Backwaters and wildlife

This morning, your Kerala backwaters tour begins, and you'll leave Cochin for Alleppey, the centre of the backwaters that the locals fondly refer to as the ‘Venice of the East’.

Around midday you’ll leave the canals of Alleppey and sail into the backwaters in a charming houseboat. It’s without a doubt the best way to explore the labyrinth of tiny canals. The waterways are shaded by palms on all sides and everywhere you’ll see people working the land, waving cheerfully as you sail by. Along the way, you’ll stop to visit various villages, hidden temples, churches and even a traditional snake boat. If you‘re lucky, you might catch a snake boat race in action, with dozens of brightly clothed rowers. Tonight you’ll be sleeping on your traditional houseboat on the scenic Lake Vattakayal.

Just like hotels, houseboats come in all shapes and sizes. We’ve selected an affordable but charming boat with all the necessary comforts. There’s a bedroom with fan, a bathroom with shower and toilet and even a small kitchen at the back. If you’d like a bit more space – and luxury then just let us know and we’ll arrange an upgrade.

In the morning you’ll slowly sail back to where you first boarded your houseboat, before continuing your Kerala backwaters tour to Thekkady, a scenic 4-hour drive across the green tea plantations. Thekkady lies quite high up in the hills and the evenings are pleasantly cool.

You’ll stay in a friendly guesthouse with just a couple of rooms. There are lots of hotels and resorts along the main road, so there’s plenty of choice for dinner in the evening. Most visitors to Periyar National Park stay in Thekkady so you’ll find plenty of tourist facilities here like souvenir shops and internet cafes.

Just as the morning mist is lifting, you’ll be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the entrance of Periyar National Park. You’ll take a walking tour in the park. There will be plenty of opportunities to spot birds, butterflies and with a bit of luck, other wildlife with your guide who is an expert on the local flora and fauna. The park is home to several types of deer, otters, bison, monkeys and even wild bears. But the most important inhabitant of Periyar is probably the wild elephant. You can spot the gentle giants grazing in the tall grass along the lake or even splashing around in the water.

Later that afternoon, you can visit a couple of spice gardens and wander through the coffee bushes, tea and pepper plantations or it's possible to arrange an afternoon boat safari locally (subject to availability). On the way back to your hotel in Thekkady you can stop at a local market where you can try some of the spices yourself. You’ll spend another night in your cosy guesthouse.

Your Backwaters and Wildlife tour ends today in Thekkady. From here you can travel on to Madurai with its magical temples, sweet incense wafting up in the air and brightly dressed people placing offerings at little altars. During our Tamil Nadu tour package, you’ll visit several of these colourful southern Indian temples and step back in French colonial time in Pondicherry. The trip ends in Mamallapuran where you can relax on the beach in a small beach resort. 

Or you can also head straight to the beach for a couple of days of sun and sand under the shade of the rustling palm trees. Marari beach has several low-key resorts and quiet beaches. Or further south to the quiet beaches near Kovalam, with access to Kovalam town where you’ll find a bit more action with a good selection of restaurants and souvenir shops.