Cultural Tour: 09 Nights & 10 Days

Tour Route
Trivandrum » Houseboat » Cochin » Guruvayoor » Mannarkad (Palakkad)» Calicut

Overview
Specially designed tours for those looking to experience the vibrant and colourful cultures of Kerala. Tour includes; Stay in a beach resort, Visit to temples and Historical Palaces, Traditional dances and martial arts demonstration, Visit to boat building yards, Visit to elephant sanctuary, Art centre visit and stay in the vibrant port town of Cochin.

DAY 01: Arrival Trivandrum
Welcomed by Kerala Travel Centre representative at the airport and drive to hotel. The southernmost part of Kerala, Trivandrum is bounded by the wooded highlands of the Western Ghats in the east and northeast, and the Arabian Sea in the west. A long shoreline with secluded, internationally renowned beaches, historic monuments, backwater stretches, hill stations and a rich cultural heritage are awaiting you here.Overnight at the hotel.(Vehicle at disposal)

DAY 02: Trivandrum
Enjoy the guided tour of the many cultural attractions in the city of the erstwhile rulers of Travanocore, Trivandrum. Visit the Padmanabhapuram Palace, a wooden palace dating back to the 17th century and to Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India. It is at the tail point of India, where the three seas meet together. Overnight at the hotel.(Vehicle at disposal)

DAY 03: Trivandrum - Houseboat
(160km/3.5hrs)Drive to Alleppey, embark on your private houseboat and cruise on the Backwaters, a splendid area full of canals, lakes and coves. Your houseboats or ‘Kettuvalloms’ are luxurious boats with well-appointed bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms. You can sunbathe on the deck or observe the palm fringed landscape from your cabins. Apart from the mesmerizing surroundings it’s the life along the coast that adds a touch of exotica to this experience. The locals’ travel in canoes and you will find vegetable sellers, fishermen and other traders bringing household goods, door to door in small wooden boats. As you cruise along the backwaters you can ask your captain to stop at villages, paddy fields and other places, enroute. Overnight on board. (Full Board)(Vehicle for Transfer)

DAY 04: Houseboat - Cochin
(65kms/1.5hrs)Disembark from your houseboat at Alleppey and drive to Cochin, A port town since early centuries, Cochin attracted traders and invaders from the world over. Needless to say, Cochin offers you some fascinating snippets of history and culture. Relax and unwind at the hotel. In the evening you could go for a relaxing sunset cruise. Overnight at the hotel.(Vehicle at disposal)

DAY 05: Cochin
Today you could go for a sightseeing tour to explore the many fascinating highlights of Cochin which include - The Jewish Synagogue in what is locally called the Jew Town, St. Francis Church which is the oldest European Church in India, the Santa Cruz Basilica built in 1557 by the Portuguese, the Dutch Palace, the Spice market and the 15th century Chinese fishing nets believed to have been brought by Chinese traders. In the evening, visit an auditorium to watch the famous dance drama of Kerala, the Kathakali. This dance is characterised by some great story telling, amazing costumes and extensive make-up. Overnight at the hotel.(Vehicle at disposal)

DAY 06: DAY 06 : Cochin - Guruvayoor
(130kms/2.5hrs)This morning, drive to Guruvayoor, the temple town near Thrissur; the cultural capital of Kerala. Visit the famous Krishna temple and while entry is not permitted to non-Hindus, walking along the four roads leading to the temple can be an awe-inspiring experience. Enroute, visit the Punathoor Kotta an erstwhile place that houses more than 60 elephants. Check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.(Vehicle at disposal)

DAY 07: Guruvayur - Palakkad
(70km/1hr)Early this morning drive to Mannarkad, in Palakkad, visiting Kalamandalam enroute. Kalamandalam is a centre of learning founded with the objective of reviving, preserving and developing the ancient and traditional art forms of Kerala. Visitors can also spend a day with the masters and witness artists and teachers in action. Later drive to Mannarkad, a small beautiful town in Palakkad district. Evening at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.(Vehicle at disposal)

DAY 08: Calicut
Visit the colourful streets of Calicut including the Sweetmeat street and its many colourful shops. You could drive to Beypore, one of the prominent ports and fishing harbours of ancient Kerala and visit the boatyards which havebeen building vessels since early centuries for legendary seamen. Later in the evening witness a Kalarippayat (Martial art) demonstration. Overnight at the Resort. (Vehicle at disposal)

DAY 09: Palakkad - Calicut
(130km/4hrs)Drive to Calicut (Kozhikode), once the erstwhile capital of powerful Zamorins and a historical town. Calicut was a significant port for trade and commerce in the early centuries and the quality cotton, ‘Calico’, is believed to have originated here. Today you can enjoy a relaxing full body Ayurveda massage at the resort. In the evening visit Hindustan Kalari Sangam, which imparts training in ‘Kalaripayattu’ the martial art of Kerala. Spend the evening at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.(Vehicle at disposal)

DAY 10: Calicut - Departure
Departure transfer to Calicut airport for you return flight. (Vehicle for transfer)

Place	Nts	Standard	Superior	Deluxe
Trivandrum	2	Varikatt Heritage	Varikatt Heritage	Varikatt Heritage
Houseboat	1	Muthoot River Escapes	Muthoot River Escapes	Muthoot River Escapes
Cochin	2	Fort Heritage	The Old Harbour	Brunton Boatyard
Guruvayoor	1	Krishna Inn	Kanoos Residency	Kanoos Residency
Palakkad	2	Planters Retreat	Planters Retreat	Planters Retreat
Calicut	1	Kadavu	Kadavu	Kadavu

Tour	1 May 11-30 Sep 11	1 Oct 11-19 Dec 11	20 Dec 11-15 Jan 12	16 Jan 12-31 Jan 12	1 Feb 12-29 Feb 12	1 Mar 12-30 Apr 12
Standard	£ 799	£ 871	£ 983	£ 871	£ 871	£ 871
Superior	£ 831	£ 925	£ 1053	£ 925	£ 925	£ 925
Deluxe	£ 852	£ 1134	£ 1267	£ 1134	£ 1166	£ 1134

Prices are per person based on 2 people occupying 1 double/twin room. Prices may vary based on local market fluctuations. For single supplements please contact Kerala Travel Centre. Price Includes: B&B at all hotels except where cited on the itinerary, chauffeur driven AC car, Ayurveda massage, all entrance fees, guide charges, assisted airport transfers. Price Excludes: Flights - Please contact Kerala Travel Centre for booking flights.

Kerala Climate and Weather
Being a coastal state surrounded by the Arabian Sea and because of its proximity to the equator, Kerala has a more or less consistent temperature pattern in the summers and the monsoons alike. The temperature hovers around 29�32 degrees (Celsius) throughout the year with varying levels of humidity.



Best months for travel to Kerala:

The months of October through to March are considered to be the most favourable months to travel to Kerala when the weather is sunny and pleasant.
The months of April and May are also favourable for travel but the humidity tends to be comparatively higher.
August and September are also good months for travel.

Monsoon Months in Kerala:

June and July are monsoon months in Kerala, the showers being heavy at first and then easing off gradually. Whilst these are not the best months for tours, interestingly, this happens to the best time for travellers seeking the therapeutic Ayurveda treatment which is said to be most effective in these months.

Special Experiences

Kerala offers a myriad of delightful, lesser known experiences which one does not get to enjoy on a regular tour which is packed with standard excursions. At the Kerala Travel Centre we have always been keen to showcase these special, off-the-beaten-track experiences that will make your Kerala holiday a memorable experience like no other.

We have compiled a partial list experiences which you could choose to enjoy on this tour. When in doubt, just ask your Kerala Travel Centre driver and he will point you the right direction.

Houseboat Cruise

• During a houseboat cruise, ask your captain to anchor the boat by one of the villages, where you could take a village walk along the backwaters which is an exciting way to get up and close with life along the backwaters.
• You could also go for canoe rides in the backwaters. Canoes can travel through narrower canals which houseboats cannot navigate.
• There is a boat building yard in a place called Champakkulam by the backwaters which makes the long banana boats used for Kerala's snake boat races.

Cochin

• Stroll down the beach in Fort Cochin to see the 15th century Chinese fishing nets. Whilst they are not as frequently used as before, you can see a demonstration of how the fishermen use these gigantic nets. It is also possible to take part in this experience along with the fishermen.
• The bustling fish markets adjacent to the fishing nets also make for an interesting visit.
• The sunset cruise in Cochin along the harbour is also a great experience where you pass other ships and boats of all sizes and can see the Cochin skyline and the Cochin shipyard which is more than 200 years old.
• Fort Cochin has a number of seafood restaurants ranging from the high end 'History' restaurant at the Brunton Boatyard to the all vegetarian 'Roti Dal' restaurant where you can try the mouth watering fish food.
• Enjoy an enthralling Kathakali dance performance while you are in Cochin. Watching the dancers put on make up before the show is also quite a fascinating experience.
• Your sightseeing excursion in Cochin includes several fascinating highlights including the Jewish synagogue, Dutch Palace, St. Francis Church, the Santa Cruz Basilica and others. Apart from this, you could also try exploring the streets with their many shops both in Fort Cochin and in the bustling Ernakulam part of Cochin. Cochin is great for shopping especially for jewellery and garments. (Our drivers should be able to point you to select shops that do not hassle customers). If you are a cigar aficionado don't miss the 100 year old R.Baliga & Sons who stocks cigars of all types.
• If Henna and bangles are of interest to you, you can pay a visit to a small, yet vibrant shop selling bangles and other ornaments in Cochin.

Calicut

• Visit the Beypore boat building yard which has been building boats of all sizes since early centuries. One of the highlights is that the carpenters build massive boats with precision, without the use of any drawings.
• If you are a food enthusiast, you will love Calicut. The region is famous for its 'Mopilla' cuisine and its 'Biriyanis' (dish comprising of rice and meat). You could try authentic Biriyanis at the Paragon and Sagar Hotel. Calicut is also the best place to try a 'falooda'- a dessert made of noodles, jelly, ice cream, takamaria seeds and nuts.
• Try the sweets at what is appropriately called the sweetmeat street where a number of Gujarati (North Indian community known for their sweetmeats amongst other things) shops near the beach offer a large variety.