Taste of Kerala

Upon arrival at Cochin airport, meet our office representative, followed by transfer to Kochi hotel, Check in to your stay. Early evening enjoy a Walk through the spice street of Mattanchery, it has retained its status as an important centre of spice trade. The exotic odour of the finest ginger, cloves, cardamom, turmeric and pepper, also known as black gold, emanate from the spice warehouses lining the street and fills it. The bustling trade of spices is evidenced in the trucks going to and away from the warehouses, loads being taken in and out using pushcarts, and the sight of workers drying, sorting and packing spices.

Spices shaped Kerala’s tryst with destiny. It was the fragrance of spice that awakened the curiosity of the explorers. Many braved mighty oceans and seas to seek this land out for its veritable treasure. Kerala’s spice trade with the world dates back to the 3rd millennium BCE. The Malabar Coast of Kerala was witness to the arrival of Arabs, Chinese, and European powers like the Portuguese, the French and the British. The spices of Kerala had become the most treasured and traded commodity.

Late evening have a meet up with the celebrity chef Ms. Nimmy paul, cooking demo, for more than two decades, Mrs. Paul have been conducting cooking demonstrations and serving home cooked food for people from all over the world. Followed by dinner at Pauls’s residence. Back to hotel, overnight stay at hotel.

After breakfast, you will have an in depth experience of Cochin during an Ethnic tour – start with the visit of the famous Chinese Fishing Nets of Cochin. The huge cantilevered Chinese fishing nets that droop towards the waters like over-sized hammocks have become a hallmark that represents Fort Kochi on every postcard... Next visit is at the St.Francis CSI Church, the oldest European church in India built in 1503, where the Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama was originally buried and pass by the finest Santa cruz Basilica. Take a tuk tuk – the most popular mode of transport among the localities, go along with your local tour and stop at the Dhobi Khana (laundry station), once throbbing with activity, it is now a picture of slow extinction. Continue through the small streets of Mattanchery, and arrives Dutch Palace museum, is one of the finest examples of the Kerala style of architecture interspersed with colonial influences. This double storied palace has a lovely collection of murals. Scroll through the Jew Street, will always tickle that nostalgic bone in you, followed by visit at Jewish Synagogue, situated at one end of the Jew street in the Jew Town. This synagogue was built in 1568 by the Cochin Jewish community. This synagogue at Mattancherry is the oldest one in the Commonwealth of Nation. By noon headed to Kumbalangi village. Kumbalangi is surrounded by backwaters. Chinese Fishing Nets cover the island and the village boasts of rich aquatic life. Visit to a village home and experience the fish farming in the backwater followed by homemade lunch with fresh fish caught from the farm. Back to cochin, explore the evening at fort Kochi on your own. Overnight Stay at Hotel.

After breakfast, proceed to Alleppey, by noon board your traditional houseboat to explore and enjoy the beauty of rural village life and backwaters, a tour through the backwaters, a splendid area full of canals, lakes and coves. The population’s whole life takes place here on the water. The people sail, fish, swim and bath here. They do their washing and their washing up. They are so adapted to the water that you can see people talking for an hour, while they are up to their necks in water. Peddlers take care of the supplies and the public transport goes on the water. Countless water birds wait for their chance to catch a fish. The trip goes through a wonderful area of the lush green vegetation of Kerala backwater land. Enjoy the Kerala traditional Lunch during the cruise.

Gifted with a seemingly endless coastline, Kerala has much to offer for tickling the olfactory and gustatory senses, and her special houseboats have a veritable smorgasbord of lip-smacking fish curries. The catch of the day, fresh from the backwaters, is brought to your plate by the staff of houseboats. On your way, you will certainly get a chance to see huts where toddy – a local brew made from the sap of the coconut tree - is served. These small shops are a ubiquitous part of Kerala’s landscape.

Evening disembark at your Homestay Kurialacherry House, this traditional Kerala architecture home stay stands on the bank of the river Pampa, laced with coconut trees on either side or green paddy fields in the backyard. The family house was formerly owned by the Venerable Thomas Kurialacherry (January 14, 1873 – February 6, 1925), member of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, and first bishop of the Archdiocese of Changanassery. It is today a family home stay with couple of rooms converted from antique granary and with original wood architecture. Check-in, evening enjoy a Paddy walk. Enjoy an authentic dinner executed by your host in their regional Kuttanad cooking style, Overnight stay at your Homestay.

Today, wake-up with the surroundings chanting birds. There is no perfect time than an early morning for a country canoe ride in the backwaters. Take a closer look at the Village activities from the perceptive of your hoarse man. Back at home for breakfast. Before your lunch, take the opportunity for a cooking demonstration of local Kuttanad cuisine with your host and enjoy the Lunch. Early evening, join for a Village walk to encounter its community, and stop in one of the oldest church in India the Champakulam Kalloorkadu St. Mary's Forane Church, believed to be one of the seven established by St. Thomas in AD 427. Proceed on to see the finesse of the legacy wooden carver followed by a visit to the longest Snake Boat. See the Bishop’s Museum before you return. Have your home-made dinner and overnight stay at the homestay.

Enjoy a breakfast at the home stay, check-out and proceed to Thekkady Take a beautiful drive from the plains to the green mountains of the Nilgiris. Enroute visit at Pattumalay Heritage Tea factory, gives you first-hand experience of the production of tea. You can watch every part of the process including cultivation, plucking and the processing in factory. Even a casual visitor would not miss the sight of women plucking the tender tea leaves and filling up huge bags tied to their backs.. Pattumalay estate is a major producer of Orthodox tea and the oldest orthodox tea factory. The Fresh buds from the fragrant tea bushes draped in mist are collected by the enthusiastic women folk of Pattumalay estate. The green tea turns into black tea when subjected to orthodox style of manufacture at Pattumalay factory. The estate was established in the year 1931 and still preserves the machines installed 150 year back. Followed by visit at Pattumalay Velankanni Matha Church, is situated opposite to the Pattumalay estate. Inspiring architecture makes a striking contrast to the green-hued, manicured tea gardens nearby. The church bestows a divine atmosphere to the premises of the estate. Continue drive to Thekkady, Check-in hotel. Evening enjoy a spice plantation tour, There are many factors that make the plantation experience a memorable one, it could be the unassuming beauty of the tiny flowers of the cardamom that grow at the base of the plant, the tantalising aroma of cinnamon or cloves, and the cool breeze that lovingly strokes the green plantations. Dinner & Overnight stay at Hotel.

One of the major spices produced in the area is cardamom. The variety, Cardamom Small, botanically known as Elettaria Cardamom, is the one that is mostly grown here. The thick shrub-like cardamom plant usually grows at an altitude of 600 to 1200 metres from mean sea level. Kerala contributes about 70 percent of the national production of cardamom with the major chunk coming from the plantations of Kumily. The sunlight seeping through the shapely leaves of the pepper plants is an alluring sight.It is a great feeling to get up at dawn in the lap of Nature, smelling the fresh, aromatic air - almost like waking up in a green paradise that is far removed from our flawed planet.

Early morning enjoy a boat ride at Periyar tiger reserve, visitors stand a better chance of viewing wildlife as the animals come to the lake frequently for drinking water. You may be able to spot herds of Gaur, Sambar and wild boars in the grasslands adjacent to the shores. A variety of avian fauna such as darters, egrets and kingfishers can be seen resting on dead tree trunks that stick out over the lake. Later the day have a cooking experience with the ethnic tribal community of Thekkady, the Mannan community. They still hold on to their traditional customs and rituals. One interesting thing about the community is the presence of a king; even today, they honour the kingship dearly. In order to eke out a living, the Mannans cultivate some basic crops in the allotted farm land, collect forest produce from the non-restricted area and engage in manual labour or cattle breeding. Join with the cooking style of the community and enjoy the meal prepared. Afternoon at leisure, enjoy spice market walk on your own. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast proceed to Konni, with a vast expanse of lush green forests Konni is the eco-tourism hub of Pathanamthitta district, Check-in your homestay Manasveedu. Afternoon have an Ayurveda session with the doctor, Ayurveda is a science that has evolved through ages of observation, assimilation and theorization. It is a holistic treatment system that believes, health is a state of physical and mental wellbeing, based on the perfect balance of three doshas (vata, pitha and kapha). Diseases are the outcome of an imbalanced state of these doshas. Ayurvedic mode of living rectifies this imbalance and helps an individual to maintain a perfect harmony between body, mind and soul. Followed by Ayurveda massage. Ayurveda treatment boosts up your spirit by strengthening your body and mind. Late evening experience a Syrian Christian cooking style of Kerala, one can experience grandma's rare specialties which can't be found anywhere else in our country, followed by dinner Overnight Stay at the Homestay

The Christian Cuisine of Kerala traces a history that dates back to centuries. Even though they have an innate cooking style, the taste, flavours and the serving method differs from region to region. The native cuisines usually pop up during festivities and celebrations. The recipes of the dishes are quite unique compared to the indigenous Kerala recipes. The recipes of the dishes are quite unique compared to the indigenous Kerala recipes. Besides its specialty in taste, the serving method too makes it unique. Rooted in Kerala tradition, like the traditional feast of Kerala (Sadya), Theen Mura too is served on a plantain leaf. In many regions, cake and wine are served first. Serving of table salt on the leaf is your initiation into this world of taste.

After breakfast, proceed to Konni elephant camp, The primary focus of the trainers here is to deal with the development of baby elephants that have been separated from their herd or been found hurt somewhere. The trainers have traditional methods that have been passed down through generations to deal with these situations. The elephants are taught to obey specific commands and are taken for special exercise walks in the morning, are given baths and specific diets. From the camp continue drive to Adavi, a picturesque forest patch, 10 km from Konni on the banks of river Kallar, Adavi has nearly 5-km river frontage. Enjoy a Coracle ride in the river, it’s a round bamboo raft on which a group of four can row. Back to hotel, this evening visit artisans of Aranmula, those who are in masters of fine metallurgical art of making metal mirrors or the Aranmula Kannadi. Back to hotel, dinner & Overnight stay.

After breakfast drive to Varkala, en-route visit the Munroe island village, enjoy a country boat ride, here life drifts along at the calm, peaceful pace of the emerald backwaters that not only surround it, but also crisscross the entire network of islands. The canals that link the entire Munroe Island are so narrow that they offer not just a view of a typical backwater village of Kerala but also let you experience it in a sense. The anganavadis (village playschool), fish farms, manufacturing units of coir and country crafts etc. make the Munroe Island an ideal embodiment of sustainable development. The main means of living here include farming and coir making. Enjoy a Kerala traditional meal on the banana leaf. Continue drive to Varkala, the scenic charm of a calm beach, attains a majestic quality with the towering laterite cliffs along the beach. Standing like sentinels overlooking the turbulent sea, the cliffs provide the best enchanting view of the sea. Check-in your hotel. Late afternoon visit to Sivagiri mutt, The Mutt campus sprawls over an area of 200 acres and you will surely be attracted by the distinctive multi-tiered white terraces of the mutt, once you enter there. Situated at an elevated plateau, the mutt is considered sacred. It is here that the social reformer and sage Sree Narayana Guru breathed his last in 1928. The Samadhi or the final resting place of the Guru is situated on a hillock here and it attracts thousands of pilgrims. There is also the Guru’s residence and it displays his personal belongings. You can also see a Sharada temple here. The main idol, Goddess Saraswati, here was consecrated by the Guru himself. Evening at Beach, Dinner & Overnight stay at Hotel.

Breakfast at hotel, this day explore on your own. Explore beaches at Varkala like Chilkoor beach, Kappil beach & Papanasam beach. Rent a scooter or get a Tuk Tuk to explore the village, do some surfing with moon wave surf school, Riding the ocean on a fishermen’s traditional boat, try lunch at Babu farm beach restaurant, try vegetarian dishes at True Thomas café, explore the seafood at Gods own country Kitchen or at Inda hotel café. Overnight stay at Hotel.

After breakfast departure transfer to Trivandrum International airport as per the flight schedule.