Description

 Day 1 -:

 

Pickup from Cochin Airport / Railway Station transferred to Hotel. Check in the hotel and go for Cochin Sightseeing’s

 

Fort Cochin The Jew Town is a winding street sandwiched between Mattancherry Palace and Synagogue and is an attractive destination for those of you always on the lookout for antique and quirky art pieces. You will find the place brimming with local and international tourists on the hunt for unique items.

The tiny market is full of pristine pieces of art that have a rich history and interesting stories behind them.
The items showcased belong not only to Jews, but some also have a cultural background related to India, China, and Europe. If you are a shopaholic and antique lover, this is the place to be. You will find a plethora of trinkets and decorative items that each have a story of their own to tell you and diverse history to enchant you.

 

Chinese Fishing nets

Chinese fishing nets – Cheenavala in Malayalam – is believed to have been introduced in Kochi by Chinese explorer Zheng He, from the court of the Kubla Khan. The fishing net established itself on the Kochi shores between 1350 and 1450 AD. Best view The sight of the Chinese nets, suspended in mid air and standing in line on the beaches, when silhouetted against the sunset is breathtakingly beautiful. It is, undoubtedly, one of the most photographed sights in Kochi. For the best view of the nets, head to the Vasco da Gama Square, the narrow walkway that runs along the Fort Kochi beach. Structure and working of Chinese fishing nets
The Chinese nets, made of teak wood and bamboo poles, work on the principle of balance. Each structure, about 10m high, is fixed on the beach and has a cantilever with an attached net that is  spread over an area of about 20 meters.  Counterweights, usually stones about 30 cm in diameter, tied to ropes of different lengths, facilitate the working of the nets. Often, lights, attached to the teak posts. are suspended above the net to attract fish. Each fishing net is operated by more than four fishermen and is made in such a way that the weight of a man walking on the main plank is enough to cause the equipment to be pulled down into the sea. Fishing is usually done in the morning and early evening. The net is descended into the water for a short time and then raised delicately by pulling on the ropes. The slow rhythm and balancing of the net is spellbinding to a first-time viewer. Evening at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel

 

 

 

Day 2 -:

 

Monrning after Breakfast Transfer to Munnar enroute sightseeing tour of Cheeyappara waterfalls, then proceed to Munnar and check into Hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.

 

Rose Garden

 

Take a stroll inside the garden to see this excellent stretch that looks no less than a Mini heaven on earth with Hundreds of Colourful flowers and plants other than roses, Perched at a height of 3500 feet above sea level, (The entrance fee is be paid directly at the entrance)

 

Tea Museum

Just like any other hill station of India, Munnar is equally known for boasting breath-taking beauty, picturesque hills, amazing weather, and mesmerizing waterfalls. The refreshing tea estates of this hill station look no less than a paradise on earth and are so beautiful that the one who witnesses its charm and magic never really wants to go back home. A place that gives you exactly the same feeling and makes you go gaga on your visit to Munnar is the Kannan Devan Tea Museum.

 

Day 3 – :

 

After breakfast, explore Eravikulam National Park and later visit Kundala Dam, Eco Point and Pothamedu View Point. Overnight in Munnar.

Eravikulam National         

 

Park The fauna of this beautiful national park consists of a lot of animals, amphibians, birds, and butterflies. It is full of beautiful creatures that can be only found in the hills of the Western Ghats. Some of the fauna reported here are described below:

• Animals: There is a large variety of animals in this national park that survive on the existing vegetation of the national park, which is in turn controlled by the quality of the soil, the type of climate of the area, and rainfall conditions. There are about seventeen mammals, eleven birds and seven butterflies indigenous to the Western Ghats area. There are a total of 48 species of Mammals present at the park, including Nilgiri Tahr and Nilgiri Marten, out of which 17 are endemic to the Western Ghats. Other creatures at the park include amphibians, birds and butterflies.
• Birds: There are a total of one hundred and thirty-three species of birds in the National Park out of which almost eleven species are endemic to the Western Ghats.

Some of the famous birds found in the area are Jungle Bush Quail(Perdicula Asiatica), Indian Golden Backed Three-Toed Woodpecker(Dinopium Javanese), Small Green Barbet(Megalaima Viridis), White Breasted Kingfisher(Halcyon smyrnensis), and Indian Lorikeet(Loriculus Vernalis) among others.

• Butterflies: Eravikulam National Park is famous for its butterflies. There are a huge number of butterflies in the region that add to the aesthetic of the park. The area has a total of about a hundred species of butterflies in the region that have been identified by academics. Out of these only 11 are endemic to the Western Ghats.

There are several butterflies available here that have become endangered and it is extremely important to take conservative measures for such species. A few of the endangered butterflies in the region are Southern Birdwing(Troides minos), the Malabar Raven(Papilio gravidarum), Red Disk Bush Brown(Mycalesis oculus) butterflies, the Palni Fourring(Ypthima ypthimoides), the Nilgiri Tiger(Parantica nilgiriensis) which is also indigenous to Western Ghats, the White Disk Hedge Blue(Celatoxia albidisca) butterflies and the extremely rare Tamil Darlet(Oriens concinna).

• Reptiles: Even though the national park lies in the tropical zone, due to the microclimate that has formed in the area, it has become hard for reptiles to survive here. This makes it increasingly important to help conserve the species of animals that are exclusive to the Eravikulam region.

The park itself has a total of only 13 species of reptiles out of which five species are lizards and the rest 8 are snakes. Ten out of the thirteen species of reptiles in the region are available in the Western Ghats.

Some of the lizards and snakes available in the area are the Anamalai Spiny Lizard(Salea anamallayana), Keeled Grass Skink(Mabuya carinata), Palni Shield Tail Snake(Uropeltis pulneyensis), Buff Striped Keelback(Amphiesma stolata), Gunther’s Vine Snake(Ahaetulla dispar) and the Perrotet’s Mountain Snake(Xylophis perroteti).

• Amphibians: Due to the freshwater supply in the region from the rivers in Eravikulam and the extra tropical climate, several amphibians are also available within the national park. There are a total of twenty-one species of amphibians which have been reported at the park out of which a majority of 17 are endemic to the Fauna of Eravikulam National Park.

Some rare kinds of amphibians in the area include Ridged Toad(Bufo parietalis), Leith’s Leaping Frog(Indirana leithii), Bicolored Frog(Rana curtipus), Yellow-Bellied Bush Frog(Philautus flaviventris) and the Boulenger’s Bubble Nest Frog(Philautus signatus).

• Fish: The freshwater rivers and other water bodies present in the Eravikulam region have a lot of marine life out of which most of it is caught for production. There are four species of fish that have been identified here. Out of this, the main three species of fish that can be commonly found in the region are, Lipped Algae Eater(Horalabiosa joshuai), Cardamon Garra(Garra hughi) and the common Rainbow Trout(Salmo gairdneri gairdneri).

All these animals, mammals, birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and fish together make up the fauna of this ecosystem. A majority of these creatures are endangered, or endemic to the region making it extremely important to look after them and help them grow and survive. You will be able to see a majority of these animals on your visit to the park. However, the endangered ones are sighted rarely.

Echo Point 

 

Three mountain ranges – Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni, and Kundala, meet at the Echo Point. And you can walk around the gentle slopes or explore the surrounding tea plantations and spice gardens. You can also hop on a boat or sit by the lake watching the birds. It’s heaven for adventure enthusiasts, nature lovers, and photographers. ( Entrance fee is free at this point)

 

Kundala Dam

 

is a masonry arch dam completed in 1947 and its considered to be one of Asia’s first arch dams,The dam stands at a height of 46.93 metres and has a length of 259.38 metres. With 5 spillways and vertical lift gates.(Entrance fee to the Dam is free but there is boating which is 100/-per person for the 30 minutes pedal boating)

 

Pothamedu View Point 

Pothamedu View Point, situated 5 km off Munnar, is adorned with stretching hills and lush green mountains. One can witness the spectacular wide views of tea, coffee and cardamom plantations of the area. It is an ideal place to witness beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Idukki Arch Dam which is about 60 kms away is visible from this viewpoint on a clear day,

 

Day 4-:

After breakfast, drive to Thekkady (Periyar). Check-in, proceed for sightseeing tour of Periyar. Set high in the ranges of the Western Ghats in Kerala, is the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve. Periyar wildlife sanctuary has a picturesque lake at the heart of the sanctuary spice plantation tour etc. Enjoy a boat ride on the lake to view the wildlife at close quarters. Later,

 

spice plantation tour. As you take a walk along the streets of Kumily or the winding pathways among the plantations, the thing that strikes you first is the lingering aroma in the air. The scent may be of cloves, nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon or cardamom and sometimes a fragrance that combines the scents of two or more spices. The geographical and climatic peculiarities of Kumily such as the cool climate and its elevation from the sea level make it ideal for spice cultivation.

Back to hotel and overnight in Thekkady.

 

Day 5-:

 

After breakfast and check out from hotel. Start towards The backwater town, On arrival in the town, check in  Hotel, and enjoy the local sightseeing’s. The villages, paddy fields, elegant churches, temples and rare birds. Then Back to hotel and Overnight stay at hotel.

 

Day 6-:

After breakfast check out from hotel and transfer to Kovalam. which is internationally famed for its palm-fringed beaches and rejuvenating centers. Upon arrival, check in at hotel and go for local sightseeing and explore the beaches in Kovalam. Overnight in Kovalam

 

Day 7-:

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Trivandrum for a Half day sightseeing trip. Visit the Napier Museum, the Padmanabha Swamy Temple and the Kuthiramalika Palace then back to Kovalam, Overnight stay at Kovalam.

 

 

Day 8-:

 

Today Your Trips end with wonderful memories. After breakfast, you will be transferred to Trivandrum Airport/ Railway Station for return flight back home

 

***END OF THE TOUR***