Kerala and Karnataka
Kerala and Karnataka represent the special K's of southern India, and combining these two fascinating states makes for a perfect combination of culture, cities, wildlife and tea country as you travel from Cochin and the backwaters in Kerala to Karnatakan classics including Mysore, Nagarhole National Park and Neeleshwar, nestled on the beach for the perfect finale.
- Explore colonial Cochin and the beautiful backwaters of Kerela
- Enjoy a dose of culture in Mysore
- Spot tigers in the watery wetlands of Kabini and in Nagarhole National Park
- Enjoy some Ayurvedic pampering on the coast
Why Book with Original Travel?
When To Travel
All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you
Day 1: India Outbound
There are no direct flights to Kerala, but several airlines
offer slick connections with a layover in the middle of the night,
arriving in to Cochin at breakfast time. The total flying time
should be around 13 or 14 hours including transit time, and your
bags will be checked straight through so you don't need to collect
them on route.
Day 2: Lakeside
You will arrive into Cochin at breakfast time and be met after baggage reclaim for the roughly two-hour private transfer to tranquil Vembanad Lake, where you will stay in one of our recommended properties right on the water.
After a long stint of travelling, the pace of life on the lake
is deliciously slow and so this is the perfect place to enjoy some
R&R, but there are plenty of tempting activities on offer as
well. After a delicious Keralan curry lunch, a great way to stretch
your legs is to borrow bikes and explore the area, which is
pleasingly flat. You might have already developed a passion for
Keralan cuisine, in which case we can arrange a cooking class where
you can learn about the region's spices and cook with superbly
fresh local ingredients - Keralan curries can be famously hot, so
go easy on the chilli! Then there's also yoga, fishing, boating,
kayaking and bird watching on offer.






Additional Activities
Heritage Walk in Alleppey
Day 4: Cochin Calling
This morning you will enjoy another supreme photo opportunity and a light breakfast on board before disembarking at the dock from where you will be driven to Cochin, which takes around one and a half hours.
We work with a couple of charming boutique hotels, both of which are located on the waterfront by the entrance into Vembanad Lake, and near the Chinese fishing nets - another iconic Keralan site. Enjoy a delicious lunch at your hotel before you have an afternoon to explore lovely Cochin. We will provide you with further recommendations of what to do and where to shop (head to the Jewish Quarter) in the city, so you can explore at your own pace.








Day 5: On yer bike
Cochin is a lovely city with a fascinating heritage. This morning you will be met at your hotel after breakfast for a private guided bicycle tour, with plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos or drink a refreshing lassi.
Cycle past the Chinese fishing nets, dhobi ghats (open air
laundries), temples, mosques, synagogues and churches that hint at
the city's multinational past, before visiting spice warehouses
full of spices that made the region rich for centuries. Your guide
will explain more about the spice trade as you take in the smells
of dried ginger, cardamom and chillies. This is all bound to work
up an appetite, and we will recommend somewhere for lunch before
you have the rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure, either
to explore more of the city, or the pampering facilities back at
your hotel, such as ayurvedic massages.








Additional Activities
- Muziris Heritage Project Visit Muziris, the earliest commercial
harbour in southern India, and today home to an excellent project
to preserve the history and heritage of the place.
Day 6: From Kerala to Karnataka
An early start today as you are met and transferred the hour back to Cochin Airport for the flight to Bangalore in the northerly neighbouring state of Karnataka.
The flight takes one hour and you will be met after baggage
reclaim for the three and a half hour drive to Mysore, where you
will arrive in time for a late lunch. This afternoon and evening we
recommend relaxing at the hotel or indulging in some Ashtanga yoga,
for which the city is famed.


Day 7: Mysore and Srirangapatna
After breakfast at your hotel it's time for a private guided day trip around Mysore and nearby Srirangapatna. First stop is Mysore itself, which may rhyme with 'eyesore' but which is in fact one of the most beautiful cities in southern India. Your guide will take you through the city to explore its regal heritage, culminating in a UNESCO World Heritage palace designed in so-called Indo-Saracenic style with influences from Hindu, Islamic and Western architecture.
The finished article is a superb example of the opulence of the era of the Maharajahs and supposedly the second most visited monument (after the Taj) in India. For that reason alone you'll want to get there early before experiencing the less grand but no less impressive city bazaars, full of spice traders' stalls. After lunch in the city your guide will drive you to Srirangapatna, just ten miles away.









Day 8: Nagarhole National Park
Cultural Karnataka makes way for the state's wonderful wildlife today as you have a private transfer to The Bison Resort, next to Nagarhole National Park, which is less than two hours away.
You will arrive in time for lunch and then enjoy an afternoon
game drive in the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in the hope of seeing the
biggest of the big cats in its beautiful natural environment.
Fingers firmly crossed you will see tigers and also leopards, but
you are almost certain to see elephants, wild boar and deer. The
resort's enviable location overlooking the Kabini backwaters means
that even when not on safari guests often enjoy extraordinary
wildlife viewing from the camp's observation deck, so you can enjoy
an evening G&T here and keep one eye out for beasties as well.
Overnight in one of Bison's African safari-style tents.






Day 9: Nagarhole and Kabini
Safari sightings are often best first thing so this morning you will return to the park by 4x4 to spot more wildlife. Return in time for a late breakfast and then relax for the rest of the morning until lunch.
After lunch you can explore the region again, this time from the
water on a boat safari with sunset drinks. As you cruise quietly
around the backwaters you will see elephants, crocodiles and - if
you're lucky - a tiger drinking down by the water's edge. As the
sun dips, enjoy a sundowner cocktail as you drift through the
channels with the engine switched off. It's a wonderfully tranquil
moment. This evening we have arranged a bush dinner for you on your
last night in Nagarhole, complete with your own butler, lanterns,
bonfire and table set up in the bush away from camp and under the
stars.








Additional Activities
- Trekking Visit a local tribal village in the Kabini backwaters on a guided trek
Day 10: Head for the Hills
Time for one last early morning game drive, when we hope you tick off any last species you've yet to see, and then it's breakfast back at camp before the three hour drive on to the Coorg region to the north west.
Coorg represents another entirely distinct landscape in Karnataka, this time lush green hills that are home to spice and coffee plantations. You will be staying at the Vivanta by Taj, Madikeri and you will be there in time for a late lunch before you can enjoy an afternoon at leisure at the hotel, making the most of the spa and 30 acres of grounds with walking trails.


Day 11: Trailblazers
After a hearty breakfast you will be met at the hotel by your trekking guide before a half-day walking trip through the plantation region. Your guide will explain what is growing where, and you will visit isolated communities of the many clans of Kodava people - the indigenous residents of Coorg who wear distinctive traditional clothing.
Return to the hotel in time for lunch and have another afternoon
at leisure. Having walked through coffee plantations, this
afternoon you can learn more about the process of planting and
harvesting coffee beans and what happens next to turn bean into
brew before you sample some delicious local coffee.




Day 12: Coastal Classic
So far your stay in southern India has included lakes, backwaters, cities, a wetlands national park and hill country, and for continued variety the final stop is a stretch of beautiful beach on the Indian Ocean coastline.
After breakfast you will be transferred the three and a half
hours to Neeleshwar Hermitage on a stunning drive back in to Kerala
through the hills of the Western Ghats. You will arrive in time for
lunch in this heavenly spot before enjoying a few days of blissed
out pampering. This afternoon you will have a consultation with the
experts at Neeleshwar in order to ascertain the best combination of
the three great Ayurveda (an ancient Indian philosophy/medical
treatment) health principles practiced at the hermitage, namely
massage, yoga and meditation.


Days 13 - 14: Life in the slow lane
You can spend the next couple of days sampling the delicious (and very healthy) food at Neeleshwar and enjoying the Ayurvedic treatments and principles, but there's also ample opportunity to explore the local area.
Go for long walks along the local beach where you can watch
fishermen bringing in their catch and mending their nets beneath
the shade of the palm trees. Alternatively, take a trip back in to
the Western Ghats for guided trekking along superb trails, bicycle
through the backwaters (with a picnic lunch arranged by the hotel)
or visit local Bekal Fort.






Days 15 -16: Mangalore & Mumbai | Hometime
You can enjoy a relaxing morning at Neeleshwar before a last lunch and then a two-hour transfer north to Mangalore Airport for the one and a half hour flight to Mumbai, arriving early evening. On arrival you will be transferred to a very decent hotel next to the airport for one final night in India.
Make your way to the international terminal for your onwards flight.
Day 3: Beautiful Backwaters
After breakfast this morning you will be met for the short drive to a local dock in order to board your luxurious converted kettuvallam or rice barge for an overnight cruise on the beautiful backwaters of Kerala. This stunning ecosystem of canals, lakes and rivers sustains thriving rice paddy fields and plantations of banana trees and other crops.
As the rice barge progresses at a very sedate pace you get a wonderful insight into the slow life lead by the inhabitants of this beautiful region as you pass working boatyards and can see villagers separating coir - the course fibres from coconut husks - and spinning it into one of the world's toughest threads, used to make mats, ropes and even fishing nets. A cruise on the backwaters is a pretty magical experience at the best of times, with all your meals served aboard, but the region really comes into its own during what photographers call 'the golden hour' (at sunset and sunrise) when an already attractive place becomes stunningly beautiful. All we'll add is a strong recommendation to bring a spare memory stick!









All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you
A Rough Idea of Price
This Itinerary
If you would like to book the exact itinerary mentioned above, during mid-season and staying in our preferred room category at our preferred hotels. Ask us if you would also like us to arrange your international flights.
From
$4,860pp
Bare Necessities
If you would like to pare back the above itinerary by travelling at non-peak times, staying in a standard room and removing some or all of the guided activities.
From
$4,130pp
Bells & Whistles
If you are looking for something extra special and would like to stay in top room categories at some of the most luxurious hotels we work with, and add more activities and guiding.
From
$5,830pp
Related Itineraries
Frances and Rosie are our experts for this itinerary and as seasoned travellers they have the inside track on the most memorable adventures.

