Spice Trails of Kerala

15 days
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4.7/5 Excellent
100+ reviews  
98%
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Small Group Tour
Walk through the beautiful hills and tea plantations of South India
$3,645
From$2,700
See departure dates

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Discover the beautiful hill station of Munnar
    • Trek through the historic tea plantations of Kerala
    • Visit the colourful Sri Meenakshi Temple at Madurai
    • Spend a night on a traditional houseboat in Kerala

What's this trip about?

    Walk through the beautiful hills and tea plantations of South India

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 16 people
Age range16 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityKochi (Cochin)
End CityKochi (Cochin)

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Hiking & Walking

Destinations

Attractions

  • Kerala
  • Kochi
  • Munnar
  • Western Ghats

Activities

  • Culture
  • Hiking
  • History
  • Trekking

Min Group Size

  • Min Group Size: 4

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 16

Trip includes

    • All breakfasts, six lunches and six dinners included
    • All accommodation
    • All transport listed within the itinerary
    • Entrances fees to monuments (as per itinerary)
    • Tour leader throughout

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Start Kochi

The adventure begins in Kochi (also known as Cochin), a historic port city on the Malabar Coast. The evening is free for you to relax after your journey. Accommodation: Grand Hotel (or similar)

Day 2 Drive to Munnar hill station

In the morning, we drive away from the coastal plain to Munnar, a town within the highest mountains in Kerala. The drive is approximately 100mi (160km) and should take about six hours. Munnar is a beautiful hill station on the Western Ghats, once used a summer resort ...

Day 3 Day trek in the Munnar hills, optional tea museum visit

After breakfast, we take a short 4x4 drive through old Munnar and travel down to the tiny village of Nagarmudi (4,920ft/1,500m), where we start our trek accompanied by a local guide. The walk begins with a gradual ascent through the tea plantations and then climbs int...

Day 4 Trek in the Silent Valley

We have a beautiful one-hour drive to the Silent Valley, passing through tea estates and plantations in a valley surrounded by hills. Our trek starts with a gradual walk on the plains of the tea plantations at approximately 5,250ft (1,600m), followed by a gentle climb...

Day 5 Ascend Meesapulimala

Today we trek to Meesapulimala Peak (8,630ft/2,630m), the second highest in South India (Anamudi is the highest but it is in a restricted area). From our camp, the trail ascends through rough shola grassland until we reach open ridges, bringing us to Meesapulimala Pea...

Day 6 Trek to Yellapetty village; to campsite

In the morning, we start our trek through the thick forest of Silent Valley and then through pine forests and along the streams of the Rhodo Valley. After, we pass through grasslands and shola forest, where we may be lucky to spot giant squirrels, wild boar and Indian...

Day 7 Trek to Koviloor via Vattavada village

Today we have a fairly easy walk with some slight ups and downs as we trek to the beautiful village of Koviloor (6,235ft/1,900m). Along the way, we pass through the lush vegetable farming region of Pazhathottam and the ever-present tea plantations in this part of Indi...

Day 8 Trek through plantation ridge, drive to Mundhan

On this last day of our trek, we head through the plantation ridge. From our vantage point, we have views over beautiful Koviloor village. This whole area is known as the market of India due to the amount of fruit and vegetables grown. As we enjoy the scenery, we may ...

Day 9 To Madurai; visit Sri Meenakshi Temple

Leaving Kerala, we drive (approximately two to three hours) through the plains to the colourful temple town of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, one of the oldest and most fascinating cities in South India. The great Sri Meenakshi Temple, most of which was built during the Nayak...

Day 10 To Periyar National Park; evening walk in spice gardens

Leaving Madurai in the morning, we drive to the small village of Thekkady. The drive is spectacular as the road climbs through the Western Ghats and we have fantastic views across Tamil Nadu. Thekkady is a small yet bustling village from where we visit Periyar Nationa...

Day 11 Morning nature walk; optional afternoon boat ride on Periyar Lake to see wild elephants

Periyar National Park is one of the largest in South India and is set around a large human-made lake. In the early morning, we have a short nature walk in the tropical forest. In the afternoon, you can join an optional boat trip and lake cruise (cruise tickets can be ...

Day 12 To Alleppey for overnight stay on a traditional Keralan houseboat

We transfer to the coastal city of Alleppey. We board our houseboats and begin our cruise along the backwaters of Kerala. The houseboat cruise is one of the highlights of the trip – these enchanting houseboats, built of anjili wood and bamboo, were the traditional met...

Day 13 To the Malabar Coast; explore fishing village

After a relaxing breakfast on the houseboats, we disembark and drive along the scenic Malabar Coast to our homestay, which is near a beautiful stretch of beach. There is plenty of time to relax and explore the fishing village. Accommodation: Marari Beach Villa (or similar)

Day 14 To Kochi; afternoon sightseeing

We head back to Kochi and, during the afternoon, there is a guided tour, which includes: Mattancherry Palace, which was built by the Portuguese as a gift for the Raja of Kochi; the Jewish synagogue dating from 1568; and St Francis Church. We also explore the town of K...

Day 15 End Kochi

The adventure ends in Kochi and we begin our return journeys home. If you’d like the adventure to continue, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,700
Price per day$180
Last Updated: 5/22/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Shared Room
Single Room
Availability
09 Nov 2025
23 Nov 2025
$2,700
$3,240
23 Nov 2025
07 Dec 2025
$2,700
$3,240
07 Dec 2025
21 Dec 2025
$2,850
$3,390

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Exodus Adventure Travels Reviews & Ratings

4.7/5  Excellent
Excellent
13,502
Great
3,265
Average
609
Disappointing
146
Terrible
190
A

Anonymous

Aug 2018

Extraordinary Holiday

I had the most amazing and extraordinary holiday and most of that was down to the lovely people in the group and our wonderful guide Sam Benjamin. From start to fi...

A

Anonymous

Mar 2018

Great experience

Our trip was the first visit I'd made to India and so having a guided tour was brilliant. Our tour leader was really good at his job and in addition was willing &a...

A

Anonymous

Mar 2018

Spice Trails of Kerala

Very interesting and varied itinerary with beautiful scenery, great food and lovely group of people to share the experience . Felt like we were off the beaten trac...

A

Anonymous

Mar 2018

Great southern India Experience

A great all round trip with lots of variety. Trekking to the peak. Santosh was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly. Lots of small interesting stops and ...

A

Anonymous

Jan 2018

Spice Trails of Kerala

Loved the trip with the mixture of walking and sightseeing. Would highly recommend. Trekking through the hills around Munnar Excellent! The walks are a little ...

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Other Exodus Adventure Travels Reviews

S

Sheila Bissell

Apr 2025

Written on
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Excellent service

Excellent service

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Roger hil

Apr 2025

Written on
Exodus Adventure Travels Company Reviewsby Exodus Adventure Travels

Roger

They were very helpful, polite and knowledgeable

G

Gill Barber

Apr 2025

Written on
Exodus Adventure Travels Company Reviewsby Exodus Adventure Travels

Quick invoice receipt sent...prompt

Quick invoice receipt sent...prompt, good service

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • Travel insurance
    • Visas and vaccinations
    • Single supplement

Accommodation

5 days point-to-point trekking with full porterage; plus 2 shorter walks Altitude maximum 2630m, average 1600m 8 nights hotels, 4 nights camping, 1 night homestay, 1 night houseboat
We spend eight nights in hotels, four nights in full-service camps, one night in a homestay and one night on a houseboat. Hotels in India usually do not have heating as there are really only a couple of months in the year when the weather can be cooler. You can, however, request more blankets or the hotel may be able to provide a standing heater for your room. Please talk to your tour leader if you need help in this matter. Houseboats are comfortable and all cabins have toilet facilities. The houseboat also benefits from a deck and dining area. The number of rooms per boat will vary depending on group size and availability. While camping (full-service), the group will be provided with two-person tents, mattresses, a dining tent, kitchen tent including all equipment, toilet tents including toilet rolls, and camping chairs. Please note that single rooms may be limited at the homestay.
Cancellation policy

The cancellation policies of this trip when booked through Travelstride are determined by the stated policies of the tour operator - Exodus Adventure Travels.

If you or any other member of your party decides to cancel a confirmed booking you must notify Travelstride in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only take effect when it is received in writing by Travelstride and will be effective from the date on which we receive it.

Period before departure in which you notify us

From the date your Booking Confirmation is issued up to, and including, 90 days prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.

  • 89 to 52 days (inclusive) prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.
  • 51 to 31 days (inclusive) prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.
  • 30 days or less prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation, or after the booking has started

Cancellation charge

Deposit can be transferred to a new booking which must be made within 3 months of the date the original booking was cancelled, and depart within 12 months of the new booking date. If a new booking is not made within this period then the deposit will be forfeited. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.

  • 50% of the total holiday cost. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.
  • 75% of the total holiday cost. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.
  • 100% of the total holiday cost.

For Polar holidays, the following cancellation charges will be made:

Cancellation period (before departure) - Cancellation Fee (per person)

Outside of 180 days - No fee if cancelled within 15 days of booking date. US $1,250 cancellation fee if cancelled 16 days or more of booking date.

179 to 120 days - Loss of deposit.

119 to 90 days prior to departure - 50% of the holiday cost.

89 to 60 days prior to departure - 75% of the holiday cost. 

59 to 0 days prior to departure - 100% of the holiday cost.

For more additional details, see the booking conditions of Exodus Adventure Travels at the following web address: https://www.exodustravels.com/us/about-exodus/exodus-booking-conditions

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included
All breakfasts, six lunches and six dinners are included. It is full board on trek (five days) and on the houseboat (one day). Allow at least 1,650 rupees (approximately US$20) per day for lunch and dinner. You can eat out very cheaply in India, but if you mainly eat at the more expensive restaurants, you will spend more than the suggested amount. In most of the towns we visit, there is a good choice of restaurants with Indian and Western-style options. If you are vegetarian, India is probably one of the best destinations to visit. Tea and soft drinks are very cheap and a (large) bottle of beer is approximately 410 rupees (US$5). Please note, due to Kerala state laws, alcohol licenses are limited to one or two bars in each area and not all hotels are permitted to serve alcohol. The first day of every month and certain holidays in India are dry days, when no alcohol is permitted for sale. Mineral water is available in the bus in large containers so please bring a bottle with you to refill. Please note, restaurant service can be quite slow.
Age Requirements
16 years and up
Additional Information
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Trip ID
exodus-TGK

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