Secrets of South India

After breakfast, you will set off on an early morning excursion to Rangnathithu bird sanctuary. Curiously, the sanctuary covers less than 1 sq km but is extraordinarily densely populated with avifauna. The most common birds in the sanctuary are painted storks, spoon bills, white ibises, egrets, herons and partridges. You will notice that most of the birds stay on tiny islands within the river, which you can approach by boat, this is because the river is also home to a few crocodiles! 

The next morning, we will drive you to Nagarhole National Park which will take roughly 2 hours. Here you will experience your first Morning Jungle Safari in a shared jeep or canter. Later enjoy a short Coracle ride on Kabini River. Coracle is a small country made boat which is ideal for game viewing in this Park. Nagarhole is home to: horned antelope, panthers, warblers, hornbills spotted deer, mouse deer, pangolin, gaur and even the giant flying squirrel. A Night Trail will give you an amazing experience of the Park’s nocturnal life. Naturalists will skillfully escort you around the areas where you will encounter a fascinating nocturnal world of beetles, spiders, owls, moths, lizards and even plants, as you go about this unusual night adventure.

The next morning, you will go on a guided Nature Walk in Nagarhole. Taking you along the banks is one of the best ways to explore the treasures of nature. An accompanying naturalist will unravel the beauty of birds, insects, trees and wildflowers, along the way. The walk will then take you along the banks of the Kabini river and through the scrub and fields along the village roads. In the afternoon, you will take a small cruise through the serene backwaters of the Kabini River on a motor boat viewing sleepy crocodiles and chirpy birds, intent on their morning catch. Along the way, you are bound to sight elephants, coming to the river for a bath or a drink.

After your leisurely breakfast, you will set off on a 2 hour drive to Bandipur. On reaching your destination at The Serai Bandipur which overlooks the Nilgiris Mountain. Once settled in, you will have the option to either relax and enjoy the resort at your pace which has a gym, spa and an outdoor pool, or venture on an Evening Safari at the Bandipur National Park which is less than 2 km drive from the resort.

You will be taken on a Morning and Afternoon shared jeep/canter Safari in the Park to see the beautiful wildlife here. Additionally, you will have the option to hire a bicycle from the resort to go on cycle trails around, enjoy bird watching or perhaps go stargazing in the evening under the clear skies.
Notably, the tiger population in India is the second highest in Bandipur National Park. You may be interested to know that this park neighbours three other parks namely: Wayanad National Park, Nagarhole National Park and Mudumalai National park. All of them form the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve. Incidentally, this reserve is the largest habitat of wild elephants in South Asia.

After an early morning Safari at the Bandipur National Park, you will enjoy a scrumptious breakfast, then set off to Wayanad. The journey will take around 2 hours covering a distance of 82 kms. Set in the northern hills of Kerala, is the district of Wayanad. The landscape is interspersed with mountains and forests, creating several exciting outback trails and trekking routes. Wayanad is also blessed with coffee and spice plantations for you to explore, as well as cooler temperatures to enjoy your stay.

Once again, the day is yours to enjoy from a choice of activities in and around Wayanad.
You may well enjoy an afternoon coffee plantation visit. Wayanad has a viable spice cultivation program; conceived as an alternative source of income for small scale farmers and planters in Wayanad. You will get a chance to see farmers at work and enjoy the aroma of these commodities that have been precious, it feels, since the beginning of time! You will find these spice tours also reveal the kind of dedication and commitment required to cultivating spices such as ginger and cardamom.

After breakfast, we will drive you to Cochin which will take between 7 to 8 hours. You will have breaks enroute to stretch your legs and catch some air. On arriving in Kochi, you will then check in at your designated hotel, the Old Harbour.
In the evening, you will watch a live performance of Kathakali. This genre of classical dance form has its roots in Kerala. Associated with storytelling like other Indian classical dance arts, the story in ‘Kathakali’ is also communicated through impressive gestures of face and hands complimented by music and singing.
Kathakali is distinct because of the very exaggerated facial make-up or masks that amplify the facial expressions while the style of dance and movements reflect the age-old martial arts and athletic conventions prevalent in Kerala. Kathakali is greatly followed and admired.

In the morning, you will be taken to Malabar Coast: a gateway to many faiths and cultures. Historically, Muziris – the name of the ancient port city here – traded in precious goods. The earliest Jewish settlers, Christianity and the first mosque came to be in Muziris. A flood damaged Muziris, conceding its trading position to Cochin. However, it is still a great testament to the inter-faith existence as its numerous places of worship will show you. After lunch you go on a tour of Kochi’s highlights: including St.Francis Church where Vasco da Gama was buried in 1524 (but 14 years later removed to Lisbon) and Cheenavala: the place where fishing nets were introduced during Kublai Khan’s era and are still only found here in Kochi.Your final stop: Fort Cochin; built during a colonial past.

After breakfast, you will drive to Alleppey – taking an hour roughly – to Kottayam Jetty for a backwater cruise on your private houseboat, locally known as a Kettuvallam. The Kettuvallam, or ‘tied together boat,’ is made with Jak tree lashed together with coir rope and reinforced with coconut fibre and boiled cashew shell goop. These large boats have been used for decades as a means of transport goods in Kerala. But today you will board one, complete with comfy chairs, bamboo and palm thatched canopy for shade, even one or two small bedrooms with an ensuite washroom. Enjoy the ride in the backwaters here, in the warmth of the sun…while a cook conjures up a sumptuous meal and a small crew keeps the impressive boat going.

In tranquil seclusion at Coconut Lagoon, you can opt to spend your day as you desire. Birdwatching is a great option, given the abundance of birdlife here, such as the darter, egret, cormorant and brahminy kite. Migratory birds from the Himalayas have also been sighted here. The butterfly garden may interest you as well, amidst over 50 species of dragonflies and damselflies! The backwater offers rides to explore the labyrinth of routes as well as the sunset ride with a flute accompanist to add to the ambience, upon the waters. You could also choose to go on a guided kayaking trip as well on the lake. There is also a floating tea boat – if you wish to enjoy a cup of tea on the backwaters of Kumarakom.