(COVERING KOCHI, THE QUEEN OF THE ARABIAN SEA, VERDANT HILL  STATIONS, MUNNAR, THEKKADY, THE BACKWATERS OF KUMARAKOM AND HOUSEBOAT AT ALLEPPEY-KUMARAKOM, MARARI BEACH, ALLEPPEY AND FURTHER SOUTH TO KOVALAM, THIRUVANANDHAPURAM).

Package Code: KR/KVL/DPL/0077
 
Day (1) 
Arrive in Kochi, and check into your hotel.  
Depending on the time you arrive, you could have a half day city sightseeing tour, which includes visiting the Jewish Synagogue, Dutch Palace, Museums, Chinese fishing nets, or hop down to nearby islands like Vypeen or Bolghatty. In the evening one could go for a sunset cruise or else see the famous Kathakali dance of Kerala.

Day (2) 
After a leisurely breakfast, drive down to Munnar, 140 kilometers away. This trip will take abour 4 hours. No visit to Kerela is complete without a stay at Munnar, one of the most popular hill stations. . Check into your resort.  It is situated 1600 meters above sea level and has sprawling plantations, picture book towns and its winding roads, makes it an idyllic place to unwind yourself.
Rest of the day free to relax or explore the magnificent country side.
 
Day (3) 
After breakfast, visit the Rajamalai Park, home to the near extinct Niligiri Thar.   You will also come across rosewood, sandalwood, silver oak and eucalyptus trees. One of the best view points is the Lock Heart Gap and the Echo Point. The plantation, Matupetty dam and the Chinar wildlife sanctuary are the other places you should visit to make the trip a memorable one.

Day (4) 

Check out in the morning and proceed to Thekkady, which is about 165 kilometers away. Check into your hotel, nestled in the lap of nature, surrounded by dense forests, soft silver clouds, the eternal mist and the heady fragrance of spices, herbs and the tea plantations. Later visit the Tiger Reserve and the National Park, which is the only place you can see elephants in the wild.

Day (5) 

Check out after breakfast, proceed to Kovalam and check into your hotel. Rest of the day free to laze on the beach and really unwind. you could go to Vizhinjam (7kms) away, to see the 18th century rock cut cave and the aquarium having the rarest species of marine life In the evening at the beach.  Overnight at the hotel.
 
Day (8)  
After breakfast, a city sightseeing tour to Trivandrum, the 1000 year old city of legends and royalty. The Padmanabhaswamy temple, with its graceful fusion of Kerala and Dravidian architecture, the Kuthiramaliga museum, Napier's museum, Sri Chitra Art Gallery and the Kanakakunnu palace are places one should not miss.  The Zoological park is one of the best laid out zoos in India and is set amongst, gorgeous gardens, lawns and islets. One can also visit the Science and Technology Museum & the Priyadarsini Planetarium. The Shankumugham beach and the Veli and Aakulam Tourist Villages are Kerala at its natural best.

Day (9)  
Watch the splendid sunrise at Kovalam beach, and then check out after breakfast.  Proceed to your next destination. End of the tour. 

Day (Optional)  
After breakfast, visit the Neyyar dam (32Kms). The enchanting Agastyakoodam mountains provides an opputtunity for trekking and you could go for boating on the dam. Other places of interest around the dam are the Crocodile farm, Lion Safari Park and the Wildlife sanctuary.  Apart from a varied bird life, one can spot lion tailes macaque, sloth bear etc. If you are lucky, you may even spot a tiger.
 
Day (Optional)  
After lunch, a short trip to Ponmudi would be refreshing. It is famous for its natural beauty, its narrow winding pathways, tiny ribbons of cool crisp streams, mountain flowers and exotic butterflies.
See the raw beauty of the Thenaruvi river and visit the deer park Return to hotel.