Enchanting Kerala
Kerala is a rich variety for a tourister. From beaches to green forests, Valleys to High Mountains, House boat cruises to deep forest safaris; Kerala quenches the thirst of every traveler. This package gives you a close feel with the Kerala’s richness.
Kerala is a rich variety for a tourister. From beaches to green forests, Valleys to High Mountains, House boat cruises to deep forest safaris; Kerala quenches the thirst of every traveler. This package gives you a close feel with the Kerala’s richness.
Day 1
Pickup From Thiruvananthapuram Airport. Check in at Kovalam.
History
Kovalam was brought to the public eye by the Maharaja of Travancore. The European guests of the then Travancore kingdom discovered the potentiality of Kovalam beach as a tourist destination in the 1930s. However, Kovalam shot into limelight in the early seventies with arrivals of the masses of
hippies. This exodus started the transformation of a casual fishing village of Kerala into one of the most important tourist destinations in all India.
Beaches
Kovalam has three crescent shaped beaches separated by rocky outcroppings. Shallow waters stretching for hundreds of meters are ideal for swimming. The beaches have steep palm covered headlands and are lined with shops that offer all kinds of goods and services.
The larger of the beaches is called Light House Beach for its 35 metre high light house which towers over it atop Kurumkal hillock. The second largest one is Hawah Beach named thus for the topless European women who used to throng there. It was the first topless beach in India. However topless bathing is banned now except in private coves owned by resorts. Visitors frequent these two beaches. The northern part of the beach is known as Samudra Beach in tourism parlance. A large promontory separates this part from the southern side. Samudra Beach doesn't have tourists thronging there or hectic business. The local fishermen ply their trade on this part.
Things to do At Kovalam Beach
Leisure Activities
spend the moments of leisure at the beach site, especially during sunset. Laze on the golden sands and walk on it, to marvel at lush greenery all around. Relish at variety of vegetarian and non vegetarian cuisines that will delight the foodies. The restaurants alongside the beach serves some lip-smacking Kerala sea food and continental cuisines including German and Swiss specialties. Apart from that check out the shops that line up along the beach and look for jewelery, handicrafts and cloth shops.
Kovalam is also popular for classical Kathakali dance. In the evening the quiet atmosphere of the place is enlivened by Kathakali performances, the classical dance-drama of Kerala.
Adventure Activities
Kovalam beach is a one stop answer to all adventure buffs. It is a dream destination to indulge yourself in various thrilling adventure sports within the territory of this exotic beach in your Kovalam tour. Visitors can experience the tremendous joy of surfing, swimming, skiing and kayaking in the vast azure water of Arabian sea which touches the golden sands of Kovalam. The safe zones for adventure sports are marked with the green flag and the area with red flags in not safe for the tourists. Add more fun to your trip by indulging yourself in angling. Hire the boat from fisherman and set out to catch colorful fishes.
Day 2
Visit t Padmanabha puam Palace.
Nowhere else can you feel the fingers of time rustling the pages of this history than at Padmanabhapuram Palace, a superb example of traditional Kerala architecture, replete with teak, granite and stone, all combining in a symphony of elegance and simplicity. Reputed to be the largest wooden palace in India, the Padmanabhapuram Palace is today administered by the Kerala government's Department of Archeology, even though it is located in Tamil Nadu - one of the quirky results of the 1956 reorganization of Indian States along linguistic lines.
Originally, the area comprising the fort, the palace and its surrounds covered a total of 86 acres. Today the area administered by the Kerala Department of Archaeology is 6.5 acres. If you look very hard, you'll see a deep gutter on either side of the entrance to the Palace. That is all that is left of the moat infested with crocodiles, so it is believed - that once surrounded the fortress. A large courtyard separates the main entrance, called the King used to receive visiting dignitaries from over from overseas. At the centre of the hall, hanging from the carved ceiling,is a brass lamp, shaped like a horse-rider. Its beauty, as the guide will enthusiastically point out, is that whichever direction you turn it, it will return to its original position and remain absolutely horizontal, thus ensuring that no oil is ever spilled.
Such mastery od craftsmanship will be a recurring theme as you meander through the 127 rooms of the palace - most are large and airy, used for dwelling and administration, while the smaller ones are toilets and utility areas. Almost all the rooms feature intricate carvings in teak and the wood of the jackfruit tree, and narrow verandahs are common around most rooms.
The ceiling of the poormugham has carvings of 90 different flowers in full bloom, while on the behind the chinese chair- a gift from visiting Chinese traders - can be seen coloured wooden planks depicting the reclining figure of Lord Vishnu, also known as Padmanabhaswamy. The chair bears the inscriptions of 17th century Chinese art, and complements the other magnificent piece of furniture in the room, a glistening black bed made of seven pieces of granite.
A steep and narrow flight of wooden stairs leads to a trap door that opens into the first floor, which houses the mantrasala, or council chamber, where the king held his cabinet meetings. The narrow staircase and the heavy trap door are said to have been designed with the intention of warding off unexpected attacks- only one person can enter at a time. The black, highly polished floor here is quite special. It is made of a mixture of lime, burnt coconut shells, the whites of eggs, water from tender coconuts, sand, laterite and the juices of various herbs. Night, back in your rooms at Kovalam.
Day 3
Varkala Beach.
Morning we will be travelling to Varkala, the only place in southern Kerala where
cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea. These tertiary sedimentary formation cliffs are a unique geological feature on the otherwise flat Kerala coast, and is known among geologists as
Varkala Formation and a geological monument as declared by the Geological Survey of India. There are numerous water spouts and spas on the sides of these cliffs. Varkala is also famous for the 2,000-year old Janardana Swami Temple which is an important Vaishnavaite shrine in India and is often referred to as
Dakshin Kashi (Benares of the South). The temple is located close to the
Papanasam beach, which is considered to have holy waters which wash away sins, and is also an important
Ayurveda treatment centre. The temple has an ancient bell removed from a shipwreck, donated by the captain of the Dutch vessel which sank near Varkala without causing any casualties.
Another major landmark in Varkala is the Sivagiri Mutt, established by the social reformer Sree Narayana Guru. The hill-top mausoleum of Sree Narayana Guru is one of the most famous monuments in Kerala. The adjacent hills house the
East-West University of Brahmavidya and
Sree Narayana Gurukulam. You can avail a free massage as part of the package from here.Stay is arranged in a hotel here.
Day 4
Alappuzha, Venice of the East
Check in at a house boat in Alappuzha, we will go for a cruise in the backwaters, through Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala. See the village life up close from your boat. Do fishing on the boat, Taste the karimeen pollichathu, cooked and served right in front of you.
Night, watch the clear sky filled with stars from your boat. The boat will be anchored on the centre of the backwater. Hear the lullabies of the water and have a memorable night of your life.
Day 5
Checkout from The House boat and proceed to Gavi:
Gavi is a small place 38 km from Kumali. The best thing about Gavi is, it’s not commercialized yet. No mobile radiations and tranquility will beckon you. The peaceful forest will lock you there.
You can go for a boating at Gavi Lake, a trek to the forest where you can meet the giants of the forest (Gavi has the most number of elephants in its forest) other wild life species are the Nilgiri Tahr, Indian Gaur, Lion tailed macaque, deer etc.
Day 6
A 27 km Safari at Gavi forest where you can spot almost all the animals there. The scenery is unforgettable. After the safari and Breakfast, will travel to Thekkady. Check in at the Hotel there and move for 2 Hour boating at Thekkady lake. Night stay at Thekkady.
Day 7
Munnar:
Munnar is famous for it’s tea plantations. After checkin and Lunch from the Hotel we head for Top station. The highest location in Munnar 1600 Meters ASL. A small trek to a beautiful view point, and while returning we halt at Kundala Dam, a boating at the Lake and at mattuppetty Dam.
Day 8
We go for a Safari at Eravikulam national Park. We could closely watch the endangered Nilgiri tahrs. Coming back after the Safari we move to TATA tea Museum, where we will have a Tea manufacturing processes explained to us by an expert. Evening travel to Kochi and checkmin at a hotel there.
Day 9
Head towards Fort Kochi. The main attractions are:
The
Indo-Portuguese Museum: The museum has five main sections: Altar, Treasure, Procession, Civil Life and Cathedral. Among the pieces on display are a piece of the altar made in
teak (16th century) from the Church of Our Lady of Hope,
Vypeen, a
chasuble (19th century) from Bishop's House, Fort Kochi, processional cross, which is a combination of silver and wood (17th century) from
Santa Cruz Cathedral, Fort Kochi, Indo-Portuguese Monstrance (18-19th century), from The Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen. The
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has also contributed to the collection at the Indo-Portuguese Museum and has to its credit sculptures, precious metal objects and vestments, among others from the Cathedral of Santa Cruz and other churches of the Kochi diocese.
The Chinese fishing nets (Cheena vala):, A fixed land installations for an unusual form of
fishing — shore operated lift nets.
[1] Huge mechanical contrivances hold out horizontal nets of 20 m or more across. Each structure is at least 10 m high and comprises a cantilever with an outstretched net suspended over the sea and large stones suspended from ropes as counterweights at the other end. Each installation is operated by a team of up to six fishermen.
The system is sufficiently balanced that the weight of a man walking along the main beam is sufficient to cause the net to descend into the sea. The net is left for a short time, possibly just a few minutes, before it is raised by pulling on ropes. The catch is usually modest: a few fish and crustaceans — these may be sold to passersby within minutes.
The system of counterweights is most ingenious. Rocks, each 30 cm or so in diameter are suspended from ropes of different lengths. As the net is raised, some of the rocks one-by-one come to rest on a platform thereby keeping everything in balance.
Each installation has a limited operating depth. Consequently, an individual net cannot be continually operated in tidal waters. Different installations will be operated depending on the state of the tide.
It is received wisdom that the nets are Chinese in origin. This is not as improbable as the 5,000 km distance from China might suggest — Kochi is a very important centre for the spice trade attracting traders from far and wide. Some suppose that the nets were introduced by the Chinese explorer Zheng He.
The Chinese fishing nets have become a very popular tourist attraction, their size and elegant construction is very photogenic and the slow rhythm of their operation is quite hypnotic. In addition, catches can be purchased individually and need be taken only a short distance to a street entrepreneur who will cook it.
St. Francis Church: Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route from Europe to India, landed at Calicut (later renamed Kozhikode) in 1498. Vasco da Gama was followed by Pedro Palavers Cabral and Afonso de Albuquerque. They built a fort at Kochi with permission from the Raja of Cochin. Within the fort, they built a church with a wooden structure, which was dedicated to St. Bartholomew. The neighborhood is now known as Fort Kochi.
Francisco de Almeida, the Portuguese viceroy, was allowed, in 1506, by the Raja of Cochin to reconstruct wooden buildings in stone and masonry. The wooden church was rebuilt, presumably by the Franciscan friars, with bricks and mortar and a tiled roof was erected. In 1516, the new church was completed and it was dedicated to St. Anthony. The Franciscans retained control over the church till the Dutch captured Kochi in 1663. While the Portuguese were Roman Catholics, the Dutch were Protestants. They demolished all the churches except this one. They reconditioned it and converted it into a government church.
In 1795, the British captured Kochi from the Dutch but they allowed the latter to retain the church. In 1804, the Dutch voluntarily handed over the church to the Anglican Communion. It was placed under the Ecclesiastical Department of the Government of India. It is believed that the Anglicans changed the name of the patron saint to St. Francis. The Church was declared a protected monument in April 1923 under the Protected Monuments Act of 1904. As a protected monument it is under of the Archaeological Survey of India but is owned by the North Kerala diocese of Church of South India. It has services on Sundays and commemorative days. On weekdays it is kept open for visitors.
The Santa Cruz Basilica: a church built originally by the Portuguese and elevated to a Cathedral by Pope Paul IV in 1558, was spared by the Dutch conquerors who destroyed many Catholic buildings. Later the British demolished the structure and Bishop João Gomes Ferreira commissioned a new building in 1887. Consecrated in 1905, Santa Cruz was proclaimed a Basilica by the Pope John Paul II in 1984. This magnificent church is a must see destination for tourists who come to Kochi.
The Paradesi Synagogue: is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations. It was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people or Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin. Paradesi is a word used in several Indian languages, and the literal meaning of the term is "foreigners", applied to the synagogue because it was historically used by "White Jews", a mixture of Jews from Cranganore, the Middle East, and European exiles. It is also referred to as the Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue. The synagogue is located in the quarter of Old Cochin known as Jew Town, and is the only one of the seven synagogues in the area still in use. The complex has four buildings. It was built adjacent to the Mattancherry Palace temple on the land gifted to the Malabari Yehuden community by the Raja of Kochi, Rama Varma. The Mattancherry Palace temple and the Mattancherry synagogue share a common wall.
Santa Cruz Basilica, a Roman Catholic Cathedral is one of the finest and impressive churches in Kerala. It is a place of devotion as well as a center of historic significance, endowed with architectural and artistic grandeur and colours of the gothic style. Located close to St. Francis Church it is the 'capital church' of the diocese of Cochin.
The Paradesi Synagogue has the Scrolls of the Law, several gold crowns received as gifts, many Belgian glass chandeliers, and a brass-railed pulpit. It houses the copper plates of privileges given to Joseph Rabban, the earliest known Cochin Jew, dating from the 10th century, written in Tamil on the two plates, by the ruler of the Malabar Coast. The floor of the synagogue is composed of hundreds of Chinese, 18th century, hand-painted porcelain tiles, all of which are unique. There is also an oriental rug, a gift from Haile Selassie, the last Ethiopian Emperor. The most visible part of the synagogue is the 18th century clock tower, which, along with other parts of the complex, underwent repair work between 1998 and 1999.
Day 10
Moving towards North We go for a Jungle Night stay, at Parambikulam
Tucked away in the valley between the Anamalai ranges of Tamil Nadu and the Nelliampathy ranges of Kerala on the majestic Western Ghats is the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary.This virgin valley that is the pride of Palakkad district is a glorious tribute to untouched nature.The reservoir harbours several varieties of aquatic fauna including mugger crocodiles that are often seen sunning on its banks.
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is the most protected ecological piece of Anamalai sub unit of Western Ghats, surrounded on all sides by protected areas and sanctuaries of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the sanctuary is endowed with a peninsular flora and fauna which are excellently conserved due to total protection and minimal human interferences. The sanctuary being a major ecological continuum from Peechhi to Eravikulam through Anamalai aids the large viable populations of wildlife. It is the home ground for different races of indigenous people who are as well an integral part of the prevailing harmonious ecosystem. The thick, opulent habitat of the sanctuary with ample water supplys make it an abode for wildlife and there by for tourist who can have treasured memories of animal sightings and that of being in the lap of mother nature
Western Ghats is one of the world’s 34 bio diversity hotspots. While considering the abundance of Wildlife and the adorable beauty of Nature, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is perhaps the most attractive piece of wilderness in the entire stretch of Western Ghats. Thus it is popularly revered as ‘Nature’s own abode’. It has a total area of 285 Sq. Kms. The night stay is arranged after a trek of 8 km deep into the forest. Accompanied by armed forest official you will have a jungle sleep.
Day 11
Checkout from parambikulam and we will move to Wayanad. Check in at thirunelly, Wayanad district. Evening, A visit to thirunelly temple and papa naashini. A place it is believed where you can wash away all your sins.
Day 12
A safari at tholpetty Forest. Get ready fro close encounters with the wild. After the safari we will go for a trek in Meen mutty waterfalls. The trek is for 5 Km, A real hard one. Night stay at Kalpetta.
Day 13
The morning journey is to Soochippara waterfalls. Edakkal caves, then to muthanga wild life sanctuary.
Night stay at Batheri.
Day 14
Departure.
Notes:
The price includes: all meals, Accommodation, Performance charges, all the permission charges, Special forest entry charges, Guide charges, Toll charges. Travel in a/c SUV (Not for safari)
Accommodation: 3 star cottages wherever possible, unless mentioned.
Menu: 2 NV menus in all the possible locations, where we have direct access over the menu.
For costing and package details click
here
This package can be tailor made according to your requirements.
Posts
