Best of Kerala

After breakfast proceed to Rajamala. Visit the Eravikulam National Park, the 97 sq km park with its irresistible grace and beauty is home to the endangered Mountain goats. Enjoy a guided short trek in the beautiful hill station. Afternoon - Visit the Mattupetty Dam built in the mountains. Later visit Echo point, a very popular place for the natural phenomenon. The echo that reverberates after hitting the distant hills is fascinating. Overnight stay at Munnar.

After breakfast check out from the hotel and drive to Thekkady. Situated within the confines of the Western Ghats in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve is one of the most captivating wildlife parks in the world. The picturesque lake in the heart of the sanctuary was originally 26 sq km but now spans an area of 55 sq km. This perennial source of water, which initially led to the submersion of large tracts of forestland, slowly attracted wild animals. It eventually resulted in the adjoining forests being granted protection. Post-1975 Periyar finds itself in the enviable position of being a protected tiger reserve. The terrain ranges from hilly to flat grassland areas at the edges of the lakes. The vegetation is of moist deciduous type. Arrive at Thekkady and check in to the hotel. Overnight stay at Thekkady.

Enjoy your breakfast , you are at leisure on this day to enjoy various activities at Thekkady. Activities available are – boating on periyar lake, spice plantation visit, Elephant safari, agricultural farm tour & sightseeing, nature walk, adventure trekking & camping, border hiking, bamboo rafting, jungle jeep safari, Kalaripayattu – the traditional martial art performance & Tribal art performance. Overnight stay at Thekkady.

Checkout from the hotel after breakfast and drive to Kumarakom. Kumarakom is a tiny backwater hamlet perched on the western banks of the Vembanadu Lake. Balance of the day you are at leisure to enjoy the backwater paradise at its best. Enjoy a visit to the nearby bird sanctuary; an ornithologist's paradise is a favorite haunt of migratory birds like the Siberian stork, egret, darter, heron and teal. Overnight stay at Kumarakom.

After breakfast check out from the resort and drive to Alleppey. Arrive at Alleppey and board the houseboat at noon for a backwater cruise and for an overnight stay. While cruising in these floating luxury- villas, let your eyes settle for the rare and the unusual - skim past Chinese fishing nets, bowed- down paddy fields, and local inhabitants engaged in making coir products, rustic homes, and ancient temples and swaying coconut groves. Overnight stay in houseboat.

Disembark from the houseboat after a refreshing breakfast on board and drive to Varkala, famous for the isolated and uncrowded beach stands out for its unique hot mineral springs and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes in the form of tall rocky cliffs and strange land formations that majestically preside over the vast stretches of clean white sand. Major attractions in Varkala are Anjengo Fort, a national heritage monument built in the 17 th century by the Dutch to safeguard the coastline from foreign invasions. The strategic importance of this fort made it a vulnerable target for foreign powers for several centuries. Sree Janardana Swami temple & Sivagiri Mutt are other attractions in Varkala. Varkala is also a famous religious destination where Hindus perform obsequies for the departed souls. Arrive at Varkala and check in to the hotel. Overnight stay at Varkala.

Breakfast at your hotel later proceed to Kovalam, one of the most popular beach destinations in Kerala. Enroute visit Thiruvananthapuram literally means 'the abode of Anantha', the snake God. The main attraction of the city is the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple dedicated to Vishnu (also known as Padmanabha) reclining on the snake Anantha. The imposing gopuram (gateway tower) and intricate sculptures of the temple make it a very popular tourist attraction. Later visit Napier Museum, an art and natural history museum which houses a collection of archaeological and historic artifacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot and ivory carvings. Sri Chitra Art Gallery (Closed on Mondays & Wednesday forenoons) displays the original paintings of Raja Ravi Varma which houses a collection of paintings from the Rajput, Mughal and Thanjore schools. The collection also includes unique copies of Indian mural paintings from pre-historic times down to the 18th century. Overnight stay at Kovalam.

Breakfast at your hotel, rest of the is free for leisure – enjoy your day on beach activities, shopping or go for an optional (Additional charge), excursion to Kanyakumari literally means the virgin, the cape owes its Indian name to Hindu mythology. Enroute visit Padmanabhapuram Palace, once the capital of Thiruvananthapuram during 1600 to 1790. Constructed with wood and stone in Kerala’s indigenous style of architecture this palace is surrounded by 4km stone fort. Contained within the complex is a collection of 14 palaces and 127 beautiful royal rooms, many of which feature ornate wood carvings. The carved ceilings of the palace depict 90 varieties of flowers. Paintings, hundreds of years old and stone statues, some over 1000 years old, are on display on the palace grounds. Arrive at Kanyakumari and proceed for a sightseeing tour. At the Cape Comorin - the southernmost tip in the sub-continent, the three mighty oceans viz. the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea meet. Significant landmarks include the Kumari Amman Temple dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, the Gandhi Memorial where an urn containing the Mahatma's ashes are kept, the Vivekananda Memorial - built in memory of Swami Vivekananda exuding a calm and peace rarely found elsewhere and the Church of our Lady Ransom starkly etched against the beautiful shoreline. Drive back to Kovalam after the tour. Overnight stay at Kovalam.

Getup early for a beautiful view of Sunrise. After breakfast check out the resort and drive to Trivandrum airport to fly back home with the wonderful memories of your tour.