About the tour: : Temples & Backwater Tour of South India

Transcription

1 Tour Name : Temples & Backwater Tour of South India Duration ; 14 Nights / 15 Days About the tour: Visit the two state of India. Tamil Nadu famous for its exquisite temples of which some are UNESCO World Heritage sites. See the largest & oldest active temples of Hindus in Thanjore, Trichy & Madurai. Rejuvenate yourself in French Colonial town Pondicherry by practicing Yoga in Auroville Ashram. Old monuments, exotic flora and fauna, lush vegetation, the delicate scent of spices and temples bells all characterize Kerala. Western Ghats in the tea-growing region of Munnar gives you a true sense of the sheer natural beauty. Explore the picturesque Periyar National Park & learn about spice plantation. Cruise along the beautiful Keralan backwaters & watch mesmerizing traditional Kathakali dance. At the end of tour relax on world famous Kovalam beach.

2 Outline Itinerary DAY 01: ARRIVE CHENNAI DAY 02: CHENNAI - KANCHIPURAM - MAHABALIPURAM (120KMS/ 3HRS APPROX) DAY 03: MAHABALIPURAM - PONDICHERRY (100KMS/ 2HRS APPROX) DAY 04: PONDICHERRY - THANJORE (170KMS/ 4HRS APPROX) DAY 05: THANJORE - TRICHY (60KMS/ 1.5HRS APPROX) DAY 06: TRICHY - MADURAI (140KMS/ 3HRS APPROX) DAY 07: MADURAI - MUNNAR (160KMS/ 3HRS APPROX) DAY 08: MUNNAR DAY 09: MUNNAR - PERIYAR (THEKKADY) (110KMS/ 2HRS APPROX.) DAY 10: PERIYAR (THEKKADY) DAY 11: THEKADDY ALLEPPEY (135KMS/ 3HRS APPROX) DAY 12: ALLEPPEY COCHIN (60KMS/ 1.5HRS APPROX) DAY 13: COCHIN - KOVALAM (BEACH) (200KMS/ 4HRS APPROX) DAY 14: KOVALAM DAY 15: KOVALAM - DEPARTURE

3 Price details: Price using 3 star hotels valid from 1st October 2018 till 31st March 2019 (5% Summer discount available from 1 st April till travel being completed before 30 th September 2018 on 3star hotels price) Particular Per person price sharing DOUBLE/ TWIN rooms Per person price sharing TRIPLE (room with extra bed) rooms Per person price staying in SINGLE rooms Currency INR Euro USD INR Euro USD INR Euro USD 1 person N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 219,346 2,742 $3,427 2 person 116,961 1,462 $1,828 N/A N/A N/A 153,137 1,914 $2,393 3 person 99,858 1,248 $1,560 94,401 1,180 $1, ,035 1,700 $2,126 4 person 93,791 1,172 $1,465 88,333 1,104 $1, ,967 1,625 $2,031 5 person 85,183 1,065 $1,331 79, $1, ,359 1,517 $1,896 6 person 81,150 1,014 $1,268 75, $1, ,327 1,467 $1,833 7 person 76, $1,200 71, $1, ,984 1,412 $1,765 8 person 74, $1,160 68, $1, ,389 1,380 $1,725 9 person 71, $1,119 66, $1, ,782 1,347 $1, person 69, $1,086 64, $1, ,697 1,321 $1,652 Child 5-11yrs With Extra bed in parents room 34,379 / 430 / $537 Child below 5yrs Free sharing parents bed Optional service Dinner at hotel per person 10,010 / 125 / $156 Additional night in Chennai 2, $43 4, $77 6, $107 Price using 4 star hotels valid from 1st October 2018 till 31st March 2019 (7% Summer discount available from 1 st April till travel being completed before 30 th September 2018 on 4star hotels price)

4 Particular Per person price sharing DOUBLE/ TWIN rooms Per person price sharing TRIPLE (room with extra bed) rooms Per person price staying in SINGLE rooms Currency INR Euro USD INR Euro USD INR Euro USD 1 person N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 264,635 3,308 $4,135 2 person 139,086 1,739 $2,173 N/A N/A N/A 198,426 2,480 $3,100 3 person 121,983 1,525 $1, ,251 1,428 $1, ,324 2,267 $2,833 4 person 115,916 1,449 $1, ,183 1,352 $1, ,256 2,191 $2,738 5 person 107,308 1,341 $1,677 99,575 1,245 $1, ,648 2,083 $2,604 6 person 103,275 1,291 $1,614 95,542 1,194 $1, ,616 2,033 $2,541 7 person 98,932 1,237 $1,546 91,200 1,140 $1, ,273 1,978 $2,473 8 person 96,337 1,204 $1,505 88,605 1,108 $1, ,678 1,946 $2,432 9 person 93,731 1,172 $1,465 85,998 1,075 $1, ,071 1,913 $2, person 91,645 1,146 $1,432 83,912 1,049 $1, ,986 1,887 $2,359 Child with bed With Extra bed in parents room 49,678 / 621 / $776 Child below 5yrs Free sharing parents bed Optional service Dinner at hotel per person 16,928 / 212 / $265 Additional night in Chennai 3, $61 7, $112 9, $143 Price using 5 star hotels valid from 1st October 2018 till 31st March 2019 (10% Summer discount available from 1 st April till travel being completed before 30 th September 2018 on 5star hotels price) Particular Per person price sharing DOUBLE/ TWIN rooms Per person price sharing TRIPLE (room with extra bed) rooms Per person price staying in SINGLE rooms Currency INR Euro USD INR Euro USD INR Euro USD 1 person N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 374,935 4,687 $5,858 2 person 201,356 2,517 $3,146 N/A N/A N/A 316,176 3,952 $4,940

5 3 person 176,803 2,210 $2, ,003 1,925 $2, ,623 3,645 $4,557 4 person 170,735 2,134 $2, ,935 1,849 $2, ,556 3,569 $4,462 5 person 162,127 2,027 $2, ,327 1,742 $2, ,948 3,462 $4,327 6 person 158,095 1,976 $2, ,295 1,691 $2, ,915 3,411 $4,264 7 person 153,752 1,922 $2, ,952 1,637 $2, ,572 3,357 $4,196 8 person 151,157 1,889 $2, ,357 1,604 $2, ,977 3,325 $4,156 9 person 148,550 1,857 $2, ,750 1,572 $1, ,370 3,292 $4, person 146,465 1,831 $2, ,664 1,546 $1, ,285 3,266 $4,083 Child with bed With Extra bed in parents room 59,295 / 741 / $926 Child below 5yrs Free sharing parents bed Optional service Dinner at hotel per person 24,771 / 310 / $387 Additional night in Chennai 8, $128 16, $256 6, $109 Note: Euro & USD prices are subject to change in case of any fluctuation in currency exchange rate. Please check the currency exchange rate of the day for exact price in your currency. In any case our INR price will remain unchanged and shall be treated as final price. Madurai Chennai flight cost is not included in above price. Supplement for same will be approx. 3,500 / 44 / $55. Offered flight fare is subject to change best available fare will be advised at the time of booking.

6 Included in price: Garland welcome and assistance of our office representative at airport 14 nights/ 15 days accommodation in below mentioned hotels or similar Daily breakfast at hotel. Accommodation in Alleppey Houseboat includes all meals. Bottled drinking water in car Private English speaking guide in each cities on sightseeing days. Private Chauffer driven air-conditioned deluxe car for airport transfers, sightseeing & excursion as per program. 01 Time monument entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary. (Almost all places of tourist interest are included in our itinerary) Kathakali dance show ticket in Cochin Boat safari on Pariyar River in Thekkady. Applicable GST (Government taxes) Not Included in price: Any flight ticket (international/ domestic) Any insurance Main meal e.g. lunch & dinner unless mentioned in price includes OR supplement for same is opted. Personal expenses such as alcoholic beverages, laundry, telephone, internet, etc. Anything else not mentioned in the itinerary or under "Includes" Hotels used or similar in above price Day City 3* Hotels 4* Hotels 5* Hotels 1 Chennai 2 Mahabalipuram 3 Pondicherry 4 Thnjore 5 Trichy Raj Park/ MGM East Woods INDeco Hotels/ Mamalla Beach Resort Shenbaga Hotel/ Annamalai International Grand Gardenia/ Oriental Towers The Raintree/ Accord Metropolitan Ideal Beach Resort/ Confluence The Banquet & Resort Le Pondy/ The Windflower Resort & Spa Sangam Hotels/ Ideal River View Resort ITC Grand Chola/ The Leela Palace Radisson BLU Resort Temple Bay/ Fisherman's Cove Palais De Mahe Svatma Red Fox Hotel/ Grand Gardenia Sangam Hotels Sangam Hotels

7 6 Madurai 7 Munnar 8 Munnar 9 10 Pariyar (Thekkady) Pariyar (Thekkady) 11 Alleppey 12 Cochin 13 Kovalam 14 Kovalam 14 Departure Astoria by Sparsa/ Madurai s Residency Fort Munnar/ Abad Copper Castle Fort Munnar/ Abad Copper Castle Abad Green Forest/ Hotel Treetop Abad Green Forest/ Hotel Treetop ATDC Houseboat/ Dream Boats The Dune Hotel/ Abad Plaza Harmonia Beach Resort/ Sagara Beach Resort Harmonia Beach Resort/ Sagara Beach Resort GRT Regency/ Fortune Pandiyan Hotel Nature Zone Jungle Resort/ Fragrant Nature Munnar Nature Zone Jungle Resort/ Fragrant Nature Munnar The Elephant Court/ Cardamom County The Elephant Court/ Cardamom County ATDC Houseboat/ Dream Boats Casino Hotel/ The Avenue Regent Esturay Island Resort/Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel Esturay Island Resort/Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel Heritage Madurai/ The Gateway Hotel Pasumalai Chandys Windy Woods/ Tea County Chandys Windy Woods/ Tea County Spice village/ Cardamom County Spice village/ Cardamom County Xandari Riverscapes/ Lakes & Lagoons Xandari Harbour/ Le Meridien Vivanta by Taj - Green Cove/ The Leela Kovalam Beach Vivanta by Taj - Green Cove/ The Leela Kovalam Beach Detailed Itinerary DAY 01; ARRIVE CHENNAI On arrival at Chennai airport meet with our office executive, assistance and transfer to hotel (hotel check in/ out time 1200hrs afternoon early check in subject to rooms availability). Afternoon city tour of Chennai, visit the San Thome Cathederal, built on the site of a 16th century Portuguese basilica which is said to be the tomb of the apostle Thomas, who is reputed to have brought Christianity to India in the 1st century AD. The tour also includes St Thomas Mount, the Little Mount Shrine, the Fort St George, St Mary's Church, and the Fort Museum which has a collection of objects from the tenure of the East India Company in Chennai including letters from Robert Clive. The Marina Beach is the second longest in the world. Walk along the surf-kissed edge, coast along the Drive, relax in your shorts, take the kids to the aquarium, sip coconut water, but worshippers of the sun, beware! You ll offend everyone if you bring out your bikini. Rumours of sharks and sharp eddies keep all but the bravest away. The academy of classical dance and music, Kalakshetra or 'Temple of Art is in Thiruvanmayur. Run on the ancient lines of gurukul education, it frequently presents recitals of classical music and Bharatnatyam in town. The Government Museum and Art

8 Gallery has objects of art, sculptures and carvings from the Chola, Pandya, Pallava, and the Vijayanagar periods. Overnight at hotel. DAY 02; CHENNAI KANCHIPURAM MAHABALIPURAM (120KMS/ 2HRS APPROX) Breakfast at hotel, drive to Chennai, En route visit Kanchipuram: The City of Thousand Temples and The Silk City. 70 Km away from Chennai & is well connected by good network of roads, Kanchipuram is known as city of thousand temples. It was mainly ruled by the Pallavas. It is also called as Silk City as silk saris are being manufactured here. Kanchipuram is known for its culture and civilization. Visit Kailasanathar temple: It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, dates back to 8 th century. This temple is noted for its architecture and sculptures. There are 58 small shrines situated around the main shrine as compound wall. Sandstone was used in the construction of this temple. Ekambareswarar temple: This temple represents one of the five elements called Earth (Prithvi). Another ancient temple of the city dedicated to Siva. The 2500-year-old mango tree inside the temple has 4 branches each yields different varieties of mangoes. Varadharaja temple - This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple is noted for its wonderful sculptures. This is one of the 108 sacred Shri Vaishnavite temples. Vaikundhaperumal temple: It is dedicated to lord Vishnu. It is also one of the 108 Divyadesams. Kamakshiamman temple: It is dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi the presiding deity. It is one of the holy Sakthi worship places in India. It is closely associated with Sri Adi Sankaracharya. Handloom industry: Kanchipuram is also famous for handloom Silk Sarees. The main profession of people in Kanchipuram is weaving silk sarees. On arrival check in at hotel. Later visit the Cave Temples: which excavated by scooping out the scarp of the hill. The scooping work starts from front to back. The cave temple is usually divided into inner & outer mandapas, distinguished by the difference in levels. The front mandapa will have pillars & plasters numbering 4,6,8,10. The inner mandapa contains single, triple or five cells. The cave temple with little modification is categorized as Mamalla style. The pillars under this style are slender & taller with squatting lion at their base. The pillar is divided into distinct parts known as kalasa, tadi, kumba, padma etc. Monolithic Temples: are locally known as Rathas. They were executed by chiseling out the exterior face of the boulder. Work started from top to bottom. The pyramidal vimana with sikhara at the top is an important feature of this style. It can be rightly said that these monolithic temples must have paved the way for the structural temples with elaborate architectural & sculptural details in the subsequent stage. There a total number of 8 monolithic temples found in Mamallapuram. The five rathas in one place, Ganesha Ratha, Valayankuttai Ratha & Pidari Rathas. Shore Temple: The Shore Temple on the Bay of Bengal was constructed in the 7th century during the rule of King Narsimha- Varman II Rajasimha (c ).The Shore temples is a temple complex consisting of two Siva temples and a carving of Anantasayana Vishnu. The temple facing east is entered by a small gopura. On plan, it consists of a small sanctum & a front mandapa & is a two-tiered vimana. The sanctum is housing a linga. The Somaskanda panel consisting of Siva & Parvati with baby Skanda is on the back wall of the

9 sanctum. The dhara linga & Somaskanda panel on the back wall of the sanctum are the features of the Pallava temples only. Overnight at Hotel. DAY 03; MAHABALIPURAM PONDICHERRY (100KMS/ 2HRS APPROX) Breakfast at hotel drive to Pondicherry check in hotel. Later city tour of Pondicherry. Visit Shree Aurobindo and The Mother, his most eminent disciple, set up the Aurobindo Ashram, Auroville in Together they explored the possibilities of yoga and meditation as a path to salvation. At the Ashram residents continue to practice their teachings and run a lot of the cultural activity in Pondicherry. There is an educational centre, which occasionally hosts lectures, screens films and holds play performances. The sun, surf and sand are best at the beaches a little outside town. Called Serenity, Quiet and Reppo they manage to live up to their name. The town beach has a 4-meter high statue of Mahatma Gandhi and French World War I memorial. There is a 150-year-old lighthouse also. The French Institute is in a stylish colonial building. It has some remarkable old French books that are very rare. The Romain Rolland library has over 60,000 volumes and overlooks the sea. Along with the kepis capped cops and its streets being called rue, it is the churches that help the town retain its European charm. The church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception or Notre Dame de la Conception is almost 300 years old. The church to Our Lady of Angels is famous for an oil painting that was gifted by Napoleon III. The most magnificent however is the grand gothic Sacred Heart Church with 3 stained glass panels of the life of Christ. Just outside town is a copy of the Basilica at Lourdes. Many temples around Pondicherry are dedicated to Ganesh, the half man half pachyderm god who is the Destroyer of all Obstacles. The oldest ones date back to the 10 th century Chola Empire. The Vinaynagar Manakula temple has a golden dome and a collection of 40 beautiful friezes. The temple to the local goddess Drowpattiamman has a fire festival in July-August. Overnight at Hotel. DAY 04; PONDICHERRY CHIDAMBARAM THANJAVUR (185KMS/ 4HRS APPROX) Breakfast at hotel drive to Thanjore enroute visit Chidambaram the Nataraj temple dedicated to the dancing God and the temples in Gangaikondacholapuram. On arrival check in at hotel. Afternoon visit Brihadeshwara Temple & Fort: built by great Chola king in the 10th century it is an outstanding example of Chola architecture and is listed in world heritage. On the top of the apex of 63metres high, a dome is said to be constructed from a single piece of granite, weighing an estimated 81 tones. Thanjavur Palace & Museum: the palace near the temple is a vast building of masonry built by the Nayakas around 1550 and partly by the Maratha. The palace houses an art gallery, a library and a hall of music. The art gallery occupies the Nayak Durbar Hall. It has a superb collection of Chola bronze statues from the 9th to 12th centuries. The Saraswati mahal Library

10 is next door to the gallery. Art Gallery: In the Palace there are a number of granite and bronze statues of the Chola period. Saraswathi Mahal Library: In another section of the Palace is the library where over 30,000 palm leaf and paper manuscripts in India and European languages are preserved. Overnight at Hotel. DAY 05; THANJORE TRICHY MADURAI (195KMS/ 4HRS APPROX) Breakfast at hotel drive to Madurai. En route visit Trichy Rock Fort Temple: The 83m high Rock Fort is the only outcrop in the otherwise flat land of the city. The rock is one of the oldest in the world-approximately million years, which makes it as old as the rocks of Greenland and older than the Himalayas. The fort played an important part during the Carnatic wars and according to an inscription, mainly contributed to lay the foundations of the British Empire in India. At the top of the rock is the Uchipillaiyar Koil, a temple dedicated to Lord Vinayaka from where one can enjoy a panoramic view of Tiruchirappalli. A flight of steps leads to the Mathrubutheswarar of Thayumanaswami temple, dedicated to Lord Siva where the lingam is a projection of the rock itself. Below the Siva temple are the two Pallava cave temples that have beautiful sculptures of the 6th and 7th centuries. At the foot of the Rock Fort are a tank and a pavilion which are used during the float festival of the temples. Near the tank is the house where Robert Clive lived when he was in Tiruchirappalli and there is an 18th century Church built by Reverend Schwartz of Denmark. The Rock fort Hillock is said to be 230 crore years old. The materials like Quartz used in glass making and felspar used in ceramic are found in this Rock formation. Tiruvanaikkaval: The Jambukeshwara temple, here, is dedicated to Shiva, and it houses five concentric walls, and seven gopurams. Once an elephant worshipped Lord Shiva under the holy Jambu tree and hence the name Jambukeshwar. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple: There are 22 gopurams including India s tallest (72 meters, 13 storey high), which was built in 1987 while the others date back to the 14th century.many people have had a hand in its construction, including the Cheras, Pandyas, Cholas, Hoysalas and rulers from Vijayanagar. An annual Car Festival is held here in January during which a decorated wooden chariot is pulled through the streets between various walls. In mid-december, the Vaikunda Ekadasi, or Paradise Festival will be celebrated in the Vishnu Temple. Ivory sculptures of Lord Vishnu in various poses and the images of Nayak Kings with consorts donated by Nayak kings who ruled Madurai during the 17th century are available here. Arrive Madurai check in at hotel. Evening attend Temple Aarti. Overnight at hotel. DAY 06; MADURAI Breakfast at hotel sightseeing in Madurai. Visit Meenakshi Temple: This temple is the city's main attraction. This temple is nearly 2000 years old placed in the heart of the old town - a

11 splendid example of Dravidian architecture. A striking feature of the temple is the astonishing structure know as Ayiramkaal Mandapam or the Hall of Thousand Pillars and each pillar features high, ornate, bold sculptures that look life like. The present temple was designed in 1560 by Vishwanatha Nayak and subsequently built during the reign of Tirumalai Nayak. There are four entrances to the temple with an area of six hectares. Each of its 12 towers has the height of 45 to 50 meters. The Potrama Raikulam or the Golden Lotus Tank is the place where the Tamil literacy society, called Sangam used to meet to decide the merits of the work presented to them. The temple museum has 985 richly carved pillars and each one surpasses the other in beauty. Tirumalai Nayak Mahal: This Indo-Saracenic building was built in 1636 by the ruler whose name it bears. The imposing edifice is famous for the Stuccowork on its domes and impressive arches. The Sorgavilasam (Celestial Pavilion), measuring 75m x 52m, constructed entirely of brick and mortar without the support of a single rafter or girder, is a marvel of indo-saracenic architectural style. Among other striking features of the palace are the massive white pillars, several of which line the corridor that runs along the courtyard. Connected by high decorated arches, these pillars measure 20m in height and have a circumference of 4m. Elsewhere, there are polished black stone pillars of varying heights. It was King Thirumalai Nayak s grandson who demolished much of the fine structure and removed most of the jewels and woodcarvings in order to build his own palace in Tiruchirapalli. Vaniyur Mariamman Teppakulam: This enormous temple tank is fed by water from the Vaigai river. Mariamman Teppakulam is a beautiful square tank spread over a huge area of almost 16 acres, located about 5Kms East of Meenakshi Temple. The tank is the scene of the colourful float festival held in January/February to celebrate the birth anniversary of King Thirumalai Nayak, who built this tank. The deities of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are placed in a float, called Teppam, decorated with flowers and illuminated with hundreds of lights. This float is taken around the tank to the sound of traditional music. On the Northern side of the tank a temple is dedicated to Mariamman, a famous village deity of Tamil Nadu. Rest time free & easy for personal activities relax. Overnight at hotel. DAY 07; MADURAI MUNNAR (140KMS/ 3HRS APPROX) Breakfast at hotel, drive to Munnar, check in at hotel. Rest day for local sightseeing. Overnight at hotel. DAY 08: MUNNAR Breakfast at hotel, sightseeing of Munnar: situated at the confluence of three mountain streams Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala, 1600mt above sea level surrounded by sprawling tea plantations, picture book towns & winding lanes. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji, this flower that bathes the hills in blue.

12 Visit Devikulam: An enchanting Hill station. The Sita Devi Lake with its mineral waters and picturesque surroundings. Powerhouse water falls, Anayirankal Dam. Nyamakadu water falls, Anaimudy view (South India Highest peak 8841 feet from sea level = 2695 meters) Eravikulam National Park. Rajamala the Nilgiri tahr, a very rare type of mountain goat (Hemitragas bylocres), on the verge of extinction. Half the world population of this rare goat is seen in and around Rajamala. The kurinji flowers blooming once in twelve years abound here. The combination of these two rare sights will make any visitor come again and again to this place. Overnight at hotel. DAY 09: MUNNAR THEKKADY (PERIYAR) (110KMS/ 3HRS APPROX) Breakfast at hotel, drivbe to Thekkady which offers diverse attractions like Wildlife Sanctuary, Hill Station and Spice Plantation. Nature s own little hideout nestled in the hills of Thekkady. Reach & check-in at the hotel. DAY 10: THEKKADY (PERIYAR) Breakfast at hotel explore Periyar National Park by boat cruise. Set on attractive Periyar Lake, in a beautiful setting it was designated a part of Project Tiger in 1973, though Tigers are very rarely seen and it is better known for its elephants, which are very likely to be seen until Mar/Apr. Most bull elephants here are tuskless. Bison, Sambar, Wild boar and the barking Deer are fairly common. In addition to 246 species of birds, there are 112 species of butterfly. The forests rich in bird life and arboreal animals like giant squirrel and Nilgiri langur. The rafting is for about three hours and one gets a panoramic view of forest-clad hills reflected on the lake. Animals like elephant, gaur and sambar are sighted keeping close to the edges of the lake. Explore the park by hiking through the buffer zone of the forest with tribal tracker as a local guide from the forest department. Return from our hike and back to hotel for breakfast. Further make a short drive to nearby plantations to know more about the spices of Kerala and the plantation crops. Evening Rest time free and easy to relax. Overnight at hotel. DAY 11: THEKKADY ALLEPPEY (132KMS/ 3HRS APPROX) Breakfast at hotel, drive to Alleppey, also called the Venice of East, interlocked with a large number of canals and bridges. Board a houseboat from here and enjoy the cruise through the enchanting backwaters. Houseboat comprises Double/ twin bed room, with attached bathrooms, running water, and a lounge area in which to relax and enjoy the sights on the shore. Start your sail through scenic backwaters, passing through one of the few areas in the world where farming is done below sea level. The houseboat will cruise through the Chambakulam area by mid-morning and anchor to explore the boat yard, which displays the traditional long snake boats used in races. Visit St. Mary s Church,

13 established by St. Thomas in In the evening, catch a glimpse of village life along the backwaters and experience a way of life unique to this region. The boat will pass through picturesque stretches of the backwaters of Alleppey and moor up for overnight in Vemabanadu Lake. Overnight at Houseboat. DAY 12; JAIPUR COCHIN (FLIGHT) Morning after breakfast disembarks from the houseboat and drive to Cochin check in at hotel. Later city tour of Cochin, one of South India s most interesting towns, still largely comprises low rise, picturesque buildings. Visit Mattanchery Palace built by the Portuguese (1557) as a gift for the Raja of Kochi in exchange of trading rights, it was largely rebuilt by the new occupants, the Dutch. Further visit Jewish Synagogue adjacent to the Palace. This gem of a synagogue dating from 1568 (rebuilt in 1662) at the heart of what is called locally Jew Town, now a fascinating mixture of shops (some selling antiques), warehouses and spice auction rooms. Later on drive to Fort Kochi beach area to visit St. Francis Church originally dedicated to Santo Antonio, the patron saint of Portugal, St. Francis Church is the first to reflect the new, European influenced tradition. Vasco da Gama died on the site in 1524 and was originally buried in the cemetery. Fourteen years later his body was removed to Portugal. Our final visit will be to huge Chinese Fishing Nets line the entrance to the harbour mouth. Chinese traders are believed to have originally introduced them in the late 14th century although, today, parts of the nets are known by Portuguese names. Evening watch classical dance show Kathakali at local theatre. Overnight at hotel. DAY 13: COCHIN KOVALAM (250KMS/ 5HRS APPROX) Breakfast at hotel drive to Kovalam check in at hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel. DAY 14: KOVALAM Breakfast at hotel day free and easy for personal activities & relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel. (Transport not included this day) DAY 15: KOVALAM Breakfast at hotel day free and easy for personal activities & relax on the beach. Overnight at hotel. (Transport not included this day)

14 DAY 16: KOVALAM - DEPARTURE Breakfast at hotel as per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination. Payment Policy: Deposit of 25% of the package cost at the time of booking. Deposit of 50% of the package cost, 30 days prior to arrival date Deposit of 100% of the package cost, 7 days prior to arrival date Cancellation policy: Note: Written cancellation will accept on all working days, except Sunday, Any cancellation sent on Sunday's will be considered on next working day (Monday). For the X-mas and New Year period from 20 Dec to 05 Jan the payment is non-refundable. In case you cancel the trip after commencement, refund would be restricted to a limited amount only which too would depend on the amount that we would be able to recover from the hoteliers/ contractors we patronize. For unused hotel accommodation, chartered transportation & missed meals etc. we do not bear any responsibility to refund. Cancelation before 90 days no cancelation fees only bank charges. Cancelation before days 10% of the invoice plus bank charges. Cancelation before days - 25% of the invoice plus bank charges. Cancelation before days - 50% of the invoice plus bank charges. Cancelation before 27 7 days - 75% of the invoice plus bank charges. Cancelation before 7 days Now show 100% of the invoice. Our Liabilities & Limitations: Please note that after the finalization of the Tour/ service Cost, if there are any Hike in entrance fees of monuments / museums, Taxes, fuel cost or guide charges by Govt of India, the same would be charged as extra. Agora Voyages act only in the capacity of agent for the hotels, airlines, transporters, railways & contractors providing other services & all exchange orders, receipts, contracts & tickets issued by us are issued subject to terms & conditions under which these services are provided by them. All itineraries are sample itineraries, intended to give you a general idea of the likely trip schedule. Numerous factors such as weather, road conditions, the physical ability of the participants etc. may dictate itinerary changes either before the tour or while on the trail. We reserve the right to change any schedule in the interest of the trip participants' safety, comfort & general well being. Our rates are based on the prevailing rates as negotiated by us with the hotels, airlines etc. Hotels and Airlines retain the right to modify the rates without notice. In case of such changes the rates quoted before the modification, can be changed by us according to the modifications by hotels or

15 airlines. All hotel bookings are based on usual check in and check out time of the hotels until unless indicated in the itinerary. We shall not be responsible for any delays & alterations in the program or expenses incurred directly or indirectly due to natural hazards, flight cancellations, accident, breakdown of machinery or equipment s, breakdown of transport, weather, sickness, landslides, political closures or any untoward incidents. We shall not be responsible for any loss, injury or damage to person, property, or otherwise in connection with any accommodation, transportation or other services, resulting directly or indirectly from any act of GOD, dangers, fire, accident, breakdown in machinery or equipment, breakdown of transport, wars, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, pilferages, epidemics, medical or custom department regulations, defaults, or any other causes beyond our control. We do not have any insurance policy covering the expenses for accident, sickness, loss due to theft, or any other reasons. Visitors are advised to seek such insurance arrangements in their home country. All baggage s & personal property/s at all times are at the client's risk. We will not be responsible for any costs arising out of unforeseen circumstances like landslides, road blocks, bad weather, etc. Tipping Tipping is not included in our price. Tipping is optional, and at times expected in travel trade. Obviously there is no limit to how much you can tip and some guests who enjoy and appreciate the services of Guides, driver and other crew will and have tipped much more than our average tipping guideline of about $10-15 per day. Trip Comments When you return from your trip, please share your experience with us. Any photos, suggestions will be appreciated. Although we try our best, Tourism is a trade, which cannot be perfect and there will always remain a room for improvement. Your comments (both criticism and compliments) are invaluable to us and we look forward to hearing from you, upon your return.