Kerala God’s own Country with Goa & Mumbai

Duration: 11 Nights / 12 Days
Destination Covered: Cochin – Munnar – Periyar – Kumarakom – Alleppey – Cochin – Goa - Mumbai Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Arrive Cochin
Arrive by morning flight after a traditional INDIA STYLE WELCOME by our representative would assist you at the airport & transfer to hotel for check in. Cochin always had a very popular & historical sea trade connection with Middle East, Mediterranean Europe & Dutch. It has one of the finest natural harbours on the Arabian coastline. Its cosmopolitan character is reflected in the buildings & structures representing different regions of the world.

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Post lunch guided visit of Cochin:
Jew Town, synagogue; built in the year 1568, is magnificently decorated by Chinese tiles & Belgian chandeliers. Giant scrolls of the Old Testament can be found here.

Spice market, where the air is filled with the pungent smell of spices & history that brought the world to its doorstep.

Chinese fishing nets, (Cheenavala) are distinctly unique to Cochin. It is believed that traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan introduced these nets here.

Evening, we take you to view a Kathakali dance performance (time for photography of a lifetime) Enjoy and observe the elaborate pre dance make up ritual.
Overnight Hotel – Cochin

Day 02: Cochin – Munnar ( Drive 150 kms - 04 hrs)
Post breakfast drive to Munnar, most popular hill stations in South India, situated at the confluence of three mountain streams Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni&Kundala. It was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British officers in South India. Sprawling tea plantations, picture book town, winding lanes, trekking & holiday facilities make Munnar a unique experience.
Overnight Hotel – Munnar (B)

Day 03: Munnar
Post breakfast private guided sightseeing of Munnar
The world's highest tea estates spread like a green carpet over a large area.

Eravikulam National Park (Closed - January & February), the best place to see the rare NilgiriTahr(mountain goat). This sanctuary was set up for the preservation of the endangered NilgiriTahr.
Overnight Hotel – Munnar (B)

Day 04: Munnar – Periyar ( Drive 160 Kms / 5 Hrs)
Post breakfast driven to Periyar Wildlife Reserve; Set on an attractive lakeside, it is South India's most popular Wildlife Sanctuary. Periyar is a place to cruise on the lake & gives an opportunity to see wildlife. It is home to tigers, leopards, elephants, bison, antelopes, Sambhar, wild boar, monkey, a wide variety of birds.

Next we explore the sanctuary to experience the beauty & ecological pattern, followed by visit to the spice garden where you can see how spices like pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and nutmeg are grown.
Overnight Hotel – Periyar (B)

Day 05: Periyar – Kumarakom (Drive 160 Kms / 5 Hrs)
Start your day with an elephant ride (subject to availability) which is the best and safest way to explore the remotest and densest areas of the forests. If you are more keen in combing denser areas of the forests and search for some fierce creatures. Riding an elephant takes you back to the royal era, when only the Kings use to ride on these majestic creatures.

Post lunch drive to Kumarakom, known for backwaters, huge Vembanad Lake & famous Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.
Overnight Hotel – Kumarakom (B)

Day 06: Kumarakom – Alleppey (A/C Houseboat) (Drive 160 Kms / 5 Hrs)
Post breakfast drive to Alleppey, Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey, is a town in Kerala. A town with picturesque canals, backwaters & lagoons, it was described as the Venice of the East. It has a wonderful past, it owes its existence to the sagacious Diwan Raja Kesavadas in the second half of 18th century. Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala with the unending stretch of paddy fields, small streams & canals with lush green coconut palms, was well known even from the early periods of the Sangam age. History says Alappuzha had trade relations with ancient Greece & Rome in BC & in the middle Ages. Alleppey now is the hub for backwaters tourism in Kerala.

On arrival we board the houseboat, locally called Kettuvallam, cruise around backwaters of Kumarakom – Alleppey to observe & experience the daily life of the villagers along the backwaters.
Overnight Houseboat (B, L, D)

Day 07: Alleppey – Cochin (Drive 52 Kms – 1 Hrs)
Cochin – Goa via Mumbai {GoAir @ 1300 / 1630 Hrs}
Disembark from the houseboat and transfer to cochin airport to board the flight to Goa. On arrival after traditional Indian style ‘Swagat’ (Welcome) by Exceptional Escapes representative, he would assist you at the airport & transfer to hotel for check in. Goa, once a part of the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd century BC. From 580–750 AD the Chalukyas of Badami had their sway over Goa. It is also known for its world heritage architecture including the Bom Jesus Basilica. Goa also has rich flora & fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which are classified as a biodiversity hotspot rather an absolute paradise on earth.

Rest of the day at leisure on the beach shore.
Overnight Hotel – Goa

Day 08: North Goa
Post breakfast visit North Goa;
CALANGUTE TO FORT AGUADA;A Tour start off with a visit to Fort Aguada Candolim. Fort Aguada in Goa is one of the most important Fort in Goa and most crucial of all forts in Goa. Today it’s being used as a Goa jail.

SALIGAO CHURCH; Unique in its architectural design and is being illuminated throughout the tourist season.One of the most beautiful churches in Goa. It looks like a shimmering jewel in the fields as you drive by on the Chogum road from Panjim to Calangute.

MAPUSA CITY (BY PASS); Capital of Bardez and famous for its Friday bazaar, where people buy and sell everything from lime to livestock.

VAGATOR BEACH; A beach famous for its seclusion with the Chapora Fort, as its imposing back drop. Vagator beach is undeniably one of the best beaches in the world.

ANJUNA BEACH (View point); Popular among the traveler and is a beautiful picnic spot also known for Trance parties and Hippies in 60's and 70's.its also famous for night life.

CALANGUTE BEACH; Calangute Beach Widely known as queen of Goa's beaches, picnic and musical groups draw hundreds of people.
Evening FREE.
Overnight Hotel – Goa (B)

Day 09: Goa
Rest of the day at leisure on the beach shore.
Overnight Hotel – Goa (B)

Day 10: Goa – Mumbai {IndiGo 6E-438 @ 1355 / 1505 Hrs}
Morning FREE.
In the noon transfer to airport to board the flight to Mumbai. On arrival after traditional Indian style WELCOME at the airport by Exceptional Escapes representative, who would assist you at the airport & transfer to hotel for check in.
Mumbai is an entertainment as well as the commercial hub of India. Artifacts found that these islands had been inhabited since the Stone Age & documented evidence of human habitation dates back to 250 BC. In the 3rd century BC, the islands formed part of the Maurya Empire. In 1534, Portuguese appropriated islands from king of Gujarat later ceded to Charles II of England in 1661, as dowry for Catherine de Braganza. These islands were in turn leased to the British East India Company in 1668.
Overnight Hotel – Mumbai (B)

Day 11: Mumbai
Post breakfast Guided city tour of Mumbai;
Gateway of India, the entrance to the port of Mumbai. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V in 1911.

Prince Wales Museum, built in a confluence of Gothic & Moorish styles. It boasts a collection of ancient Indus Valley artifacts dating 2000 BC, plus some priceless Tibetan & Nepali Art.

Elephanta Caves, houses rock cut temples dating back to 5th century CE. It was named by the Portuguese, after the statue of an elephant near the landing area of the island.

Marine Drive, which runs along the shore of Arabian Sea from Nariman Point past Chowpatty Beach to the foot of Malabar Hill.

Post lunch visits an unique feature of Mumbai Dhobi Ghat; is a traditional laundryman, who will collect dirty linen, wash it, and return it neatly pressed to your doorstep. All for a pittance. The "laundries" are called "Ghats": row upon row of concrete wash pens, each fitted with its own flogging stone. The clothes are soaked in sudsy water, thrashed on the flogging stones, then tossed into huge vats of boiling starch and hung out to dry. Next they are ironed and piled into neat bundles.

Rest of the time FREE shopping and enjoy the nightlife of entertainment city, followed a farewell dinner at the Indian cuisine speciality restaurants.
Overnight Hotel – Mumbai (B)

Day 12: Mumbai Departure
Transfer to airport to board flight for onward journey, taking back memory of entertainment city.

Tour Concludes: Exceptional Escapes Manager would assist you with your transfer to the airport for boarding onward flight.