Impressions of Kerala

Custom India Itinerary:

Impressions of Kerala A dream trip to India’s best kept secret

*Trip description done to include festivals that occur in JANUARY of each year to share the full potential of the itinerary - which could easily be done without the festivals throughout the year.

PO Box 1566 | Burlington VT 05402 | (800) 233 4499 | info@aboveclouds.com | aboveclouds.com

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Impressions of Kerala A dream trip to India’s best kept secret

Kerala is one of the most desirable locations to visit in Asia and this itinerary has been designed to take advantage of the most photogenic destinations while being sure to coincide with not one, but two colorful, local and off the beaten path festivals.

Kerala is India's most advanced state. It boasts 95-100 percent literacy, has a world-class health care system, the nation’s lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rates Peaceful and pristine, Kerala is India's cleanest - and potentially most unique - state.

With the Arabian Sea to the west, the Western Ghats towering 1,500-8,000’ in the east and laced by a network of 44 rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it a highly desirable tourist destination. Kerala has an equable climate and a long shoreline with serene, unpopulated beaches. We also will find lush hill stations and beautiful waterfalls, interspersed with sprawling plantations and paddy fields.

The rich culture includes enchanting art forms, magical festivals and photogenic architecture and cultural monuments. All of these elements, combined with an exotic cuisine, will come together into a unique and unforgettable experience. It’s sure to be a trip of a lifetime - and you’ll have world class photos to prove it!

PO Box 1566 | Burlington VT 05402 | (800) 233 4499 | info@aboveclouds.com | aboveclouds.com

Day-By-Day Itinerary: 01: Arrive Mumbai (BOM) by international flight. Met upon arrival and transfer to to hotel for rest and relax. Your guide will be waiting to greet you at the hotel and will welcome you to your trip. Most flights arrive late in the evening so they will help you to get settled in and give you a chance to sleep and begin getting over jetlag.

Waterstone Hotel 02: The early morning will allow time to rest and recover from jet lag. Then take a midday 45-minute flight to Madurai, where you will be met upon arrival and transferred to Karaikudi--a 2.5 hour car ride. The plan is to arrive in the late afternoon or early evening and check into your hotel to get settled. Later, we will have a welcome dinner. Visalam (B,L,D) 03: After breakfast, you will have the first scheduled outing to explore the mansions of the area and visit antique shops before having a nice lunch of Chettinad cuisine!

Lunch will be a hands-on experience - learning where the food comes from and watching it be prepared, and of course, we will be able to take photos of the cooking and eating! The afternoon is at leisure with the option of exploring the town on foot or kicking the end of jet lag. Visalam (B,L,D)

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04: Early this morning you will head into the heart of town to begin the day celebrating the local festivities of Pongal! This festival is a celebration of the end of the harvest that is traditionally celebrated with the dish it’s named after, cooked by the matriarch of each family on the familial house door step. In Tamil, the word Pongal means "overflowing" which signifies abundance and prosperity. On the day of Pongal, at the time of sun rise there is a symbolic ritual of boiling this sumptuous dish in a new clay pots and when the contents boils over and bubbles out of the vessel, people shout "Pongalo Pongal!"

While the middle of the day will be reserved to head back to the hotel for lunch and a time to rest and relax, by mid-afternoon you’ll head back into the middle of the town for festivities, exploring the town and taking as many photos of this annual event as possible. Visalam (B,L,D) 15: This day is called “Mattu” pongal - this is a celebration of the cattle, particularly because the cows and bulls play a vital role, working hard to help the farmers to raise crops on their fields, will begin the following day. This will be a beautiful morning to photograph, as the enormous horns of these majestic animals are colorfully painted and patterned as they wander the decorated streets!

By mid-morning you’ll be on your way to Madurai (2.5 hours) and arriving in time for a group lunch and some details about the rest of the day. After lunch you’ll head out to explore the town and as the sun sets you’ll all head over to the Meenaskshi Temple to attend a night ceremony. Pasumalai Madurai (B,L,D) 16: If you are interested, early this morning you can head out for a sunrise photo shoot at the famed Meenaskshi temple - from which you’ll return in time for breakfast and a brief chance to gather your things before heading out for the day’s outings - which will include the flower market and the Tirumal Nayak Palace and of course - the city itself.

PO Box 1566 | Burlington VT 05402 | (800) 233 4499 | info@aboveclouds.com | aboveclouds.com

07: This morning you’ll depart early en route to the green tea hill of Kerala to Munnar. While the drive in total will be about 5 hours it will be broken up into two parts. The first half will take you to Theni, where you’ll get a chance to explore some wonderfully picturesque chilli farms and have lunch - prepared in a vegetarian and local style! After lunch you’ll continue on the drive to the tea plantations and into the hills.

Upon arrival you’ll have a chance to check into the hotel to rest, relax and recover from the time on the road. This afternoon you’ll have the option to walk the grounds and take as many sunset photos as your heart desires. After being in the lower lands to the east, the many shades of emerald green flowing through the hills covered with tea and cardamom will be a welcome sight for your eyes and your camera lens! Windermere Hotel (B,L,D) 08: After having had some time to explore the area yesterday, today will be a day about wandering peacefully through the tea gardens, cardamom hills and exploring the life of the folks that call this place home. Windermere Hotel (B,L,D) 09: While today will certainly be the longest drive of the trip - it is a full day of food, activities and plenty of entertainment. Departing Munnar by 8:30am - after your sunrise photography shoot you’ll continue heading west. After about 3 hours you’ll stop in Pala - the rubber capital of the India. Once in Pala, you will head to a traditional home where you’ll have a wonderful lunch set up for everyone.

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After lunch you’ll spend sometime stretching your legs as you walk through the town and explore some of the local spice plantations and pineapple harvesting before you head back on the bus and onward to Ettumanoor (about 3 more hours) where you’ll experience an exclusive Kalaripayattu “martial art” performance. After which you will once again head back on the bus and finish the last hour of the drive and arrive in Alleppey.

With a full day of travel and exploring you’ll check into your rooms and be served a lovely dinner before having a chance to rest for the evening. Park Vembanad Lake (B,L,D) 10: After a long day traveling yesterday, today is a day about being on your own two feet and exploring this wonderful town. After an early morning photo shoot, the rest of the day will be filled with toddy tapping (and tasting!), coconut harvesting, coir making, village visits and most exciting: the church festival at St Andrews Forane Church.

While this is a Christian Church and this festival is held in the name of St. Sebastian it is a very Indian experience and a unique one to be a part of! This afternoon will be dedicated to the procession for the festival as well as being a part of the excitement of the community as a whole.

Park Vembanad Lake (B,L,D)

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11: This morning you will gather to board a beautiful house boat. These boats were originally designed to be rice boats, they were built to navigate these very canals from the sea up into the hills to transport the goods of the region to the major ports of the area. The history of these boats is what, many years ago, brought prosperity to the region and began it’s relationship with the rest of the modern world.

You’ll all enjoy a beautiful lunch aboard the boats before getting yourselves back on dry land and driving the short distance (about an hour and a half) up to Kochi (formerly Cochin). You’ll have a chance to check into your room, get comfortable and gather yourselves together before heading out to experience a private Kathikali dance performance. If you are interested, we would be happy to arrange for the dancers to allow you to be there and photograph the makeup application for their performance. s that fires imagination to the capacity of human hands. Eight Bastion (B,L,D) 12: Today is a day all about Kochi. You’ll be exploring the fish landing, Fort Kochi, the fishing nets and the spice markets of the town - all as you enjoy the final full day of the trip! The middle of the day will be at leisure, giving you time to explore the city on foot, take photos at your leisure or do some souvenir shopping.

By late afternoon you’ll all gather together again to board your sunset cruise, which will take you on Vembenad Lake and along the coast of the the city. You’ll return to the city in time for your farewell dinner. Eight Bastion (B,L,D) 13: After breakfast this morning you’ll transfer to the airport for the flight to Mumbai. Upon arrival in Mumbai you’ll transfer to a hotel to drop you things and freshen up for a bit to explore the town.

You’ll have lunch in town and spend the afternoon exploring the Fort Area and partaking in the Heritage Walk before you head back to the hotel for dinner and to wait for each of your onward flights home. You will be provided with an airport transfer at whatever time is required for your international flight. (B,L,D) 14: Most flights to the USA depart slight after midnight, so you’ll be transferred to the airport based on each of your own flight paths and escorted to your respective gate for your journey home. End of Services.

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Impressions of Kerala

A dream trip to India’s best kept secret

NOTES & COSTS: Land Cost: $8,950 per person (based on a group of 2-4 & double sharing throughout) Single Supplement: $995 per person Includes: Pre-departure assistance for preparation, all accommodations & meals as listed, arrival & departure transfers, private vehicle, driver, head guide & local guides throughout, all listed activities (and cost for required materials for activities), tips to guides/drivers/staff (*except for the head guide), full support services & all entrance fees throughout.

Not included: International air travel arrangements, Indian Visa, all arrangements prior to arrival in Mumbai and after departure from Mumbai, Travel / Medical & Evacuation insurance, and items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone, alcoholic beverages and shopping etc...

PO Box 1566 | Burlington VT 05402 | (800) 233 4499 | info@aboveclouds.com | aboveclouds.com

The Art of Adventure Travel