CALL OF JUNGLE 14 nights / 15 Days (OTS 115) ************************************************************************************* delhi * Corbett national park * ranthambore * bharatpur * agra * orchha * khajuraho * bandhavgarh * kanha * nagpur * delhi

Day 01 - Arrive Delhi Arrive Delhi and meet our representative in the arrival lounge and transfer to hotel. Rest of the time to get rid jet leg. Overnight at hotel. (Meal: None)

Day 02 - Delhi Breakfast at the hotel. Proceed on a city tour of this city of astonishing history. We visit Old Delhi and The important places in Old Delhi include the majestic Red Fort, a rickshaw ride through busy and historical Chandni Chowk is some experience; visit the Jama Masjid (the mosque). We continue with the tour and visit Raj Ghat (The place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated) and Shanti Vana. We make our way towards New Delhi and drive past Rashtrapati Bhawan (Presidents Palace and one-time imperial residence of the British viceroys) visit The Gate: a memorial raised in honor of the Indian soldiers, Qutab Minar, built by Qutub-ud-din Aibek of the Slave Dynasty and Humayuns Tomb, The Laxminarayan Temple, built by the Birlas (Leading industrial house in India) We return to hotel to relax and spend the night. (Meal: Breakfast)

Day 03 - Delhi - Corbett National Park (300 kms/7 hrs) Morning proceed for Corbett. Developed and nurtured by Late Jim Corbett, the former hunting ground of the British, the Jim Corbett National Park was set up in 1936. Initially named as the Hailey National Park, the park was renamed as Jim Corbett National Park and became one of the tiger reserves in the country in 1973 with the launch of the Project Tiger scheme. This 201 square miles park is known for the large population of tigers, leopards and elephants. The national park is home to the most precious wildlife in India and the diverse species of flora and fauna accommodating around 110 tree species, 50 mammal species, 580 bird species and 25 reptile species.

The first ever National Park in India and Asia is also known for its breathtaking landscapes and the thick cover of Sal forests surrounding the park. The Corbett Tiger Reserve covers an area of over 1288 sq. km. Occupying the position between the and the Terai regions, Corbett presents a variety of landscapes - gentle and rugged, plain and mountainous, wet and dry, forests and grasslands - making up an ideal habitat for the numerous plant and animal species. The Corbett National Park is widely known for the Bengal Tiger and the Asiatic Elephant and the 600 species of avifauna Corbett is one of the richest bird regions of India. Rest of the day is at leisure. (We will organize stay inside the National park in a simple tourist bungalow, the places where one can stay inside the park are DHIKALA/ BIJRANI/ SULTAN/SARAPDULI/ GAIRAL and KANDA this depends on availability hence we will provide stay in any of above) (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 04 - Stay inside the park Morning enjoy jeep safari inside the National Park . Evening again enjoy the jeep safari. Overnight at your hotel. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 05 - Stay outside the park - Corbett National Park Early morning enjoy Elephant Safari. Come out of the park and spend the night in a luxury resort. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 06 - Corbett – Delhi (300 kms/7 hrs) Morning drive for Delhi check-in at your hotel. Overnight at hotel. (Meal: Breakfast,)

Day 07 - Delhi – Ranthambore (450 kms/8 hrs) Morning transfer to station to board train to Sawaimadhopur at 0745hrs. Reach by 1300hrs and transfer to hotel. P.M. Jungle safari. Situated in Eastern Rajasthan, where the Aravali Hill ranges and the Vindhyan plateau meet, the Ranthambhore National Park was once the hunting preserve of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The rivers Chambal in the South and Banas in the North bound the Ranthambore National Park. The park is famous for its Tigers and is a favorite with photographers. For a relatively small area, the park has a rich diversity of fauna and flora - species list includes 300 trees, 50 aquatic plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles including the Marsh Crocodile & amphibians and 30 mammals. For the wildlife savvy, Ranthambore wildlife sanctuary today offers an intense diversity of flora and fauna. Tigers, Apart from that a large numbers of Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Gazzelle, Boars, Mongoose, Indian Hare, Monitor Lizards and a large number of birds (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 08 - Ranthambore Day for jungle activities. Overnight at your hotel. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 09 - Ranthambore - Keoladeo Ghana National Park (Bharatpur), (225 kms/5 hrs) Morning drive to Bharatpur famous for Birds – Check into hotel. 7 kms. From the town of Bharatpur lies one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world - The Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary. Formally known as Bharatpur Bird sanctuary, this place was once a hunting ground for the royals of the past. Keoladeo became sanctuary in 1956 and finally received total protection in 1981.

The area consists of swamp lands and lakes consisting one of the most important species of the world - Heron Geese. The total area of the park is 29 Sq. kms. There are around 200 species of birds that live in the park and one can also witness the finest and rarest Siberian Cranes who migrate here all the way from Siberia during winters. The park is the breading ground for these great birds. Some other more common species found in the park are Painted Storks, Darters, Spoonbills, White Abis, Pelicans and hundreds of more. One can also have the glimpses of Wild Boar, Mongoose, Spotted Dears, Hyenas, Jungle Cats, Jackals, Otters, Neelgai, Sambhars, Rock Pythans and above all the Rare Indian Black Buck. Overnight at hotel. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 10 - Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur) – Agra, (51 kms/1.5 hrs) After breakfast drive for Agra, enroute visiting the old and deserted town of Fatehpur Sikri, the red sandstone city of yesteryears. Reach Agra by noon and check into hotel. Later proceed for the city sightseeing covering The Taj Mahal, made of white marble and its walls are decorated with exquisite pietra dura (stone inlay) work. One of the Seven Wonders of the World and surely the most extravagant expression of love ever created. 20,000 men labored for over 17 years to build this memorial to Shah Jahan's beloved wife. Also visit imposing Agra Fort - built of red sandstone and marble is a hilltop citadel with fabulous courtyards. Overnight at hotel. (Meal: Breakfast)

Day 11 - Agra - Jhansi – Orchha – Khajuraho, train /180 kms/3.4 hrs) Morning transfer to railway station to board train Shatabdi express and on arrival at the Jhansi railway station you will be met by our representative and straight drive for Khajuraho enroute visiting Orchha. In this medieval city, the hand of time has rested lightly and the palaces and temples built by its Bundela rulers in the 16th and 17th centuries retain much of their pristine perfection. Orchha was founded in the 16th century by the Bundela Rajput chieftain, Rudra Pratap, who chose this stretch of land along the Betwa River as an ideal site for his capital. In the Laxminarayan Temple and Raj Mahal, vibrant murals encompassing a variety of religious and secular themes, bring the walls and ceilings to rich life. On arrival in Khajuraho, check-in at your hotel.

Khajuraho, Known world over for its Temple complexes, is a fascinating village showcasing rich cultural heritage of India in the temple architecture of India, the Khajuraho complex remains unique. One thousand years ago, under the generous and artistic patronage of the Chandela Rajput kings of Central India, 85 temples, magnificent in form and richly carved, came up on one site, near the village of Khajuraho. The amazingly short span of 100 years, from 950 AD - 1050 AD, saw the completion of all the temples, in an inspired burst of creativity. Today, of the original 85, only 22 have survived the ravages of time; Overnight at hotel. (Meal: Breakfast)

Day 12 - Khajuraho – Bandhavgarh (190 kms/4 hrs) Morning guided city tour of 0erotic temples of Khajuraho: marked by religious fervor, rich patronage, excellent craftsmanship, and aesthetic sensuality, depicting life in every form and mood. Originally there were 85 temples, but today less than 30 temples are in proper condition, we visit Western Group of Temples in Khajuraho comprises of such magnificent temples like Kandariya Mahadeo Temple, Chaunsat Yogini Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Lakshamana Temple, Matangeswara Temple, and Varaha Temple. Eastern Group of Temples at Khajuraho includes Parsvanath Temple, Adinath Temple, Ghantai Temple, Hanuman temple, and Brhama Temple. Southern Group of Temples comprises of Dulah Deo Temple and the Chaturbhuja Temple. Afternoon drive to Bandhavgarh on arrival check-into the wildlife resort. Overnight at Bandhavgarh. (Meal: Breakfast & dinner)

Bandhavgarh National Park is spread at vindhya hills in Madhya PradeshBandhavgarh National Park consists of a core area of 105 sq km and a buffer area of approximately 400 sq km of topography varies between steep ridges, undulating, forest and open meadows. Bandhavgarh National Park is known for the Royal Bengal Tigers. The density of the Tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India. Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968. Since then many steps have been taken to retain Bandhavgarh National Park as an unspoilt national habitat for a variety of wildlife peculiar to the area. These include gaur (Indian bison), sloth bear, leopard, porcupine, wild boar, sambhar and spotted deer, among others and of course, the tiger.

Day 13 - Bandhavgarh Morning after breakfast enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. Overnight at Bandhavgarh. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner)

Day 14 - Bandhavgarh – Kanha (190 kms/4 hrs) Morning drive to Kanha National Park, arrive by lunch time and check into hotel. Kanha National Park is located in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh and is the largest national park in Asia and is one of the first Project Tiger reserves in India. This national park was established in the year 1974. The grasslands in Kanha National Park are interspersed with Sal and Bamboo forests. Kanha national park extends over an area of over 1,940 square kms. Out of the total area, the core area, which is about 940 square km, is the national park and around it is the buffer zone. It was here at Kanha that the eminent zoologist, George Schaller, undertook the first ever-scientific study of the tiger. P.M. Jungle safari. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner)

Day 15 - Kanha Morning after breakfast enjoy a full day game viewing inside the park. The major wildlife attraction in Kanha National Park is the tiger. After 1976 the total population of tiger has doubled. Other major attraction of the Kanha National Park is the rare hard ground 'Barasingha'. Once there were only about 66 Barasinghas in the national park, but careful conservation and management increased their population to more than 400. Other wildlife animals in the park include Spotted deer, Blackbuck, Porcupine, Grey Langurs, Mongoose, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Leopard, Nilgai, Gaur, Indian Bison and Wild Pig. Apart from various wildlife animals there are about 175 varieties of birds in Kanha National Park. Some of the birds, which can be seen in this park, are the Racquet Tailed Drongo, Crimson Breasted Barbet, Crested Hawk Eagle and Golden Oriole. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner)

Day 16 - Kanha – Jabalpur – Delhi (04hrs + air ) Morning drive to Jabalpur airport to board flight to Delhi On arrival you will be met by our local representative and transferred to hotel (day use room) After dinner drop at airport to board flight back home

*******BON VOYAGE*******

WILDS OF EAST – 15 nights /16 Days (OTS 116) ************************************************************************** DELHI * GUWAHATI * KAZIRANGA * BAGDOGRA * KALIMPONG * SILIGURI * KOLKATTA * SUNDERBANS * DELHI

Day 01 - Arrive Delhi Arrive Delhi and meet our representative in the arrival lounge and transfer to hotel. Rest of the time to get rid jet leg. Overnight at hotel. (Meal: None)

Day 02 - Delhi Breakfast at the hotel. Proceed on a city tour of this city of astonishing history. We visit Old Delhi and The important places in Old Delhi include the majestic Red Fort, a rickshaw ride through busy and historical Chandni Chowk is some experience; visit the Jama Masjid (the mosque). We continue with the tour and visit Raj Ghat (The place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated) and Shanti Vana. We make our way towards New Delhi and drive past Rashtrapati Bhawan (Presidents Palace and one-time imperial residence of the British viceroys) visit The India Gate: a memorial raised in honor of the Indian soldiers, Qutab Minar, built by Qutub-ud-din Aibek of the Slave Dynasty and Humayuns Tomb, The Laxminarayan Temple, built by the Birlas (Leading industrial house in India) We return to hotel to relax and spend the night. (Meal: Breakfast)

Day 03 -Delhi – Guwahati - Kaziranga National Park, air /200 kms(5 hrs) Morning transfer to the airport in time to board the flight for Guwahati. On arrival, met by our local representative and straight drive for Kaiziranga National Park

Kaziranga National Park is situated on banks of the Brahmaputra river in Central Assam. It was declared as one of the World’s Heritage Sites in 1985. Besides beautiful nature, Kaziranga has rich fauna. It is a home to Rhinos, wild elephants, buffalos, and hundreds of bird species. Overnight stay at resort. (Meal: Breakfast & Dinner)

Day 04 - Kaziranga National Park Morning enjoy jungle excursion. Afternoon visit to tribal village and witness silk-worm rearing. Overnight stay at resort. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 05 - Kaziranga National Park Early morning elephant ride to Kaziranga National Park. Afternoon visit to the tea garden and tea factory. Dinner at garden bungalow. Overnight stay at resort. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 06: Kaziranga – Guwahati – Bagdogra - Kalimpong , 200 kms(5 hrs)/air /80 kms (2.5 hrs) Morning drive for Guwahati airport to board the flight for Bagdogra. On arrival in Bagdogra, drive for Kalimpong, The name, Kalimpong, has three different origins. One, it means the place where the local tribesmen gathered to organize field sports, second, it takes it’s name from the Bhutanese king’s minister’s stronghold and thirdly, it is named after Kaulim, a fibrous plant found in abundance in this region. The town is 1250 m above sea level and offers excellent views of the Mt Kanchenjunga and the other Himalayan peaks. The popular view points are Durpin Dara and Deoro Hill. Kalimpong has several monasteries and also a Kali temple. The Tibetan Monastery and curio center and Dr Graham's home are important tour stops. Overnight at hotel. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 07 - Kalimpong Morning free to explore the scenic beauty of the surroundings. Afternoon half day sightseeing tour of Kalimpong visiting Durpin Dara, Tharpa choling Monastery, Zong Dog Palri Fo-brang Monastery, Nursery & Market which are few worth visiting places. Overnight stay at hotel. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 08 - Kalimpong- Gangtok (75 kms/2 hrs) Early Morning River rafting on River Teesta and then drive to Gangtok and on arrival check-in at your hotel. Nestling in the lush greenery of the Himalayas is Gangtok (5,800 ft), the small capital city of Sikkim, where Buddhist prayer flags flutter in the mountain breeze, exotic orchids and chirruping birds run riot in a colourful melee. Visit Gangtok for a peek at the profusion of blooming rhododendrons in the deepest of reds and savour the serene cool beauty of the snow clad peaks in an ambience enhanced by the cheerful bustle of a warm, hospitable, pleasant and hard-working people. There are several interesting places around Gangtok, such as Ganesh Tok (7 km), Hanuman Tok (11 km) and Tashi View Point (8 km) from where you get the most amazing views of the Kanchenjunga Mt. Siniolchu and other snow- clad peak (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 09 - Gangtok - Fambong La Wildlife Sanctuary – Gangtok (3\20 kms one way) Morning proceed for excursion to Fambong La Wildlife Sanctuary another addition to the list of sanctuaries in Sikkim. Known as the second smallest state of India, Sikkim is just the perfect destination where one can enjoy the diverse range of vegetation in such a small region. Situated at a distance of 20 kms from Gangtok, Fambong La Wildlife Sanctuary is a nice place to observe the wild animals engaged in their daily activities.

Sprawled in an area of 51.76 sq km, the Sanctuary is occupied by dense forests of oak, katus, kimbu, champ, bamboo and ferns. Fambong La Wildlife Sanctuary also embraces plenty of wild orchids, and rhododendrons. The abundantly forested area is regarded as the abode of different species of wild animals like Himalayan Black Bear, Red Panda, Civet cat Binturong or Bear-Cat (Arctictis binturong) etc. Regarding Avifauna, the sanctuary houses several types of birds and butterflies. Due to variance in altitude from 1280 meters to 2652 meters, the sanctuary is able to hold a wide range of both flora and fauna. Overnight at your hotel. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 10 -Gangtok - Kyongnosia Alpine Sanctuary-Gangtok (30 kms one way) Morning proceed for excursion to Kyongnosia Alpine Sanctuary, spread over an area of 31 sq. km the sanctuary forms a natural border with Bhutan and Tibet in North-East. The Sanctuary can be reached from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim by a one and half hour journey towards Nathula and Tsongo Lake.

Situated at elevation between 10,000ft to 13000ft the sanctuary abounds in alpine flowers like Primulas, Poppies, Magnolias and Rhododendron. The sanctuary is home to several endemic floral species of Himalayas particularly medicinal plants and orchids. Some huge and majestic silver firs spread over the area towering above the dense rhododendron forests and fields of tiny flowering plants. There are also dense bushes of bamboos at the lower altitudes, which forms an ideal habitat for animals like the Red Panda. The difficult terrain of the region has still kept a large portion of the sanctuary as unexplored. The Sanctuary commands a breathtaking view of Kunchenjungha peak in the west and Mt. Pandim and Mt. Norsing in the southern side. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 11 -Gangtok – Bagdogra - Kolkatta (140 kms/5hrs)/air Morning drive for Bagdogra enroute visiting countryside and on arrival drop at the airport in time to board the flight for Kolkatta. On arrival in Kolkatta, met by our representative and transfer to your hotel. Overnight stay at your hotel.

Kolkatta - the Capital of West Bengal, Calcutta, lies on the Hooghly distributaries of the Ganges. Its close proximity to river and sea, and hence its connection to the outside world and historical trade routes, has meant that it has developed as a major commercial centre. The city of Calcutta, unlike Banaras, Delhi or Jaipur, does not have a heritage which stretches back into the distant past. It is a parvenu city, which grew with the development of British power in Bengal. In the 17th century, the English East India Company received a royal charter to trade in Asian waters. In the process of establishing their trading network in India, British traders set up their outposts, who were called, in the parlance of the day, “Factories” Overnight at your hotel. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 12 - Kokatta - Sunderbans National Park Transfer to Basanti Port for cruising to Sundarbans. Some believe that the name Sunderbans is derived from 'Sundri' - a plant found in the local mangroves - and 'bans' meaning forest. Others believe the name means 'beautiful forest' ('sunder' = beautiful, and 'bans' = forest). The Sunderbans, extending over an area of 1,000,000 hectares, is the world's largest delta, formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghana rivers. The region has extensive mangrove forests and the contours are in a constant state of flux, caused by the monsoon flooding each year. Roughly a third of the delta is water, consisting of rivers, channels and tidal creeks up to 5 kilometers wide. The Sunderbans falls both within the India and Bangladesh, the latter having the larger share of the delta. On the Indian side there is a national park overlooking the Bay of Bengal. Overnight motorized launch. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 13 - Sunderbans National Park – Kolkatta Morning cycle rickshaw ride to Rangabeloa Tagore Society. Afternoon return to Basanti Port. Drive to Kolkatta. Overnight stay at hotel. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)

Day 14 Kolkatta - Delhi , air Departure transfer to the airport in time to board the flight for Delhi and on arrival; transfer to the International airport in time to board the flight for onward destination. (Meal: Breakfast)

*******BON VOYAGE******* THE VIRGIN FOREST OF – 12 nights / 13 days (OTS-117)

DAY 01 Departure from your country TO COCHIN On board flight to Cochin.

DAY 02 COCHIN Arrive Cochin by morning. Garland welcome, assistance and transfer to hotel. Afternoon sightseeing of “Queen of Arabian Sea” - Cochin, a major port of call on the ancient trade route from China to Rome. The mixture of influences here is a heady brew. dot the coast, Roman coins are dug up as treasure trove, the Mattancheri Palace was built by the Portuguese, and was created by the British. Here you will find Hindu Temples, Christian Churches, mosques, and a synagogue (the Jewish settlement dates from at least as far back as AD 400). Cochin is a melting pot of races and cultures, charmingly emphasizing that variety is indeed the spice of life. Visit famous monuments & churches. Evening we make a short drive to watch the dance- drama of Kerala – The Kathakali in a local theatre. O/n Hotel.

DAY 03 COCHIN TO PARAMBIKULAM Morning after breakfast drive to Annamalai/Parambikulam (about 180kms/04hrs) via visiting Athirapilly waterfalls. The road winds you through Sholayar forests and Valparai hills tea estates. Upon arrival short visit to Top Slip and also visit the center at Anapatty. O/n Camping at Jungle House.

DAY 04 PARAMBIKULAM Lying adjacent to the Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, the 285 sq km stretch of forest known as the Parambikulam Sanctuary is one of Kerala’s premier wildlife reserves. Parambikulam lies in the Annamalai Hills, south of the Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats. The area’s hilly and rocky, drained by several rivers, including the Parambikulam, the Sholayar and the Thekkedy.

Thickly forested with stands of bamboo, sandalwood, rosewood and teak, the sanctuary has some marshy land and scattered patches of grassland. Parambikulam was once home to some of ’s finest stands of teak; most of these, however, have now been replaced by teak plantations.

Parambikulam’s animal species include many of India’s most prominent mammals: leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears, elephants, wild boar, barking deer, spotted deer, langurs and macaques. Parambikulam is also home to Kerala’s largest population of gaur. Besides these, civet, chevrotain, pangolin, crocodile, jungle cat, porcupine and some 140 species of birds are found in the sanctuary. Although the larger cats are few and far between, gaur, monkeys and deer are fairly common in the sanctuary.

Full day walk at Parambikulam Wildlife Reserve. This can be either tough Jungle trek through dense rain forest OR smooth walk along the river valley including visit tribal village. O/n Camping at Jungle House. DAY 05 PARAMBIKULAM TO Morning after breakfast drive to Munnar (about 157kms/04hrs) through Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary – a throny scrub jungle presents no where else make this sanctuary unique. There is a wide range of animals and a good number of birds in this sanctuary. Animals include elephant, gaur, sambar, porcupine, lion taled monkey etc. Birds like jungle fowl, spotted dove, Keralalaughing thrush etc are seen here. Proceed to Munnar via Marayoor – the only place in Kerala that has a natural abundance of sandalwood trees. Check into the hotel. Rest of the day free to relax in our beautiful hotel set amidst among the tall trees.

DAY 06 MUNNAR Morning after breakfast we make a short drive to . You will find yourself wondering, as you soak in the neat arrays of verdant green, dotted with the red and blues and violets of the women who are plucking tea leaves… Eravikulam National Park – this is the home of the Niligiri Tahr (locally called Varayadu, meaning rock goat), the rare mountain goat that is fast becoming extinct. Most of the remaining Nilgiri Tahr are found in this park. We explore the park by 02 – 03hrs walk, the views are stunning from the top. Free to relax or just stroll around the tea estates.

DAY 07 MUNNAR TO THEKKADY Morning after breakfast we start our drive to Thekkady (about 110kms/03hrs) through the cardamom hills of Idukki. Check into the hotel. Evening we explore the Wildlife Sanctuary which spreads over 777 sq km, roughly half of which is dense evergreen forest, savannah grassland and moist deciduous forest. The forest was declared a tiger reserve in 1978 under Project Tiger, and so the name Periyar Tiger Reserve is sometimes used to denote the place as well. We will do a 02 hr boat ride in an artificial lake formed during the construction of the in 1895 – that explains the dead tree branches sticking out of the water. These trees were submerged in the waters of the dam. The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the few places where the chances are pretty high that you will spot an elephant in the wild at close quarters and from the safe confines of a boat. Not just elephant, but if it’s your lucky day, gaur, masher, otter and other wildlife. Rest of the day free to relax. O/n Hotel.

DAY 08 THEKKADY Morning after breakfast we will go for a full day trekking & rafting at Periyar wildlife sanctuary. The adventure starts at 0800 hrs from the Lake Periyar boat landing. Maximum of 05 persons are allowed per raft and 02 rafts are functioning. It involves a 2- hour trek in to the core area, 3-hours rafting and 2-hours return trek. There will be one- armed guard and 2 tribal trackers along with each raft. A simple vegetarian lunch will be served as well as snacks and tea or coffee. Rest of the day free to relax. O/n Hotel.

DAY 09 THEKKADY TO Morning after breakfast drive to Kumarakom (about 140kms/03hrs). Much of its beauty is laid out in all its glory along the road, which winds from Periyar to through Cardamom, Coffee, pepper and rubber plantations. Check into the hotel. Afternoon visit Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary known for local varieties like the waterfowl, cuckoo, owl and the water duck. Rest of the day free to relax. O/n Hotel.

DAY 10 KUMARAKOM TO ALLEPPEY Morning after breakfast transfer to Alleppey to board our houseboat and sail through scenic backwaters, passing through one of the few areas in the world where farming is done below sea level. The houseboat will cruise through the Chambakulam area and anchor to explore the boat yard which displays the traditional long snake boats used in races. Visit St. Mary’s Church, established by St. Thomas in 1721. Also catch a glimpse of village life along the backwaters and experience a way of life unique to this region. The boat will pass through picturesque stretches of the backwaters of Alleppey. In the evening we anchor our houseboat. O/n Houseboat.

DAY 11 ALLEPPEY TO Morning after breakfast disembark from the houseboat and drive towards the southward direction to Kovalam (about 160kms/04hrs), a beach paradise with boundless blue o the Arabian Sea and unwinding miles of fine sand washed by a surf which roars and hisses at the feet of coconut palms. A sheet of silvery sand curves into a arch water and on the other by a never ending spread of green palmgroves. Upon arrival, check into the hotel. Rest of the day free to relax. O/n Hotel.

DAY 12 KOVALAM - The day at leisure. O/n Hotel. DAY 13 KOVALAM TO TRIVANDRUM TO DEPARTURE TO YOUR COUNTRY - Morning transfer to Trivandrum Int’l airport to board flight to your home country.