TITC LONDON

Day 01 - Flight (Thu Aug 29)

Take your international flight to Kochi (Cochin).
Day 2 - Kochi (Fri Aug 30)

Arrive Kochi late in the evening or after midnight; we will receive you and transfer you to the Brunton Boatyard. Your room is booked for three nights (separate transfers have been arranged to cater for different flight arrivals).

Meals included: Dinner
Day 3 - Kochi (Sat Aug 31)

Your morning is at leisure in your elegant hotel, overlooking the harbour.
In the afternoon enjoy a tuk-tuk ride through the spice markets. Kochi is the hub of spice trade in Kerala.
In the evening enjoy a sunset cruise with tea served on board, also seeing Chinese Fishing nets, introduced by the Chinese mariner Zheng He some 500 years ago.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner (afternoon tea)
Day 4 - Kochi (Sun Sep 01)

Visit the sights including the Dutch Palace, with its murals from the Ramayana, the Jewish Synagogue in Mattancherry and St Francis' Church, where Vasco da Gama was interred.
We then visit a fishing village nearby, where sea-food lunch will be served for us. There are vegetarian options also.
Later in the evening we attend a Kathakali performance, a traditional dance form, performed by artists with heavy make-up to depict characters from the mythology. We will try to arrive early to see the elaborate make-up being put on by the artists.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 - Munnar (Mon Sep 02)

A three-hour drive up the hills takes us to the tea country of Munnar where we stay at the Windermere Estate for two nights. In the afternoon we visit the Eravikulam Sanctuary (if open), home to the rare Nilgiri Tahr. We will also visit the Tata Tea Museum which takes us through the history of tea being introduced in the region.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - Munnar (Tue Sep 03)

Enjoy a jeep excursion to Kolukkumalai today to see the world's highest tea plantation. You can visit the factory and take a hike in the beautiful mountain terrain.
A picnic lunch has been arranged for us.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 - Madurai (Wed Sep 04)

We descend the Western Ghats in the morning to drive through the markedly different and flat landscape of Tamil Nadu to reach Madurai (3 to 4 hrs), home to the 2000-year old Pandian Kingdom and Meenakshi Temple, the original construction being as old.
Our stay for the next two nights is at the character Heritage Hotel.
The afternoon is at leisure with the option to see some handloom weaving.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Madurai (Thu Sep 05)

The morning is spent exploring the sprawling Meenakshi Temple, with gigantic "gopurams" or gateways rising above 50 metres, a landmark of the town.
The afternoon is free. In the evening we return to the temple to see the "going to bed" ceremony of the goddess.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9 - Periyar (Fri Sep 06)

We return to the serenity of Kerala with a drive up the hill road to the evergreen forest of Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (3 to 4 hrs) and stay two nights at the traditional style Spice Village. The rest of the day is at leisure. We have the opportunity to spot some birds including the Malabar Grey Hornbill, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Black-necked Stork and Sri Lankan Frogmouth.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - Periyar (Sat Sep 07)

For the more enterprising we have an early morning nature walk in the forest with a naturalist. Later in the morning we visit a spice plantation.
In the afternoon enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Periyar, ideal for spotting herds of elephants and other wild animals including the bison-like "gaur", the protected lion-tailed macaque and a variety of birds.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11 - Kumarakom (Backwaters) - (Sun Sep 08)

A four-hour drive through pepper, rubber, cardamom, arecanut, nutmeg, banana and coconut plantations brings us to the backwaters of Kumarakom where we stay three nights at the Coconut Lagoon, made in local style, overlooking the vast expanse of the Vembanad Lake. The resort is reached by boat.
We stop on the way for a traditional Kerala lunch served on banana leaves. We are hosted by a local family who own a plantation there.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12 - Kumarakom (Mon Sep 09)

We enjoy a backwaters cruise today on a rice boat with hot lunch served on board. The afternoon is spent cruising along the Vembanad Lake to admire the bird life and village life along the banks.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13 - Kumarakom (Tue Sep 10)

A day at leisure to enjoy some Ayurvedic rejuvenation or visit the nearby bird sanctuary; the resort has its own organic farm and a butterfly garden.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 14 - Return Flight / Marari Beach (Wed Sep 11)

Transfer to the Kochi Airport for your return flight. Separate transfers have been arranged to cater for different flights.

Meals included: Breakfast

Beach Option : Wed Sep 11 to Sat Sep 14
And for those who wish to stay on to take in some more of Kerala we have the option of a beautiful beach resort at Marari, where you stay three nights at the Marari Beach Resort. Your stay is at leisure. We will transfer you to the airport on day 17 for your onward or return flight.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Price: £2295
(per person on twinshare)
Single Room Supplement: £1145

Marari Beach Extension: £339
(per person on twinshare)
Single Room Supplement: £275

Included
* Assisted transfers for the flight arrivals and departures
* Road travel using an Air-conditioned Luxury Coach
* Sightseeing including Entrance Fees and English-speaking guide
* Jungle activities in the national park (with a naturalist)
* A visit to Kolukkumalai in jeeps (with a picnic lunch)
* Meals as specified including a family meal and a fishing village meal
* Accommodation for 12 nights on double/twin occupancy (the hotels chosen are all top of the range)
* An accompanying escort throughout the tour
*Gratuities (except for the escort and the driver; it is customary to make a collection for them at the end)

This tour will be led by our Founder, Harji Singh, who knows Kerala intimately and is fluent in the local language. The group is likely to be a mix of American, British and Indian guests.

Excluded
* Meals not specified
* Visa for India
* Travel Insurance
* Personal expenses
* Gratuities for the accompanying escort and the driver
* International flights

Tour Leader

Your tour leader, Harji Singh, with Ajai Malhotra, a fellow promoter of the company. Ajai runs the Shiksha Schools, offering free education to children.