Captivating Kerala – 7 days land only

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- Return airport/hotel transfers
- 5 nights hotel accommodation
- 1 night a-board a houseboat
- Breakfast daily plus selected lunches & dinners
- Houseboat cruise along the Keralan backwaters
- A traditional Kathakali dance show
- Assistance of local guides
- Guided tour of the Tea Museum in Munnar
- Guided tour of Fort Kochi
- Highlights include Kochi, Lake Vembanad, Alleppey, Munnar & Kumarakom

Excludes a tipping kitty (approx. USD 25) & entrance fees to places visited (approx. USD 20).

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Kochi
Saturday. Welcome to India. You'll be met at Kochi airport & transferred to your hotel. Long famed in the history books, Kochi (formerly known as Cochin) offered refuge to Jews more than 2,500 years ago. The Portuguese founded the first European colony in Kochi in the 16th century, then the Dutch quickly followed & eventually, the British. The cosmopolitan mix of cultures makes the city truly fascinating. This evening we watch a Kathakali performance. Kathakali is the fascinating traditional dance form of Kerala.
Overnight: Kochi

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Munnar
Kochi - Munnar. On the morning of day 2 we enjoy a guided tour of historic Fort Kochi. We see the elegant Chinese fishing nets & explore the winding streets of the old town, visiting St Francis’ Church, Parsi Synagogue (exterior only) & a Dutch palace. After our sightseeing in Kochi we drive east to Munnar - a picturesque hill station nestled on the verdant slopes of tea plantations.

On day 3 we'll take a stroll through one of the many tea plantations with our guide, who will give us a brief explanation about the different varieties of tea & how they are processed. Then we'll visit a local market before heading back to our hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at your own leisure.
Overnight: Munnar

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Kerala backwaters
Munnar - Alleppey - Keralan backwaters. Early this morning we set off on a scenic 4 - 5 hour drive to Alleppey. Upon arrival we board a simply furnished private rice-boat for a journey through the lush backwaters. Our rice-boat takes us sedately along the enchanting palm-fringed backwaters, covering a distance of some 20 kms, during which time the boat glides past local villages & fascinating scenes of everyday rural life. Watch a beautiful sunset over the backwaters & enjoy tasty meals (starting with lunch) prepared by the on board chef using fresh local produce.
Overnight: Deluxe rice boat  

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Kumarakom
Keralan Backwaters - Kumarakom. After breakfast on day 5 we disembark the houseboat at Kumarakom. Perched sleepily amongst a tangle of lush tropical waterways known as the Keralan backwaters, Kumarakom is technically a cluster of islands on Lake Vembanad - one of Asia’s largest freshwater lakes. This is an ideal place to relax for the next two days & enjoy the beautiful scenery. There is also a wonderful bird sanctuary spread across 14 acres, which is a favoured haunt of migratory birds & certainly worthy of a visit.
Overnight: Kumarakom  

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Day 7: Kochi
Kumarakom - Kochi. Today marks the end of our memorable journey. After breakfast we travel back to Kochi & included transfer to the airport. Please note: flights from Kochi should depart after 2pm.

This is a group tour  with set departure dates - add an additional R4200 per person to privatise this tour & depart on any day .
Upgrade to a premium houseboat at an additional R990 per person