Trails of Kerala,India 2027

SUMMARY

Date: Saturday January 9th to Sunday 24th January – 15 nights/ 16 days

Guide: Sheetal, our local guide 

Walking Grade: Grade 2 – this is steady walking with a unique blend of hiking and cultural experiences. We grade it Goat 2 as you will need a certain level of fitness and stamina to fully enjoy the programme.

Max elevation: at 2000m in the Letchmi Hills. There is always an option to miss an activity if you feel it is not for you.

Terrain:Very mixed terrain of grasslands, mountain tracks, tea plantains, forest tracks and much more.

Max distance: 12km/ 7.5 miles walking per day.

Highlights:

• Heritage walk and Kathakali dance performance in Kochi
•  Jungle walk in the bird sanctuary and kayaking on Periyar river in Thattekad
•  Interactions with village women on the walks and understanding of their way of life
•  Witness the art of chocolate-making by skilled village women artisans
•  Traditional Keralan houseboat cruise in Kumarakom
• Visit to a tea plantation, tea picking & tea tasting experience in Munnar
•  Hike through tribal village and visit to the Muduvans tribe in Suryanelli
• Hike through rainforest, cardamom hills, bird sanctuary & National Parks
• Nature trek & bamboo rafting with tribal trackers in Periyar Wildlife Reserve
• Time to enjoy Ayurveda massages( optional) and beach time at Marari Beach

Base: A mix of accommodation to give you the best experience. Our price is for solo occupancy during your trip.

• Boutique hotels in Kochi and Thekkady
• Luxury cottage tents in Thattekad
• Comfortable resorts in Munnar and Marari
• A traditional air-conditioned Kerala houseboat

Arrivals: Kochi Airport – there is one group transfer to your hotel in Kochi on the morning of February 2nd. We can arrange pick ups at any time at a small extra cost which we can add to your invoice.

We will give detailed information about arrivals once we have everyone’s flight information. Many women arrive earlier to acclimatise and we advise it. We can book you extra nights.

Departures: There will be a group transfer back to Kochi Airport from your final hotel in Marari.

Price: £to be confirmed ( 2026 Price £4,100)  to include:

• 15 nights accommodation in a solo occupancy en-suite room (there is a discount for sharing)
• All breakfasts
• 10 lunches – on the other days you will be free to choose your own lunches
• Evening Meals on 9 nights. The other nights are free for you to choose.
• Water and refreshments during drives
• All activities in the itinerary
• Local Guide throughout the trip
• WalkingWomen support throughout
• Group airport transfer on arrival and departure

Not included:

• Your return flight to India
• Additional nights at the beginning and /or end of your trip
• Personal expenses
• Travel Insurance
• Tips

DETAILS

This tour offers a diverse range of experiences that capture the essence of Kerala’s natural beauty,
cultural heritage, and local traditions. It provides opportunities for immersive cultural experiences, such
as interacting with local communities, witnessing traditional performances, indulging in authentic
Keralan meals, while hiking through rain forests, tea plantation, National parks & Cardamom hills. The
balance between active exploration and cultural experiences, along with beach relaxation, ensures a
well-rounded and enriching travel/ walking experience.

The tour begins in Kochi with a heritage walk and Kathakali dance performance, providing a
glimpse into the city’s rich history and unique blend of influences, followed by a cycle ride to a remote
island. The tour then leads to Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, which offers walking trails & Kayaking. We then
drive up to former British Raj hill-station of Munnar in the Western Ghats and walk through tea
plantation, tribal villages, rainforests, and cardamom hills. At the Periyar Wildlife Reserve, home to wild elephant, deer, giant squirrel and the elusive tiger, we have a day-hike with a forest ranger.

At Alleppey, we meet our houseboat for an unforgettable overnight cruise on the backwaters, complemented with a relaxing 2 nights stay at Marari beach, where we relax on the beach & have the opportunity to experience Ayurveda massages (optional) , before departing from Kochi.

ITINERARY

This is an outline of our itinerary during your 16 days. There may be reasons for things to change and we always say Trust your Guide as they are always working hard to give you the best experience. They will always brief you if there are any changes.

DAY 01:                        ARRIVE KOCHI          (Heritage Walk & Kathakali dance performance)

Arrive Kochi airport early morning. You will be met on arrival  and transferred to your hotel at Fort Kochi.

Later in the afternoon enjoy a Heritage Walking tour through Fort Kochi.

This 2 hour walking tour gives you a glimpse into Cochin’s rich history and heritage, showcasing the mixed Dutch, Portuguese, British and Jewish influences that make the city unique. During the tour, we will visit the old quarter of Fort Kochi, exploring the quaint streets of this city on foot. We will also visit Fort Kochi’s seaside promenade and get a glimpse of daily life in Kochi. The walk will end with tea/coffee at a café.

Group dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 02               KOCHI             (Cycle ride to a remote Island & Keralan cooking class)

You will take a morning cycle ride to remote islands of Kadamakkudy in Kochi. The well-marked route takes you along winding pathways flanked by swaying coconut palms, mangrove-fringed canals, and verdant paddy fields, through remote villages. This is a unique experience to explore the secluded Kadamakkudy islands.

In the evening witness Kathakali Dance performance. Accompanied by a gong, drums and cymbals; Kathakali performers combine dance and theatre in a ritualistic portrayal of gods and demons.

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 03             KOCHI / THATTEKAD     (Jungle walk in the bird sanctuary & Kayaking on Periyar river)

Nestled in the lush Western Ghats of Kerala, this sanctuary is a haven for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. It’s a lowland rainforest that boasts of an array of diverse ecosystem.

You’ll walk the trails inside the sanctuary through villages, accompanied by a Naturalist.

Evening is to relax by the river Periyar & there is also an opportunity to take an optional kayaking trip on the River.

Overnight in Luxury cottage tents.

Drive Duration:           70 km / 2.5 hrs

Trail Duration:            03 hrs

DAY 04             THATTEKAD   (Chocolate factory tour & Visit Mamalakandan Village)

Today you’ll take a jeep safari through the remote trails of Western Ghats, as you travel to the hidden village of Mamalakandam. A place where nature’s beauty, cultural richness, and culinary wonders will astonish us.

You’ll travel in a local Jeep & take walks under the lush rainforest canopy. Visit a school & continue your journey to the Neolithic dolmens, unraveling the stories behind these ancient structures.

Following this, visit a small homestay, where a local family prepares a sumptuous lunch using spices and vegetables sourced from the region.

Drive back to Thattekad.

DAY 05             THATTEKAD / MUNNAR            (Tea Plantation visit & Bazaar walk)

Leave the plains and head for the hills. Enjoy an interesting drive as you climb up into the Western Ghats, passing tea and spice plantations along the way. Sitting at an altitude of 1600m, Munnar was very much an idyllic haven for the British in the 19th century, with crystal clear lakes, waterfalls, forests and an unending expanses of tea plantations.

Arrive Munnar by early afternoon.

Later we’ll visit a Tea plantation and spend few hours with Tea picker ladies. We spend time picking tea leaves with the ladies, while interacting with them to understand their day to day life.

During the trail, you will also visit one of the tea factories to understand the process of tea making followed by tea tasting session.

Have a restful sleep prior to the start of our first days hiking.

DRIVE DURATION:           80 km / 3 hrs

PLANTATION WALK:        2 hours

DAY 06            MUNNAR                                   (Day hike to Letchmi hills @ 2000m)

Morning hike to Letchmi hills (2000m). Start with a walk through Tea plantation, followed by ridge walk for couple of hours.

Walk through grasslands & rain forest.

A view of Anaimudi, the highest peak in South India, on a clear day.

Roam around in the bazaar later in the evening.

TRAIL LENGTH:                6-7 Km / 3-4 hrs

DAY 07             MUNNAR / SURYANELLI       (Hike through Tribal village)

We will start the day with an early morning climb of a nearby peak known locally as the “Phantom’s Head”. This is a memorable walk atop the tallest feature in the surrounding environment meaning you can take in the spectacular view of Papathy Shola or Butterfly Forest (so named for the mass migration of butterflies in October & November). Today you also have a chance to visit the tribal village of the Muduvans – a tribe who have for centuries colonized the upper reaches of the Western Ghats. Their peculiar habit of carrying their children on their backs has earned them their name as Muduvans or the ‘back people’.

TRAIL LENGTH:                08 Km / 4 hrs                           Grade: Easy to Medium

DAY 08             SURYANELLI / SANTHANPARA           (Hike in rain forest & Cardamom hills)

Today’s trek is through the Mathikettan Shola National Park. A treasure trove of biodiversity, this national park is home to endemic flora and fauna and to wildlife like the Asiatic Elephants and Nilgiri Langurs. Your destination is Santhanpara, set amidst luxuriant vegetation and cardamom spice plantations that give the surrounding area the name ‘Cardamom Hills’. This is the capital of the spice cultivating areas that have made Kerala famous through the ages and attracted multitudes of traders from all parts of the world.

TRAIL LENGTH:                12 Km / 5 hrs                          Grade: Medium

DAY 09             SANTHANPARA / CHATURANGAPARA

You will be trekking from Santhanpara to Chaturangapara, the final part of your rainforest trek at Munnar. This route is a challenging one and goes through the ridge of the Western Ghats.

TRAIL LENGTH:                11 Km / 4-5 hrs                       Grade: Medium

DAY 10             CHATURANGAPARA / THEKKADY                 (Evening walk in spice gardens)     

Leaving Madurai in the morning, we drive to the small village of Thekkady. The drive is spectacular as the road climbs through the Western Ghats and we have fantastic views across Tamil Nadu. Thekkady is a small yet bustling village from where we visit Periyar National Park. This whole area is a centre for spice growing and, after lunch, we have a short walk around a spice garden, where we can see many different spices growing. There is plenty of time in the afternoon to explore the bazaar, where we can visit numerous shops selling cardamom, vanilla, peppercorns, chillies, turmeric and other spices.

In the afternoon a local guide will join you for a short walk through the spice gardens at Kumily near Thekkady.

DRIVE DURATION:           60 Km / 1.5 hrs

DAY 11            THEKKADY                  (Morning Nature walk & Bamboo rafting)

After an early breakfast, we will explore Periyar wildlife sanctuary walking and bamboo rafting through some of the richest forest tracks of Periyar Tiger Reserve.

The forests are rich in bird life and arboreal animals like giant squirrel and Nilgiri langur. While rafting you will get a panoramic view of forest-clad hills reflected on the lake. Animals like elephant, gaur and sambar are sighted keeping close to the edges of the lake.

Optional: Kalraipayattu martial art program.

TRAIL LENGTH:               5 Km / 2-3 hrs

DAY 12               THEKKADY / KUMARAKOM

Kumarakom is a tiny backwater hamlet perched on the western banks of the Vembanadu Lake. We’ll spend a night relaxing at backwaters.

DAY 13            KUMARAKOM /ALLEPEY (Overnight in a traditional Keralan houseboat)

Driving to the coastal town of Alleppey this morning we head for the myriad canals and channels that make up the Kerala Backwaters, boarding a traditional houseboat for an overnight cruise through the region. The houseboat cruise is one of the highlights of the trip – these enchanting houseboats were the traditional method of transporting goods for centuries. This is a unique way to see the backwaters of Kerala. As our boat meanders through areas of lush tropical vegetation, we can spot numerous birds and gain a different perspective on village life, before you anchor in the middle of the lake for the night and have dinner under the stars.

Your houseboat is a converted kettuvallam (rice barge) constructed in a traditional way from jackfruit wood. These giant 80-foot long crafts have been adapted to provide simple but comfortable accommodation. Each boat has air conditioning, an open lounge, deck, kitchenette and a crew, usually comprising of a cook, boat driver and assistants. The food served is traditional Keralan fare using local produce. Traditonal lanterns are used as lights.

DRIVE DURATION:          112 KM / 02 hrs

DAY 14            ALLEPPEY / MARARI BEACH         (Short walk in a village & meal with a family)

Leave the houseboat and drive for half an hour to reach Vaikom. You will be received at a traditional Kerala house.

After refreshments, take a small boat (hand-punted) and go through narrow canals. This is a great opportunity to witness local life on the river banks. Visit coconut farms, coir villages, prawn fishing and paddy cultivation.

After the cruise, a traditional Sadya will be served. Sadya is a multi-course lunch served during festivals and Hindu weddings,  It is served on banana leaves.

Drive to Mararikulam for 02 nights stay at the beach.

DAY 15             MARARI BEACH           (Ayurveda massages & Beach time)

Marari Beach, a part of Mararikulam village, is nothing less than a paradise with a vast coastal line, fringed with coconut and palm trees.

Full day at leisure. You’ll relax by the beach or indulge in Ayurveda massages (optional)

DAY 16             MARARI / KOCHI  / DEPARTURE

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Kochi airport in time to board your flight for onward destination.