Day 21: Mararikulam / Cochin (50 Kms)
Following a leisurely breakfast we will drive to Cochin
Upon arrival, check into The Trident
Kathakali Dance:
A special treat awaits us this evening as we proceed to witness the strength and vigor of Kathakali dance drama, as it enacts episodes from great Indian epics. The extremely stylized gestures, the elaborate make-up, the masks and the splendid costumes of these all-male dancers, recreates an incomparable sense of pageantry.
Overnight at The Trident – a 5* Oberoi Group Hotel (Superior Room)
Day 22: Cochin
Morning, we proceed on a guided tour of the City. The true character of the city is to be found in the older parts of the Fort Cochin area. It more or less exists as it used to be a 1000 years back, when it was first built. The roads have not been widened because the old haggard buildings, through patchwork repairs over the centuries, still stand on the edges. This part of the city reflects an unusual blend of medieval Portugal, Dutch and English country life grafted on to the tropical Malabar Coast. The fishing community of Cochin is also very interesting. They ancient cantilevered fishing nets called Chinese Fishing Nets. The net is fixed to a pole on the shore. While fishing, the entire net is lowered by a primitive fulcrum mechanism using long bamboo poles. By the same mechanism the pole is lifted along with the catch. We will explore the sights of Photographic as well as cultural interest. We would also visit the 16th century Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace since the Dutch substantially renovated the palace in the 17th century. The double storied quadrangular building surrounds a courtyard containing a Hindu temple. The Central Hall on the first floor was the coronation hall of the Rajas of Cochin; on display are their dresses, turbans and palanquins. The most important feature of this palace, however, is the astonishing murals in the bedchambers and other rooms, which depict scenes from the Ramayana and other religious legends. These murals are undoubtedly some of the most beautiful and extensive anywhere to be seen in India. The unique feature here is the unexpected and isolated Jewish community, whose origins date back to AD 52. They are self-contained and have their own Synagogue.
The area around the Synagogue, known, as ‘Jew Town’ is one of the main centres of spice trade. Scores of small firms huddle together in old dilapidated buildings and the air is filled with the aroma of ginger, cardamom, cumin, turmeric and cloves. The area is very busy. The potters are loading gunny bags of spices on to carts, which keep running up and down the narrow lanes. We would visit Jew Town, in the Mattancherry section and a short walk from the ferry, is one street long. Jews used to occupy virtually all the houses on Jew Town Road, where they sold fruits, vegetables and spices or worked as oil pressers or carpenters. The spice markets are still located on the narrow street.
Overnight at The Trident – a 5* Oberoi Group Hotel (Superior Room)
Day 23: Cochin / Ooty (290 Kms) (06 Hrs Drive)
Following a leisurely breakfast we will drive to Ooty
Upon arrival check into your hotel Taj Savoy
Rest of the day is at leisure for your independent activities
Overnight at Taj Savoy – a Taj Group Hotel (Standard Room)
Day 24: Ooty
This morning we will proceed to a guided tour of Ooty
Nestled among some of the most spectacular mountains in Southern India, Ooty is a relic of the British Raj. The town’s general appearance is an unlikely combination of Southern England and Australia, with single -storey stone cottages surrounded by trees, fenced flower gardens scattered along leafy, and winding lanes with tall eucalypti stands covering the otherwise barren hilltops. The other main reminders of the British period are the stone Churches and the huge boy's school with its landscaped gardens at the bottom of Ooty's famous lake There is also the terraced and very English Botanical Gardens, in which the Government House stands on the lower slopes of Doddabetta (2623m), the highest peak in Tamil Nadu. From the top of Doddabeta you can see Connor, Wellington, Coimbatore, Mettupalayam and, on a clear day, as far as Mysore.
Overnight at Taj Savoy – a Taj Group Hotel (Standard Room)
Day 25: Ooty / Bangalore (280 Kms) (06 Hrs Drive) Bangalore / Departure
Morning, we will drive to Bangalore airport to board your onward flight
No Hotel Quoted for this day
We do hope the flavor of India will remain on your taste buds for all times to come and hopefully would kindle an indelible fondness for the country and her people; Thank you for being our guest, and as we say in India
‘Please Come back Soon”
Tour Cost for 02 People Traveling Together on Twin Sharing Basis
NOTE: - Hotel Upgrades available upon request
*T & C Apply
Includes: Accommodation on twin share basis; daily American breakfast; air-conditioned private car for all journeys and tours; local guides; Jungle trek & Spice Plantation in Periyar; Kathakali Dance in Cochin; Anayirangal Dam - Munnar, Dolmens – Munnar, Plantation Walk and Bison Valley Village Tour – Munnar, Cooking – Munnar, Tea Museum – Munnar, Tea Tasting – Munnar, Yoga & Meditation Class – Munnar;
Does Not Includes: Entrances / Camera & Video Fee to monuments: Expenses of Personal nature such as Laundry, Drinks, Tips, Telephone calls etc, Credit Card transaction Fee
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