Kerala Triple Adventure

Arrive in Kochi by 12 pm. A KVT representative will meet you at the airport and assist you to the vehicle. After a short drive (1 to 1.5 hrs drive), we arrive in Thattekad and check into the hotel. Best known for the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Thattekad is a picturesque destination blessed with natural wonders, masked in the glory of abundant flora and fauna. In the afternoon, we check the bikes for some last moment adjustments, followed by a briefing session by the tour leader. We then head out for a short cycling tour through the bird sanctuary, exploring the avian species that flocked the park. The sanctuary is home to Ashy Wood Swallow, Black Headed Oriole, Ash Tail, Ashly Drongo, Bronzed Drongo, Blue Kingfisher, Bronze Winged Jacana, Ceylon Frogmouth, Created Woodpecker, Crested Goshawk and many more. This ride will also help you get accustomed to your bike. Overnight stay at the hotel. (Cycling distance: Around 10 kms / Meals: Nil)

After breakfast get ready for a beautiful day of cycling. We will drive to the city outskirts and start our ride through the countryside crossing small villages and hamlets. As we pedal along the river, the biking trail finds its way traversing rubber, coconut and pineapple plantations. After few hours of cycling the trail starts climbing the Western Ghats and we will follow a gradual uphill climb. After cycling for around 40 kms, we will board our accompanying vehicle and drive the final stretch to Munnar and check into the hotel. Munnar, known for vast tea gardens, is a famous colonial hill station of South India. In the evening we watch an enthralling live performance of Kalarippayattu – the ancient martial art form of Kerala. Be prepared to be entertained as the artists duel with knives, swords and spears. (Cycling distance: Around 40 kms / Meals: Breakfast)

After breakfast we get ready for the trekking leg of the tour where we traverse through the Western Ghats for 2 nights and 3 days. We start the day with a drive (1 hour) to Yellapatty, the starting point of the trek. We trek through the tea plantations, passing small hamlets. After a few hours of gradual climb, we reach Top Station – a small village at the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. After a brief stop to enjoy the view, we continue to trek through grasslands and the Shola forest area and if lucky even spot giant squirrels, wild boar or the Indian Gaur. The trail will bring us to our destination for the day – Oarkadu, where we camp for the night. (Trekking Time: 4 – 5 hrs / Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Today we have a fairly easy walk with some slight ups and downs as we trek to the beautiful village of Koviloor. Along the way we pass through the lush vegetable farming region of Pazhathottam and the tribal village of Vattavada. The customs, art forms and natural remedies of the tribes in the area make the trek interesting. Continuing our trek, we cross a small canal, before reaching our campsite at Koviloor village. (Trekking Time: 3 – 4 hrs / Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

After breakfast, we start the day with a short drive by a jeep (30 mins) to reach the road head where our vehicle will be waiting for us with our cycles. We hop on to our cycles and start another beautiful day of cycling along the plush landscape and aromatic hills. From the rolling hills of Munnar, we pedal our way through the rubber plantations and tea gardens as we will cover around 40 kms. For the remaining journey, we get into our accompanying vehicle and drive (2 – 3 hrs drive) to Alleppey. En-route we make a stop at a Coir-making factory and see how coconut husks are processed and turned in to coir ropes and mats. We check into the hotel at Alleppey, the hub of Kerala’s backwaters and home to a vast network of waterways, a thousand houseboats and an important coir industry. (Cycling distance: Around 40 kms / Meals: Breakfast)

Today we go kayaking in the beautiful backwaters! We spend 3 hours pedaling kayaks through the narrow backwater channels as we explore the life of the people living by the canals. After kayaking we head back to Kochi on our cycles. We ride through the countryside, along the banks of the backwaters for around 35 kms. We ride along the paddy fields and coconut plantations, passing through villages and small hamlets. Later we board the accompanying vehicle and drive for around 1hr to Kochi – also known as the “Queen of Arabian Sea”. Upon arrival we will check in to the hotel. (Cycling distance: Around 35 kms / Meals: Breakfast)

After breakfast, transfer to Kochi airport for onward travel. The tour ends. (Meals: Breakfast)