God’s own country

- Arrival in Cochin. - Welcome with a flower garland and Mauli. - You will enjoy a cooking demonstration with dinner with a local family. Arrival in Cochin, welcome with a flower garland and Mauli on arrival at Cochin airport. MAULI The red thread or Kalava symbolizes longevity and protection against enemies. This is why it is also called "thread of Raksha". Many attributes are associatedwithMauli, it is known as the protective shield that keeps evil/negativeenergies and problems from the world at bay. The Mauli is also tied to receive the blessings of the deity worshiped during the puja (prayer) or havan (sacred fire) ceremony. Cochin is a city in the coastal state of Kerala, southwest India. It has been a port since 1341, when a flood hollowed out its harbor and opened it to Arab, Chinese and Europeanmerchants. Sites reflecting these influences include Fort Kochi, a settlement with tiled colonial bungalows and various places of worship. Chinese cantilevered fishing nets, typical of Kochi, have been used for centuries. Transfer to the hotel, installation and dinner. Meet the Sentiers Du Monde representative and your guide who will accompany you during the tour. Transfer to the hotel and installation (rooms will be available from 2:00 p.m.) In evening you will enjoy a cooking demonstration with dinner with a local family. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

- Drive to Munnar. Afterbreakfast, drive to Munnar. Surrounded by some of the most productive teaplantations in the world, Munnar sits amidst a breathtaking landscape marked by hills, lakes, streams and waterfalls. One of the most pristine tree resorts in India, the town is surrounded by hundreds of acres of tea, coffee and cardamom plantations. On arrival, transfer to the hotel, installation and lunch. Rest of the day free and enjoy with beauty of Munnar Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

- Optional: 1 hour Yoga session - The short hike in the tea plantation. - Visitors then go to the factory to understand how the tea is processed. Optional: 1 hour Yoga session Yoga is an ancient and complex practice, rooted in Indian philosophy. It began as a spiritual practice but became popular as a way to promote physical and mental well-being. Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will do the short hike in the tea plantation (approximately 3 hours). With a tea plantation trek you will walk through the hills on roads and trails through forests and past spices and then of course through the tea plantations. Lunch in the local restaurant. Then you visit Echo Point. situated at an altitude of 600 feet and a distance of around 15 kilometers fromMunnar, Echo Point is situated on the banks of a picturesque lake and misty hills coveredwith lush green trees. As its name suggests, this place is well known for its exciting illustration of the echo phenomenon. As you scream, it's fun to hear your voice echo around the attraction. Located in Nallathanni Estate of Tata Tea, approximately 2 km fromMunnar. The KDHP Museum displays a variety of antiquities, the most famous being the funerary urn discovered near the Periakanal estate, dating back to the 2nd century AD. A 30-minute documentary report produced by the museum will take you on a historical tour of the place. Visitors then go to the factory to understandhowthe tea is processed. Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

- Depart for Periyar. - Enroute, you visit the Jain caves. Breakfast at hotel. Then you take the road to Periyar. En route you visit the Jain caves. Also known as Samanar Malai, the Tamil word Malai meaning hills, it boasts ancient caves with sculptures dating back to the 1st century AD. SamanarHill has many important sculptures and ancient inscriptions giving an insight into the history and Jain re ligion that flourished here in ancient times. Continue on to Periyar – a plantation town on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. The sanctuary is famous for its dense evergreen, semi-permanent leaf, moist deciduous forests and savannah grasslands. It is home to herds of elephants, sambars, tigers, gaurs, lion-tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs. Due to the density of the forest, it is unlikely to see elephants and especially tigers. Transfer to the hotel, installation and lunch. Rest of the day free. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

- Morning take a boat ride around Periyar Lake. - Visit to a Spice Plantation - Optional: Kalaripayattu - the martial art Breakfast at hotel. In the afternoon, take a boat ride around the splendid artificial Periyar Lake. This is an amazing way to experience the Periyar Sanctuary. There are an estimated 700 elephants roaming these forests. Most of the population is generally concentrated on the banks of Lake Periyar and comes to frolic in the water. The boat ride also off ers excellent opportunities to observe the other species of flora and fauna of the sanctuary. Visit to a Spice Plantation. The Portuguese and the Jews of Cochin visited as traders, turning the natural bounties of the area into wealth. Pepper and cardamom, cinnamon and ginger, nutmeg, mace and anise covered the Periyar hills from the 14th century, as Cochin became nature's harbour, the port of loading for a spice hungry world. Later, the area came under the Kingdom of Travancore, and many of its plantations, orchards and hunting lodges date from that time. The British Raj too, left its mark on the Cardamom Hills. Lunch at hotel. Optional: Kalaripayattu - the martial art Considered one of the oldest and most scientific martial arts in the world, Kalaripayattuwas developedin Kerala. Considered the pride of Kerala, it is recognized and respected throughout the world. The training begins with an oil massage of the whole body until it becomes agile and supple. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

- Depart by road to Allepey. - Enroute, visit a spice plantation. - Transfer to the jetty to board your private Houseboat. Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by road to Allepey . On arrival, transfer to the jetty to board your private houseboat (Kettuvallam is ahouseboat widely used in the Indian state of Kerala. These have a thatched roof covered with wooden hulls). One of the mostmemorable experiences for travelers to India is the opportunityto take aboat trip on the backwaters of Kerala. Sandwiched between the sea and the hills, this maze of glittering waterways stretches from southern Cochin to Kollam. The views change from narrow canals and dense vegetation to large lakes with open vistas and bright green paddy fields, giving you a glimpse of Kerala's rural lifestyles that are otherwise hidden fromthe outside world. Lunch, dinner and overnight on houseboat.

- Optional: Visit to the foot of the city of Alleppey, meet the inhabitants and discover their daily life. - Disembark from the barge (Kettuvallam) and depart by road towards Cochin - Visit of Cochin - Tonight enjoy a Kathakali dance performance. Breakfast at the houseboat (Kettuvallam) Optional: Visit to the city of Alleppey Visit the foothills of Alleppey town,meet the locals and learn about their daily lives. Your guide will also help you understand the locals. It's a real spectacle and an experience in itself. Disembark from the barge and depart by road towards Cochin. Cochin is a city in the coastal state of Kerala, southwest India. It has been a port since 1341, when a flood hollowed out its harbor and opened it to Arab, Chinese and European merchants. Sites reflecting these influences include Fort Kochi, a settlement with tiled colonial bungalows and various places of worship. Chinese cantilevered fishing nets, typical of Kochi, have been used for centuries. Transfer to hotel and lunch. The tour of Cochinwhich includes a visit to the Dutch Palace (Mattancherry Palace) (closed on Fridays and Saturdays), presenting astonishing murals depicting scenes from the legends of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranics; The Jewish Synagogue (closed Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays) which is magnificently decorated with Chinese tiles and Belgian chandeliers, built in 1568; Terminus of the port of Cochin where Chinese fishing nets offer a marvelous spectacle; and St. Francis Church, the oldest church built by Europeans in India and where Vasco da Gama was buried. Tonight, enjoy a Kathakali dance performance. Kathakali is a traditional dance form representing the Indian epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata). The dancers are dressed in very colorful and elaborate costumes. Their faces are painted to represent various characters from the different epics. This dance features many facial expressions and rapid but articulate body movements. Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. You will be transferred to Cochin airport in time to catch your connecting flight to your next destination. ***END OF TOUR***