Tour Intensity
Activity
Best Season
An Essential Kerala Getaway
Immerse yourself in God’s Own Country as you unearth the secrets of this tropical paradise rich in colonial history and natural beauty. “Kerala in a Nutshell” is the perfect short vacation to experience Kerala’s highlights through its tranquil backwaters, colonial towns, spice markets, traditional art forms, local food and the placid countryside.
On this short 5 day guided Unventured adventure, we’ve packed in some truly Keralan experiences, local food, ayurvedic massages, interesting stories for you to indulge in with time for leisure and relaxation. We’ll discover Kerala through the eyes of its local communities, exploring the old port town of Fort Kochi, the tranquil backwaters, and quaint villages that surround Alleppey.
Who can do this tour?
Low Intensity: This 5-day drive based tour with a moderate amount of walking is apt for people, who are short on time and have an interest in understanding and experiencing the cultural diversity of Kerala, its cuisine and a keenness to connect with the local way of life.
The tour is a perfect combination of culture, nature and history allowing travellers to experience Keralan traditions and interact with locals.
Physically, this is not an intensive tour.
“Kerala in a Nutshell” tour starts in the old colonial port town of Cochin. Spend your days walking through the back alleys of foreign settlements and spice markets while exploring the quaint, rustic charm of Fort Kochi. Explore the grandeur of the traditional dance performance called ‘Kathakali’ in this town. Head out to Alleppey for a luxurious houseboat cruise through the tranquil backwaters and a relaxing beach time.
Culminate your Kerala experience with an insight into the lives of the local Keralan communities with an indigenous cooking session at a traditional home, and round it off with a canoe ride to witness the magnificent sunrise amidst hidden canals and lagoons.
Namaskaram! Welcome to Cochin (aka Kochi). On arrival at the airport, you will be transferred to your hotel in Fort Kochi – a port town reflecting the colonial influence of the Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and British. Your adventure begins with meeting your Unventured tour host, who will be taking you on an unforgettable experience for the next 5 days. Your tour host will fill you in with quirky stories from Kochi’s past and India at large.
Spend the late evening walking around the illuminated areas of Fort Kochi, browsing through the markets and gorging on local delicacies. Overnight in Fort Kochi.
Drive Distance: 50 Kms (Airport to Fort Kochi)
Accommodation Type: Heritage Hotel
Highlights:
● Meet and greet
● Tour briefing and planning
● Relaxed evening with local food
Post breakfast, we’ll dive into the history of Fort Kochi as we visit some prominent monuments in the old town. Relish in the colonial architecture while your tour host guides you through the historical and colonial influences this quaint seaside town had to endure. Take a walk around the spice markets and learn about the different migrant communities, mainly Dutch and Jewish, that still reside within the by-lanes. Post lunch, we’ll learn about ‘Kathakali’ – Kerala’s traditional form of dance and storytelling. Time permitting, we’ll also have the opportunity to watch the artists prepare for the performance. A behind the scenes makeup session where you will witness the artists transforming themselves into their characters. Overnight in Fort Kochi.
Drive Distance: 10 Kms
Accommodation Type: Heritage Hotel
Highlights:
● Fort Kochi Spice Market
● Visit prominent monuments
● Kathakali dance performance
Post a delicious breakfast, we bid adieu to the suburb and begin our drive to the backwaters of Alleppey. The drive will take us through the countryside roads, past long stretches of beaches, fishing communities and small hamlets surrounded by palm trees and plantations. You’ll even catch a glimpse of the Arabian sea. Arrive in Alleppey, and hop on board your houseboat for a day cruise that will take you exploring many canals and expanse of the Vembanad lake.
Enjoy a freshly cooked seafood lunch onboard and sip on long drinks as you cruise till sunset through the serene backwaters. We leave the houseboats in the evening and retire to a quaint accommodation by the backwaters in a remote village.
Drive Distance: 75 KMs (Cochin to Alleppey)
Accommodation Type: Heritage Homestay
Highlights:
● Houseboat cruise with lunch
● Exploring the backwater villages
● Heritage homestay by the backwaters
Wake up early and take a canoe ride through the tiny canals that wind its way past little houses by the backwaters and greet the locals as they go about their daily chores. Post breakfast we spend the day exploring Alleppey town and picking fresh produce for a culinary session. We head back to the homestay for a guided cooking session and delicious local lunch prepared by you! Post lunch, you can choose to indulge in an Ayurveda spa session (optional activity) of your choice or sit back and relax by the backwaters or drive out to the beach to enjoy the sunset. Overnight in Alleppey.
Drive Distance: 10 -15 KMs
Accommodation Type: Heritage Hotel
Highlights:
● Canoe ride through the backwaters
● Keralan cooking session
● Ayurvedic spa
Post breakfast, depending on your flight schedule we check out and head towards Cochin International Airport for your onward journey. Some of you may be planning some further travel adventures in this beautiful land. Talk to us and we’ll find you more hidden gems to extend your stay in Kerala and celebrate God’s Own Country!
Drive Distance: 100 KMs (Alleppey to Cochin Airport)
Accommodation Type: NA
“Kerala in a Nutshell” tour is an end to end experience, and our tour aims at taking an essential yet relaxed journey through the exquisite state without overwhelming the travellers.
PREPAREDNESS – PHYSICAL & MENTAL
Our Kerala in a Nutshell tour is a good blend of drive and active walking inside towns and through markets, food, nature, culture, history and real-world experiences of Kerala. This tour is graded easy in terms of physical activities. We will be walking short distances to explore the city on foot and driving between long stretches.
Accommodation: Accommodation will be in Heritage Hotels or Homestays (with hygienic attached bathrooms). Generally, it is on a double or twin-sharing basis. However, if you prefer a room on single occupancy then the same can be arranged.
Transport: We will have a dedicated AC private vehicle with a professional driver at your service through the entire journey. All transfers from the Airport to the hotel will be in comfortable vehicles. We will also transport in ferry, houseboat, and canoe.
