Emerald Hills, Spice Forests & Periyar Wildlife
A focused 5-day journey into Kerala's interior — no beaches, no backwaters, just the finest hill and wildlife scenery in South India. For travellers who want to experience the Western Ghats properly, this is the definitive inland Kerala itinerary.
Munnar's 80,000 acres of tea at 1,600 metres, the Nilgiri Tahr herds of Eravikulam National Park, the Top Station panorama, and the KDHP Tea Museum give two complete days in the finest hill station in South India. The drive through the Western Ghats from Kochi is itself one of Kerala's great experiences.
Thekkady's Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is the natural complement — a morning boat safari on the lake as elephant herds wade in, a spice plantation walk through cardamom and pepper groves, and an evening Kalaripayattu martial arts show round off a rich day.
The tour concludes with a full morning in Fort Kochi — colonial heritage that layers Portuguese, Dutch, and Jewish history in one extraordinary harbour town — before your departure. Five days, no filler, all substance.
What makes this journey special
Your journey, unfolded
Welcome to Kerala! Meet your driver at Cochin Airport and drive into the Western Ghats. Stop at the spectacular Cheeyappara Waterfalls (seven-step cascade where the mountain road crosses the river) and a roadside spice garden. Arrive Munnar by late afternoon and check in to your plantation resort.
Full day in Munnar. Eravikulam National Park (Nilgiri Tahr herds at 2,000m, Anamudi peak backdrop). KDHP Tea Museum with tasting. Top Station viewpoint at 1,700m. Mattupetty Dam and Indo-Swiss dairy farm. Evening: sunset walk through the tea plantation trails of your resort.
Drive south (3 hrs) through cardamom-scented country. Tour a working spice plantation — pepper vines climbing teak trees, cardamom pods in clusters, coffee bushes in the shade. Afternoon: wildlife boat safari on Periyar Lake — Asian elephants wading into the shallows are a near certainty. Return to resort for an evening Kalaripayattu performance.
Morning: browse the Kumily spice market for cardamom, pepper, and rose water to take home. Drive west to Kochi (4 hrs). Check in to your Fort Kochi hotel. Afternoon: the Chinese fishing nets at the harbour, St Francis Church, and the Dutch Palace's extraordinary Kerala murals. Evening: walk along Marine Drive.
A final heritage morning in Fort Kochi: the Paradesi Synagogue (1568) in Mattancherry's Jew Town — one of the oldest active synagogues in the Commonwealth — and a walk through the antique shops and spice warehouses of the old port. Transfer to Cochin Airport for your departure flight.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included ✓
- ✓ Accommodation in handpicked hotels throughout
- ✓ Daily breakfast throughout
- ✓ Private air-conditioned vehicle for all transfers
- ✓ English-speaking driver-guide throughout
- ✓ All applicable taxes
- ✓ Airport transfers (arrival & departure)
- ✓ Periyar wildlife boat safari
- ✓ Spice plantation guided tour
- ✓ Kalaripayattu performance
- ✓ Fort Kochi heritage guided walk
Not Included ✗
- ✗ Flights to / from Kerala
- ✗ Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- ✗ Lunches & dinners (except where specified)
- ✗ Personal expenses & shopping
- ✗ Gratuities for guides & drivers
- ✗ Monument & park entry fees (unless stated)
- ✗ Eravikulam National Park entry fee (payable at gate)
Your questions, answered
Absolutely. This itinerary is specifically designed as an inland Kerala tour — there are no backwaters or houseboat nights, so it's ideal for travellers who prefer hills and wildlife to the waterways, or who have already done the houseboat on a previous visit. We focus entirely on the Western Ghats — Munnar and Periyar — which are genuinely world-class experiences that deserve more time than most itineraries give them.
October to March is ideal — post-monsoon, lush and green, comfortable temperatures (25–30°C on coast, cooler in hills). December–January is peak season; book well ahead. Avoid June–August (heavy monsoon).
Absolutely. Every Discover India tour is fully private and tailored to you. We can adjust duration, swap destinations, change hotel categories, or add extensions. Submit an enquiry — no obligation.
We include carefully vetted 4-star and 5-star hotels, plantation retreats, heritage homestays, and boutique resorts. Upgrades to luxury tree-houses, lake-view villas, and exclusive resorts are available on request.
A kettuvallam is a converted rice barge with bedrooms, living area, kitchen, and sun deck. Your crew (captain and cook) prepare all meals fresh on board — fish curry, coconut rice, prawn dishes, appam. Moored in a quiet canal overnight. One of India's most unique experiences.
Most nationalities can apply for an Indian e-Visa online. Takes 3–5 business days. Apply at least 2 weeks before travel.
60+ days: full refund minus admin fee. 30–59 days: 75% refund. 15–29 days: 50%. Under 15 days: no refund. Travel insurance strongly recommended.
