Destinations To Choose From
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We customize your visit to India by taking you and any size group to whatever destinations and experiences in southern India you desire. While by no means is this a complete list, here are some of the most popular destinations to give you examples of
what you can experience on your next
visit to India.
Our tours in Kerala begin and end in Cochin, so each destination listed here is gauged with its distance from and orientation to there. Activities at most destinations are numerous and customizable. For example, there are at least two dozen
popular attractions in and near the hill station of Munnar. Traveling in India is slow, averaging perhaps 20 MPH of safe driving.
Our tours are all-inclusive; lodging, meals, and transportation is provided. Once all people in the group choose their destinations, nights, resort and room choice, we can book the tour. A deposit will be required before we finalize the tour and book the rooms.
On this page, we make suggestions of destinations to give you examples of how you might build your own tour. There are add-ons available, for example Ayurvedic treatments, at a reasonable cost.
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Thrissur District -
Northeast of Cochin
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85 km northeast (52 miles) - Athirapally Waterfalls is the biggest in Kerala,
which drops from a height of 80 feet
through several parallel streams.
Athirapally is the perfect spot to
observe one of earth's most spectacular
displays of nature's beauty. The falls
can create especially enchanting
experiences in the evenings. In your
Athirapally visit, you can also visit
Vazhachal waterfall which is just 2 kms
from the Athirapally falls. It flows
through an inclined slope of more than
300 feet to descend into a huge pool
below. The forest area and the cool
spray that covers a large area near the
falls makes Athirapally and Vazhachal
scenic locations that deliver a life
experience you will never forget. |
Idukki District - Southeast of Cochin
| 100 km (62 miles) southeast - Vagamon
is a sleepy little village, still
untouched by commercialization,
surrounded with its scenic valleys,
beautiful green meadows, enchanting pine
forests, mists and fogs, tea estates,
waterfalls, reverent spiritual retreats,
and stunning vistas of green landscapes
all around. The Vagamon Hills are famous
in the paragliding community, and many
think it resembles Maui, with many
intriguing treks, including a "station
of the cross" pilgrimage trek up to a
mountain peak. Be our guest at an
organic farm fed by mountain springs-
hang out in the kitchen and learn
traditional recipes, or in the garden
with expert growers. Take day trips to
wildlife and tiger preserves, a local
ashram and dairy farm, an orphanage, and
many local treks to breathtaking, scenic
locations. |
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Alappuzha District -
South of Cochin
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62 km (39 miles) - On the seacoast, Alappuzha is a town
with picturesque canals, beaches,
lagoons, and a network of freshwater
rivers and backwaters. It has been known
for ages as the "Venice of the East".
Here, you can enjoy a houseboat cruise
in the backwaters to an anchor point and
there you stay overnight on the
houseboat- all meals are provided on the
boat. Cruise back the next morning to
enjoy the quaint town with hundreds of
years of history of trade with the west,
with beaches offering one of the most
beautiful views of the Laccadive Sea.
Coir is the
most important commodity manufactured in
Alappuzha.
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| Palakkad District
- Northeast of Cochin |
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| 145 km (90 miles) - Palakkad lies near a
wide low gap or pass in the Western Ghats
mountain ranges that separates the
southern states of Kerala from Tamil Nadu.
Though it existed long before its
current 1766 incarnation of
construction, Fort
Palakkad was strategically located
in the middle of the thoroughfare
between the two halves of southern
India- there is a beautiful garden, a
temple, and a functioning jail on the
massive grounds. There are at least a
dozen important temples in and near
Palakkad. Malampuzha
Dam and Gardens, situated only
8 km from Palakkad Town, is the
largest reservoir in Kerala. The spot
is also known for its scenic beauty,
sprawling gardens, and lake
activities, like boating and swimming.
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Fort
Palakkad
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Idukki District - East of
Cochin
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125 km east (77 miles) - Munnar
is a hill station in the Western Ghats,
a range of mountains in the Idukki
district in the southwestern state of
Kerala. Because of its 5,000 to 9,000
elevation, the regions highest
temperatures are in the upper 70's in
the summer when lower elevations are in
the 100's. Munnar is surrounded by tea
plantations that have existed for eons,
with a myriad of recreational choices
nearby. The town is a typical Indian
town with many shops, places to eat, and
a wide array of places to stay. At the
same time, It not unusual to see a local
herding dairy cows through town.
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| Munnar was named by
National Geographic Traveler Magazine as
one of ten paradises on the planet. Munnar
Town
is located at the conjunction of three
rivers, which is the literal translation
of its name. There
are so many nearby recreational
activities, one could spend several
days and nights making the rounds to
all of them. Visit a
plantation, choose from many trekking
trails with breathtaking mountain views
and wildlife up close, tour a wildlife
preserve, visit scenic waterfalls, ride
an elephant. Visit the highest point
above the clouds, visit botanical
gardens, visit a bird sanctuary, visit a
national park with endangered species,
well maintained trekking trails, and
waterfalls.
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157 km southeast (97 miles) - Thekkady
is surrounded by lush spice and tea
plantations and thick jungles full of
exotic wildlife. The Periyar forests of
Thekkady is one of the finest wildlife
preserves in India and can be viewed up
close from tour boats on the lake
adjacent to the preserve. Spread across
the entire district are picturesque
plantations and hill towns. Gavi, 14 km away, is part of the Periyar Tiger
Preserve, and the route can be covered
by car or in a rented jeep with driver
and English-speaking guide. This
region is an excellent place to
purchase your cache of fresh exotic
spices to take home, at rock-bottom
prices. |
Thiruvananthapuram
District - South of Cochin
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| 171 km (106 mi) south - Varkala
is home to pristine beaches, fresh
seafood at very low prices, Yoga,
meditation, and Ayurvedic Rejuvenation
treatments. It is a haven for
sun-bathing, swimming, wellness, and
sitting under a thatched roof enjoying
seafood caught early that morning. There
are many important temples nearby the
spectacular cliffs of
Varkala Beach. Anjengo
Fort, with its historic
lighthouse, Kappil
Lake, Janardana
Swami Temple, Sivagiri Mutt,
Sarkara
Devi Temple, and the landmark
hill-top mausoleum of Narayana Guru, are
all popular attractions in the nearby
vicinity. Rather that hop around from
place to place, enjoy the luxury of our
14-day Ayruvedic treatment package that
will take years off your age. |
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Wayanad District - North of Cochin
Wayanad District -
Least populated district of
Kerala, 300 km to the north of
Cochin, at an average of 3000 feet
elevation in a mountain range
known as the Western Ghats- you
experience a mild climate, cool
nights, and rarely any population
pressure. All around you is either
hills planted with several crops
and condiments like tea, coffee,
and cardamom- or dense forests
full of exotic wildlife. It is
common to see tree houses, where
you view the wildlife while
perched high above in the canopy.
Homestays are prevalent along the
elephant trails. Edakkal
Cave is high in the clouds
where there is preserved hundreds
of etchings left by inhabitants
8000 years ago. Take your pick of
jeep tours in numerous wildlife
preserves. Visit numerous sites of
ancient ruins and ancient temples
still in use.
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Edakkal
Cave- 8000 Year Old Etchings
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Bathing Away Sins In The
Papanasini
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Thirunelli
Temple
300 km north (186 mi) - Nessled away in a deep
forest up in the mountains of the Wayanad
District is the 1000+ year old Thirunelli Temple.
According to tradition, Lord
Brahma was traveling round the Earth
upon the Hamsa, when he became attracted
by the beauty of the area now known as Brahmagiri
Hill. Brahma noticed an idol set in
an Amla tree, recognizing the idol as Lord Vishnu Himself
and the place as Vaikuntha
itself. With the help of the Devas, Brahma
installed the idol. At Brahma’s request
Vishnu promised that the waters of the
area would wash away all sins. Thus, the
spring and river near the temple is called
Papanasini:
“washes away all sins”. |
State of Tamil Nadu - East
of Cochin
Tamil Nadu is a land most known
for its monumental ancient Hindu
temples and classical form of
dance Bharata
Natyam. Legend tells that Lord Shiva
himself taught sage Agastya the
Tamil
language. Tamil has been in
use in inscriptions and literature
for over 2500 years.
Tamil Nadu is home to
many natural resources, classical
arts, classical music, classical
literature, Hindu temples of Dravidian
architecture, hill stations,
beach resorts, multi-religious
pilgrimage sites and eight UNESCO
World Heritage Sites. |
Classical Dance
form Barata Natyam
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Madurai
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266 km east (165 mi) - Madurai
in Tamil Nadu is home to numerous
magnificent temples adorned with thousands
of colorfully painted figures of deities,
animals, and demons. Established over 2500
years ago, Madurai is one of the oldest
continually inhabited cities on Earth-
built around the Meenakshi
Temple, considered to be one of the wonders of the world- having
an estimated 33,000 sculptures with gopurams
(gateway towers) built around Meenakshi.
There are many other important temples to
visit in the general vicinity. Oddly,
Madurai is also known for its night life. |
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