10-Day Kerala Backwaters & Beach Holiday

Tour Style: Private Tour (No Join-in Group Tour)

Tour Route: Cochin - Munnar - Periyar - Alleppey - Kovalam - Trivandrum

Tour Code: ODY-IN-009B

Highlights :

Stroll among the tea plantations in Munnar
Cruise along the backwaters in relaxing atmosphere
Enjoy yourself on the romantic and pristine beach

Any part of this itinerary can be tailor-made to fit your needs, e.g. tour length, activities, destinations, hotels.

Travellers rating: 4.9/5

5 of 5 stars

Based on 17 reviews

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Itinerary

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Day 1

Arrival, Cochin

Upon your arrival at the airport of Cochin, also known as Kochi, a port city on the southwest coast of India, our representative will meet you and escort you to the hotel, and a brief introduction will be given to you. The remainder of the day is left free for you.
Overnight: Cochin
Day 2

Cochin

Explore Cochin with a highlight visit to the Fort Cochin, the Dutch Palace, also known as the Mattancherry Palace, the St. Francis Church and the Jewish Synagogue in Jew Town, which is the oldest existing synagogue amid Commonwealth countries. After that, move to the harbor for watching local fishermen using old Chinese fishing nets to catch fishes.
Optional: In the evening, you can choose to enjoy Kerala’s signature performance of Kathakali, a classical form of dance, drama, and music that is more than 400 years old.
Note: The Dutch Palace is closed on Fridays and national holidays; The Jew Town is closed on Fridays, Saturdays, and Jewish holidays.
Overnight: Cochin
Meal: Breakfast
Day 3

Cochin - Munnar

Drive about 4 hours to Munnar, the largest tea growing region of South India known for the honeymoon trip. On your arrival, check in and the remainder of the day is free at leisure, so you can simply relax or explore the locality around your hotel.
Overnight: Munnar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 4

Munnar

Start your full day adventure in Munnar. You can stroll through the emerald green tea plantations, which are contoured, clipped and sculpted like ornamental hedges. No one will return home without tasting or shopping the tea essence of Munnar. Just immerse yourself in the world’s best and renowned tea estates.
Overnight: Munnar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 5

Munnar - Periyar

Take a morning drive to the Periyar Tiger Reserve. It will take around 3.5 hours on the road. Check in as soon as you arrive, and stroll through the spice plantations and learn the various uses in medicine and food. In the late afternoon, enjoy a boat ride on the Periyar Lake at the heart of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, during which you will have a chance to encounter the wildlife on the bank.
Optional: This evening, a martial art performance is recommended to you, which is an ancient Kalaripayattu reputedly with a history of 3,000 years.
Overnight: Periyar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 6

Periyar - Alleppey

Head for Alleppey by car about 3-4 hours. After arrival, embark on your houseboat and cruise on the world-famous backwaters of Kerala. Cashew nuts, coir trade, and coconuts will be seen along your way, and it is a good chance to observe the rural lifestyle of Alleppey’s people. Enjoy lunch and dinner on the houseboat and you will feel like being one with nature.
Overnight: Onboard
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7

Alleppey - Kovalam

Have breakfast on the houseboat, and then disembark at Alleppey and leave for Kovalam by car (about 4 hours), a beach town by the Arabian Sea. Kavalam is well-known for its beaches, which are among the most pristine in India.
After arrival, spend the rest of the day at your leisure. A variety of activities are provided for your choice such as sunbathing on the beach, swimming, herbal body toning massages, special cultural programs and catamaran cruising, etc.
Overnight: Kovalam
Meal: Breakfast
Day 8

Kovalam

Soak up the amazing seascape and relax on the white beaches. There will be no car or guide today, and all is up to you.
Overnight: Kovalam
Meal: Breakfast
Day 9

Kovalam

A full day relaxation will give you a further chance to step into Kovalam. You can stay at the hotel, take an excursion to Cape Comorin on the southernmost tip of India, or visit the famous Amman Temple.
Overnight: Kovalam
Meal: Breakfast
Day 10

Kovalam - Trivandrum, Departure

Say goodbye to India. Enjoy a leisure morning and our representative will come to transfer you to the airport in Trivandrum, and then connect your flight back home.
Meal: Breakfast

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Reviews on This Tailored Tour

Odyssey tours mentioned by some of our clients was the former name of Odynovo.
Durations might be different as each trip is customizable.

This tour rating 4.9 out of 5 based on 17 reviews.

March 2018

Had a great time with Adnan and the various tour guides that took us around India. A great experience, the tour guides were full of knowledge and made the whole India travel so much easier. Would highly recommend to anyone getting to know India for the first time.

March 2018

Worked with Catherine Wang to prepare a personalized tour of India for myself and my sister. Not only was the planning process wonderful, as we worked together to allow us to get to all the sites that I had long dreamed of visiting, and other exciting opportunities that I would not have known about, but the execution was flawless. At every juncture, we were met by guides who spoke English and knew the locations. There were no worries about transfers between trains and planes and hotels. Skilled drivers helped us through the mind-boggling Indian traffic. Local guides were able to adjust to our wishes as we went along. It was a fantastic way to travel and I heartily recommend it to others and will plan on using this service for other trips as well.

February 2018

I’m looking forward to my two-week tour of India. The support I’ve received from Mavis has been fantastic. We probably spent three weeks sending emails, planning what I anticipate will be a dream holiday. Nothing has been too much bother. The planning stage has been excellent.

January 2018

Don organised a fabulous tour of India for us but unfortunately, we were unable to travel with Odyssey. His service was excellent, very comprehensive itinerary, nothing was too much trouble and very quick responses to our emails. I would definitely recommend Don. Andrew and Anne Newton.

September 2017

Mavis has been organizing our private tour of Southern India for next year and we have found her brilliant to deal with - she is very polite and attentive and committed to giving us the best outcome and has been most responsive to any suggested changes we have made. She always gets back to us within hours of any request. We recommend Mavis highly.

How Private Tour Works

Accommodation
Enjoy comfortable stay at competitive rates and with insider bonus of our partnership with international hotel chains and local ones. Most of the options are recommended based on our field inspection to ensure quality. Kindly note that hospitality service in remote area can hardly maintain the same standard as those in the city.

Meals
Meals provided will be clearly outlined in the confirmed itinerary. In most cases, breakfast is served in hotel. To make the trip go smooth, lunch is recommended to be included for set menu or a la carte, local flavor or western style, depending on your liking. Restaurants are selected according to positive feedback with your diet requirements in mind. Dinner is the time when you are free to explore the destination's hidden delights, but we are always happy to give recommendation or offer assistance. In remote area, meals are likely to be arranged in tourist restaurant or a local family due to limited options.

Tour Guide & Transfer
Every tour comes with English-speaking guides (or other languages on request) and private transfer in each city. The licensed, professional tour guides are from local and will be a friendly, knowledgeable company to travel with. When it comes to your personal driver or chauffeur guide, they are experienced and service-minded, all driving well-maintained, air-conditioned vehicles.