Classic Kerala

Day 1 - UK - In flight

Our nationwide shared chauffeur service will collect you from home for your flight to Kochi.

Day 2 - Kochi

Arrive in Kochi and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.

Day 3 - Kochi

A city with a long and layered history, Kochi developed as a major trading port where merchants from Arabia, China and Europe exchanged spices and goods. A guided tour highlights Jew Town, once the centre of Kochi’s spice trade, where the scent of cardamom, cinnamon and pepper continues to define the area. The Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1568 and recognised as the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth, features hand-painted blue-and-white Chinese tiles, each one individually crafted. The tour continues to the Mattancherry Palace, often known as the Dutch Palace after the Dutch takeover from the Portuguese. The structure appears modest externally, yet it houses some of India’s finest murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The itinerary also includes a visit to St Francis Church, regarded as the oldest European-built church in India. In the evening, watch a Kathakali dance, one of Kerala’s most distinctive art forms, noted for its elaborate costumes, colourful facial makeup and expressive storytelling.

Day 4 - Kochi - Alleppey

This morning, continue south to Alleppey to board a traditional houseboat for a four-hour river cruise. These vessels, once used to transport cargo through Kerala’s backwaters, now operate as eco-friendly houseboats. The route follows part of a 1,500-kilometre network of canals and lagoons bordered by coconut groves, paddy fields and small waterside settlements. There will be time to observe daily life along the banks and take in the changing scenery before transferring to your hotel in Alleppey.

Day 5 - Alleppey - Munnar

Travel from Alleppey to Thekkady, a journey of approximately four hours. Situated at an elevation of around one kilometre, Thekkady provides an ideal environment for the cultivation of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, vanilla, ginger and coffee. The region has produced significant quantities of pepper for millennia and played a key role in the 15th-century spice trade, when black pepper held a value comparable to its weight in gold. This evening, enjoy a traditional Kalaripayattu performance.

Day 6 - Thekkady

The day begins with a visit to a spice garden to observe the cultivation and harvesting of key crops that shape the region’s agricultural heritage. Afterwards, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Periyar, also known as Lake Thekkady. Formed more than a century ago by the construction of the Mullaperiyar Dam, the lake is now one of India’s notable locations for observing wildlife from the water. Sightings may include elephants along the shoreline, otters in the shallows and, on rare occasions, a tiger moving along the forest edge.

Day 7 - Thekkady to Madurai

Depart for a three and half hour journey to Madurai, one of India’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and a major centre of Dravidian culture. Madurai is renowned for the Sri Meenakshi Temple complex, its historic street layout and its long-standing role as a hub of trade, scholarship and temple architecture. On arrival, check in at your hotel where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. In the evening, a free optional excursion offers the chance to witness the ‘Going to Bed Ceremony’ at Sri Meenakshi Temple, during which the deities are ritually carried to their resting place for the night.

Day 8 - Madurai to Thekkady

A guided tour in the morning includes the final sights of Old Madurai, including the Meenakshi Temple, followed by a visit to Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal. In the afternoon, continue to Munnar, travelling through verdant paddy fields, coconut groves and small villages, before ascending into the Western Ghats with views of rolling hills, waterfalls, and tea and spice plantations. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day 9 - Munnar

Munnar sits at the confluence of three mountain streams and stands at about 1,600 metres above sea level in the Western Ghats. The former British hill station retains an old-world character, with colonial-era bungalows, rolling tea estates and cool mountain air. The surrounding landscape features terraced hillsides, shola forests and distant peaks. A morning sightseeing tour passes notable colonial residences and viewpoints that illustrate Munnar’s development as a tea-growing centre, along with broad views of the plantations and mist-covered valleys. After, visit a working tea plantation and the Tea Museum, to learn the history and production of local tea. The day continues with visits to Mattupetty Dam, known for its calm reservoir, and Echo Point, a lakeside setting marked by a natural echo phenomenon.

Day 10 - Munmar - Kochi

Transfer back to Kochi and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Day 11 - Kochi - UK

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK where a vehicle will be waiting for your journey home.