Kerala

Wildest Wildlife tour of Kerala (10N/11D)

Elephant kerala wildlife

This special wildlife trip is curated to give you an extremely close and personal experience of Wildlife sighting in Kerala. Explore the thick deciduous forests of Western Ghats like never before and bring back forest tales from the natives.

Departure: October to May’2017
Price: On request
Accommodation: Resorts,Hotels and Home stays
Occupancy: Twin sharing
Meals: All meals included
Trip Type: Group of minimum 4 people
Inclusions: Road transport, toll taxes, all entry tickets
Exclusions: Personal expenses if any, ticket to Cochin & back

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Cochin – Chimmony

On arrival at Cochin, meet and transfer to Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary (Abt 2 hrs drive). You will be briefed about Sanctuary and this community based ecotourism program. A short walk and an hour long boat ride in the reservoir will lead you to our camp. Go for a short walk with your naturalist while your hosts cook your food. Simple vegetarian meals will be cooked and served at the camp. In the afternoon, our naturalist will take you for a walk through lush tropical jungle to watch birds and butterflies. Learn to read animal signs and evidences. You will see some rare and endemic orchids flowering. There are chances of spotting wild animals too. But don’t except to walk into a tiger. That requires a longer stay. Your eco-guides will identify the medicinal herbs they use. Your accommodation will be in tents. Sleeping bags are provided.

Day 02: Chimmony

Wake up at 5.30 with tea and cookies. Go for an early morning nature walk with our naturalist. After breakfast, a trek with your naturalist through the dense moist deciduous forests will help you learn more about the life in the jungle. Expect to see wild animals during the trek. Return to camp, you are at leisure this afternoon, relax under a cascade of the nearby mountain stream. After lunch visit a nearby Rainforest patch, watch birds. Back in the camp discuss with your hosts over dinner, their role in preserving these jungles. Listen to their jungle lore, encounters with wild animals. Learn to identify nocturnal birds by their calls. Or just let the jungle sounds lull you to sleep. Spend the night sleeping in tents and sleeping bags.

Day 03: Chimmony – Thattekkad

Wake up at 5.30 with tea and snacks. An early morning birding trek will further lengthen your bird list including some rare endemics. After breakfast we trek back to Chimmony.  Transfer to Thattekkad to check-in to a home stay on the boundaries of the Park. After lunch and siesta, go for a walk with your naturalist and local guides through the nearby plantations, forest and river side, wetlands and Paddy fields for birding. You will be back in the home stay by late evening, after dinner stay overnight at home stay.

Day 04: Thattekkad – Chinnar

Wake up early morning and do some birding. After breakfast, checkout from home stay and drive to Chinnar (Abt150kms/5hrs drive). Arrive at Chinnar Forest station by 3.00pm and meet your naturalist and the team of eco-guides. After a short briefing, you will be guided for a trek through the dry deciduous thorny scrub forests of Chinnar. After an hour trek you will reach at the campsite near river Pambar. You will be staying in a log-hut today. Trek around your camp with your naturalist for more wildlife viewing. These forests are home to one of the most endangered mammals of India, the Grizzled Giant Squirrel. The dry deciduous forest of Chinnar gives you an excellent opportunity to watch wildlife at close quarters. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 05: Chinnar – Vasyappara

Wake up early and walk around your camp early in the morning with your naturalist. After breakfast trek to Champakkad. Take a dip in the river Pampar to cool your body. After two hour long trek you will reach Vasyappara. Camp in a traditional thatched hut on a ledge at the top of this hill – an ideal place for wildlife viewing and star gazing. For lunch and dinner, simple vegetarian food is cooked and served by your hosts at camp. Stay overnight in the hut.

Day 06: Vasyappara – Chinnar – Munnar

Wake up early in the morning and move around the camp with your naturalist. Look for animal signs like pug marks, scratches, scat etc. on the nearby trek path and watch birds and animals without disturbing them. After breakfast, walk back to the Forest station with your guides and naturalist and bid adieu to Chinnar. Today you will be transfered to Munnar(60kms/2hrs).  Enroute visit Rajamalai – the tourism zone of Eravikulam National Park.  Enjoy sight seeing at Munnar in the evening. Stay overnight at Hotel.

Day 07: Munnar – Kumarakom

After breakfast check out and transfer to Kumarakom (Abt. 4 to 5hrs travel) and check into a hotel. Rest and relax. Visit Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary this evening or early morning next day. Stay overnight at resort/hotel.

Day 08: Kumarakom – Alleppey

After breakfast check out and drive to Alleppey. Board your Houseboat at 12.00 noon for an enchanting cruise through the serene backwaters of Kerala. Lunch, Dinner & overnight stay on board Houseboat.

Day 09: Alleppey – Cochin

After breakfast disembark at Alleppey by 09.00 AM. Transfer to Cochin (abt 2hrs drive). On arrival, check in at Hotel. Afternoon is at leisure. In the evening witness a cultural dance show ‘ Kathakali ‘ in a local theatre at Cochin. Stay overnight at Hotel.

Day 10: Cochin

After Breakfast go for a guided sightseeing tour of Cochin visiting the Synagogue built over 400 years ago by the large Jewish community and the Dutch Palace where murals narrate the entire epic Ramayana. Also visit the St Francis Church, the first European church built in India & the Chinese fishing nets used by the Kerala fishermen. In the afternoon you are free to explore Cochin on your own.  Stay overnight at Hotel.

Day11: Departure from Cochin

After breakfast check out and transfer to airport.