“God’s Own” Kerala Bike Tour

Send Us An Enquiry
Send Us An Enquiry
Save To Wish List

Adding item to wishlist requires an account

2471

Inquire for price

    Got a Question?

    Let us sort your travel dilemmas, Email us or talk to us, we have the perfect travel related solution waiting for you!

    +91 94837 47703

    get@unventured.com

    Why Book With Us?

    • No-hassle best price guarantee
    • Customer care available 24/7
    • Hand-picked Tours & Activities
    • 8 Days
    • 300 kilometres
    • Fort Kochi
    • Fort Kochi

    Tour Intensity

    Medium Intensity Tour

    Activity

    Best Season

    Tour Overview

    Kerala by Bicycle Guided Adventure

    ‘God’s own country’ or Kerala is epitomised for its traditional roots which are imbibed in every aspect of life be it food, architecture, language, or art forms. Join Unventured on a spice-scented journey through the “God’s Own” Kerala trail – a journey into the heartland of exotic birds, palm-lined beaches, traditional Kathakali dance performances, lip-smacking cuisine, and the quaint countryside lifestyle.

    Throughout the journey, you will be smitten by the splendour of ‘God’s own country’ and its culture. Amongst the irresistible attractions in Kerala, it’s the performing arts that will blow you away. On the trail, you will witness a Kathakali and Kallaripayattu performance that will add to the revelry of the journey along with the exquisite sunsets at the shores, backwaters, and mountains in Kerala.

    On this 8-day trail, there’s a right mix of cycling, leisure, and exploration. You will experience stretches that challenge your limits, sceneries that indulge your senses, and interactions with the locals that expose you to their culture and ways of life.

    Learn more about the Unventured Experience

    Who can do this tour?

    This expedition is for anyone with a keen interest in exploring and truly ‘travelling’ through God’s own country. You will discover its culture, traditions, and history at a pace that allows you to stop, interact, and enjoy the true Keralan way of life. This is not a physically “intensive” trail and hence, anyone who is initiated to cycling and is keen on exploring and riding with a group of like-minded people can sign up. The terrain in Kerala ranges from flat grounds to moderate climbs. Distances pedalled daily will range from 40 to 60 kilometres on a rolling terrain and the difficulty level will vary from being easy to moderate.

     

    Tour Images
    Itinerary

    The expedition starts from Fort Kochi, a fort with rustic charm, colonial history, and streets lined with art bazaars.

    On the trail, you will traverse through flat land forests, spice-lined loops, and placid backwaters. You will get an insight into the natural beauty of ‘God’s Own Country’, its cultural and religious past, the people and their way of life. Through culinary experiences, like home-cooked meals, you will find delight in their exquisitely flavoured feasts. This expedition combines cycling and driving through the spice trail.

    Day 1 : Arrive at Fort Kochi and explore the old town

    All travellers are expected to arrive at Fort Kochi by 12:00 noon. The evening will be spent riding to the beach and to Fort Kochi and its surroundings. This is best explored by cycling along streets that are abundant with an eclectic mix of history – Portuguese-era cathedrals, Dutch palaces, and soaking in the warmth of Kochi.

    Ride distance: 10 kilometres

    Accommodation Type: Hotel

    Highlights:

    • You will meet and greet the other participants.
    • We will take a leisure ride exploring the Portuguese and Dutch-influenced town of Kochi.
    • We’ll spend the evening gazing at the beautiful sunset over the horizon.
    • You will receive a tour briefing.

    Day 2 :Ride to the foot of the Western Ghats - plantations and countryside

    On day 2, you will ride towards the hills away from the coastline, wandering through small villages and plantations. Your stop for the night will be in Thattekad, which translates to “flat forest”. Your journey to Thattekad will take you through the wealth of Kerala, as you ride past rubber and pineapple plantations, along the trail of the Periyar River. You will halt at a homestay in Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary (the richest bird habitat in peninsular India), named after the famous ornithologist who explored the region’s bio-diverse abundance of avian life.

    Drive distance: 75 kilometres

    Accommodation Type: Hotel

    Highlights:

    • You will get to ride past rubber and pineapple plantations.
    • Take a walk around the bird sanctuary and identify endemic birds.

    Day 3 : Bird watching walk and ride to spice plantations

    You’ll start your day early to spot some fine-winged wonders of Thattekad with a trained birder. There are chances of spotting the elusive Ceylon Frogmouth, but you will certainly sight the Drongo, Cuckoo, and hopefully, the Indian Pitta that breeds in the sub-Himalayas and migrates during the winters to this very region. Bring your cameras out and get your hands dirty as you explore a rubber-manufacturing unit and savour some freshly-picked pineapples with salt and chilli powder straight from a farm. Post an early lunch, you will drive out towards Thekkady and begin your short ride. Once you cross the highway, the surreal views of the mountains and cardamom plantations will take your breath away!

    Drive/Ride distance: 75/25 kilometres

    Accommodation Type: Homestay

    Highlights:

    • You will have a mix of driving and cycling.
    • Head into the mountains and tea plantations to experience God’s own country.
    • You’ll ride into spice plantations and check into a quaint homestay.

    Day 4 : Plantation walk/ride downhill to backwaters. Stay overnight in a houseboat

    Rise and shine-wake up to the smell of spices. You will walk through the plantation with a guided tour. You’ll learn about the ‘roots’ of cardamom, pepper, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, and many lesser-known spices that have tingled the taste buds of natives and outsiders alike. Apart from delighting your senses, you will also get an insight into the growing, harvesting, and processing of spices that adorn your plates day-after-day. After wandering through the plantation, you will ride through rolling hills, rejoicing the fresh mountain air and head down to the backwaters of Kumarakom and soak in the dream-like backwaters in an overnight cruise boat. The party begins here and ends as you reach the other side, Alleppey.

    Ride distance: 85 kilometres

    Accommodation Type: House Boat

    Highlights:

    • You will get a tour of the spice plantations and learn about medicinal plants found on the plantation.
    • You’ll ride down from the hills.
    • Spend your evening on a houseboat and enjoy the views of placid and serene backwaters.

    Day 5: R&R in Alleppey

    After you have experienced quintessential Kerala on the serene backwaters through Vembanad, disembark from your cruise at Allepey, best known as “Venice of the East”. You’ll have a leisurely day for you to explore the canal-like pathways, perhaps even ride up to the Marari Beach or sit back and enjoy a massage and saadhya meal or relax by the gliding over placid backwaters.

    Drive Distance: 0 kilometres

    Accommodation Type: Resort/Homestay

    Highlights:

    • Indulge in some well-needed TLC with an Ayurvedic massage at the spa.
    • Sit back or explore glassy lagoons and soak in the sights.
    • Pick up the oars and paddle your way through the canals that connect the villages across the Keralan countryside

    Day 6 :Coastline ride to Fort Kochi

    After you have enjoyed the backwaters, you’ll gear up to ride by the coastline from Alleppey to Fort Kochi. Expect stunning views of the beach to your left, witness the sandy pathways and get a glimpse of the Kerala way of life as you ride past picturesque villages-perhaps even play a round of cricket with the locals. Of course, scrumptious seafood on your platter will add to the thrill of your ride.

    Drive distance: 60 kilometres

    Accommodation type: Resort/Homestay

    Highlights:

    • Take the last ride along the coastline and breathe in the fresh country air.
    • You will stop by at the local village churches or take a detour into the village and out on to the beach.
    • Get ready to play a game of volleyball by the beach.

    Day 7 : Free day in Kochi, art performances

    We explore the culture, heritage and the arts as we draw close to the end of our journey.
    Perhaps, sip on some toddy as you walk past beaches, lined with cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, antique stores on Jew street and the spices at Mattancherry. You have the option to spend the day taking a cruise to Vypin Island, the largest fishing harbour in Fort Kochi, and return to spend an evening exploring vintage bars, charming art cafes and enjoy a Kallaripayattu and Kathakali performance, exclusively set up for you or indulge the ‘artist’ in you and sign up for a Kathakali makeup session.

    Drive distance: 15-20 kilometres

    Accommodation Type: Resort

    Highlights:

    • You will ride along the coastline and breathe in the fresh country air.
    • You’ll get to walk through fishermen villages and quaint roads leading to art cafes.
    • Catch a Kallaripayattu and Kathakali dance performance.

    Day 8 : Depart home

    You will bid goodbye to new found friends and take home memories of the mesmerising and idyllic Kerala. The tastes of local cuisine, the local’s pride in their traditional roots and picture-perfect images of palm lined-beaches and surreal sunsets will stay with you long after this journey.

    Tour Inclusions

    Our “God’s Own” Kerala Cycling Trail is a good blend of all things Kerala has to offer, giving you a unique experience of “Gods Own Country” on a cycle. Whether you are a seasoned cyclist or a regular city commuter, the trail has a good combination of challenging climbs, rolling hills, and whimsical countryside roads for you to ride leisurely.

    You will be covering about 300 kilometres by cycle over 6 days, trailing through quaint countryside roads, villages, forest trails, and plantations soaking in the life of the locals in God’s Own Country. What’s more? Your tour leaders will introduce you to the cultural, historical, gastronomical, and natural essences of “Ente Keralam”.

    Preparedness – Physical & Mental

    This tour is graded medium intensity in terms of distance and gradient climbing; most of the rides will be done on 100% tarmac roads. We suggest that you familiarise yourself with mountain biking in your home country. This is to ensure you take away the unfamiliarity with mountain bikes that occur due to lack of practice and physical unpreparedness and you don’t hold up the other prepared participants. This tour will include a personal guide, mechanic, and a designated driver.

    Cycling Support

    Your tour will be supported with a “support vehicle”, the cycles are 21-speed, aluminum 6061 alloy frame mountain bikes. You will also have a well-trained mechanic accompanying you, and a full repair kit with essential spares. We will also be carrying a back-up cycle along the expedition; just so that nobody misses out on the riding experience, should his or her bike have a serious breakdown.

    Accommodation: Accommodation will be in quaint homestays and hotels with good hygienic bathrooms offered on a twin-sharing basis.

    Transport: A team of 10-12 riders will be supported by a minivan and a pick-up truck for cycles along with a spare cycle, lunch packs, and water. Through the day this vehicle will trail with the riders.

    Our tour cost is inclusive of:

    • Accommodation on dates mentioned above
    • Travel from and to Fort Kochi
    • Cycle rentals
    • All meals as specified in the itinerary: lunch starting 15th November to breakfast on 22nd November
    • Participants will be provided bottled water, healthy food supplements and snack packs will be provided during ride days
    • Support vehicles as per group size, driver allowance, permit and night halt charges
    • Kallaripayattu and Kathakali performance tickets
    • Services of expert guide and mechanic for cycle repairServices of expert guide and mechanic for cycle repair
    • Medical kit

    Excludes

    • Airfares (we will coordinate to book our tickets together so we all fly together and round up in Kerala at the same time)
    • Personal expenses, tips, laundry, telephone calls, personal medicines
    • Alcoholic beverages
    • Camera Charges (both still & videos), entry fee. These charges to be paid by the participants directly to the concerned authorities
    • Expenses incurred due to reasons beyond our control such as bad weather or road blocks etc.
    • Evacuation charges, damage of any nature, entrance fees at monasteries
    • Anything not specified in the itinerary above
    Photos
    1 Review
    Sort By:RatingDate

    Michael T

    Solo Traveller

    2nd year in a row we had asked Unventured to make a week long ride for our group of 12 60-ish year old men. This time we did a 800 km roundtrip from Cochin covering “houseboat” – Varkala – Vagamon – Munnar – Valparai – Fort Kochi. The tour was a huge success and Unventured and Guru did a superb job in organising the tour and taking good care of us all along. It is a great way to experience India. Thanks a lot!

    1 November 2018