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8 Day Enchanting Kerala

This tour includes return international airfares. See the Fine Print section for further details.

Airfares
Included

This tour is categorised as 1 out of 5

 

Explore at your own pace: Discover your destination at your own pace with our self-guided itinerary. Options include driving, rail, or cruising (excluding expeditions). Enjoy included guided day trips for sightseeing as outlined in your itinerary.

 

 

As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.

Pace
Leisurely

Experience a superior level of comfort. Our Small Group tours have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Travel with no more than 26 people, allowing for a more personalised and immersive experience. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for the exact group size.

Group Size
Small Group

This tour is fully escorted by a dedicated tour leader who will accompany you throughout the tour. If your tour includes multiple countries, you will be met by a new tour leader in each country and any internal flights included will be unescorted.

Escorted Type
Fully Escorted
Small Group Tour
1,169 people have travelled to this destination

✓ Includes return international airfares
Small group experience, with no more than 20 people
5 nights deluxe 4 star hotel accommodation
1 night deluxe backwaters houseboat including all meals
Return airport transfers
Luxury A/C vehicles
Daily breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
The services of a professional English-speaking guide throughout.
Sightseeing & all entry fees as per the itinerary

What we love about this tour

Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.

Itinerary

Hotel
Hotel Casino Kochi or Similar

Welcome to Kochi. Following customs, immigration formalities and baggage collection, our representative will meet you as you exit the arrival terminal building, after which you will be transferred to your hotel. Check-in time is 1400 hours.

Rest of the day is at leisure to unwind and relax in the comforts of this lovely little city

Some flights may depart the night before and fly overnight, to arrive on Day 1

Hotel
Hotel Casino Kochi or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and proceed on a guided tour of Cochin. Visit Portuguese-built Mattancherry Dutch Palace and Fort Cochin area. Later visit, St Francis Church, which holds the palm-leafed title deed that the Raja handed to the occupying Portuguese in 1503. Also marvel at the intricate beauty of Cochins legendary Chinese fishing nets, unique to this part of Kerala and the testament to the Oriental influences that infuse this spice-trading coastline. En-route try your luck by helping the fisherman pull the catch of the day at Chinese fishing net.

Following sightseeing tour, return back to hotel

This evening: Witness Kathakali classical dance performance at a local theater. Kathakali represents a synthesis of all that is best in dance, drama and music and has been recognized by connoisseurs of art, the world over as a `total art form of immense sophistication and power'. It is the impression created by make-up and the costumes that make Kathakali a visual par excellence

Hotel
Abad Green Forest or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

Buffet breakfast at the hotel before embarking to the green forests of Periyar in the Thekkady region (approx 160 Kms / 4 hrs). Thekkady -The heart of God's own country! Thekkady is located about 4 km from Kumili in Idukki district. The very sound of the name conjures up images of elephants, unending chains of hills and spice scented plantations.

Later this afternoon witness a Kalaripayattu Performance at a local theater. It is believed to be perhaps the most ancient martial art form & is derived from the words Kalari which means "place, threshing floor, or battlefield” and payattu which means to "exercise in arms, or practice.

Hotel
Abad Green Forest or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

After a delicious buffet breakfast enjoy a walking tour of a local plantation, allowing you to gain a first hand experience of the cultivation, growth and processing of spices. To witness the region’s pivotal role in the global spice market, one must get a glimpse of the Kumily spice market of Thekkady. This afternoon enjoy a Green Walk (subject to weather conditions.) with a forest guide exploring the flora and fauna of this region. With many species of birds spotted here, the region is also an ornithologist's favourite.

Hotel
Abad Whispering Palm or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

This morning continue the drive to mesmerizing Kumarakom (approx 140 Kms / 4 hrs). Kumarakom is a stunning paradise. The blue backwaters and a surface of Vembanad Lake reflect the azure sky. The amazing shades of green of the vegetation that include mangroves, coconut palms and paddy fields cover the verdant countryside. This afternoon proceed on a guided tour of the Kumarakom bird sanctuary, home to numerous species of migrating and local birds. In the evening, embark on a leisure walk to explore town or visit the local market to get your hands on some wonderful handicrafts.

Cruise
Deluxe Houseboat or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and drive to Alleppey. Upon arrival, board your houseboat for the night. While cruising, observe and experience local villagers’ lifestyles and the slower pace of this part of India. Sail through the exotic backwaters on a traditional rice boat.

This evening enjoy a tasty dinner prepared by your private chef onboard.

Meals
Breakfast

After a delicious breakfast overlooking the backwaters, disembark at Alleppey jetty.  

Check-out and proceed on your drive to Kochi (60 Kms / approx. 1 1⁄2 hours). Upon Arrival in Kochi you will be transferred to the airport for your onward journey.

Arrive home today. We hope you have enjoyed your inspiring journey and have memories to last a lifetime.

Inclusions

  • Return international airfares included
  • Small group experience, with no more than 16 people
  • 5 nights deluxe 4 star hotel accommodation
  • 1 night deluxe backwaters houseboat including all meals
  • Return airport transfers
  • Luxury A/C vehicles
  • Daily breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
  • The services of a professional English-speaking guide throughout.
  • Sightseeing & all entry fees as per the itinerary

  • Enjoy a walk through the heritage area of Fort Kochi
  • Witness the Kathakali dance show in Cochin & Kalaripayatu show in Thekkady.
  • Walk through the spice market in Thekkady
  • Visit the bird sanctuary in Kumarakom
  • Experience the scenic beauty and magic of backwaters.

Fine Print

This product requires full payment upfront to secure your booking. 

Once you have created your booking you will be directed to your invoice to choose your preferred payment method.

This package is a flight inclusive package

This package includes international airfares and flights will be added to your booking at no additional cost. Select your departure city after clicking ‘Book Now’.

Visit our Flight Hub for more information on terms and conditions, amending your flights and information on luggage allowances.

It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return. Visas may be required for your destination. For further visa information, click here.

Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.

As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.

Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. At the commencement of your tour you will be asked to provide tipping to your guide towards a ‘kitty’, which is then used towards the guide tipping for the services of helpers, hotel staff, restaurants and airport porterage. We recommend AUD$3 per person, per day, to be paid in local currency. Please note that this tipping is not for the guide or driver, merely for the guide to tip the services of other local workers during your tour. While not made compulsory, if you choose not to contribute to the kitty it means that the guide is tipping for these services out of their own pocket. Your cooperation in this instance is most appreciated.  

Further, tipping for your guide and driver will be collected at the conclusion of their services.  To remove the uncertainty and stress of not knowing how much is appropriate to tip we recommend AUD$6-10 per person per day for your guide and AUD$3-5 per person per day for your driver to be paid in local currency. The amount you wish to contribute is dependent on the services received and at the complete discretion of the guest. Thank you for your understanding.

Any other tipping, such as tips for camera and video fees, bathroom attendants or hotel porters that are taking luggage to your room, is at your discretion as are gratuities for additional requested special services. We encourage passengers to have a supply of small denominations of local currency to distribute for personal tipping.

Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however, any changes are beyond our control.

Single Supplement
Single supplement is $514.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.

Triple Share
Not available.

Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent inflight and is subject to change, depending on the flight schedule. Please refer to the day-by-day itinerary for the time spent in your destinations.

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.

We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book Comprehensive or Essentials cover for your domestic, international or multi-trip journeys simply by clicking HERE.

Note that Inspiring Vacations cannot provide advice with regards to any insurance product.

Group Size
Minimum of 2 people
Maximum of  16 people

Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.

Tour Style
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels: 

  • Fully Escorted - This tour is fully escorted by an expert English-speaking guide who will accompany you throughout the tour.

All participants must be in good physical condition to fully engage in this journey. For the safety and welfare of yourself and fellow travellers, if you are feeling unwell prior to departure, we advise staying home and contacting us to arrange alternate plans.

Prior to selecting your trip, carefully review the itinerary to assess your ability to comfortably manage our travel style. Please be aware that if, based on evaluation by our leader or local representative, a participant is deemed unable to safely complete the itinerary, we retain the right to exclude them from all or part of the trip without reimbursement.

It is advisable to consult your physician for current medical travel advisories and any required vaccinations before embarking. We recommend carrying a first aid kit and any necessary medications in their original packaging, as they may not be readily available during travel. For those carrying medication, it's essential to check your government's foreign travel guidelines for local restrictions or regulations.

Click HERE for more information on weather in India.

  • Visas (if applicable)
  • Travel insurance (compulsory)
  • Tipping
  • Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Optional activities
  • Personal expenses
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