Backwaters and wildlife

This morning, your tour in Kerala 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 continue your India tour in Kerala as you sail into the backwaters on your charming houseboat. It’s without a doubt the best way to explore the labyrinth of tiny canals. The waterways are fringed 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 pass various villages, hidden temples, churches and traditional boats. If you‘re lucky, you might catch a local boat race in action, with dozens of brightly clothed rowers. Tonight you’ll be sleeping on your traditional houseboat, moored on the banks of the scenic Lake Vattakayal.

Just like hotels, houseboats come in different styles and comfort levels. We’ve selected an affordable but charming boat with all the necessary comforts. There’s a bedroom with fan or A/C, a bathroom with cold water 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 our India travel specialists will arrange an upgrade.

In the morning you’ll slowly sail back to where you first boarded your houseboat, before continuing your tour in Kerala 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 few 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. Here you'll continue your memorable tour in Kerala as you take a walking tour in the park. Along with your guide- who is an expert on the local flora and fauna- there'll be plenty of opportunities to spot birds, butterflies and with a bit of luck, other wildlife. 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, why not visit a couple of spice gardens and wander through the coffee bushes, tea and pepper plantations. It may also be 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. Tonight, you’ll spend another night in your cosy guesthouse.

Your tour in Kerala 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 tour from Madurai to Chennai, 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. 

Alternatively, you could head straight to the beach for a couple of days of sun and sand under the shade of the rustling palm trees. Or perhaps you could venture further south and extend your Kerala travel to the quiet beaches near Kovalam. With easy access to Kovalam town, you’ll find a bit more action here with a good selection of restaurants and souvenir shops.