This trip in Kerala we put a special focus on sustainability. All accommodations feature a special location, courteous personal service, excellent cuisine and a variety of included activities. The Resort am is located in the heart of the backwaters, the Spice Village in a spice garden and by the Periyar National Park, the Marari Beach Resort south of Kochi in a palm garden, 200 m from the fine sandy beach. In the middle of Fort Kochi, not far from restaurants and shopping, your hotel is located. On this trip you will get to know the diverse nature and culture of Kerala.
Wake up for your 5-hour drive to Thekkady. Drive through rice fields and rubber plantations. See coffee, cardamom, pepper and tea estates. Arrive 2000 ft. up at Spice Village, a reimagined tribal village very close to the Periyar forest. Get an authentic eco-living experience, complete with a spice garden, in your very own elephant grass thatched cottage. End the evening with a demonstration by the Chef on cooking with spices followed by a cultural performance. Retire for the night in Spice Village.
Enjoy a delicious breakfast to kick start the day with a trek through the Periyar wilderness, a protected elephant and tiger reserve with the park rangers. Join our resident naturalist on a tour of the spice garden. Learn about the abundant flora and fauna of Periyar in the evening, before settling down for dinner. Participate in a cooking demo with spices. Experience a tribal cultural performance. Retire for the night in the Village.
After breakfast, enjoy a morning drive to Kumarakom where you’ll switch to a boat and arrive on the banks of Lake Vembanad. Disembark straight onto the reception of Coconut Lagoon, a little piece of untouched Kerala – created from restored heritage homes, set in a web of canals on the banks of the Kavanar river. Learn to cook authentic Keralan cuisine organized by the Chef, so you can take more than memories home. Relax in the evening and watch a traditional cultural performance, before calling it a night.
Practice yoga and meditation in the morning, followed by breakfast. Go bird watching with our resident naturalist and learn about our conservation methods. Experience village life with a local, and learn all about a different world. Enjoy a lazy afternoon by the pool. In the evening, enjoy a sunset cruise on the lake in a converted rice boat, accompanied by a flute performance.
Early morning experience a Yoga session and watch Kalaripayattu practice (Kerala martial arts). Breakfast from the resort and relax until the House Boat (Spice Coast Cruises – One Bedroom) comes to pick you directly from Coconut Lagoon at 1 PM. The boat cruises through the backwaters of Kumarakom and Alleppey till 6 PM after which it is anchored in the lake for the whole night. Lunch and Dinner is served on board.
After breakfast, the House Boat will drop you at Puthenangadi boat jetty at 10 AM. Transfer to Mararikulam (30 minutes drive). Traditional welcome and check in to Marari Beach Resort. Marari Beach resort is not just the sand and the sea. It’s the living environment that surrounds it. The Marari Beach, let us be clear, is not the place for a raucous Beach holiday. There are no real parties here. No noisy water scooter but for those seeking to undue the stress of the city life and experience a completely new place, it is the perfect spot.
After breakfast, explore the area and it’s fishing villages nearby on a bicycle or take a dip in the sea. The beach usually being nearly empty except for a few other guests and the odd local fishermen. Afternoon, it will be a great idea to visit our organic farm, which ensures that the vegetables and fruits we serve are the freshest you can get.
The day is at your leisure.
In the morning after breakfast and check out, drive to Cochin, a port city since early centuries. The city is also known as the Spice Coast of India as it attracted many traders and conquerors from all over the world. In the afternoon, take a walk on the Cochin Royal Heritage Trail and explore the stories of a dynasty. On this trail you will explore the origins of the royal family of Cochin and the rise and fall of their fortunes under the Europeans before their eventual union with India. We look at their role in the development of the modern city of Kochi and their contributions in the fields of art, language, education and medicine. Starting from Hill Palace, the last seat of power of the Rajahs, we continue into the residential area that showcases the best of traditional and colonial architecture. The trail will end with a traditional high tea where, with luck, one or two family members of the former Rajas will be present.
Depending on departure time: Transfer to the airport in Kochi.
