DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: UK to Cochin
Fly overnight from the UK to Cochin (via Dubai).

Day 2: Cochin
On arrival you will be met by your driver/guide and transferred in your private vehicle to Fort Cochin, where you will spend 2 nights at Francis Residence – a very comfortable and well run homestay which is located within easy walking distance of many of the tourist sights in Fort Kochi. Welcome to India!

Day 3: Cochin
This morning you will be collected by your specialist Cochin guide for a private tour of Fort Cochin, including St Francis Church, the Jewish Synagogue, Mattancherry Palace and the Chinese fishing nets. Our guides are extremely knowledgeable. Call us to find out more. After a relaxing afternoon wandering the streets of Fort Cochin you will be taken to enjoy a traditional Kathakali Dance performance.

Day 4: Cochin to Plantation Country
Today you will be driven into the plantation country, heading to the Mundackal Plantation Homestay to spend 2 nights on this huge rubber, pepper, and coconut plantation. Owner run by a lovely couple called Jose and Daisy, this welcoming retreat offers warm hospitality, some great food and an authentic slice of rural Kerala. Fancy heading somewhere else? This plan can be tailored to you, so call us on 01273 923100 if you want to change the routing at any point! 

Day 5: Plantation Country
Full day to explore the plantation and enjoy the activities on offer – plantation tours, hikes, cycling, cooking classes, rubber tapping and visits to the nearby Thattekad Bird Sanctuary.

Day 6: Plantation Country to the Backwaters
This morning you will drive south to the tranquil Keralan backwaters to board your private houseboat and after meeting your crew you will begin your 1 night cruise. A wonderful way to explore the backwaters – you can just sit back on your private deck and soak up local life in Kerala. Don’t forget your Sundowner moment as the golden sun sets amidst coconut trees and shimmering rivers!

Day 7: Backwaters
After enjoying sunrise and a relaxing breakfast you will head back to dry land to continue your backwaters adventure with 2 nights at Coconut Lagoon – located in a sheltered and enchanting cove in Kumarakom, Coconut Lagoon is an interplay of coconut groves and backwater canals, with old wooden Keralan homes transplanted, preserved and cherished. Enjoy a dip in the pool this afternoon as you look out on to Vemband Lake. 

Day 8: Backwaters
Full day in the heart of the Keralan Backwaters. Head out in a canoe and cruise along the backwater canals at your own pace, wander through the butterfly garden, take one of the e-bikes from the hotel and explore the area that surrounds Coconut Lagoon, enjoy a massage at the Ayurveda Centre, or simply sit by the pool and enjoy the views. 

Day 9: Backwaters to Marari Beach
Today you will drive to the stunning Kerala coast to end your adventure at the sleepy fishing villages of Marari Beach, spending 3 nights at the Flamingo Marari. Flamingo Boutique Hotel is a nature lovers’ paradise, located in the beach village of Mararikulam, just 400m from the beach! Want some more time on the beach? Talk to us about adding in a night or two for some more time by the sea. 

Days 10 & 11: Marari Beach
Two full days to relax on one of the best beaches in India. The main order of the day at Marari is hammocks, swimming in the ocean, long beach walks, and more hammocks.

Day 12: Cochin to UK
Early this morning you will be transferred north to Cochin Airport for your flight back to the UK (via Dubai). Not sure if 12 days will be enough time to explore India? Call us on 01273 923100 if you want to add in some extra stops before you head home. 

Welcome home…(don’t worry, there are lots more India adventures!).