Captivating Kerala

On the morning of day two, enjoy a guided tour of historic Fort Kochi. See the elegant Chinese fishing nets and explore the winding streets of the old town, visiting St Francis’ Church, Parsi Synagogue (exterior only) and a Dutch palace.

After sightseeing in Kochi, drive east to Munnar - a picturesque hill station nestled on the verdant slopes of tea plantations. Located at a lofty height of 1600m, Munnar in South India offers breathtaking views of the surrounding
hills carpeted with tea plantations. From many locations in Munnar, one can view Anamudi (2695m), South India’s highest peak. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax or explore the area.

On day three, take a stroll through one of the many tea plantations with your guide, who will give you a brief explanation about the different varieties of tea and how they are processed. Then you'll visit a local market before heading
back to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at your own leisure.

Early this morning we set off on a scenic 4-5 hour drive to Alleppey. Upon arrival, board a simply furnished private rice-boat for a journey through the lush backwaters. Your rice-boat takes you sedately along the enchanting palmfringed
backwaters, covering a distance of some 20 kms, during which time the boat glides past local villages and fascinating scenes of everyday rural life. Watch a beautiful sunset over the backwaters and enjoy tasty meals (starting with
lunch) prepared by the on board chef using fresh local produce.

After breakfast on day five, disembark the houseboat at Kumarakom. Perched sleepily amongst a tangle of lush tropical waterways known as the Keralan backwaters, Kumarakom is technically a cluster of islands on Lake Vembanad - one of
Asia’s largest freshwater lakes. This is an ideal place to relax for the next two days and enjoy the beautiful scenery. There is also a wonderful bird sanctuary spread across 14 acres, which is a favoured haunt of migratory birds and certainly
worthy of a visit.