Kerala Tea Estate, Backwater & Marari Beach Tour

Duration	Destination	Departure
10 days and 9 nights	India (Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Alappuzha (Alleppey), Mararikulam)	India (Cochin)

Description

This private tour will begin with your arrival in Cochin a metropolitan port city in Kerala. Explore Fort Kochi, old-town quarters famous for its cobblestoned lanes, Dutch, Portuguese & Jewish heritage. Then drive to Munnar, a hill station and former resort for the British Raj elite, dotted with tea plantations and a sanctuary for Nilgiri Thahr. From here head to Thekkady a paradise for wildlife, flora & fauna. Thenafter drive to Kumarakom to board a houseboat and sail to Alleppey a Venetian-esque town built onto canals and streams known as the Keralan backwaters. Day cruise from here to Alleppey in a houseboat serving meals on board. At the end unwind yourself on an enchanting beach village where time stands still and allows you to unravel the miraculous beauty of nature in every forms.

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Category
3 star hotels (Private Tour) Bed & Breakfast en
Price includes • Assistance on arrival at airport. • 9 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels. • Daily breakfast & meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner) • Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program. • English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program. • Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary. • Bottled drinking water in car. • Government taxes. Price does not include • Any flight tickets. • Camera charges at monuments. • Meals other than mentioned in day plan. • Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc. • Gratuities & optional activities. • Anything not mentioned in inclusions.
4 star hotels (Private Tour) Bed & Breakfast en
Price includes • Assistance on arrival at airport. • 9 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels. • Daily breakfast & meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner) • Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program. • English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program. • Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary. • Bottled drinking water in car. • Government taxes. Price does not include • Any flight tickets. • Camera charges at monuments. • Meals other than mentioned in day plan. • Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc. • Gratuities & optional activities. • Anything not mentioned in inclusions.
5 star hotels (Private Tour) Bed & Breakfast en
Price includes • Assistance on arrival at airport. • 9 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels. • Daily breakfast & meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner) • Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program. • English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program. • Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary. • Bottled drinking water in car. • Government taxes. Price does not include • Any flight tickets. • Camera charges at monuments. • Meals other than mentioned in day plan. • Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc. • Gratuities & optional activities. • Anything not mentioned in inclusions.

Program

Day 1:
Arrive Cochin
On arrival at Cochin airport assistance & transfer hotel check in. In the evening enjoy Kathakali, a traditional dance form of Kerala with lavish costumes, exotic makeup, masks etc. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2:
Cochin - Munnar (140kms) (B)
City tour visiting Fort Cochin St. Frances Church, Jewish Synagogue, Mattancherry Dutchs Palace & Chinese fishing nets. Later drive to Munnar check in & Overnight at hotel.

Day 3:
Munnar (B)
Visit Pothamedu, Mattupetty dam, Rajamala hill, Eravikulam National Park, Mattupedi Dairy Farm, Echo Point & Tea Museum. Overnight at hotel.

Day 4:
Munnar - Thekkady (110kms) (B)
Drive to Thekkady via Ramakkalmedu one of the windiest places in Asia and being so, one can find here a wind farm generating electricity. Visit Frog Rock, Turtle Rock and the highest twin-statue in Kerala called Kuravan & Kurathi. Evening watch Martial Arts & Kathakali Dance show. Overnight at hotel.

Day 5:
Thekkady (B)
Explore Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on a boat. Sanctuary is home to tigers, elephant, rare lion-tailed macaques, sambar deer, leopards and Indian bison. Later spice plantation tour to see crops of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee etc. Overnight at hotel.

Day 6:
Thekkady - Kumarakom (132kms) Sailing Boat Cruise to Alleppey (B,L,D)
Transfer to Alleppey boat jetty to board houseboat and sail through the tropical countryside enchanting backwaters. The Houseboats have generated electricity, sitting cum dining area, separate bedroom with attached English toilets, sun deck and fully loaded kitchen with a chef & driver. O/n in houseboat.

Day 7:
Kumarakom - Marari Beach (190kms) (B)
Disembark from houseboat and transfer to Marari Beach, check in at hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel.

Day 8:
Marari Beach (B)
Day free and easy to relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel. (transport not included)

Day 9:
Marari Beach (B)
Day free and easy to relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel. (transport not included)

Day 10:
Marari Beach - Cochin Departure (Flight) (B)
As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.

Price includes

• Assistance on arrival at airport.
• 9 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels.
• Daily breakfast & meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner)
• Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program.
• English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program.
• Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary.
• Bottled drinking water in car.
• Government taxes.

Price does not include

• Any flight tickets.
• Camera charges at monuments.
• Meals other than mentioned in day plan.
• Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc.
• Gratuities & optional activities.
• Anything not mentioned in inclusions.

Itinerary

Day	Overnight	Itinerary highlights
1	Kochi	Kochi - Cochin Airport
2	Munnar
3	Munnar
4	Thekkady
5	Thekkady
6	Alappuzha
7	Mararikulam
8	Mararikulam
9	Mararikulam
10		Kochi - Cochin Airport

Accommodations provided in each place

Place	3 star hotels	4 star hotels	5 star hotels
Kochi	The Dune Hotel/ Abad Plaza or similar	Casino Hotel/ Le Maritime or similar	Xandari Harbour/ Le Meridien or similar
Munnar	Fort Munnar/ Abad Copper Castle or similar	Nature Zone Jungle Resort/ Fragrant Nature Munnar or similar	Chandys Windy Woods/ Tea County or similar
Thekkady	Abad Green Forest/ Hotel Treetop or similar	The Elephant Court/ Cardamom County or similar	Spice Village/ Carmelia Haven Resort or similar
Alappuzha	Deluxe Houseboat (ATDC Houseboat/ Dream Boats) or similar	Preminum Houseboat (Abad Premium Houseboats/ Rainbow Premium Houseboats) or similar	Luxury Houseboat (Xandari Riverscapes/ Lakes & Lagoons) or similar
Mararikulam	EL Oceano Beach Villas/ La Plage Marari or similar	Abad Turtle Beach Resort/ Marari Sands Beach Resort or similar	Xandari Pearl/ Marari Beach Resort or similar