All posts in Kerala Travel

Wayanad Guide

Wayanan-Chooram

Wayanad Guide is a comprehensive work about the various tourist attractions in and around Wayanad in Kerala, South India – a place which has preserved its natural beauty in all its sacredness.  Wayanad is situated on the southern tip of Deccan plateau. It doesn’t matter whether you are an adventurer, nature lover, historian, archaeologist or romantic. Wayanad has lot of surprises in store for each of you with its lush green thick forests, rippling lakes and streams, amazing waterfalls, authentic historical memorials, exquisite picnic spots, rich heritage and culture etc.

Wayanad Historically Important Sites

Edakkal Caves

Edakkal caves are situated at a distance of 24km from Sulthan Bathery. They are famous for the drawings on the rock that can be dated back to the new Stone Age. Its historical importance lures archaeologists, researchers and tourists to this place. The pictorial representations on the rocks are reminiscences of a pre historic era. You can reach the caves by means of a kilometre trek from Edakkal. The caves are open to visitors from 9am to 4pm, on all days except on Mondays.

Pazhassi Tomb

It is located in Mananthawady in Wayanad. It is the tomb of Veera Pazhassi raja, the erstwhile King of Kerala, who is eulogized as the Lion King of Kerala. He was a great freedom fighter who used guerilla warfare to fight against the British. It also holds an underground museum, where the important articles related to Pazhassi Raja are displayed. The Pazhassi tomb is open from 9am to 4pm.

Ambalavayal Heritage Museum

It is located at a distance of 12km from Sulthan Bathery. It is considered to be the premium heritage museum in Kerala. It holds the artifacts and belongings of the tribal people of Wayanad. It is open from 9am – 6pm.

Bathery Jain Temple

Located at Sulthan Bathery, this temple can be dated back to the 13th century. Even though it is a temple it was used for many purposes over the ages. Originally it was a shrine, later it was transformed into a centre of trade and commerce. During the reign of Tipu Sulthan it was a storehouse of their weapons. The temple is noted for its historical importance. It is open for 9am to 6pm.

Chain Tree

It is situated at Lakkidi, which is at a distance of 14 km from Kalpetta. There is an interesting legend connected to this tree. It is believed that a British Engineer discovered the difficult mountain pass to Wayanad with the help of a tribal guide named Karinthandan. The selfish Engineer later killed the tribal guide so that he could take the entire credit of the discovery. The tribal guide’s soul wandered around the place creating havoc for the travelers. Later a priest captured the wandering soul and chained him on the Chain tree. The tree got its name from this legend.

Muniyaras

Muniyaras are a group of old burial vaults that were discovered as a result of excavations done at the foot of the Ambukuthi Hills. From the Muniyaras, relics of Stone Age tools and pottery were discovered. They are displayed at the Wayanad Heritage Museum. It is located at a distance of 13 km from Sulthan Bathery.

Jain Temples

Jain temples at Punchavayal and Puthenangadi are the famous archaeological sites in Wayanad. These temples are decorated with artistically designed pillars. An aura of mystery can be sensed in the atmosphere of the temples.

 Wayanad Places of Natural Beauty

Pookot Lake

This freshwater lake is situated amidst the wooded hills. Boating and a ride in water circle are the tourist activities in Pookot Lake. A fresh water aquarium, a children’s park, a handicrafts and spices emporium are also located near the lake. The lake is located at a distance of 15km from Kalpetta.

Kuruva Island

The picturesque island located on the Kabini River is a much visited tourist spot. The island houses a variety of rare species of birds, herbs and orchids. It is open from 9.30 – 17.30

Meenmutty Waterfalls

It is the largest and the most amazing waterfalls in Wayanad. It is located at a distance of 29km from Kalpetta. It is open from 7.00 – 16.00

Sentinel Rock Waterfalls

Also known as Soochipara falls, it is located at a distance of 23kms from Kalpetta. If you are excited, you can plunge yourself into the pool at the bottom of the hill. It will be a refreshing experience. It is open from 8.30 – 16.00

Kanthanpara Falls

It is located at a distance of 22 km from Kalpetta. Kanthanpara falls is an adorable tourist spot with its surroundings that is stunningly beautiful and with the nearby lush green forest.

Banasura Sagar Dam

It is hailed as the largest earth dam in India and the second largest one in Asia. A vast expansive sanctuary, speed boating arrangements and a park that is beautified with evergreen trees are the major attractions of the place. It is open from 9.00 – 18.00.

Karlad Lake

It is a rare tourist spot noted for its serenity and tranquility. Boating facilities are available here. There are facilities for building tents and holding conference in the natural ambience. It is located at a distance of 16km from Kalpetta. It is open from 9.00 – 18.00

Pazhassi Park

At a distance of 1.5km from Mananthawady, Pazhassi Park is located on the banks of the Kabini River. It has vast area reserved as the children’s play area. River rafting through the Kabini River starts at the Pazhassi Park. It is open from 9.00 – 18.00.

Karapuzha Dam

Karapuzha dam is one of the largest earth dams in India. The surrounding places of the dam with half submerged hills and emerald colored islands is the best place for breeding aquatic birds. Kayaking and canoeing will start in the future. The park near the dam is best known for its beauty and it is one of the best picnic spots. It is situated at a distance of 14km from Kalpetta.

Rose Park

It is a garden that is filled with a thousand varieties of rose, the queen of flowers. A theme park and a nursery are the major attractions here. It is open from 8.30 – 18.30.

Wayanad Adventure Tourism

Chembra Peak

Chembra is the tallest peak in Wayanad. It is situated at an altitude of 2100m above sea level. It is the favorite destination of adventure tourists for trekking. One day trekking facility is also available. The Love Lake is a major attraction of this place. It is open from 8.00 – 14.00.

Banasura Hills

It is located at a distance of 21km from Kalpetta. Banasura hills are the dream destination for adventure tourist. At a height of 2000m the bird’s eye view of the entire Wayanad district is possible. Permission of the forest department is essential to enter this part of the district.

Kaduva Kuzhi

Located at a distance of 16km from Sulthan Bathery, it is an underground cave without any light. There is a small lake near it.

River Rafting

The river rafting facility is provided by the District Tourism Promotional Council, Wayanad during the months of June to January.

Wayanad Wildlife Tourism

Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary

It is situated between the Nagarhole and Bandipur national park of Karnataka on the north east and the Mudumalai sanctuary of Tamil Nadu on the south east. The sanctuary forms an inevitable part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary

It is situated along the northern edge of the Wayanad district. This sanctuary is rich in bio diversity. It houses a wide variety of flora and fauna.

Wayanad Pilgrimage Tourism

Thirunelli Temple

It is known for its Kerala architecture. Devotees come here in large numbers to perform their ancestral rites. It is a well-known pilgrim center in Kerala and it is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is located at a distance of 21km from Mananthawady.

Papanasini, Thirunelli

It is a fresh mountain spring that is located at a distance of 500m from Thirunelli temple. It is believed that if you bath in Papanasini, all your sins will be cleansed.

Thrissileri Temple

It is known for its Kerala style architecture. It is one of the famous pilgrim center in Wayanad. The deity of this temple is Lord Shiva. It is believed that the ancestral rites at the Thirunelli temple is incomplete without any offerings to the Thrissileri temple.

Pallikkunnu Church

It I s located at a distance of 12kms from Kalpetta. The shrine is dedicated to Lourdes Matha. It was built by the French Missionary Fr. Jeffrlne in 1905. A horde of devotees from across the state reach here during the Annual pilgrimage festival during the month of February.

Varambetta Mosque

It was originally built by the Nair community in the Kerala architectural style. It is a symbol of communal harmony which is upheld by Kerala. The mosque can boast of a history of about 300 years. Members from all communities participate in the Annual Uroos festival that is celebrated in this mosque.

Valliyoorkavu Bhagavathy Temple

It is a temple of great importance for the tribal people of Wayanad. It is dedicated to the mother goddess in the form of Vana Durga, Bhadrakali and Jala Durga. It is located at a distance of 2km from Mananthawady.

Class Temple, Kuttamanoa

It is located at a distance of 20km from Kalpetta. It is dedicated to Lord Parshwanatha of Jainism. The mirrors inside the temple reflect the Lord inside the shrine.

Experience Wayanad

Village Life Experience

It is a half day/one day tour conducted by the District Tourism Promotion Council to experience the tribal life of Wayanad. It helps us to be acquainted with the culture and tradition of Wayanad.

En Uru

It is a forthcoming tribal tourism project in Wayanad. The project is located in 25 acres of land near Lakkidi. It is only at a distance of a 900m walk from the national highway. Tribal colonies showing the tribal way of life, stalls selling tribal products, a food court for the ethnic dishes, a leisure area with light and sound show, an Amphitheatre, a large activity area are the main highlights of En Uru.

How to reach Wayanad

  • The nearest airport is Calicut Airport
  • The nearest railway station is Calicut railway station
  • It is well connected by roads from Kozhikode, Mysore, Ootty and Kannur.

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Anamudi Shola National Park

Anamudi-Shola-National-Park

It is birds and butterflies all around at Anamudi Shola National Park, Kerala. Anyone entering the Shola should keep one’s eye’s wide open, for this is one belt that has tigers, gaurs, leopards, elephants, wild boars and sambhars. Gaint squirrels can be seen leaping among branches.

This is one of the largest shola forest ecosystem, which gives it a uniqueness both in climate and biodiversity. That explains why when even in the peak of summer, it is cool most of the time out atop the hill ranges which are around 7,500 feet above sea level. In April, the temperature is unlikely to go beyond 25 degrees.

Sitting outside the hut of the forest department or going up the watchtower nearby can be a different and colourful experience with all the bright coloured flowering trees, the lush green hillocks and the wavy tea gardens around.

Monsoon is another enchanting season as the park receives an annual average rainfall of about 4,500 mm. But one cannot venture out to the forests. Sitting in the hut, one can listen to the roaring music of the rains interspersed with howling winds.

It is this dense ecosystem that is source for the Pambar river and as locals, the Muthuvan tribe, say this shola provides water for the whole of Munnar. The dense forests have little rivulets that are perennial water sources flowing into the river.

With the assistance of the forest officials one can even under take a trek through the dense forest where you may come across a herd of bisons or wild boar. Most of the tree barks are covered mosses or lichens.

The massive ferns can leave you wounder struck. At a distance between the sholas are grasslands which make playgrounds for tigers and leopards.

According to Munnar wildlife warden P.U. Saju, there are more than 60 species of trees and around 175 shrubs and herbs and variety of lichens and climbers. It is a den for butterflies with more than a hundred species and roughly 230 moth species. The thick forest canopy also makes it a den for birds and surveys have pointed to around 75 species in this shola, he adds.

Alongside the Anamalai National Park, declared one in November 2003, are the Mannavan, Pullardi and Idivara sholas. The hut is run by the Eco development society of the forest department. Enquirers and reservation can be made at Forest information centre at Munnar.

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Enchanting Estuaries of Kasaragod

Bakel-Fort

Enchanting Estuaries of Kasaragod - Kasaragod the northernmost district of Kerala on the shores of the Arabian Sea, was once the gateway to the Malabar Coast. It is a land blessed with a chain of forts, network of rivers and pristine beaches. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west, it is a treasure of diversity in landscapes. A land of dozen rivers, the district is blessed with a large number of estuaries. The rivers criss-cross the district, nourishing the verdant landscape and networking it with shimmering waterways. The district has an array of famous tourist centres including famed Bekal Beach and Fort.

Manjeswaram

Estuaries are sensitive ecosystem formed as a result of merging of a river or lake with the sea. River Manjeswaram, the smallest in the State, joins the Arabian Sea at Manjeswaram estuary between Bengara and Manjeswaram. Once a thriving port town, it is a confluence of many cultures and people. At the mouth of the river, one can behold the ruins of an ancient dismantled stone temple which is now a small fish landing centre. The Manjeswaram estuary is rich with diverse aquatic and avian life. It is home to hordes of beautiful and rare bird species.

Kumbala
Kumbala is a coastal town standing on a peninsula in a lagoon separated from the sea by a sand spit and connected to it by a narrow channel. Kumbala estuary is bordered by mangrove islets and sandy shingles. The river Shiriya and a few other rivers join together to form the Kumbala estuary which is situated 10 kms north of Kasaragod. The estuary is home to a wide range of diverse flora and attracts a lot of migrant and resident birds, fish and crustaceans and a centre of hectic activity for local fisher folks. Kumbala estuary offers ideal habitat for open bill stroks perched on the mangroves close to the highway. At the estuary and near the river mouth one can see flocks of seagulls, including black brown headed seagulls, lesser crested terns and Eurasian curlews.

Mogral Puthur
Mogral Puthur estuary, a few kilometers south of Kumbala, is a small patch of mangroves which is home to little herons, little cormorants and pond herons.

Thalangara
Thalangara Estuary formed by the river Chandragiri towards the South west of the ancient mosque Malik Dinar-is a cultural landmark of Kasaragod. Thalankara is equally famed for its heritage craft product such as Thalankara Thoppi (caps).

Top

Parli

Parli: A Tranquil Tetreat

A little distance after Ottappalam, and a bit before the Palakkad central station, is a village called Parli. It is a 15 minute ride from Palakkad, eight kilometers from the city. Lake any Kerala village, the roads are less crowded and less polluted.

And as you ride along, you come across a small bridge that overlooks the Bharathapuzha River also called river Nila. What makes this spot special is that it is where two rivers merge to form the Bharathapuzha – the Kannadipuzha and the Kalpathipuzha.

The legendary Bharathapuzha, which used to be a vision of beauty till a few years ago before all the sand mining and industrial waste have left the river a sad mess, is now a memory saved in a few Malayalam films and the hearts of those that sat on its thick white sand beds on full moon nights.

On the way one can also see the Kalladikodan Mala (Kalladikode Mountain) which is part of the Western Ghats. From the mountain, flows the Meenvallam waterfalls, from the originating point of the Thuppanadu River. There are ten steps to the falls, eight of them in the upper hills of a dense forest. It is ideal to be visited in the months of April and May.

Top

Teekoy


Teekoy, A Breath of Fresh Air

A Kottayam style village, dotted by rubber plantation against a backdrop of magnificent scenery. Teekoy is a delightfully refreshing and unexplored spot en route to Wagamon. On the banks of the Meenachil River, this village on the Idukki-Kottayam border has a strong agro-climatic conditions. Tangy fragrance of cardamom,nutmeg, ginger and pepper greet the visitor trying to take in the refreshing sight.

Teekoy is the entry point into the higher echelons of Kerala, which is shrouded in mist amidst verdant green. Marmala Waterfalls on Meenachil River, around seven kilometers from Teekoy and inside a private estate, is one of the star attractions of this quaint village. The route to the 60 metre high water fall is rocky and slightly slippery, but worth taking the effort.

Owing to its beautiful location it is a perfect spot for memorable photographs.

Apart from the falls, Ayyampara, is a perfect trekking location. A view from the top of the Illickan Mountains, believed to have the mythical medicinal plant Neelakoduveli in abundance, is a must. Many tourists like to camp atop the mountains too, on pleasant days.

While Teekoy is a perfect place for day picnics, it is great destination for those looking for a peaceful holiday and can include this place with visits to tourism hub Vagamon and pilgrim centre Bharanangnanam.

Growing tourist interest in visiting farms, many cottage owners have set up home-stays in various budget ranges in this area. It location makes it pleasant even in the summers due to frequent chilly breeze. It receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon when the entire landscape turns into a carpet of green.

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Kalasamala

Kalasamala is a virgin scenic hill station that lies to the north west of Thrissur district, which is renowned as the cultural capital of God`s Own Country Kerala. The view from the top is overwhelming. No wonder it is being promoted as a budding eco-tourist-cum-bio-deversity heritage spot in the district.

Kalasamala Grove

Kalasamala Grove in Akathiyoor near Kunnamkulam is the first Biodiversity Heritage Site of the State designated by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBDB). Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are the foremost deities of this sacred temple grove. Experts have identified the grove as home to critically endangered tree species known as Syzygium travancoricum inside the temple premises at Kalasamala. The sacred grove has 3.5 acres of land crammed with 110 Syzygium travancoricum ( locally known as Kulavetti or Vathamkolli) trees – a critically endangered plant species included in the IUCN Red List.  According to the Red List less than 200 of the trees, usually seen in fresh water, are left.

The temple authorities of Kalasamala grove are the caretakers of this unique ecosystem, and play a fundamental role in the management of the bio diversity conservation system.  The national Bio Diversity Authority (NRDA) and the KSBDB provide financial assistance to the temple authorities for the protection of this exceptional ecosystem.  The local panchayat also allocates funds in its plan for conservation and fortification of the site.  A total ban on cuttung trees in the sacred grove is in place.

Bio-Diversity heritage Sites (BHS)

The Biological Diversity Act of 2002 stipulates that the State governments notify areas of biodiversity value as BHS and that they should frame rules and regulations for the successful management and conservation of these sites.  The State Biodiversity Board has already recognized five dissimilar ecosystems as BHS within the state, of which Syzygium travancoricum sighted in Kalasamala grove is one of the prominent ones.  The Board has also identified the sacred groves at Iringole near Perumbavoor, the Paliyeri Mookambika temple in Karivallur near Kannur, the Connolly Teak Plantation in Nilambur and the Pathiramanal Island near Muhamma to be designated as biodiversity heritage sites.

Heritage attractions in Kalasamala

Apart from the grove, there is  natural cave, on the hilltop in Kalasamala, locally known as Narimala, which dates back to the Stone Ae and it also has a dense shola forest having a beautiful temple in the middle.  Stones such as Umbrella stone ( Kuda Kallu ) and cap stone ( Thoppi Kallu )  are seen here, which belongs to the megalithic age.  The verdant hilltop with the temple lamps twinkling at twilight makes for a breathtaking sight.

Years ago, a Telugu film was shot here, for which the art director had created a miniature temple.  When the film unit left, the temple remained abandoned there.  One day, a Kalvilakku ( multilayer lamp made of stone ) appeared in front of the model temple, soon followed by religious rituals.  The timely interference of the panchayat stopped the film`s miniature temple model from turing into a real temple.  The scenic Kalasamala hill has been seen in many Malayalam movies, including Bhoothakanndi, directed by Lohithadas starring Mammootty.  Evening are the perfect time to visiting this picturesque locale.  For urban people, Kalasamala offers the perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of city life and enchanting introduction to the beauty of nature.

Kalasamala, as a Kerala tourist destination offers nature at its best even to the most discerning traveller.

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

5 Great Places To Eat Out In Kochi

Taj-Malabar-Cochin

Kochi, Kerala is a great place for a short break, and its food – both rustic and gourmet – is a reason in itself. Here we list a few 5 Great Places To Eat Out In Kochi.

HOTEL RAHMANIYA
Kethel’s fiery fried chicken at Ernakulam’s Hotel Rahmaniya is such a cracker that the 60-year-old family recipe has been patented. Named after the restaurant’s founder Muhammed Abdul Khader, whom clients fondly called “Kettle Sahib”, the dish is not for the faint of stomach. Tender farm chicken is cooked with fresh chillies and a secret blend of spices, then garnished with even more fried chillies for a burst of heat, and served on banana leaves with soft, oil-free chapattis and neyi choru (ghee rice) (00-91-484-2538111; kethelschicken.com; AJ Residency, behind Lenin Centre, Kaloor, Ernakulam; 11.30am – 11.30pm; chicken fry: Rs. 120).

TEAPOT
Walking into this café is like being at the Mad Hatter’s tea party. The display of vintage teapots in every colour, shape and size imaginable, the mustard yellow stucco walls and the toy-like furniture seem straight out of a fairytale. Try the Indian rarebit – the café’s take on the Welsh rarebit (savoury melted cheese on toast) — and wash it down with refreshing rose ice tea (00-91-484- 2218035; Peter Celli St, Fort Kochi; 8.30am – 9.30pm; Indian rarebit: Rs. 60, rose ice tea: Rs. 50).

Kayees Hotel
Locals claim that this no-fuss, family-run eatery in Mattancherry serves the best biryani in Kerala. It is an original hand-me-down recipe that never disappoints. The meat is so tender it melts in your mouth, and the spices have a delicate balance of flavour. Yet, the dish is devoid of the grease we’ve come to associate with biryani. Eating here is a rushed affair as it is only open for an hour-and-a-half each day, and the biryani doesn’t last too long, either! (00-91-484-2226080; New Rd, Mattancherry; 12pm – 1.30pm; chicken biryani: Rs. 95/ plate)

KASHI ART CAFÉ
Tucked into a quiet corner on Burgher Street in Fort Kochi, this eclectic, al fresco café is a feast for the senses. Here you can drool over both the delicious chocolate cake and owner Edgar Pinto’s private collection of art works, by Indian greats like Riyas Komu, Bose Krishnamachari and Pradeep Naik. Late risers will love that they can have breakfast at any time of the day. Ask for the soup of the day and follow it up with freshly-baked pie to go with your latte (00-91- 484-2215769; kashiartgallery.com; Burgher St; 8.30am – 7.30pm; chocolate cake: Rs. 70/ slice).

MALABAR JUNCTION AT MALABAR HOUSE
This gourmet restaurant is arguably one of the finest seafood restaurants in South India. Chef Manoj cooks up Keralan food with a Mediterranean twist, achieving a delicate balance of flavours that retains the individuality of both cuisines. You must try the fisherman’s dream (marinated and grilled mahi-mahi and tiger prawns, served with an assortment of sauces). End with the sorbet of the day or a fusion option like the chocolate samosa on a mango coulis. The partial al fresco seating, fairylight-illuminated trees and impeccable service complete the experience (00-91-484-2216666; malabarhouse.com; 1/ 268 – 1/ 269 Parade Rd, Fort Kochi; lunch: 12.30pm – 3pm, dinner: 7pm – 10.30pm; fisherman’s dream: Rs. 580).

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Bekal to get an airstrip to boost Kerala Tourism

The Bekal Tourism Authority (BTA) is in the path of developing an airstrip at Bekal in Kerala for easy accessibility to tourist from Mangalore and Goa airports, as per a TOI report. According to T K Mansoor, General Manager, BTA, “The technical feasibility study is underway. Once that is completed, we’ll be able give the exact details of the airstrip.”

The airstrip will be developed at Periya, a 20-minute drive from Bekal. He added”Of all places in Kerala, Bekal has the maximum potential waiting to be tapped. There are six resorts in and around Bekal. We’ve been receiving good tourist numbers, which will increase when we provide air connectivity.”

When question was raised on whether operations will cease after Kannur International airport comes up, Mansoor said, “Mangalore airport is a convenient location for us as it has good connectivity to the Gulf countries, rather than Kannur. Once Kannur airport comes up, we can have services from both ends.”

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Kumbalangi Model Tourism Village

Kumbalangi

In its unending journey of updating and enhancing itself with the latest trends, Kumbalangi Model Tourism Village joined the league of Responsible Tourism Movement. As part of the effort the first seminar on Responsible Tourism was held at the Panchayat hall on October 31, 2012. It was conducted by the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS), Village Panchayat and Kumbalangi Model Tourism Development Society (KMTDS).

(more…)

Top

Make It Happen in Kerala

Kerala-Tour

Make It Happen in Kerala

Essentials

Getting there
Cochin International Airport is well-connected to Indian metros (return flights from Rs. 5,500). Kochi has two train stations – Ernakulam Town and Ernakulam Junction – with the latter being the major station.

Getting around
We travelled with Transpire Holidays (00-91-98460 89546; mail@transpire.biz; Near Abad Nucleus Mall, Ernakulam; from Rs.18,000 for a small AC car for 11 days/ 10 nights).

Further reading
Transpire Holidays has a pretty informative website (transpire.biz).

Veg Out
The popular Solar Café at the Draavidia Gallery serves tasty and organic vegetarian food in a bright, relaxed space. The art gallery also holds regular music performances (Bazaar Rd; 10am – 6pm; from ` 200 for a meal for two).

Shop
Fort Kochi and Mattancherry offer really interesting curios and art by local painters. These shops also offer interesting insights into the local culture and general ‘Mallu‘ family life. Be sure to bargain, but, of course, as with antiques and art everywhere, there is no right price.

Things to Do in…

MUNNAR: Covering almost 100sqkm in area, the Eravikulam National Park’s landscape is a mix of grasslands and forest, ensuring a variety of plants and animals – orchids, Niligiri tahr, smallclawed otters and birds like the Kerala laughingthrush (eravikulam.org; 15km from Munnar; 7am – 6pm; entry: Rs. 15, vehicle: Rs. 50).

PERIYAR: The hour-long boat trip on the Periyar Lake is unmissable because the birds, gaur, elephants and otters will make it a really memorable experience (available in the morning and evening; Rs. 200 pp for 1.5hrs). A jungle walk is the best way to experience the forest and in Periyar, the forest itself is more than half the attraction (walks daily at 7am, 7.30am and 10am; Rs. 200 pp, min four people for 2.5hrs, entrance fees extra). Bamboo rafting (right) at the Periyar Tiger Reserve is a full-day trekking and rafting programme that takes you through the landscapes the Periyar Tiger Reserve encircles. Tea, snacks and lunch are provided (8am – 5pm; Rs. 1,500 pp, min two people, all-inclusive).

CHETHY: Get a real, village-style ayurvedic massage at Ayur Niketan. The people at Azheekan’s can organise it for you (00-91-478-2573298; Ayur Niketan, Arthunkal PO, Cherthala, Alleppey District; Rs. 1,000 for a one-hour massage).

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

The Perfect Kerala Trip

Kovalam-Kerala

The Perfect Kerala Trip

Colourful architecture, verdant tea estates and plentiful wildlife along with gorgeous beaches and backwaters, friendly homestays and delicious food, Kerala’s got everything you need for a perfect holiday.

I was lucky enough to have been paid to travel straight out of college. As a tour leader, I would accompany groups of travellers around India, often following the same itinerary several times in a row. My very first trip went through Kerala, and, even though the group included a client who nearly made me quit after the first week, she wasn’t able to sour my growing fondness for the state. That first year, I spent about two straight months travelling around Kerala, adapting to its unique pace, learning to laugh with its people and falling harder for it every day. Seven years on, I’m looking to revisit the highlights, attempting to create a tasting menu of the various experiences it has to offer and string them into an itinerary to create the perfect trip.

With its easy distances, Kerala lends itself well to a driving holiday, but the staggering amount of options really makes creating an itinerary rather difficult, even downright controversial if your family’s anything like mine. We argue over which beach destination to visit – the tourist-ridden Kovalam with its numerous fusion food offerings, or the utterly peaceful Mararikulam. Tiny Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, which, as home to the heartspotted kingfisher, the unbearably cute Ceylon frogmouth and the crimson-throated barbet, reaches above its size, distracts us for a while before we relegate it reluctantly to a stop and decide to stay instead at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the hope of seeing elephants in the wild. And then there are the places that are always unanimous favourites – Fort Kochi, the quiet hillsides of Munnar, and watery Alleppey. Kerala has a number of corners we’ve yet to explore, but we’re loath to miss out on any of the greats and therefore choose to be less adventurous but more certain of going to places that are just right.

Mararikulam | Best for bumming on the beach
Chethy & Vechoor | Best for Homestays
Alleppey | Alappuzha | Best for Backwaters
Periyar | Best for wildlife
Munnar | Best for Trekking and Tea
Fort Kochi & Mattancherry | Best for culture and architecture

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Mararikulam Beach

Marari-Beach

Mararikulam Beach - Visiting my favourite bits of Kerala has turned out to be more exhausting than I’d anticipated. Azheekan’s certainly has left me a bit emotional, so I’m glad we’d had the foresight to choose Mararikulam as our final stop on what has turned out to be a fairly epic Keralan holiday. The drives through the hills, though not overlong, have been a bit tiring as well and so we’re happy that only a few kilometres separate the Azheekan family home from Marari.

We’ve decided to treat ourselves after the somewhat meagre creature comforts offered by Azheekan’s and booked ourselves a cottage with a living room and verandah of our own at the Casino Group’s Marari Beach.

A sprawl of a property, with a choice of restaurants, slightly manicured-looking gardens, a volleyball court and a Jacuzzi, it is undeniably a resort but not an antiseptic one. And a bit of a release – Kerala can sometimes be very, very Kerala, if you know what I mean, with constant reminders of where you are, so we’re secretly glad to have an airy cottage after the dark wood interiors of traditional Keralan homes: sunlight floods white rooms, and it feels like a holiday here. And the open spaces the hotel offers are great for children and grandparents, alike; by itself, Marari Beach could feel bland, but, at the end of a charged trip like this, it’s much needed. Walk along sandy paths, heave a happy sigh after a few minutes in the pool’s Jacuzzi end, get beaned by a casuarina twig – as a final stop before you have to head back home, this works well. It’s worked for me, certainly.

We head back to Kochi on our final day, revived by the inertia of the last few days of the trip and laden with bags bearing mementos of our experiences: clothes smelling of the vanilla and cinnamon we bought in Thekkady, sepia-tinted photographs of nameless families that an antique shop in Mattancherry was hawking, a stray wildflower from Munnar pressed between the pages of a book. We’ll be talking of this one around the family table for years to come.

Where to Stay

Marari Beach has spacious, terracotta floored cottages with separate dressing and TV areas and often feature open-to-sky bathrooms. The resort offers a number of activities such as cooking classes, a bird watching walk, massages and a village tour, but as none of them require you to be very energetic. They’re all worth doing (00-91- 478-2863801; cghearth.com/marari-beach; Mararikulam-North; from Rs. 15,000).

Where to Eat

Chakara Restaurant is the main eatery at Marari Beach and serves a variety of foods as part of the buffet or à la carte. Its local Keralan food is, however, the best (meals for two for about Rs. 800).

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Chethy and Vechoor Best for Homestays

Chethy and Vechoor Best for Homestays - It`s here that I experience that old traveller’s cliché – the one where you travel hundreds of kilometres to find yourself at home. Azheekan’s Homestay came strongly recommended as a true village homestay on the backwaters. I appreciated the handkerchief-sized, neatly-swept courtyard that opened up onto the backwaters, the beautiful, traditional Keralan wooden rooms and the utter lack of formality. But it was the food that came out of the simple kitchen onto the even simpler white plastic table that elevated the place to the sublime. The homestay is less than 20 km away from Alleppey but I’m so impatient to get there, to taste the ripe sweetness of the passion fruit juice, the lingering heat of the peppery Kerala beef and the yellow Katti Paippu Daal made creamy with ghee, to see the baby-faced granny and listen to the patriarch, babu`s advice on the medicinal properties of the house plants.

Nearby Chethy Beach is spectacular. Photos of a sunset on the nearly deserted, softly-curved beach remain on my phone as does the one taken from a small bridge of a narrow backwater draped by coconut trees, leading to the sea.

We spend an afternoon with Mohan the village elephant, a huge tusker who’d assessed us with steady brown eyes, not nearly as impressed with us as we are with him, and another chucking bits of bread at the ducks paddling around the stretch of backwater that passes by the Azheekan home.

Philipkuttys Farm – set on an island on Lake Vembanad, and reached by Vallam (country boat) after a drive from Kochi – is a more polished option. At this homestay, set on a working 35-acre farm, the two major draws are the family and the food. The Mathews – Anu, her mother-in-law Anniamma, and her children Philip and  Anya – welcome you into their homestead and the six waterfront villas as if you are family friends; the food will make you wish you were. All meals are eaten communally in the covered patio or the family dining room; and both vegetarians and non vegetarians will retire satisfied after.  Appams with chicken stew, fried  Karimeen (pearl spot), beef with fried coconut chips, string hoppers, prawns, karela or tondli fry – and, of course, payasam and very fresh fruit. All made more brilliant by the use of coconut – either as a cooking medium or as a garnish. The villas themselves are traditional, with carefully chosen furniture and artifacts  There is no TV and no air conditioning; the silence is broken only by the sounds of farm work and birds. A part of the homestay experience is an exploration of the family’s organic farm and a sunset cruise on Lake Vembanad (weather permitting). If you must do more than lounge and eat, Vechoor Village across the stretch of water is worth a wander through – take in the 13th-century St Mary’s Church, the Shaivite Sri Kandeshwaram Mahadevak Shetra Temple, and stand on the Taneer Mukham Bund that separates the fresh water and the saline in Lake Vembanad.

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Alappuzha Best for Backwaters

Alappuzha-Best-for-Backwaters

Alappuzha Best for Backwaters - I’M now ready to give up the pretense that I want to do anything really physical on holiday, and head straight to the backwaters where, I hope, the only exercise I’ll be doing is lying down.  Alleppey / Alappuzha has accommodation options by the dozen – plush resorts you can cocoon yourself in, as well as and simpler home stays – all located along its abundant water bodies. But, in pursuit of our lofty goal of doing as little as possible, we’ve chosen to stay on a houseboat.

Ah, yes, I’ve come to the right place. A houseboat, with its limited square footage and dedicated staff, offers the excuse to literally do nothing. We set off from pretty Alleppey to float on the water hyacinth-covered waters of its lagoons at a pace slightly faster than a drift, and lose the fight against inertia straight off.

Kettuvallams (houseboats) still bear the traditional shape of the rice- and spice carrying boats, that, despite their fragile appearance would carry tonnes of load along the Malabar coastline, but on the inside. They now often feature modern shower cabinets, beds you can sink into and even television sets. We’ve opted for one without a TV and instead choose to let our attention be grabbed by the simply cooked fresh seafood and the gentle village life around us.

While the wider backwaters are breathtaking in their vast stillness, it’s the narrower ones, which force you to switch into a smaller vallam (country boat), that really bring Kerala to you. Most vallams offer the feeling of isolation, since often a boat is their only link to the outside world. We wedge our canoe into a tangle of reeds and wander past homes built on sand to a little shrine too small to be called a temple.

Children returning from school in canoes scatter squawking ducks and head straight for us to giggle at our city-strangeness. From the other bank comes the wet sound of a woman beating her washing against a rock. To the west the sun sinks lower into the sea as fishermen light the lanterns on their boats as they set off for a bit of night fishing. This is Kerala.

Where to Stay

Houseboats can be organised through Transpire Holidays (00-91-98460 89546; mail@transpire.biz; Nr. Abad Nucleus Mall, Maradu, Kochi; Rs. 7000.00 a night with all meals for an Alleppey – Alleppey circuit on a one bedroom houseboat).

Where to Eat

Harbour Restaurant, part of Raheem Residency, is also open to non-residents. It serves well-made Indian and international food (00-91-477-2230767; Beach Road; meal for two about Rs. 1,300).

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Periyar Best for Wildlife

Periyar-WildLife

Periyar Best for Wildlife - Go bamboo rafting for a different way to spy on wildlife, try to bump into a herd of elephants, get an oily massage.

“SHH!” our jungle guide warns us, and I bump clumsily into the person walking in front of me. I’ve been scanning the forest floor for the leeches who had besieged me on earlier monsoon trips to the Periyar Tiger Reserve, and though our guide has assured me we’re unlikely to see them in drier months, I am still wary. But now, there are more interesting things to focus on.

We’ve chanced upon a herd of elephants, including a calf, a mere 30 meters away from us. We’d love to stay and admire them, especially since we’re perfectly placed to spy, but the calf is making the herd unpredictable and we retreat. They probably sensed our presence minutes ago and are on the alert, wide ears twitching. Of course, trying to outrun six or seven elephants through as dense a forest as Periyar’s doesn’t hold much hope, so we’re better off trying to make ourselves seem as unthreatening as possible by making tracks.

This region is thought to be home to India’s largest population of these giants, but, on foot, you’re more likely to come across gaur – animals you shouldn’t be excited to meet face-to-face, either. Luckily, the poachers-turned-guides in Periyar have excellent first-hand knowledge of the park’s wildlife. Elephants are more often seen from the boats that navigate Periyar’s man-made lake, looking like great, dusty boulders rolling down the slopes to the water.

A single road cuts through Thekkady, the gateway to the reserve, and is lined with spice plantations, family-owned grocery stores, and Kathakali and Kalaripayattu displays. Even so, we spend most of our time in the forest, opting for long walks, bamboo rafting and a boat trip on Periyar Lake.

Boating is one of the things that makes the Periyar Tiger Reserve special. There’s something about seeing a park from the water; the distance between you and the animals lulls them into emerging from the forest cover. You’ll have a chance to see cormorants, darters, kingfishers and other water birds and even the occasional, quick-to-disappear otter.  Although deemed a tiger reserve, hardly any have been spotted in recent years. Look instead for other elusive and endemic forest dwellers such as the endangered lion-tailed macaque and small Travancore flying squirrel.

After a second trek and few more sweaty hours in the forest, we’re more inclined to accept our hotel staff’s earlier suggestion of an oily and aromatic Kerala massage.

Where to Stay

Gavi, about 50km from Kumily, has a Kerala Forest Development Corporation run eco-friendly resort with experienced guides and naturalists Gavi Eco Tourism Centre, Gavi Division, Gavi PO, via Vandiperiyar; from Rs. 2,300 pp all inclusive. For Booking accomodation in Gavi Contact Transpire Holidays, Tel. 98460 89546. www.tbsindia.co

Wildernest, a small, 10-room hotel located off the Thekkady Road, is bright and spacious (00-91-4869-224030; wildernest-kerala.com, contact@wildernestkerala.com; Thekkady Rd; from Rs. 4,500).

Where to Eat
CHRISSIE’S offers Italian and continental fare (00-91-4869-224155; chrissies.in; By-Pass Rd, Thekkady; meals from Rs. 110).

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Munnar Best for Trekking and Tea

Munnar

Munnar Best for Trekking and Tea is just over a hundred kilometres from Kochi, but a four-hour drive inland. We haven’t had enough of the coast yet, but we’re saving  the lazing-on-a-beach for the end. In the meantime, we’re driving through small towns and upward past neatly-ordered tea plantations dotted  with slender eucalyptus trees covered in silvery lichen. Walk through sprawling, terraced tea plantations, huff your way up rolling hills, look for a Nilgiri tahr in Eravikulam National Park.

Munnar, thankfully, is still way behind the hill stations of the north in terms of construction and traffic, and it offers the possibility of even  greater solitude if you spend some time in the Eravikulam National Park (15km).

Home to surreally beautiful endemic plants such as the neelakurinji , which flowers every 12 years to stain the hills with blue, Anamudi, the  tallest peak south of the Himalayas, and as a protective zone for the endangered Nilgiri tahr, the Eravikulam National Park has a lot to offer.  Give yourself at least a day to explore its grasslands and sholas (forests), though you’ll probably find yourself wanting more.

Munnar itself has a number of less strenuous activities to occupy yourself with as well, such as a visit to the Tata Tea Museum in the  Nalluthanni Estate, where visitors can watch an interesting short documentary on the history of tea plantations in India and see quaint, now  obsolete, machines that were in use in the early 1900s. But perhaps the best way to enjoy the town is by hiring a cycle and rolling down (and  huffing up) the roads, as we do, to enjoy the 12,000 hectares of tea bushes. This is, of course, best done in the mornings while the tea  pluckers are hard at work. Of course, like every self-respecting hill station in India, Munnar too has a ‘view point’: Top Station, 23km away, which looks out over the plains that border Tamil Nadu.

As we leave Munnar, looking back at the mist-ringed hills, we’re resolving to come back here in 2016 when the neelakurinji blooms next.

Where to Stay

Anaerangal Camp is made up of a row of tents and a gazebo where fireside conversations flow as you gaze at Anaerangal Lake (00-91-484- 2092280; munnarcamps.com, info@munnarcamps. com; Suryanelli, 25km from Munnar; from Rs. 4,500 all-inclusive).

Casa Del Fauno has only three bedrooms and feels more like a private home than a guesthouse (00-91-484- 3126444; casadelfauno.com, info@ casadelfauno.in; Peak Gardens, Chinnakanal PO, Muttukadu; from Rs. 5,250).

Where to Eat

Rapsy Restaurant, a hole-in-the-wall eatery that began as a local favourite, now serves a mix of Indian dishes like paratha and biryani and Middle-Eastern shakshuka (Munnar Bazaar; meal for two about Rs. 150).

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Fort Kochi and Mattancherry Best for Culture and Architecture

Fort-Cochin

Fort Kochi and Mattancherry Best for Culture and Architecture - My first port of call at Fort Kochi, as we get off the ferry, is ‘my house’. There it is, sitting on a grassy patch that slopes downwards from the New Sea Wall. The simple, Portuguese-style villa façade has two curved, turret-like corners into which a round dining table would fit perfectly, and French windows that look out beyond the Chinese fishing nets to the sea. The house has belonged to me (or rather, my imagination) since I first visited this tiny island off Ernakulam, which holds more objects of interest in a square metre than the biggest Indian city.

One day, perhaps, I will really own it. For now, I can only gaze at it and the row of lovely, similarly-built villas that line the New Sea Wall, and silently thank whoever is responsible for giving Fort Kochi its heritage zone status, which protects its Jewish, Portuguese and Dutch buildings, the wide, canopy-forming rain trees on the Parade Ground, and the sweet charm that defines Fort Kochi.

Fort Kochi is one of the handful of islands, which, along with the mainland – Ernakulam – makes up Kochi. Larger in comparison to its sister islands but still pocket-sized, Fort Kochi has such an array of sights, restaurants, art galleries and antique shops that you’re likely to waste time just deciding where to go. But mornings in Fort Kochi belong to the Kashi Art Café. There are a few interesting eateries that have sprung up in the area that we’re willing to explore as lunch or dinner options, but Kashi Art Café offers the best breakfast menu: inch-thick slices of buttery toast, fresh juice and peace.

Sleepy afternoons are perfect for diving head-first into the cool, dusty world of antique shops that line the streets of Jew Town, but morning is when you should see the best of Fort Kochi – its architecture. Start at the New Sea Wall and walk till you get to the dilapidated but atmospheric.

Dutch Cemetery. Then head down Church Road to St Francis Church, India’s oldest, whose elegantly simple façade is a far cry from the comparatively new Santa Cruz Basilica, with its gilded interiors, lofty ceiling and magnificent stained-glass windows.

Mattancherry, at the other end of the island, is more obviously touristy, with antiques stores and art galleries lining the streets. There are more touts here as well, but that doesn’t take away from its charm. The Dutch Palace is a chunky building with a plain exterior and stunning frescoes within. You’ll probably find yourself lingering in the 400-year-old Paradesi Synagogue to admire its willow-patterned Cantonese tiles, Belgian chandeliers and golden pulpit.

We walk back to Fort Kochi via fragrant Bazaar Road, whose dingy spice shops are made vibrant by the pungent potpourri of smells they release, telling you the story of Kerala and how this began over a handful of pepper, making Fort Kochi the ideal start to a Keralan odyssey. We linger in Fort Kochi for a few days, following our noses through its network of lanes that never fail to surprise before we somewhat reluctantly move on.

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Gavi Beauty of God’s own Country

Gavi

Gavi Beauty of God’s own Country is a small hamlet in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India is now a major attraction in the tourism map of south India. It is located in the eastern extreme of the Pathanamthitta district, 3400 ft above sea level, expanding across Periyar Tiger Reserve. The evergreen forest of Gavi is the home of tiger, elephants, leopards, bears, Indian Gaur, Sambar, Barking & Mouse deers, lion tailed macaque, other varieties of monkeys, Nilgiri Marten and many more. Best conveyance to reach there is taking a jeep; it can take you through all nook and corner of Gavi which is rich in natural beauty untouched by the exploitation of mass tourism. Verdant Forests, rolling grass lands, waterfall etc give it surreal beauty.

Ecotourism programme of Gavi is being sponsored by the The Kerala Forest Development Corporation Ltd, with the aim to promote sustainable tourism without tampering the beauty of the tropical forest of the Western Ghats. Gavi is attracts not only nature enthusiasts but also adventure tourists and research tourists who come here to explore the rich flora and fauna. Terrain consists of hills and valleys, tropical forestes, sprawling grasslands, shoals, cascading waterfalls and cardamom plantations. Endangered species such as Nilgiri Tahr and Lion-tailed macaque can be sighted at the outskirts. Forests of Gavi and the surrounding places are the habitat of over 320 species of birds – the great Indian hornbills, sunbirds, woodpeckers, kingfishers and myriads of mynas, dongos, cuckoos and bulbuls, truly a haven for bird watchers. Gavi offers some spectacular views like deep ravine and forest below. You can track the Nilgiri Tahrs from the point near Green Mansion near eco-lodge.

An important factor of the Gavi eco project is the involvement of local populace in its activities as guides, gardeners and cooks. It provides livelihood to the locals and also helps in creating awareness on nature conservation. Visitors have opportunity to try their hand in trekking, wildlife watching, outdoor camping in specially built tents, and night safaris. There is active involvement of tribals in Gavi making it a unique venture of its kind in the country.

Sabarimala, the famous pilgrim destination is only a short trek from Gavi. People interested in observing nocturnal wildlife, they can select night safaris to Kullur, GaviPullumedu, Kochu Pampa, Pachakanam which will provide ample opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Climate
Summer: Starting from February – April, daytime temperature to 28 c, but can come down to 20 degree C at night.
Monsoon: June- August, daytime temperature can reach up to 25 C but may drop to 10 degree c at night.

How to Reach Gavi

Location of Gavi is 28 km south west to Vandiperiyar, 14 km from Kumily, Thekkady. It would be rough journey to Gavi, so better make it on a sturdy vehicle like jeep which can be hired from Vandiperiyar or from Kumily. There is a junction called KakkiKavala just before reaching Vandiperiyar, you turn left here to go to Gavi. If you take this road for another 10 km, you will reach Vallakadavu checkpost.

Entry passes are issued from the Forest Check Post enroute at Vallakkadavu. It is 25 rupees per person and 50 rupees per vehicle. Cameras can be used by paying 25 rupees and video cameras are charged 100 rupees. Gavi is 12 km far from the check post.

After Vallakadavu check post, on the way you will come across two or more check posts but these checkposts does not need your entries. Here at the last check post the road forks, the road straight to Gavi, the one on the right goes to Pullumedu, this route is restricted and is open to the believers in Sabarimala season only.











Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

KSRTC Bus Time Schedule to Gavi

KSRTC Bus Time Schedule to Gavi - KSRTC runs an ordinary bus service in this route – Pathanamthitta to Kumily; this trip takes you through forest tracts of Moozhiyar, Kochu-Pampa, Pachakkanam and Gavi. This bus service connects places like Chittar, Seethathodu, Angamuzhi, Kakkadhydo Electric Project Area, Kakki Dam, Anathodu Dam, Pamba Dam, Gavi, Vallakadavu and Vandiperiyar.

Time Schedule

Towards Gavi, Kumali

Schedule 1:
Departure From Pathanamthitta: 06.30
Arrival At Gavi: 11.00
Arrival At Kumali: 12.30

Schedule 2:
Departure From Pathanamthitta: 12.30
Arrival At Gavi: 17.00
Arrival At Kumali: 18.30

Towards Pathanamthitta

Schedule 1:
Departure From Kumaly: 05.45
Arrival At Gavi: 07.15
Arrivat At Pathanamthitta: 11.45

Schedule 2:
Departure From Kumaly: 13.20
Arrival At Gavi: 14.45
Arrival At Pathanamthitta: 19.20

Fare
Pathanamthitta – Gavi: Rs 77
Pathanamthitta – Kumali: Rs 108
Gavi – Kumali: 34

Kumali – Gavi: 34
Kumali – Pathanamthitta: 108
Gavi – Pathanamthitta: 77

For More Details, Contact
KSRTC Pathanamthitta: 0468 2222366
KSRTC Kumaly: 0486 2323400

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top

Eco-tourism Promotion in Arippa Forests

The Kerala Government Eco-tourism Promotion in Arippa Forests is keen to develop and introduce more tourist facilities at the Arippa forests in the Western Ghats. The Rs 42-lakh development programme chalked out by Kerala Forests Development Corporation (KFDC) aims to provide better accommodation facilities at the spot, which would also be useful for travellers who are keen to visit the nearby Thenmala and Mankayam waterfalls.

The existing guest house will be renovated and more rooms will be constructed in it. Tents for night camping will also be set up at the place. The plan will benefit the local Kani tribe as its members will trained as guides to help tourists explore the woods in specific locations.

Kerala Holidays Enquiry Form

Planning a Holiday in Kerala, give a call to our Travel Consultants on 0091 98950 91639, who are professionals in hotels and holidays Or Fill out the form below. We will help organizing a perfect trip for you.

Top
1 2 3 … 6 Page 1 of 6

We can Help You. Call Us + 98950 91639

Keep in touch with our Latest Kerala Tourism News