15 DAYS WESTERN GHATS TOUR COCHIN BACK TO COCHIN FACT FILE COMBINATION: CULTURE AND LOCAL HISTORY, WILDLIFE, FOREST AND BIRDS, MOUNTAINS AND PLANTATIONS, BEACH AND BACKWATERS, ETHNIC CUISINE DESTINATIONS FORT COCHIN KUMARAKOM BACKWATERS MUNNAR HILLS RESORT CHINNAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY ANAMALAI TIGER RESERVE- NILGIRI (OOTTY) MUDUMALAI TIGER RESERVE- BANDIPUR TIGER RESERVE- MYSORE CITY OF PALACES AND BIRDS LAGOONS- NAGARHOLE NATIONAL PARK- MALABAR COAT AND BEACH BACK TO COCHIN FOR DEPARTURE TRANSFER ACTIVITIES CITY TOUR BACKWATER PUNTING AND HOUSE BOAT VOYAGE- HIKING AND SPICE PLANTATION TOUR- BIRD WATCHING -WALKING SAFARI JEEP SAFARIS BOAT SAFARIS HERITAGE MONUMENT VISIT - ETHNIC VILLAGE VISITS RITUAL DANCES AND FESTIVALS- BEACH AND ETHNIC CUISINE ACCOMMODATION LEISURE CATEGORY WITH LUXURY HOTELS, JUNGLE RESORTS, PLANTATION RESORTS ETC EXPLORER CATEGORY WITH VILLAGE HOME STAYS, JUNGLE CAMPS, STANDARD HOTELS TRAVELLING COMFORTABLE A/C TRAVELLING BETWEEN DESTINATIONS GUIDES AND EXPERT SERVICES ESCORT THROUGH OUT THE TRIP OR ON REQUEST, IF NOT NECESSARY ALL ACTIVITIES ARE GUIDED GROUP SIZE 2-10, BUT MOSTLY EXCLUSIVE for FITs
DAY-1 Our representative will receive you at Cochin International Airport. Transfer to Fort Cochin. Check in to a heritage hotel in the old city of Midlevel colonial powers. Rest of the day in Fort Cochin. Have a walk through the seaside and Chinese fishing net area. After relax and lunch you can visit the colonial monuments in the Fort City by walk. Have an evening walk through the estuary and beach witnessing the working of Chinese Fishing nets, traditional net fishing, birds and if lucky the diving dolphins. A cultural show of Kathakali Dance dram will be available in the evening. Fort Cochin: was the centre of colonial trade for nearly 5 centuries and left relics of any seafarer powers of ancient world. It is a small Island located in the mouth of Cochin backwaters and offers one of the finest natural harbours of the world. Away from busy township of Ernakulam Fort Cochin offers excellent accommodation for tourists. The Jewish Synagogue, Mattanchery Spice Market, Dutch Palace, Indo-Portuguese museum, St. Francis Church where Vasco De Gamma buried, Santa Cruz Basilica built in 1503, the Chinese fishing nets etc are the attractions. DAY-2 After breakfast and morning visit to Mattanchery spice market move to Kumarakom backwater village in Vembanad Backwaters. Vembanad lake with its mouth in Cochin estuary is about 360 sqkms. The waters host hundreds of island villages. Check in to a house boat for n voyage across the backwaters visiting Island villages. The house boat is a huge rice boat converted into tourist friendly voyage boat with a/c bedroom, kitchen and overlooking open area.
Freshly cooked meals, fish, meat, vegetables and fruits will be provided on board. The check in time on boat is 12 noon and check out will be at 9.30 am. The boat anchored at 5pm and in time of tides. No voyage during night. (You can choose a day cruise and overnight in a backwater resort instead of overnight house boat voyage) Day-3 Wake up to the call of whistling ducks and waders. Check out from the boat after breakfast. Transfer to Munnar, vertically crossing the midland, through planter s villages, waterfalls, evergreen forest etc. (approximate drive of 5hrs). Check in to a Plantation resort in Munnar overlooking tea and spice garden. Afternoon hike through tea garden / spice garden Munnar is the highest city in the state, perched at 1600MSL plus in the foothill of highest peak in South India. It has vast expanse of tea garden intermittent with high altitude rainforest, high grasslands and spice plantations. The city was found by Scottish planters in 19 th centaury. Munnar offers best hiking trails in south India for all ages group. The lush high altitude forest and rolling hills high grassland offer endemic and endangered species of wildlife and birds. Day-4 A full day to explore wildlife, forest, grassland birds and wayside flowers of Munnar plateau. Visit to Shola National Park, living tea plantations an factory, short nature trails, birding trails, history trail etc will be provided.
Day-5 Transfer to Marayur Sandal Wood forest valley in the leeward of the mountains. Marayur is located in the forest fringes of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. This cluster of villages is famous for its ethnic farms, archaeological sites, cave paintings etc. Check in to a village resort / plantation resort. After an ethnic lunch you will be guided for a village walk to visit sandal wood forest, megalithic monuments, traditional farms and molasses making units etc. Day-6
Visit to Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary with packed breakfast for a walking safari through the savannah type of forest for wildlife, birds and plants. The sanctuary is under rain shadow of the mountains. Hence the forest is open, dominated by thorny bushes and shot trees. It is an ideal forest for spotting wildlife on foot. Transfer to Mettupalayam in the foothill of Blue Mountain (Nilgiri). Check in to a hotel/ resort. Evening hike through the vegetable and flower market. Day-7 Wake up early to catch the Nilgiri Heritage Mountain Train, one of the world heritage of India. The rail was established by the British from the foothill at 700MSL to the City of Ooty at 2000MSL. The train uses steam engine in its first phase of climb to Coonnor. You will be collected from Coonoor station by car and transfer to
Ootty. Check in to a resort. After lunch you will be guided to colonial monuments of Nilgiris and botanical garden. Day-8 Day-9 Transfer to Mazinagudi in Mudumalai Tiger reserve thorough a steep Ghats section. Check in to a jungle resort. After lunch an exclusive jeep safari will be provided in Bandipur Tiger reserve. Return to the resort. jeep safari in Mudumalai Tiger reserve. One more safari to explore the tiger land. Wake up early morning for a After breakfast Transfer to Mysore after one more jeep safari in Bandipur. Check in to a heritage hotel. After noon visit to Devearaja slower and vegetable market, Chamundi hills etc. Day-10 One more day to explore Mysore Early hiking along the banks of a lake to explore water birds and Pelicanery. The lake offers 65 species of birds. After breakfast visit to the old city of Srirangapattanam, visit to Mysore palace. Overnight in hotel.
Day-11 Transfer to Kabini in Nagarhole National Park. Kabini provides the best tiger safaris in South India. Check in to a jungle resort. Afternoon boat safari inside the forest for wildlife. The catchment of the water reservoir inside the park is an ideal spot for wildlife sighting. It also gives excellent sighting of water birds. Overnight in resort. Day-12 One more day to explore wildlife of Kabini through land safaris. You will get jeep safaris through the tiger zone. Kabini is the largest habitat of big cats in south India, including Black Panther Day- 13 After morning safari you will be transferred to Thalassery in the West coast. Thalassery was also under colonial powers of French, Portuguese, Dutch and English. It has long British history where they stored Pepper for International trade. Thalassery has very good walking beach, active fishing harbour and market etc. Thalasaery and adjourned areas have very long history remarkable with its ancient Ritual dance- Theyyam- performs in village temple. Theyyam frequently occurred between November and May.
Check in to a beach resort. Day-14 One more day to explore Thalassery its culture, beach and ritual dance Day-15 The car will carry your big languages back to Cochinyou can choose a comfortable first class train journey from Thalaserry to Cochin in Indian Railways. Reach Cochin by noon. Departure transfer to Airport hotel or in t city hotel. FOR COSTING AND CUSTOMIZATION SEND YOUR ENQUIRY WITH THE FOLLOWING DETAILS TO kgatours@gmail.com or tours@keralawildlife.com 1. Number of persons 2. Nationality, Age 3. Category of tour leisure or explorer 4. Room type Single or double occupancy, twin bed or double bed etc 5. Port of arrival and departure, if not at Cochin 6. Expected dates and month of travel 7. Special interest need to give thrust, if any like, birding, archaeology, culture, walking etc 8. Required meal plan 9. Special care for gluten free food, diabetic food etc required if any OFFICE ADDRESS Ground Floor Manjamkuzhiyil Shopping complex College Junction Kolenchery Ernakulam district Kerala INDIA 682311 +91 9447223872 +91 9497423872 www.keralawildlife.com