Kerala Walking, Wildlife & Culture Tour

Tour Overview

This walking & culture holiday highlights Kerala as a soft adventure destination where the vibrant local Kerala culture adds local flavour to the tour. That a good part of this experience is walking through one of the wildlife rich biodiversity hot spots on earth makes this tour a ‘must do’ holiday for those in search of an escape to the peaceful off the beaten track areas of Kerala.

Day 1: Lowland Forests of Thattekkad

Your arrival at the lowland forests at Thattekkad, an hour’s drive from the port city of Kochi. After settling in the luxury tented accommodation on the banks of the river Periyar, you will be taking a walk around the spice growing hamlet in the vicinity of the camp, taking in the array of spices that grows in abundance in the lush farms that dot the area. In the evening you will be on kayaks visiting the forests on the opposite side of the camp. The lowland forests at Thattekkad is one of the top destinations for birders looking for the endemics of the Western Ghats and it is your chance to spot these as you move around d the camp premises and onto the wilderness on the periphery of the camp.  

Day 2: Lowland Forests of Thattekkad

You will be up in the morning and you will be going to the rain forest area of Urulanthanni – a stretch of forest where most of the endemic birds can be sighted. A walk through the forest and the surrounding areas will also be an amazing experience to watch the majesty of the forests here. Keep a sharp eye open for the rare Travancore flying squirrels and an occasional flight of the Malabar Hornbills as you explore the forest. Lunch at the camp will be followed by a visit to the nearby barrage, the plantations of nutmeg, pepper and vanilla. An evening climb atop the imposing Topimuidi hilltop will give you a fabulous panoramic view of the entire area.  

Day 3: Highlands at Munnar

Transfer to the hill areas of Munnar, designated as one of the bio-diversity hot spots on earth. With its vast treasure trove of endemism, wilderness at Munnar is worth exploring. After settling into your resort, a short walk through the tea bazaar where the various teas of multitude  aromas await you. The Tea Museum nearby is sure way to know more about the world of tea, the life of the early planters, their lifestyles, the way tea is made and marketed. In the evening, a refreshing walk through the tea plantations is the highlight before turning in for the day.

Day 4: Munnar - Chinnar

An early morning trip to Rajamala to watch the endangered and endemic Nilgiri Tahrs gives you the chance of walking the mountain trails, watching the high altitude endemic birds and the stark beauty of the Anamudi peak in the distance. After breakfast, a trip to visit the dry scrub forest and a walk through the canopy of trees on the banks of the Chinnar river is revealing - the Grizzled Giant Squirrel, the Tufted Langurs, gaurs and elephants are constant visitors here. After this a visit to the village of the local tribal population at Marayur gives you an opportunity to meet up with these mountain folks, see their plantations of spices and a walk through their reservation to the mountains and a memorable picnic are the highlights of the day.

Day 5: Munnar High Mountain Hike

Today you will walk the trails through the heartland of this bio-diversity areas as you hike through the high altitude cloud forests and its wonderful spectrum of endemism and colour. You will also keep a look out for wildlife like deer, gaurs and elephants that frequent this areas. This is a full day hike reaching upto over 8600’ in altitude as you climb the Meesapulimala peak with magnificent views of the plains of Tamilnadu and the world’s highest located tea estate of Kolukumalai

Day 6: Backwaters at Alleppey

Today you will be leaving the mountains behind you as you head towards the backwaters, a large water body around which the people have developed their own farming techniques, food and cultural traditions. It is a wonderful place to explore the life along the meandering waterways with its vast array of temples, traditional vocations like making natural rope using coconut fibre, collecting shells for traditional construction, developing exquisite cuisine including the legendary kuttanadan duck roast ! Canoes are the main medium of transportation and everything is very local and intimate for these communities isolated by water all year around. Here you will going on canoe rides to watch traditional boat workers, local fishermen with myriad ways of catching fish and watching the way they have developed farming techniques below sea level which is the peculiarity of this region. You stay would be at a heritage villa along the banks of the backwaters.  

Day 7: Backwaters Walk & Canoe Ride

Your walks today through the paddy fields and coconut groves help you interact with the local people, understand their culture, visit the temples, watch how the local brew is harvested from coconuts – a dying art - and the art of cooking the delicious dishes of the region. Afternoon's walk will take you to the local temple and an opportunity to watch the local people partaking in the  temple rituals. A sunset cruise on a wooden canoe will bring your Kerala Walking, Culture and Wildlife tour to an end.

Inclusions

• Accommodation with all meals
• AC SUV with English speaking naturalist guide
• All transfers during the tour
• All permits and passes into forest areas

Route Maps

FAQs

Q. Do I Need A Visa To Travel To India?
Yes. https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/index.html

Q. When Is The Best Time To Visit South India for this tour?
The best time to visit is from September to April.

Q. Should I take out Travel Insurance Before travelling for this tour?
Yes, it is highly recommended that you take out travel insurance before travelling to India, covering any medical situation, hospitalisation, cancellation and loss of your baggage. We cover your causality evacuation to the nearest hospital which is included in the cost. However, this does not cover the cost of medical treatment at the hospital.

Q. Do I have a naturalist guide for this tour?
A successful walking and wildlife tour is largely dependant on a good naturalist who is familiar with the local conditions, best chances of sightings and thorough domain knowledge. We provide such qualified outdoor naturalist guides along with local trackers. The naturalist can also be the driver of the SUV or can be a separate person. In both cases, expertise and experience would be prime criteria.

Q. Do the guides speak English?
Yes, they are very proficient in English.

Q. What are the health risks ?
There are very minimal health risks if you follow our guides instructions on drinking only certified bottled water and food from safe sources identified by us and not wandering off the trails..

Q. Is First Aid available?
Yes, the naturalist guide / driver carries a comprehensive First Aid bag. For those suffering from allergies or require any special medication will need to bring those along. All our outdoor staff have undergone St John’s Ambulance First Aid Training course and are qualified. In case of serious injuries or emergencies, we have identified hospitals nearest to the tour routes to safely evacuate you to the nearest hospital.

Q. What about Wildlife encounters.
They are likely to be wild animal encounters but our naturalist guides and trackers are trained and experienced enough to keep you out of harm’s way.

Q. Are banking services easily available in areas visited?
Yes. Banking services and numerous ATMs available throughout Kerala.

Q. Can I use my credit Card during this trip?
Yes, all the resorts & most shops in locations mentioned in this itinerary accept credit cards 

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