BEST OF -07 NIGHTS / 08 DAYS ITINERARY

DAY 01: ARRIVE COCHIN - Morning arrive pick up from Conference venue and drive to Munnar (around 3 ½ to 4 hour drive). Enroute stop at for a break.

Munnar is arguably the ideal starting point for exploring the unfathomable diversity and beauty of Kerala, and it is a hill station - breathtakingly beautiful - a haven of peace and tranquility - the idyllic tourist destination in God's own country. Set at an altitude of 6000 ft in , Munnar was the favoured summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. Unending expanse of tea plantations - pristine valleys and mountains- exotic species of flora and fauna in its wild sanctuaries and forests - aroma of spice scented cool air - yes! Munnar has all these and more.

On arrival check in to your hotel and relax. Afternoon visit tea factory museum. Later you will visitMattupetty Dam and Echo point. You can enjoy a speed boat ride at the artificial lake at Mattupetty.

Overnight in Munnar.

DAY 02: MUNNAR Morning after a leisurely breakfast, proceed Eravikulam National Park.

Eravikulam National Park : A sanctuary for the endangered mountain goat of South India, the Nilgiri Tahr. The Eravikulam National Park stands out for the stark beauty of its rolling grasslands and sholas, spread over 97 sq km in the Rajamalai hills. , the highest peak (2695 m) south of the Himalayas, towers over the sanctuary in majestic pride. The slopes of the hills abound in all kinds of rare flora and fauna. The Atlas moth, the largest of its kind in the world, is a unique inhabitant of the park. Other rare species of fauna found here are the Nilgiri Langur, the lion-tailed macaque, leopards, tigers, etc.

Rest of the day free for shopping and independent activities. Overnight in Munnar.

DAY 03: MUNNAR - THEKKADY Morning after breakfast, check out and drive to Thekkady (around 3 ½ hrs drive). Thekkady, one of India's major wildlife sanctuaries, sprawled over an area of 777 sq.kms is rich in varied flora and fauna. It is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India and spread across the entire district are picturesque plantations of tea, cardamom, pepper, cloves and cinnamon in the High Ranges and hill towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks.

On arrival, check into your hotel and relax. After noon, proceed for a spice plantation tour. You can also enjoy Elephant ride here. Later you can do a boating through the lake near Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary to see the wildlife in close range. Elephants, wild boar, bison are the main attraction here.

Overnight in Thekkady.

DAY 04: THEKKADY - KUMARAKOM Morning after breakfast check out and drive to Kumarakom (around 3½ hrs drive).

Kumarakom is a serenely beautiful and scenic backwater destination, a charming peninsula jutting into the ever-effervescent Lake that is dotted with plenty of traditional rice boats and canoes, leaving a scene that is immensely pleasing to the eye. The Vembanad Lake with its majestic canals, streams and distributaries along its banks weave an intricate and enchantingly beautiful web. The gorgeous green of the fringed palms ripple in the blue waters and blend into wavelets.

On arrival check in to a beautiful backwater resort and relax. Enjoy the activities at resort. You can avail a rejuvenation massage at the Ayurvedic Centre here after consulting the in house Ayurvedic physician here.

Overnight at Kumarakom.

DAY 05: KUMARAKOM (HOUSEBOAT) - ALLEPPEY Morning hours at leisure. Around 1200 noon board a traditional Kerala houseboat from the resort itself and cruise along the serene backwaters towards Alleppey.

During the cruise, the countryside offers a close look into an engaging rustic life. You can see skilled fishermen launching their cockshell boats, large flotillas of ducks waddling down to the water from thatched houses on the banks, women neck-deep in water, with their waist-length hair heaped in a crown, searching for fish with their feet and aimless cattle grazing in lush pastureland, where white lotuses lie here and there in small, low-lying pools.

The personal chef on the houseboat will prepare delicious Kerala style cuisine for you on board. Evening, cruise till 1700 hrs and the boat will be anchored in the lake for dinner and overnight stay .

DAY 06: ALLEPPEY - Morning after breakfastaround 9:00 AM disembark houseboat in Alleppey and drive to Kovalam (around 3 ½hrs drive).

Kovalam is an internationally renowned beach with three adjacent crescent beaches. It has been a favourite haunt of tourists, especially Europeans, since the 1930s. A massive rocky promontory on the beach has created a beautiful bay of calm waters ideal for sea bathing. The tropical sun acts so fast that one can see the faint blush of coppery tan on the skin in a matter of minutes. Life on the beach begins late in the day and carries on well into the night. The beach complex includes a string of budget cottages, Ayurvedic health resorts, convention facilities, shopping zones, swimming pools, Yoga and Ayurvedic massage centres.

On arrival check into a beach resort and relax. Overnight at Kovalam.

DAY 07: KOVALAM - TRIVANDRUM - KOVALAM Morning hours at leisure, after noon proceed for a city tour of Thiruvanathapuram.

Trivandrum is an ancient city with tradition dating back to 1000 BC. Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Raja of Travancore in 1750. The city gets its name from the word, Thiru-anantha-puram, meaning the city of Anantha or the abode of the sacred Serpent Anantha on which Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu trinity, reclines.

Places of interest are: , Shri Chitra Art Gallery, drive through the Kanakakunnu Palace & other government buildings. Also visit the famous Padmanabha Swamy Temple.

Overnight at Kovalam.

DAY 08: KOVALAM DEPART Morning after breakfast, check out from the hotel and get transferred to Trivandrum International Airport to take your onward flight.

END OF THE TOUR

Moon Days, 1st Floor, “Peppermint Sadan”, Ravipuram, MG Road, Cochin – 682016 Tel: +91 98470 44578, 97455 77012, 98470 54119 www.moondays.in | [email protected]