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Focus: Beach, Ayurvedic massages, Heritage Villa, Plantation Bungalow, Tranquil countryside, Monuments, Culture, People & lifestyle.
Highlight: Snake Boat race, Onam festival & Homestays.
Duration: 09 Days.
NOTE: To attend the festivities, you have to stick on to the exact dates, which mentioned in the itinerary.
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A journey during Monsoon will be a real time experience in a life, especially when it combines with the great water regatta ? Vallamkali [Snake Boat Race] & the Onam, a harvest festival celebrated throughout Kerala.
We start our tour from Kovalam ? a beach destination where you soothe some Ayurvedic massages and then on to a Heritage villa at Alleppey to celebrate the Onam festival with the villagers. Our next stop will be at a plantation bungalow situated in the source of Meenachil River with sylvan surroundings and lush greenery. We also travel through plantations of tea, coffee, cardamom and tranquil countryside and Periyar Sanctuary before concluding our tour at Kochi.
Route at glance: Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum] ? Kovalam ? Alappuzha [Alleppey] ? Teekoy ? Kumarakom ? Kochi.
24TH AUG?07 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (TRIVANDRUM)
Arrive Thiruvananthapuram airport by morning from your home country/state. Garland welcome, assistance and transfer to hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea. Rest of the day free to relax or experience some Ayurvedic massages. O/n Hotel.
25TH AUG?07 KOVALAM
The day at leisure + experience some Ayurvedic massages. O/n Hotel.
26TH AUG?07 KOVALAM TO ALAPPUZHA (ALLEPPEY)
After breakfast drive to Alappuzha (about 165kms/04hrs), here we board a motorboat and step into an eco-friendly heritage villa, which have only a handful of rooms for guests and each has its own en-suite bathroom with all modern facilities. Rest of the day free to relax. O/n Villa
27TH AUG?07 ALAPPUZHA
Today we celebrate the Kerala?s biggest and most important festival ? Thiruvonam (Onam), a harvest festival, celebrated throughout Kerala.
Keralites celebrates Onam as the home coming of Mahabali, the legendry king who ruled over Kerala in an age of plenty and was pushed down to the infernal regions (Patala) by Vishnu in the form of Vamana. Childrens go around collecting flowers for the decoration of the front portion of their house in different designs, followed by a grand feast (lunch) is held in every home.
After having the Onam lunch with your hosts, we explore the local village by walk to have a look, how Keralite?s celebrates Onam!! O/n Villa.
28TH AUG?07 ALAPPUZHA TO TEEKOY
After breakfast drive to Teekoy (about 90kms/03hrs), check into Vanilla County ? an enchanting home stay situated in the source of Meenachil River immoratalised by Arundhati Roy in her book ? The God of Small Things?. Afternoon explore the sylvan surroundings and lush greenery, where one can see numerous varieties of spices and totally relax in a serene, unpolluted & eco-friendly countryside. O/n Vanilla County.
29TH AUG?07 TEEKOY
Today our day starts with variety of attractions: After having our home cooked breakfast, we have an opportunity to see vermiculture and sustainable/organic method of farming, to see organic spice, fruit, and vegetable farms. O/n Vanilla County.
30TH AUG?07 TEEKOY TO KUMARAKOM
After breakfast drive to Kumarakom (about 70kms/02hrs), a picturesque small village located on the banks of Vembanadu Lake. Check into the hotel and further in the afternoon make a short drive to Aranmula to witness the spectacular water regatta ? the Snake Boat Race.
The Aranmula Vallamkali (Snake boat race) is held during the Onam season. The regatta, celebrated as a grand social event today, has a religious origin. In the olden days, vegetables, cereals and other food materials required for the Thiruvonasadya (the grand Onam feast), prepared as a ritual offering at the Aranmula Sree Parthasarathy Temple, were brought in a procession of snake boats. It is to commemorate this ritualistic journey that the famous Aranmula vallamkali is conducted.
Before the grand procession, the snake boats assemble near the Sree Parthasarathy Temple. Each boat is 100 feet long and accommodates four helmsmen, 100 oarsmen and 25 singers. The boats move in pairs to full-throated singing and shouting, watched by a crowd of hundreds.
Evening back to your hotel and relax. O/n Hotel.
31ST AUG?07 KUMARAKOM TO KOCHI
After breakfast drive to Kochi (about 70kms/02hrs), check into the hotel and further in the afternoon start your sightseeing with the old Churches of Fort Kochi & huge Chinese Fishing nets line the entrance to the harbour mouth. O/n Hotel.
01ST SEP?07 KOCHI
After breakfast transfer to airport to board flight to your onward destination.
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