• 5 Breakfast (B)
• 4 Dinner (D)
• 1 Lunch (L)

• Periyar National Park: Witness the ancient art of Kalarippayattu as Kalari warriors dazzle you with leaps and somersaults. Afterwards, you’ll discover the discipline and skill behind this tradition with a hands-on martial arts lesson. This is your chance to channel the spirit of Kerala’s heritage in the most exciting way.
• Kumarakom: Discover rural life on a walking tour with a local market visit.
• Kumily: Learn about time-tested customs and the cultural significance of spice cultivation during your visit to Kumily Spice Garden.
• Kerala Backwater Day Tours: Cruise the backwaters of Kerala on a traditional houseboat. Get an insider’s look at the day-to-day activities of locals as you journey along Kerala’s waterways. 
• Kochi: See the unique Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi.

• Deluxe coach travel
• Selected hotel dinners plus a locally hosted meal
• 4-star stays

Join a guided village walk in waterside Kumarakom, following quiet lanes beside canals and coconut groves. Browse the local market where spice sellers, fruit vendors and fishermen trade amid bursts of color and the chatter of bargaining.

Learn how life along Lake Vembanad moves with monsoon cycles and paddy harvests, and soak in the lakeside atmosphere as boats glide past and coir rope dries in the sun. This intimate outing showcases Kerala’s everyday rhythms and warm greetings.

Glide across Periyar Lake to spot wildlife from the water—elephants, sambar deer and waterbirds along reed-fringed shores. Forested slopes of the misty Western Ghats rise around you as cormorants dive and kingfishers flash electric blue.

Learn about the Periyar Tiger Reserve, where protected habitats shelter Asian elephants and abundant birdlife. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; sightings vary with season and time of day.

Visit a working spice garden to wander beneath shade trees where pepper vines and cardamom pods thrive alongside cinnamon, clove and ginger. Crush leaves and bark between your fingers to release warm, resinous aromas as growers explain planting, harvesting and curing methods.

Trace Kerala’s role in the global spice trade—from Arab merchants to Portuguese explorers—and hear how these prized seasonings flavor local cooking and Ayurvedic remedies. This fragrant encounter deepens your understanding of the region’s agricultural heartbeat.

Cruise the Kerala backwaters aboard a traditional kettuvallam houseboat, drifting along palm-fringed canals and mirror-still lagoons. Watch fishermen tend Chinese nets and villagers ferry produce in slender canoes as emerald paddy fields unfurl on the horizon.

Hear how coir rope once bound these rice barges without nails, and pass through the Kuttanad region, long called the “Rice Bowl of Kerala.” Gentle breezes, kingfisher flashes and waterside chapels create a serene, photo-ready panorama.

Explore multi-cultural Kochi on a guided tour through Fort Kochi’s colonial lanes. Admire mural-lined halls at the Mattancherry Dutch Palace, step inside St. Francis Church, and watch the famed Chinese fishing nets creak over the tide.

Unpack centuries of commerce and conquest: a 1503 church linked with Vasco da Gama, a palace bearing Ramayana frescoes, and cantilevered bamboo nets introduced by traders. This layered circuit reveals how spice wealth shaped architecture, faith and daily life.

Dine with a local family in their home for a warm Be My Guest dinner. Watch a hands-on cooking demonstration as coconut, curry leaves and black pepper crackle in the pan and fragrant steam fills the kitchen.

Swap stories at the table while sampling Kerala specialties shaped by coastal trade routes and family tradition. This intimate evening offers insight into customs, ingredients and hospitality that rarely appear in restaurants.

Begin the day with optional sunrise yoga in tranquil gardens near Lake Vembanad. Breathe deeply through gentle Hatha sequences as palms rustle overhead and birdsong carries on the breeze, cultivating a sense of lakeside calm.

Guided by an experienced instructor, connect movement and breath in a session inspired by Kerala’s wellness traditions. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, suitable for all levels.

Witness a thrilling Kalarippayattu performance, where trained Kalari warriors spring, spin and spar with shields and swords in a sand-floored arena lit by oil lamps. Feel the drumbeats and the hush before each leap as Kerala’s ancestral discipline comes vividly to life.

Discover the ancient martial art of Kerala, often cited among the world’s oldest, then try a few basic moves under expert guidance. Learn how strength, flexibility and breath control shape a practice tied to Ayurveda and temple traditions.

Trafalgar

Arrive and meet your Tour Director over a relaxed welcome reception featuring local appetizers that hint at Kerala’s famed spice larder. Share first impressions of the Queen of the Arabian Sea as you settle into the rhythm of coastal life and compare notes with fellow travelers in a convivial setting.

Gain a friendly primer to Kochi’s layered past—from Portuguese forts to Chinese fishing nets—and gather practical tips for exploring markets, waterfront promenades and cultural quarters during your stay.