahabharatha and Ramayana
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Fort Kochi, Fort Kochi, Kochi (Cochin), Ernakulam District, Kerala
On arrival at Cochin Airport, you will be met & transferred to your hotel. Afternoon for sightseeing of Cochin to cover Jewish Synagogue,Dutch Palace,St Francis Church,Dhobi Ghat,Chinese Fishing nets,etc.Evening visit a traditional Kathakali Centre to watch a Kathakali Dance Performance. Overnight at Hotel .
Cochin Sightseeing – St Francis Church, built in 1510 by friars brought to India by Vasco da Gama, is the first European church built in India and is the site where Vasco da Gama was buried. The Jewish Synagogue was built in 1568, Chinese hand-painted tiles are one of the attraction. This, the only Synagogue in India has a nostalgic past of a Jewish Diaspora. The “Dutch Palace” was built in the 1550s; the palace contains excellent mythological murals and a rare example of traditional Keralite flooring – a subtle mix of burnt coconut shells, lime, plant juices and egg whites – which gives the effect of polished marble.
Fort Cochin & Mattancherry are twin cities carry a flavor of the colonial era.Jewish,Arabs,Portuguese British all came to Cochin for trading and Mattancherry was the spice trade head quarters due to the proximity of Cochin Port.While Fort Cochin became the administrative head quarters,Mattancherry maintained its trading status.The colonial stature and buildings still make Fort Cochin a favourite destination for tourists.Its getting an upgrade once its declared as the first heritage city in India.Fort Cochin was also a part of Muziris route.It will be interesting to know that around 13 religious communities are harmoniously living in Fort Cochin and Mattancherry.Christians,Muslims,Hindus,Jews,Jains,Sikhs etc are few among them.
Duration: 3 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight stay at Travancore Court Hotel
Day 2: Munnar
Stop At: Munnar, Munnar, Idukki District, Kerala
Morning, after breakfast, proceed to Munnar, known as nature lover’s paradise . You will drive through Midland crops like Rubber,arecnut,pineapple etc.Also you will have a photo stop at Cheeyappara waterfalls. Afternoon visit Lockhart Tea factory to watch the tea making process.Evening visit Munnar town to buy fresh tea. Overnight at the Hotel.
Munnar …breathtakingly beautiful – a haven of peace and tranquility – an idyllic tourist destination in God’s own country with unending expanses 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. Munnar has all these and more…. It’s the place you would love to visit… It’s the place you would wish never to leave. Set at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district, situated at the confluence of three mountain streams, Munnar was the favored summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. Sprawling tea plantations, picturesque towns, winding lanes, trekking and holiday facilities makes Munnar a holiday resort. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji a flower, which bathes the hills in blue once every twelve years. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India – Anamudi – which towers over 2695 M and is an ideal spot for campers who like trekking.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight stay at Cloudsvalley
Day 3: Munnar
Stop At: Marayoor Sandalwood Forest, Marayur 685620 India
After an early breakfast,drive to Marayoor Village through amazing Tea plantations.You will be driving through Shola forests with a great view.At Marayoor village,you will watch village activities like jaggiri making (Raw sugar extracted from sugar cane).Lunch on your own from a local Restaurent.Afternoon drive back to Munnar.Have a short walk through the tea gardens. Overnight at the Hotel.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight stay at Cloudsvalley
Day 4: Periyar
Stop At: Periyar Tiger Reserve, Idukki and Pathanamthitta Districts, Thekkady 685536 India
Today, you will be transferred to Periyar ,the famous wildlife destination of Kerala.Afternoon a guided farm visit followed by option for buying fresh spices at the local market.Evening watch a martial arts show at a local theatre. Overnight at Hotel.
Periyar – Conjures up images of elephants, chains of hill and spice scented plantations. Here, in the crisp, cool air of the Western Ghats you will see a lot of wildlife and observe the way of life of simple mountain people. Periyar Tiger Reserve is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India, and spread across the entire district are picturesque plantations and hill towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks.
Indian agriculture began by 9000 BC as a result of early cultivation of plants, and domestication of crops and animals. Settled life soon followed with implements and techniques being developed for agriculture. Plants and animals—considered essential to their survival by the Indians—came to be worshiped and venerated.
Indian spices include a variety of spices and herbs grown across the Indian subcontinent (South Asia). With different climates in different parts of the country, India produces a variety of spices, many of which are native to the Subcontinent, while others were imported from similar climates and have since been cultivated locally for centuries.Spices are typically heated in a pan with ghee or cooking oil before being added to a dish. Lighter spices are added last, and spices with strong flavor should be added first. Curry is not a spice, but a term which refers to any side dish in Indian cuisine. It could be with a gravy base or a dry item. A curry typically contains several spices blended together.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at Peppervine
Day 5: Periyar
Stop At: Periyar Tiger Reserve, Idukki and Pathanamthitta Districts, Thekkady 685536 India
Full day trekking in the Sanctuary.It will be a guided program by the forest Department and there are chances of closure of the Sanctuary between April & June due to the fear of wild fire etc.At 0730 AM we have to report at the bus boarding point .Once you reach the starting point ,you will finish the registration formalities and collect leech socks, packed light breakfast & a proper hot lunch etc.The program has around 12 kms of soft hike and 2 kms of bamboo rafting. This will be a nice program to watch possible wildlife in the sanctuary.Only physically fit travelers can do this full activity.Children below 12 years are not allowed to do the program.Evening return to the base to return to your hotel.Overnight at hotel.
This is one of Kerala’s first Responsible Tourism Programs as a part of rehabilitating the tribal people who lived inside the Sanctuary and sometimes Poachers and hunters.With the help of an Eco Development Society (EDS),these people are now the guards of the forest for the best conservation and the best guides for tourists because they know the forest very well including the movement of wild animals.The revenue from these programs help the Government to give back to the Community to enable them to have decent living.
The Thekkady sanctuary is one of the best in the country for watching and photographing unique flora & fauna. A cruise through the waters of Periyar Lake around which the wildlife sanctuary is situated, offers lots of photo opportunities. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. The greatest attraction of Periyar remains the large herds of wild elephants that come down to the lake’s edge. Tigers are sighted when the forest water holes dry up and these animals come and drink water from the river.
Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests constitute the major part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The rest of the area is a combination of moist deciduous forests and grasslands. Of the 27 tiger reserves in India, the Periyar Tiger Reserve is the oldest in the country and the largest in the State. The abundant wildlife here attracts a lot of visitors.Apart from being a recognised breeding ground for tigers, the reserve has also been identified as the best place for researching elephantine life. The tiger population in the area is estimated to be about 40. Though it is difficult to sight them, visitors often spot pugmarks and scats around the reserve.Thirty-five species of mammals have been identified here. They include rare and endangered species. A boat ride on the lake is a great way to spot the wild elephants, the Gaur, the Sambar and so on. While the Gaur is the largest of the bovines here, the Sambar, the largest deer in India, is the main prey of the tiger and the wild dog
Apart from these, there are wild pigs, Malabar Giant Squirrels, Small Travancore Flying Squirrels, jungle cats, sloth bears etc.The endangered species in the area include Nilgiri Langurs and the Lion-tailed Macaque, that is usually seen only in the evergreen interiors. Nilgiri Tahrs are also found in the reserve, especially in the higher rocky areas. Salim Ali’s fruit bat, one of the rarest bats, is also reported to have been found in the area. The stripe-necked mongoose, usually found in the semi-evergreen and evergreen forests, the extremely rare Nilgiri Marten – the only species of marten found in southern India- and endemic mustelids are also seen here.
There are about 265 species of birds in the Periyar reserve including migrant birds. The birds include raptors, water birds, galliform birds, pigeons, wood peckers, darters, kingfishers, golden orioles, Brahmini kites, cormorants and passerines, as well as a large flock of the Great Pied Hornbill and the Ceylon Frogmouth.The endemic species include the Malabar Grey Hornbill, the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, the Blue-winged Parakeet, the Nilgiri Flycatcher, the small Sunbird and the White-bellied Blue Flycatcher. Other birds found in the area are the Black Baza, Forest Eagle Owl, Nilgiri Thrush, Little Spider Hunter, Rufous bellied hawk eagle etc.An interesting sight is that of water fowl perched on the dead trees protruding out onto the lake. Other aquatic birds include the Indian Darter and the Black–Necked Stork. Woodland birds, owls etc. can also be seen in the forest.
There are 1966 varieties of flowering plants, including angiosperms. Both dicots and monocots have been included in this count. There are about 171 grass species and 140 species of orchids in the region. The richness of the flower wealth is so outstanding that it constitutes more than 50 percent of the entire flower wealth of Kerala, which is about 3800 species. Teak, Rosewood, Terminalia, Eucalyptus, Sandalwood, Jacaranda, Mango, Jamun, Tamarind, Banyan, Pipal, Plumeria, Gulmohar and bamboo are some of the trees found here. The three main endemic plants are Mucuna pruriens thekkadiensis, Habenaria periyarensis and Syzygium periyarensis. Rare plants like the Podocarpus wallichianus, the only South Indian conifer, are also found in the reserve. More than 350 medicinal plants, including trees, shrubs and herbs, have been identified at the Periyar Tiger Reserve, mainly in the evergreen and moist deciduous forests. Plants belonging to the family of Fabaceae and Euphorbiaceae are the major ones among them. Glory Lily (Gloriosa superba) and Kino Tree (Pterocarpus marsupium) are two plants with medicinal value found here.
Duration: 9 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch: Lunch will be a packed hot lunch which could be consumed inside the sanctuary during the break
Accommodation included: Overnight stay at Peppervine
Day 6: Alleppey Houseboat
Stop At: Alleppey Backwaters, Alappuzha India
After an early breakfast,drive to Alleppey to board your exclusive Houseboat for a cruise through the amazing backwaters.Your meals will be freshly cooked and served on board. Overnight on board Houseboat.
What is truly magical about a houseboat is the breathtaking view of the untouched and otherwise inaccessible rural Kerala that it offers. The houseboats have all the creature comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen where are cooked on board and supplemented with fresh fish from the backwaters. Today, the tradition is still continued and the food from the local cuisine is served by the Kuttanad locals, on board. The name Backwaters brings you the very thought of Houseboats. Food and leisurely times spent on-board with the feeling and privacy of house as well as enjoying the natural beauty. A Cruise amidst marvelous mangrove forests, captivating coconut canopies, swaying palms, mangrove forests, pulsating paddy fields sprinkled with enchanting waterways and canals decked with white lilies, can be quite a rejuvenating experience for the weary traveler. Enjoying a cruise in these backwaters is not to be missed, as it leaves you feeling fully rejuvenated. The banks of these backwaters in Kerala are the most enchanting picnic spots. You get to experience the native way of living.The experience on the Houseboat is not the one to be explained by words.Its to be lived and evolved by yourself
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight on Exclusive Houseboat with Airconditioned Bedroom
Day 7: Marari Beach
Stop At: Marari Beach, Beach Road, Mararikulam 688006 India
Enjoy your breakfast on board.Later , checkout & drive to Marari, a relatively quiet beach paradise of Kerala. On arrival check in at the resort on the Beach.(Check in Time is 2 PM)Rest of the day at leisure on the beach.You may opt to go for an Ayurvedic Massage or a village walk.Overnight at the Resort.
Marari originates from “Mararikulam”, one of the local fishing villages, where life still goes on much as it did a hundred years ago, with the men going out to sea each day to earn a living bringing in the daily catch. Completely new to the holiday maker. Marari offers endless miles of superb sand beaches backed by swaying palms, virgin territory where you can experience the local charm/and traditional Keralan Hospitality at it’s best. Marari Beach is an endless vista of sand and surf, but it is more. An authentic experience of the world of Kerala’s traditional fishing villages, and a recreation of an ancient, harmonious way of life. The village of Mararikulam lies on a forgotten shore, midway up the Malabar coast, where the Indian Ocean finally decides that it has now become the Arabian Sea.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at Arakal Heritage
Day 8: Cochin Departure
Stop At: Poothotta – Kanjiramattam Road, Poothotta – Kanjiramattam Rd, Kanjiramattom, Kulayettikara, Kerala 682315, India
After breakfast,check out and drive to Poothotta Island Village for a guided canoe cruise followed by lunch at the village. Afternoon you will be taken to Lulu Shopping mall in Cochin for 2-3 Hours.Later according to your flight timings,you will be transferred to Cochin International Airport to connect your flight home.
Village backwater Cruise – A journey in a country boat into the pristine purity of a typical village backwater of Kerala…. goes through the zigzagging narrow canals and paddy fields fringed with coconut palms…..watch rare birds….country boat making….a natural fish farm where you can go fishing…. You will witness coir making,toddy tapping before you end up your exclusive experience in our Farm House for lunch -a delicious traditional Kerala dish under a tree…..While scrolling through this amazing village,you will watch the common life of the villagers for their livelihood.You will see them fishing in the river,the women do the coir making,a toddy tapper who does his job as a routine,men climbing the coconut trees to pluck the coconuts,later peeling the same to prepare to dry and make oil extraction possible.Its all about a life experience which you will cherish throughout your life.
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: LuLu Mall, 34/1000 N.h 47, Kochi (Cochin) 682 024 India
You may stop for a shopping break at Lulu Mall
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch: Lunch will be prepared by a village homemaker and served at her home as a part of our Responsible Tourism Initiative
No accommodation included on this day.
