A Taste of Southern India - Temples and Tea Plantations

A Taste of Southern India - Temples and Tea Plantations

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9 Days From

$1580

$1300

A Taste of Southern India - Temples and Tea Plantations

9 Days Starting and ending in Kochi

Visiting: Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, Periyar National Park, Kumily

Tour operator:

Explore!

Tour code:

XKB

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

10 - 16

Physical rating:

Moderate

Age range:

16-99

Special diets catered:

Vegans

Tour operated in:

English
From: $1580 $1300 Operator discount: -$280 -18%

NB: Prices correct on 05-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Get a taste for South India on this culinary journey through Kerala. Uncover the forts, palaces, and backwaters of the state, all while sampling some of the region's most famous dishes. From spice gardens to tea plantations, get closer to Keralan dishes and culture.

Explore fragrant plantations - Meander through plantations where tea leaves as well as cumin, cardamom, pepper, and other spices are harvested.
Float through the backwaters - Relax on a traditional houseboat and journey through the famous Kerala backwaters.
Don't miss a bite - We have dedicated vegetarian departures listed below, so you can sample all that Kerala has to offer.

Highlights

  • Get a taste for South India on this culinary and cultural journey through beautiful Kerala

  • Relax on a traditional houseboat and journey through the famous Kerala backwaters

  • Visit spice gardens and sample some of the region's most famous dishes with dedicated vegetarian departures

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Trip Starts In Kochi (Cochin)

Location: Kochi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hotel Casino

Our trip starts in Kochi, a port city on India's Malabar Coast. Also known as Cochin, it's been a port since 1341, when it was used by Arab, Chinese and European merchants. Built across several islands with criss-crossing waterways, the city has a cosmopolitan feel and a vibrant food scene amongst the local markets and street food stalls.

There are no planned activities today, so you're free to arrive at any time. Our tour leader will hold a welcome meeting in the hotel reception at 5pm and there'll be the chance to go for dinner afterwards. If you arrive later, they'll catch you up in the morning.

If you'd like a hotel transfer, you'll need to arrive into Cochin International Airport (COK), which is 40km/1.5 hours from the airport.

Our hotel for the next two nights is an art-deco style property located on Willingdon Island, just a short distance from Forty Kochi. The hotel has a choice of excellent in-house restaurants.

Day 2: Explore Kochi And Sadya Lunch

Location: Kochi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hotel Casino

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Our destination this morning is the Fort Kochi district. We'll take an autorickshaw to Embarkation Jetty, where we'll take the ferry to cross the water over to Mattancherry Palace. Built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Extensive renovations by the Dutch hundreds of years later earned it the name the Dutch Palace and it's home to some of the best murals in India, depicting scenes from the Ramayan.

From the palace, we'll venture out to explore Fort Kochi further, including the Jewish town synagogue and the famous cantilevered Chinese fishing nets that line the harbour. Delving into Fort Kochi's numerous alleyways and markets, we'll get our first taste of Indian street food, including Masala Vada, a fritter made from chana dal, fennel seeds and peppers, and Bonda, a fried bite-sized snack made from spicy potato and fried in a flour batter.

Continuing our culinary journey, we'll stop at the Tea Bungalow for lunch. Our introduction to Keralan food will be Sadya (which literally translates as banquet), a variety of traditional vegetarian dishes. usually served on a banana leaf. The resident chef will talk us through the origins of our meal before we sample an assortment of freshly prepared dishes.

After lunch, we'll unwind with a cruise around the harbour to take in the sea air and see the expansive waterways that form the beating heart of Kochi. Then, to round off the day, we'll settle in for a traditional Kathakali performance. Combining dance, mime, ballet and opera, Kathakali portrays stories from great Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. The dance takes years of dedication to master and is characterised by distinct eye movements and facial expressions, enhanced by

Day 3: Breakfast Dosa Making Before Drive Through Tea And Spice Plantations To Munnar

Location: Munnar

Accommodation: Resort, Resort

Accommodation Name: Copper Castle Resort

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today, we'll have an early start to catch culinary Kochi at work. We'll take the public ferry to Ernakulam town, where we'll take a walk through the vegetable market and learn about the exotic fruits, vegetables and spices used in South Indian cooking. We'll also stop by the Shiva temple to see the court complex before heading to a local restaurant for a breakfast dosa making demonstration.

This delicious pancake-style breakfast dish originates from South India. Dosas are generally made from fermented batter consisting of lentils and rice accompanied by aloo masala, potato with onion, turmeric and black mustard seeds or sambar - a soup-like vegetarian dal.

Around mid-morning, we'll say goodbye to Kochi and the Indian Ocean and drive inland to Munnar, around five hours away. En route, we'll stop at a local bakery to try a traditional thali lunch. Thali is traditionally served in small bowls consisting of rice, lentil, dal, and curried vegetables, served with flatbread.

Munnar is known for its verdant spice and tea plantations. Kerala has been renowned for its spices for more than 2000 years and the coast was frequently visited by the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs and Chinese. 'Black gold' (pepper) became highly valuable and was sent to Europe by Arab and Jewish traders, who, in return, brought copper, brass and gold coins to Kerala. It was this trading link that brought Christianity and Islam to Kerala, making it the first place in India to host both faiths.

Munnar itself is a small town in the Western Ghats Mountain range. Formerly a resort for the British Raj, it's a tranquil place surrounded by green tropical forests and neat tea plantations. This afternoon is free to explore it at your own pace.

Day 4: Full Day Exploring Munnar And Visit To The Tea Estates

Location: Munnar

Accommodation: Resort, Resort

Accommodation Name: Copper Castle Resort

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today, we'll start by visiting a tea plantation, learning all about the growing and leaf picking process. Moving on to the tea museum, we'll learn about how tea leaves become the product we're used to brewing in our morning cuppa.

This afternoon is free to relax at the hotel, you can use the spa or take part in a yoga class. If you feel up to it, you might want to walk through the grasslands and the tea plantations. This circular walk takes around four hours, climbing to an altitude of 2000 metres. Alternatively, the hotel has a limited number of bicycles to hire.

Day 5: Drive To Thekkady And Farm-To-Plate Spice Garden Tour

Location: Thekkady, Periyar National Park, Kumily

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Abad Green Forest

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, we'll descend from the highlands and drive to the teak forests that surround Thekkady and Periyar National Park. We'll take a tour of a spice garden with a resident expert, learning the importance of spices in Indian culture and how spices such as cardamom, pepper, vanilla, nutmeg, ginger, and curry plant thrive in this area of the world. After our tour, we'll have a cooking demonstration, showcasing how spices are carefully blended and used to cook before sitting down to lunch.

Our comfortable hotel tonight is located in Kumily and offers a mix of jungle cottages and rooms amongst the forest. There's also a spa offering Ayurvedic therapies and a swimming pool.

Day 6: Cookery Class, Village Walk And Toddy Tapping

Location: Thekkady

Accommodation: Homestay

Accommodation Name: Simple Homestay

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving Thekkady, we'll head back towards the coast for our two-night homestay. We'll stay with local families in a small village and your tour leader will brief you on local customs and traditions. This is a great opportunity to learn about the Keralan way of life - and, of course, try some delicious home cooking like spicy coconut curry.

This afternoon, there'll be the chance to take a gentle walk through the surrounding villages where we can learn about toddy tapping. This is the process of collecting fresh sap from palm trees, which is then fermented for five hours to turn it into toddy with 6-7% alcohol content. In the evening, we'll join our host family as they prepare a homecooked meal from recipes passed down through the generations.

Our rooms are in traditional Keralan style. All are twin share and the majority have their own bathroom attached, however some have a private bathroom allocated in the corridor. Bathrooms are basic with a toilet and shower and hot water can be limited at times. Bedding and towels are provided

Day 7: Discover The Backwaters By Houseboat

Location: Thekkady

Accommodation: Premium Houseboat

Accommodation Name: Premium Houseboat

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we'll begin our tour of Kerala's famous backwaters. We'll board a simple, traditional houseboat to begin our journey into the network of waterways.

Taking a relaxed pace, we'll meander past riverside village life, spotting locals tending to animals and cultivating vegetables on narrow spits of land. Watch as we pass gardens flourishing with brightly coloured flowers, sharply contrasting the tropical greenery.

While on board, we'll be treated to a cooking demonstration with the option to cook a fish curry or a vegetarian dish served on a banana leaf.

After our tour through the network of waters, we'll moor up alongside other houseboats for the night. This means we can hook up to an electricity point and turn on the aircon. The houseboats bring us back to basics with simple, en-suite twin rooms - a unique way to spend a night on the famous waters.

Day 8: Morning In The Backwaters Before Returning To Kochi

Location: Kochi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Abad Plaza Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Waking up to views of rural Kerala, we'll enjoy a relaxed breakfast on board before disembarking mid-morning and returning to Kochi. Arriving in time for lunch, we'll head to a seafood restaurant on the northern tip of Fort Kochi, an ideal spot to watch the boats go by as we sample the freshly caught catch.

The rest of the day is free to enjoy at your own pace. If you wish, your tour leader will be happy to book a table at the highly acclaimed Chef Pillai at Le Meridien - this should be made at the start of the tour to guarantee a table.

Day 9: Trip Ends In Kochi

Location: Kochi

Meals Included: Breakfast

Our tour of Kerala ends at our hotel in Kochi.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight leaves later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like a hotel transfer, you'll need to depart from Cochin International Airport (COK).

What's Included

  • Meals

    As per details given in an itinerary.

  • Airport Transfers at Destination

    Complimentary airport transfer to Cochin International Airport (COK), first and last day of tour.

  • All Domestic Transportation (including internal flights)

  • Accommodation

    1 nights premium boat,1 nights simple homestay,3 nights premium hotel,3 nights comfortable hotel

  • Fully Guided

What's Not Included

Meals

Breakfasts: 8
Lunches: 4
Dinners: 2

Check out our Q&As

  • Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?

    Yes

  • What is the maximum group size?

    16

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Yes, complimentary airport transfer is provided on the first and last day of tour.





  • Are flights included in this tour?

    No, flights are not included.

  • What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?

    1 nights premium boat, 1 nights simple homestay , 3 nights premium hotel , 3 nights comfortable hotel

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    Yes, minimum age 16 years or above.

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • I'm going on a walking/cycling trip-do I need to train?

    It will depend on the grade and how fit you already are. Check the trip page for details of the walking or cycling grade and how far you’ll be walking/cycling each day. For moderate or challenging trips in particular we’d recommend doing some walks or cycles before you leave to build up your fitness and prepare you for the distances being covered.

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    We have a wide range of ages nationalities on our small group trips and they come from all walks of life.

  • Should I get travel insurance?

    Yes–it is a condition of booking that you are fully insured when travelling with us

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    At Explore, we're the experts in adventure travel. Our small group adventure holidays have been running since 1981. Today, Explore is one of the most trusted travel companies in the UK with over 500 trips to more than 120 countries.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    Yes, but there are no concessions for doing so, and we must have a record in your booking advising as such before the trip departs.

  • Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?

    Being a responsible company is a large statement, something that has to be entwined within the very fibre of a company. Discover the charities and partnerships we support as part of this at https://www.explore.co.uk/about/sustainability/charities-and-partners

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    We want to be as clear as and as honest as possible about what happens if you decide to that you no longer wish to travel on your trip. Our booking conditions have details of the costs you’ll incur when you cancel-these charges depend on how long it is before your planned departure.

  • What is the accommodation like?

    We choose comfortable accommodation in the best locations possible. We opt for small, local and family-run accommodation where we can, as opposed to large chain hotels. We typically use hotels that are the equivalent of European 3-star, and you’ll usually have an en suite room. Occasionally, where we want to get off the beaten trail we may stay in more basic accommodation.

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Sustainability is embedded within the fibre of Explore, it emanates from the inside out. But as we enter a new decade it is clearer than ever that our world needs help, and Explore has created a sustainability strategy based on the 2015 UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

  • What policies are in place for Covid-19?

    Our flexible booking and safety policies mean you're protected before and during your travels with us. Receive a full refund if your trip is cancelled, transfer your trip free of charge up to 10 days before departure minus any irrocoverable costs.

  • Do I need to be very fit to book with you?

    All our trips require some level of active participation. This could be on a cultural trip, trek, safari, expedition or voyage. It is in the interests of all members of the group that everyone should be capable of fully participating in the activities of their chosen trip.

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Final documents will include a comprehensive trip itinerary, climate and country information, budgeting and packing advice visa and passport information and details on optional activities available.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Yes on most of our trips. Most trips are based on customers sharing twin-bedded rooms. If you book a group trip as an individual, you will share a room with someone of the same sex. However, on many trips we offer the opportunity to pay a supplement to pre-book a single room, known as our single room option. On some trips a single room will be provided every night, on others it will be provided o

  • Do we have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel

    It’s now a condition of booking a trip with us that customers should have one of the following before they travel - — Be vaccinated against COVID, having received the full recommended course, and allowing enough time for immunity to take effect. Full vaccination includes any booster required to keep the vaccine valid. — Have taken a negative test (rapid antigen or PCR) within 72hrs of departure.

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Explore will only offer hotels that have specific COVID-19 protocols in place and comply with local government guidelines. We will ensure these measures include; enhanced room cleaning, ventilation, social distancing, regular cleaning and disinfection of high frequency touch points in public areas, food safety, staff re-training and minimising contact within the properties.

Reviews of this operator

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I booked for my husband and I to go on the Peru Encompassed trip with the 3 day Amazon extension trip tagged on the end, we also booked to go to Lima few days early to get over the jetlag and see something of Lima before setting off on the group trip. Everything was booked for us by Explore! with seamless ease and without any hitches. This was the first time I had booked onto an organised trip so I was a bit concerned it might not be for us. How wrong I was. We were a group of 9, ranging from 30s to 60s, and a mixture of couples and singles and different nationalities. As a group we gelled really well and chose to spend most of our free time together which made the trip great fun. As for the trip itself, it surpassed all expectations. The Peru Encompassed trip was superb. I don't think any other country offers so much culture, wildlife, specular scenery and amazing food, all of which we experienced in abundance on the trip. We had a local tour guide for the whole trip who was fantastic and then expert guides joined us on different legs of the journey. We learned so much as a result. The highlights for me were visiting the local market in Arequipa with our guide and sampling lots of different fruit and street foods, the day on Lake Titicaca and of course Machu Picchu itself. We booked an additional trip to go back ourselves the second morning which was great as we could do a different route around the ruins and get different views from the afternoon before. Our final highlight was the additional 3 day trip to the Amazon staying at the Hacienda Conception. The lodges were immersed in the jungle which was wonderful if noisy! the food was fab and the daily trips provided were excellent. It was a great relaxing way to end the trip although it did rain quite a bit. Both my husband and I said our trip to Peru was one of the best trips we have ever done.

Trustpilot
Ms D Brown  

Excellent company

07-Dec-2022

Excellent company, there are so many trips, you really get looked after. Everything is dealt with by your Tour Leader, all logistics are taken care of and usually things go smoothly, I only use explore because I know what to expect each time, that makes me happy, with a stress free holiday

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Operator discount: -$420

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Operator discount: -$280

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Book with Confidence

  • Free Date Changes

    Explore! allows you to make 1 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 70 days before the start of the tour.

  • Low Deposit

    Explore! requires a minimum deposit of 10% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of explore! charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 69 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.

    At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.

    At 27 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

    At 13 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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