Day 01: Arrive Cochin

Arrive at Cochin International Airport. Please clear immigration and visa formalities, collect your baggage and proceed to the arrival lounge through the green channel if you do not have goods to be declared to customs. INDIA TAILOR MADE executive will wait at the arrival with a placard in your name to greet you. Thereafter you will be assisted with a transfer and check in at the hotel. Stay for two nights in Cochin. (No Meals)

Day 02: Cochin

The morning after breakfast visit to Broadway Market where you can sight of local trading of spices and vegetable. Broadway, whose sloping-roofed buildings preserve its old-world charm, is one of the shopping hubs of Kochi. Wholesale and retail shops line the street and have on sale an incredible variety of products including shoes, bags, toys, jewellery, handicrafts, nuts, spices, various kind of oils, utensils, clothes, furniture, electronic equipment’s, books and so on. Then after visiting the Old quarter of Fort Kochi, exploring the quaint streets of this city. Visit the Dutch Cemetery, the oldest European cemetery in India, before heading to Fort Kochi’s seaside promenade, and get a glimpse of daily life in Kochi. Head to the waterfront to see the Chinese Fishing Nets, undoubtedly Kochi's most recognizable sights and which have been there since the 14th century and are remarkably still in use today. The evening we enjoy a Kathakali Dance Performance. Kathakali is a ritualized dance form that is native to Kerala, with elaborate costumes and makeup. Male dancers portray both male and female roles that tell the stories taken mostly from the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Stay overnight at Cochin. (B)

Day 03: Cochin – Munnar (approx. travel time 04hrs)

The morning after breakfast travel to Munnar, a place to enjoy the scenic beauty and marvellous waterfalls, high mountains with the low flying clouds passing by. The town stands at a confluence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. On arrival check-in at the hotel. Afternoon visits the Tea Museum opened by the Tata Tea group. The museum puts light on the important fact and figures about the growth of the tea plantations in Munnar. It contains curious, old photographs, machinery and other things which have been used for a long time. Stay overnight at Munnar. (B)

Day 04: Munnar – Periyar (approx. travel time 04hrs)

The morning after breakfast travel to the valley of spices and see the spice plantation gardens. Thekkady, with its bountiful treasures of tropical flora and fauna, is the ultimate reservoir of many an endangered species and a rich tribal culture. On arrival check-in at the hotel. Afternoon visit to the rare species of plantations, animals and visit a spice plantation growing cardamom, pepper, coffee, and tea estate. Walk amidst the palette displaying variant shades of green, neatly arranged into terrace farms, the symmetry broken only by the sudden appearance of a gurgling stream. It is believed that the spice trade dates back three thousand years in Kerala and many spices find their home here. The slanting slopes caress a variety of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric and curry leaves. Stay overnight at Periyar. (B)

Day 05: Periyar – Alleppey / Private Kettuvalam (approx. travel time 04hrs)

Early morning proceed for guided (govt guide) visit to a boat cruise on the Lake, which showcases a kaleidoscope of activities that incur around the lake and jungle. Evergreen moist deciduous forests and savannah grasslands characterize Periyar. After visit returns back to the hotel for breakfast. Later travel down to Alleppey. Here we board our houseboat, converted from a Kettuvallam or traditional rice barge, and sail through the beautiful backwaters of Kerala. The backwaters of Kerala are a world of serenity and wonderment. The coastal regions of Kerala have a network of waterways, inlets from the sea, and estuaries of over forty rivers, lakes and natural canals connecting coastal towns. This interlinked body of waterways is known as the backwaters of Kerala. Over 900Kms of the Kerala backwaters are navigable and have been used for centuries by the local people for transportation.  This large aquatic area is a vast network of lagoons, lakes, rivers and canals, and the people who live in this region have created their own distinct lifestyles. Witness the peaceful way of life on these amazing waterways with lunch, dinner and overnight stay on board; this will be a real highlight of your holiday. (B, L, D)

**While on the houseboat you can enjoy fishing with rod or can ask the local chef for Kerala Cooking demonstration. The houseboat docks itself in the evening at around 1700 hrs as by this time the fisherman draws their nets in the backwaters. The Air conditioning in the houseboat also starts at night after the houseboat docks.

Day 06: Alleppey – Cochin Departure (Flight: TBA)

After breakfast, disembark from the houseboat and travel to Cochin airport to board your scheduled flight to onward destination. (B)

 *** Tour Ends ***

Hotels used below or similar

City	Comfort 3*	Nights
Cochin	Travancore Court (Deluxe Room)	2
Munnar	Abad Copper Castle (Deluxe Room)	1
Periyar	Grand Thekkady (Standard Room)	1
Alleppey	AC Deluxe Houseboat	1