Best of Kerala - Standard

• Welcome at Cochin Airport & transfer to the hotel. Kochi is the arguably the ideal starting point for exploring the unfathomable diversity & beauty of Kerala. Check in at hotel & later out for sightseeing covering the historical towns of Fort Cochin & Mattancherry which consists of wonderfully built atmosphere – thick with the smell of the past. Jewish Synagogue - a 400-year old synagogue. Enter the synagogue & the large main hall arrests your attention with display of rare antique objects that add to the grandeur of the place.
• Secondly, The St. Francis Church well-known for its beautiful architecture & ambience & is believed to be one of the oldest churches built by the Europeans in India.
• Santa Cruz Basilica (at extra cost) - one of the eight Basilicas in India, this church is one of the finest & most impressive churches & visited by tourists the whole year round.
• Vasco House (built in the Portuguese style of architecture) is believed to be the house where Vasco Da Gama stayed during his visits to Kochi, right until his death in 1524.
• Later visit Fort Kochi beach & Chinese Fishing Nets - Nowhere else in India could you find such giant fishing nets from China.
• Return to hotel by evening for overnight stay.

• After breakfast, check out from hotel & proceed to Munnar. A breathtakingly beautiful – haven of peace and tranquility which cannot be portrayed in a single canvas. Situated at 1,600m above sea level with unending expanse of tea plantations - pristine valleys and mountains, you’re often up above the clouds watching veils of mist clinging to the mountain tops. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji/Strobilanthes. This flower which bathes the hills in blue once in every twelve years, will bloom next in 2018. On the way to Munnar visit Cheeyappara & Valara waterfalls. The Cheeyappara Waterfall cascades down in seven steps. Valara has a chain of waterfalls surrounded by thick green forests.
• Upon arrival, check in hotel and rest of the day at leisure.
• Overnight stay at Hotel.

• After breakfast proceed for sightseeing of Munnar.
• Visit Eravikulam National Park (at extra cost), where you can see the rare species of Nilgiri Tahr/Mountain Goats. The Eravikulam National Park stands out for the stark beauty of its rolling grasslands and sholas, spread over 97 sq km in the Kannan devan hills.
• Later,visit Mattupetty Dam (at extra cost), a storage concrete gravity dam built in the mountains. Mattupetty offers many fascinating sights to relish. Besides the tea plantations & the rolling grasslands, the Shola forests in and around Mattupetty are ideal for trekking and are habitat to a variety of birds.
• Then, visit Kundala Dam (at extra cost), the famous Neela Kurunji flowers which bloom once in twelve years, bloom in the hills and valleys around Kundala lake. Enroute visit Echo Point & Pothamedu View Point. Echo Point always has a greenish look as it is covered with abundant green sceneries. View Point is perfect to enjoy the spectacular beauty of the coffee, tea & cardamom plantations. They are an adventurous destination, which will be a perfect choice for those who love to have a nature walk or trekking.
• Return to hotel by evening for overnight stay.

• After breakfast, check out from hotel & proceed to Thekkady. Thekkady is considered as a heaven for natural spices. The Periyar forests of Thekkady is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India. Periyar encompasses 777 sq km & a 26-sq-km artificial lake.
• On arrival, check in at hotel & later go for sightseeing to visit the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (at extra cost). It is home to herds of wild Elephants, Sambar, Tigers, Gaur, Lion-tailed Macaques, Nilgiri Langurs & more. The place can sometimes feel a bit like Disneyland-in-the-Ghats, but its mountain scenery & jungle walks make for an enjoyable visit. Evening enjoy the boat cruise in the lake to spot wild animals.
• Return to hotel for overnight stay.

After Breakfast, check out from hotel & proceed to Kumarakom. An enchanting backwater destination set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Kerala. Check in at hotel & later out for sightseeing to visit The bird sanctuary spread across 14 acres, a safe home for domestic & many migratory birds such as Egrets, Darters, Herons, Teals, Waterfowls, Cuckoo, Siberian Stork, Wild Duck etc. Overnight stay at Hotel.

• After breakfast proceed to Kovalam. Kovalam beach is known as the "Paradise of the South". This dreamland is an evergreen, serene, pleasant climatic and enticing beach destination. Reach and check in at the hotel and relax for a while amidst the comforts of your room. Explore on your own the beauty of the everlasting sea. Kovalam is the place where one can see the golden sand at the day time and silver sand in the night. With high rock promontory and a calm bay of blue waters, this beach paradise creates a unique aquarelle on moonlight nights.
• Overnight stay at the hotel or resort.

• After breakfast proceed for sightseeing of Trivandrum, city of the Holy Ananth which is named after Ananthan, the cosmic serpent with a thousand heads.
• Visit Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple (260 yrs old) - the most religious icon of the city built by the Travancore Royal family, here the deity Padmanabha reclines on the sacred serpent & is made from over 10,000 salagramam (sacred stones) that were transported from Nepal by elephant.
• Secondly, visit Puthe Maliga Palace Museum (at extra cost) - a 200 year old palace which has carved wooden ceilings, marble sculptures & imported Belgian glass. Inside you’ll find Kathakali images, an armoury, portraits of maharajas, ornate thrones & other artefacts.
• Later, proceed to Veli Tourist Village, a beautiful & popular picnic spot well-known because of its serenity, the Lake that meets the Arabian Sea. The main attraction of Veli Tourist Village is a floating bridge that has been erected at this place. The place also has a floating restaurant that gives you an amazing array of food products which might match your taste buds.
• By evening proceed to Shankumugham Beach, the beach is well known for its breathtaking sunset view which is such memorable moment whose beauty will refresh your mind. The beautiful sculpture of a mermaid is a major attraction here, this giant statue is more than 35m long.
• And, later return to Kovalam for overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out from hotel & transfer to Trivandrum airport for departure, back to home with beautiful memories of God's Own Country.