Spice Trails of Kerala
$1835
per personVisit beautiful Kerala and discover its many hidden secrets on this 9-day South India journey. From coconut palm-lined coasts and rolling hills of tea to diverse wildlife, a trip to Kerala is as easy and rewarding as a glide through its famous backwaters.
For tea lovers and those who are just beginning, this is your chance to soak up the wonderful culture of tea in Kerala which is one of the largest tea producers in the world. Visit a working tea plantation and factory for a close-up experience.
Taste the many different spices that has the food in this culture bursting with flavors and don’t forget to take in the atmosphere of serenity that is the MOST soothing and sought after.
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9 Days, 8 Nights: Cochin, Thekkady, Kumarakom & Marari
ⓘ Daily Departures Includes hotels, daily breakfast, 6 lunches, 7 dinners, guided excursions and private airport transfer
ⓘ Small Group Tour Guarantee Departure with Minimum 2 Travelers, Maximum 24 Travelers
Tour Highlights
Cochin City Tour, Kumbalanghi Village Life, Kathakali Dance Performance, Periyar Lake Boat, Tea and Spice Plantations, Bamboo Rafting, Jungle Trek, Sunset Cruise, Alleppey Houseboat Lunch Cruise
Premium Tour
Premium ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4-Star Hotels
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Private Tour, Deluxe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hotels or Luxury ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hotels, Customization
Chinese Fishing Net
Tea Plantation
Tea Pickers only pluck young tender leaves for high quality tea.
Kathakali Dance
Village women weave coconut husk into rope
Cruise past the rice paddies and coconut groves on the Kerala Backwaters on a Kerala houseboat
8 Nights Accommodation
Itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVE COCHIN (COK) & COCHIN CITY TOUR
Arrive at Cochin Airport and hotel check-in.
Start your vacation with a Cochin City Excursion. Over its long history, both European and Chinese traders have left their mark on Cochin.
Guided Cochin city tour Explore the historic St Francis Church, Fort Cochin and stroll down the harbor to see little fishing boats and the famous Chinese fishing nets. Visit the Paradesi Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter. The Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace) offers the best murals and exhibits of Indian mythology. (8 hours @10am)
🛏️ 2 Nights in Cochin 🍴 Meals: Dinner
DAY 2: COCHIN | VILLAGE LIFE, KATHAKALI DANCE PERFORMANCE
After breakfast, a guided tour to explore the lush green fishing and cultural village of Kumbalanghi Village. Visit crab and agriculture farms, and see coir yarn weaving. Enjoy a Kerala lunch.
This evening, enjoy the Kathakali dance performance followed by dinner. This highly sophisticated and dramatic dance-drama is known for its elaborate makeup and extravagant gestures that convey the story.(8 hours @9am)
🍴 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3: COCHIN – THEKKADY | PERIYAR LAKE BOAT,TEA & SPICE PLANTATION
After breakfast, we take a scenic drive to beautiful Thekkady (4 hours, @9am). The region is filled with lush green surroundings, streams, lakes and plantations of tea and spice plantations.
Guided excursion. (4 hours @3pm) Relax on a boat on Lake Periyar inside the National Park with other park visitors. Periyar National Park is also a wildlife reserve, home to many endangered species such as the lion tailed macaque, nilgiri tahrs and more. Keep your camera ready for wildlife sightings with the backdrop of lush tropical forests and sprawling grass lands.
We will tour a tea plantation to learn about tea, from growing, harvesting to processing into the most widely consumed beverage in the world (next to water). A tea tasting awaits before we leave.
Enjoy a private tour of a Kerala Spice Plantation where you can see how pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and nutmeg are grown. Taste various spices, tropical fruits and inhale the fragrant air.
In the evening, the hotel normally offers in-house activities for your enjoyment, for example a cooking demonstration, cultural dance program, yoga class or nature walk. Be sure to inquire at the front desk of the hotel.
🛏️ 2 Nights in Thekkady 🍴 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4: THEKKADY| BAMBOO RIVER RAFT & JUNGLE TREK
Explore Periyar National Park with this half day gentle hike and bamboo rafting. During the rafting you will get a panoramic view of forest-clad hills and chance to see elephants, gaurs and sambars in their natural habitat. (8 hours @9am)
🍴 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5: THEKKADY – KUMARAKOM
After breakfast, we depart for Kumarakom. (4 hours, 9am) Perched sleepily amongst a tangle of lush tropical waterways known as the Kerala backwaters, Kumarakom is technically a cluster of islands on Lake Vembanad – one of Asia’s largest freshwater lakes. It’s an ideal place to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Enjoy a sunset cruise before your dinner (4 hours @4pm).
🛏️ 2 nights in Kumarakom. 🍴 Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 6: KUMARAKOM | ALLEPPEY HOUSEBOAT LUNCH CRUISE
For the greatest pleasure in Kerala, let’s enjoy a private houseboat cruise and lunch on the backwaters to Alleppey. A never-to-miss experience cruising slowly through a maze of canals observing scenes of everyday life in villages and paddy fields. See fishermen and locals on a typical day. (8 hours 11am)
🍴 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7: KUMARAKOM – MARARI
After breakfast we drive to Marari (Mararikulam) (1 hour @10am). Enroute visit Philipkutty’s Farm.
The resort is located at a sea-side village with thatched huts, swaying coconut palms, lily ponds and fruit trees.
Enjoy 2 days of Ayurveda-inspired relaxation in this earth-friendly resort. Pamper yourself with authentic Ayurveda massage or therapies (at your own cost). Inquire about more in-house activities at the front desk.
🛏️ 2 nights in Marari. 🍴 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 8: MARARI
A day of leisure at the sea-side resort.
🍴 Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 9: MARARI – COCHIN (COK)
After breakfast the tour ends. Hotel check-out and transfer to Cochin airport (COK) for your flight home.
Bon voyage from God’s Country!
🍴 Meals: Breakfast
*Hotel check-out time is generally around 11 am. If your flight departs in the evening or past midnight, we suggest you consider adding a post-tour hotel night during booking, to be comfortable and well rested before your flight home.
*The duration and start time of excursions are subject to change without prior notice.
Daily Departure Date Tour (Land Only)
- ‣ Small Group
- ‣ Guarantee Departure with 2 Persons, Maximum 24 Travelers
| 2025 Season |
|
| Apr 1 – Sep 30 | $1,835 + Airfare |
| Oct 1 – Dec 20 | $2,220 + Airfare |
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Hotel Information
We carefully handpick our hotels to ensure they provide you with the best comfort and experience. For Private Tours, you may request a specific hotel as one of the customizable options.| Destination | Premium Class | Deluxe Class |
| Cochin |
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| Thekkady |
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| Kumarakom |
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| Marari |
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- * Hotels mentioned are subject to availability at the time of reservation.
- * Standard double room is included with your tour. Room upgrade available in the same hotel.
Accommodation Classification
- CLASSIC ⭐⭐⭐- 3-Star Hotels or Equivalent Accommodations
- PREMIUM ⭐⭐⭐⭐- 4-Star Hotels or Equivalent Accommodations
- DELUXE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- 5-Star Hotels or Equivalent Accommodations
- LUXURY Beyond ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Beyond 5-Star Hotels or Equivalent Accommodations
Hotel Check-in and Check-out
Pre-Tour Hotel Add-on and Post-Tour Hotel Add-on
Overview ▷
Daily Departure Date Tour (Land Only)
- ‣ Small Group
- ‣ Guarantee Departure with 2 Persons, Maximum 24 Travelers
| 2025 Season |
|
| Apr 1 – Sep 30 | $1,835 + Airfare |
| Oct 1 – Dec 20 | $2,220 + Airfare |
Daily Departure Group Tours (Land Only. Choose Your Dates)
- ‣ Prices are in USD and are inclusive of all applicable taxes but do not include airfare.
- ‣ Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Special rates for single travelers or larger groups are available on request - please inquire.
- ‣ Seasonal surcharges may apply during applicable major holidays. Surcharge dates: Jan 1-9, Dec 16-31, and major local holidays.
- ‣ Note that tour prices vary according to season. If your tour straddles two seasons then each portion will be priced according to that season.
- ‣ If the hotels mentioned are unavailable then similar properties will be substituted. You will be advised of any changes to the price.
- ‣ Premium and Deluxe group size varies from 2 - 24 people.
Private Tours (Land Only)
- Pick Your Date except Tuesday Departure
| Year | Tour Dates |
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| 2025 | Jan 1 – Dec 30 | Please Enquire | Please Enquire | Please Enquire |
Private Tour Price Details
- ‣ Prices are in USD and are inclusive of all applicable taxes but do not include airfare.
- ‣ Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Special rates for single travelers or larger groups are available on request - please inquire.
- ‣ Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply during applicable major holidays. Surcharge dates: Jan 1-10, April 16-24, Dec 16-31 and major holidays.
- ‣ Note that tour prices vary according to season. If your tour straddles two seasons then each portion will be priced according to that season.
Flight Add-On
- ‣ We work with all major airlines for the best routes and competitive pricing.
- ‣ The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport (COK).
- ‣ Contact us for more detail and pricing.
Inclusions
- ‣ Hotel Accommodations
- ‣ Daily Breakfast, 6 lunches, 7 Dinners
- ‣ Private Airport-Hotel Transfers
- ‣ Entrance Fees to Monuments & Attractions per Itinerary
- ‣ Guided excursions
Add-ons (must be booked with your tour reservation)
- ‣ Pre-tour hotel night
- ‣ Post-tour hotel night
Exclusions
- ‣ International Air Fare
- ‣ Travel Insurance
- ‣ Medical Expenses
- ‣ Visa Fee
- ‣ Gratuity
- ‣ Personal Expenses
- ‣ Professional Video Camera Fee at Attraction (if applicable)
Deposit
- ‣ A deposit of 45% of the land tour price is required within 3 days of booking confirmation. Full payment to be made 70 days prior to the departure date.
- ‣ The airfare is due upon flight booking. Airfare and flight schedule shown are indicative only. Actual prices and schedule will be available at flight booking. All airfares are subject to change until paid in full at time of ticketing.
- ‣ Credit card fee for non-US issued credit card is 1%. No charge for most other credit cards.
Suggested Gratuity
- ‣ Local Guide: US $7 per person per day of sightseeing. US $4 per half day of sightseeing.
- ‣ Driver: US $5 per person per day of sightseeing. US $3 per half day of sightseeing.
- ‣ Gratuities may be paid in local currency or US dollars. You can tip the guides and drivers when they finish their assignment with you e.g. end of day, end of city stay, on departure, etc.