• 13 Nights / 14 days
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Deluxe Vegetarian Culinary Tour

Overview
The cuisine of any region is a reflection of its culture, its traditions and its past. This becomes all the more true in Kerala where the delights are just as diverse as the region's many highlights. The mouth-watering cuisine is varied and you can see the many historical and social influences of its past inhabitants in the food. We are proud to bring to you an exclusive culinary tour which will give you the opportunity of not only relishing the many culinary delights but also the opportunity to delight and relax in Kerala's beauty. This tour is not just about spending time in the kitchens and learning to cook the local dishes but also exploring the spirit of the region and its people - with a range of captivating excursions that will both inspire and relax you in equal measure. Cooking in Kerala is all about spices, aromas and colours; you will have several opportunities to experiment with the cuisine in various cooking classes. All the recipes of the food prepared during the classes will be provided, and we will help you create detailed flow charts outlining the cooking processes. Bon Appétit!
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Average temperature and rainfall

29

Temperature

150

Rainfall

Tour Highlights

  • Try out Dosa in one of the most authentic dosa restaurant while in Cochin.
  • Take part in Cooking demo.
  • Enjoy a jungle trek.
  • Enjoy an overnight stay in a private Houseboat.
  • Stay in a most sought after Beach resort in Mararikulam.
Tour Route - Where you'll visit
1Cochin
Cochin, or Kochi as it is now called, is divided into Old Cochin (comprising Fort Cochin and Mattanchery) and Ernakulam, which is a bustling metropolis and is considered the commercial capital of Kerala. It is the only district in Kerala where you can experience urban comforts on a par with other major cities in India and also the history of many centuries bygone.
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2Kothamangalam
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3Thekkady
Thekkady is a picturesque town located in the Idukki district of Kerala, India, renowned for its lush landscapes, wildlife, and serene environment. It is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers, offering a range of activities in the heart of the Western Ghats.Periyar National Park: The most prominent attraction in Thekkady, this wildlife sanctuary is known for its rich biodiversity, including elephants, tigers, leopards, and various species of birds. The park features a picturesque lake and offers boat safaris that provide opportunities to spot wildlife and enjoy the scenic beauty of the surrounding forest.
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4Alappuzha
Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey, is a picturesque town in of Kerala, renowned for its intricate network of canals, backwaters, and lagoons. Often referred to as the "Venice of the East," Alappuzha is famous for its houseboat cruises that offer a tranquil journey through lush paddy fields, coconut groves, and quaint villages. The town hosts the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race, a vibrant and competitive event featuring traditional snake boats. Alappuzha's scenic beaches, historic lighthouse, and charming colonial-era architecture add to its appeal, making it a popular destination for nature lovers, photographers, and those seeking a peaceful retreat.
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5Mararikulam
The picturesque fishermen's village of Mararikulam is tucked away inside quiet and lush coconut groves and the resorts here are set by the pristine white sand beaches that offer you unparalleled quiet in astoundingly beautiful settings. Marari has been inhabited by fishermen for millennia and here you will find the authenticity and the breathtaking natural surroundings have been preserved carefully
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Detailed Itinerary

  • DAY 01: Arrival Cochin
You will be welcomed by a Globe Travel Centre representative at the airport and transferred to your hotel. An ancient port town, Cochin, also known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, has attracted traders and invaders from the world over. Needless to say, Cochin offers you some fascinating snippets of history and culture. Relax and unwind at the hotel. In the evening, go for a relaxing sunset cruise. Overnight at Brunton Boatyard with a vehicle at your disposal.
  • DAY 02: Cochin
This morning, you can visit the Mattancherry spice godowns (warehouses) where the open spaces between the godowns are used to dry and pack various spices including coriander, pepper and ginger. Later visit the famous Lijjat Pappad project, a cooperative managed solely by women, which manufacturers Poppadums. You will get the opportunity of interacting with the 'poppadum makers' and learn how poppadums are made using simple technology. For lunch, taste the sumptuous Thali meal at Sri Krishan's Restaurant. In the evening, visit the Pai Thattukada, named after the Pai brothers who popularised the concept of Thattus, or small shops, that offer cheaper and quicker alternative to restaurant food. Some of the Thattus serve over 70 varieties of Dosas or rice pancakes. Overnight at the Brunton Boatyard with a vehicle at your disposal.
  • DAY 03: Cochin
This morning, you can spend a day at the home of Nimmy and Paul who belong to the traditional Syrian Christian community in Kerala. Nimmy has been a professional cooking instructor for more than 20 years and, in keeping with family traditions, is very passionate about serving great Kerala food to guests. There will be two cooking sessions today, which will offer you an opportunity to participate and learn the intricacies of typical Travancore vegetarian food. Overnight at the Brunton Boatyard with a vehicle at your disposal.
  • DAY 04: Cochin – Kothamangalam (60 km / 1.5 hrs)
Drive to Kothamangalam, a beautiful and tranquil tropical Eden surrounded by misty mountains with the river Periyar flowing through it. The landscape is dotted with lush green vegetation and palm-fringed paddy fields. Spend the afternoon relaxing in a century-old estate bungalow set in over 100 acres of multi-crop plantation. Apart from exploring the estate, you could also visit the local Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. In the sanctuary, you can spot the rare Mottled Wood Owl, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Malayan Night Heron, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Rusty-tailed Flycatcher, Grey-headed Bulbul and the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon. Overnight at the Mundackal Estate Bungalow with full board and a vehicle at your disposal.
  • DAY 05: Kothamangalam
Participate in cooking demonstrations involving authentic Kerala cuisine. Daisy Jose, a specialist in Kerala style cooking and your instructor for the day, will teach you to prepare Kerala cuisine through an interactive session. All the recipes Daisy uses have been passed down from her parents who hailed from an aristocratic Christian family. Spend the rest of the day relaxing. Overnight at the Mundackal Estate Bungalow with full board and a vehicle at your disposal.
  • DAY 06: Kothamangalam – Periyar (175 km / 4 hrs)
This morning after breakfast, drive to Periyar, an area known for its undulating hills, spice plantations, and elephant sightings. One of the 27 tiger reserves in India, the Periyar valley in Thekkady is the oldest. Check into your hotel. Go on a spice plantation tour today, where you will be enticed by the aroma of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, pepper and nutmeg and will learn how they are grown, harvested and processed before they reach the supermarkets. The pepper grown in Kerala is considered to be amongst the finest in the world. Overnight at the Spice Village with a vehicle at your disposal.
  • DAY 07: Periyar
This morning you could go for an escorted three-hour jungle trek offering excellent opportunities to watch birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The trails often pass through evergreen forests interspersed with marshy grasslands. In the evening, you will participate in another cooking demonstration at your resort. You could also try your hand at making your own variations of Kerala dishes. Overnight at the Spice Village with a vehicle at your disposal.
  • DAY 08: Periyar – Houseboat (135 km / 3.5 hrs)
This morning after an early breakfast, drive to Kumarakom, an area full of canals, lakes and coves where you will board your houseboat. Your houseboats, or Kettuvalloms, are luxurious boats with well-appointed bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms. You can sunbathe on the deck or observe the palm-fringed landscape from your cabins. Apart from the mesmerizing surroundings, it's the life along the coast that adds a touch of exotica to this experience. The locals travel in canoes, and you will find vegetable sellers, fishermen and other traders bringing household goods door-to-door in small, wooden boats. As you cruise along the backwaters you can ask your captain to stop at villages, paddy fields and other places, en route. Overnight on board with full board and a vehicle for your transfer.
  • DAY 09: Alleppey – Marari (20 km / 45 min)
Disembark from your houseboat at Alleppey and drive to the picturesque fishermen's village of Mararikulam to check into your resort. Tucked away inside quiet and lush coconut groves, the resort is set on a pristine white sand beach and offers you an astoundingly beautiful setting. Spend the day relaxing on the beach. For lunch, you will relish the delicious vegetarian Thali meal at the resort. In the evening, relax with a full-body Ayurveda massage. Overnight at the Marari Beach Resort with a vehicle for your transfer.
  • DAY 10: Marari
Visit the small, organic farm at the Marari resort. Most of the greens, fruits and vegetables for the restaurants come from this vegetable patch. The farm practices water harvesting and is a chemical-free zone where only natural oils and local remedies are used for pest control. Vermiculture and composting keep the soil fertile, both in the vegetable patch and on the grounds of the resort.
  • DAY 11: Marari
You can spend the entire day at leisure on the beach. Overnight at the Marari Beach Resort.
  • DAY 13: Marari
Spend the entire day at leisure on the beach. Overnight stay at the Marari Beach Resort.
  • DAY 14: Marari - Cochin airport Departure (75 km / 2 hrs)
Departure transfer to the Cochin International airport for your return flight with a vehicle provided to take you to the airport.

When Should I go?

Being a coastal state surrounded by the Arabian Sea and because of its proximity to the equator, Kerala has a more or less consistent temperature pattern in the summers and the monsoons alike. The temperature hovers around 29°C throughout the year with varying levels of humidity.
Average temperatures and rainfall
temperature
Monsoon Months in Kerala

June and July are monsoon months in Kerala, the showers being heavy at first and then easing off gradually. Whilst these are not the best months for tours, interestingly, this happens to the best time for travellers seeking the therapeutic Ayurveda treatment which is said to be most effective in these months.

Best months for travel to Kerala

The months of October through to March are considered to be the most favourable months to travel to Kerala when the weather is sunny and pleasant. The months of April and May are also favourable for travel but the humidity tends to be comparatively higher. August and September are also good months for travel.

Tour Image Gallery

Activity Tour- Deluxe Vegetarian Culinary Tour
  • Deluxe Vegetarian Culinary Tour 1
  • Deluxe Vegetarian Culinary Tour 2
  • Deluxe Vegetarian Culinary Tour 3
  • Deluxe Vegetarian Culinary Tour 4
  • Deluxe Vegetarian Culinary Tour 5

Image Gallery

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Activity Tour- Biking - 09 Nights 21
Activity Tour- Biking - 09 Nights 31
Classic Tour-All Kerala - 13 Nights 8
Classic Tour-North Kerala - 09 Nights 3

Travel Brochures

KERALA BROCHURE

With 230 pages our Kerala brochure is the largest of its kind globally and features;
Extensive regional information
20+ itinerary ideas
More than 100 hotels
Maps and images

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Travel Brochures

With 230 pages our Kerala brochure is the largest of its kind globally and features;
Extensive regional information
20+ itinerary ideas
More than 100 hotels
Maps and images

+Read more -Read less

Enquire

Get in touch online or Call us Freephone: 020 3924 2881

Community Projects

Every time you book a holiday with us, we donate to a tangible cause at the destination - from our profits. Not only that, at the time of booking a holiday, we give you a choice of projects that we support and you can choose one that's closest to your hearts.

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    Sponsorship.

    Rajeev helped us to provide sponsorship for a child at an orphanage we support for an entire year.

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Ask our local experts to tailor-make this tour

Call Freephone 020 3924 2880 to speak with one of our regional experts based at the destination. Our specialists will share their expertise and also understand, in-depth, what you like on your holidays so as to be able to offer a tailor made itinerary that best meet your requirements and budget.

Get in touch with us
  • Speak with our specialist team of local experts

    When you are a 100% satisfied with an itinerary that our expert has tailored for you and are ready to book, we will request a booking deposit of £250.00 per person.

    (If your booking involves International flights, we request flight charges at the time of booking). Your balance becomes payable 8 weeks before departure.

  • Choose the community project you’d like to support

    Globe Travel Centre’s business ethos is centred around benefitting communities- which is why every time you book, we donate to a cause from our profits.

    At the time of booking, we will give you options of various causes we support at the destination. You can let us know which cause you want us to donate to against your booking.

  • Receive your travel documentation

    8 weeks before you travel, you will be sent a detailed and customised jute travel pack in our award winning recycled tyre tube bag which also includes other travel essentials.

  • Relax, you’re in safe hands

    We will be in touch with you on an on-going basis, both before you travel (to check if you have any last minute questions) and also while you are at the destination, where our local offices ensure you have no problems during the holiday.

    What’s more, you’ll receive a complimentary mobile phone for the duration of your visit so you can contact us wherever you are.

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