Kerala: Bikes Hikes and Boats
Our popular and long running journey in South India. Cochin’s Chinese fishing nets at sunset, hiking above the tea estates in the Cardamom Hills, a backwater boat ride, a wildlife reserve and final days by palm fringed beaches combine to make this unhurried visit to India a memorable trip.
Cochin, the spice centre of India, is perched around numerous islands and peninsulas. We catch ferry-boats between islands before heading to the cool Cardamom hills, where we hike above the tea estates to reach the highest peaks in South India at over 2500m.
Travelling south, we stay at Periyar wildlife reserve where there are tiger, elephant, deer, wild boar, monkeys, fish eagles, hornbills and many kingfishers. We walk through plantations of cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, cumin, cinnamon and pepper.
On our boat journey down the Kerala backwaters we pass through a tapestry of rice fields and spend two nights in a tranquil waterside guesthouse, an ideal base for forays on foot or by bike to small local villages or temples.
After a visit to an Indian Arts centre we head for the coast. Through the palm trees is the Arabian Sea and we spend the final days by its golden beaches.
August departure follows the same itinerary but links with the colourful Onam Snake-Boat Festival.