Walks and Wildlife in the Western Ghats

Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are India at its greenest - peaceful, rural states with excellent walking and wildlife (including tigers, elephants and many endemic birds, plants and butterflies) in the Biosphere reserves of the Western Ghats and the spice-growing Cardamom Hills; historic Cochin with its early churches and synagogues; verdant tea plantations; and a coastline of golden beaches backed by coconut palms.

The famous narrow-gauge Blue Mountain train takes us up to ‘Ooty’ to catch an echo of the Raj era; we visit Tippu Sultan’s Palace and bargain for silks in Mysore; explore a British East India Company fort, built to protect the pepper trade, in Thalassery; and visit exotic temples, botanical gardens and Maharajah’s palaces.

During our 2 week journey we explore these diverse facets at a leisurely pace, guided by an expert naturalist (assisted by trackers from the indigenous tribes up in the Ghats), whilst based in a selection of historic hotels and special lodges which blend harmoniously with the natural environment.

TRIP ITINERARY

DAY 1

D included

We meet mid afternoon at Cochin airport and have a one hour road transfer to our historic hotel, a beautifully restored 300 year-old Dutch mansion (a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World) on the island of Fort Kochi. There is time for a swim in the courtyard pool before drinks on the garden terrace and an introductory dinner of Keralan specialities.

DAY 2

B, L, D included

We walk along the shore by the famous cantilevered Chinese fishing nets and watch the morning bustle around the fish market. Exploring the atmospheric lanes we glimpse warehouses dealing in cardamom, chillies, ginger and pepper and visit the charming 16C Pardesi Synagogue, Mattancherry Palace with its murals depicting stories from the Ramayana, and St Francis, the earliest church built by Europeans and original burial place of Vasco da Gama. After a leisurely lunch overlooking the water there is time for an Ayurvedic massage in the hotel spa, or a relaxing punting trip along the Kerala Backwaters.

DAY 3

B, L, D included

Heading inland (in a comfortable airconditioned vehicle) our first stop is a 4C Syrian Catholic church, still very much in use, then a spectacular further 2 hrs drive takes us up 1,550 m into the Western Ghats. We pause for a walk in a cardamon and pepper plantation en route to the hill station of Munnar, a former British colonial resort. We walk to see the busy market and visit the church, with its headstones recalling the lives of the many Scottish planters, before settling into our very well-appointed modern hotel.

DAY 4

B, L, D included

Crossing the Great Escape Gap, where 3 mountain ranges converge, we descend to the Marayoor Sandalwood Forest and walk in search of Nilgiri langurs, the extraordinary Malabar giant squirrel and 9,000 year old cave paintings. After a traditional lunch served on a banana leaf we continue to the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and walk in the riverine forest where stork-billed kingfishers, Paradise flycatchers, elephants and bonnet macaques are all possible. Crossing the state boundary into Tamil Nadu, our destination for three nights is a welcoming heritage home set on a 4,500 acre private estate growing vanilla and coconuts.

DAY 5

B, L, D included

Today we undertake early morning and late afternoon walks (with free time to relax in between) in the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, a particularly remote section of the Indira Ghandi National Park. This is the natural habitat of the highly endangered Nilgiri Tahr (a primitive relative of a goat) and also where the Kannimari teak tree, the largest in Asia, is found. Hundreds of wild peacocks and occasional blue-winged parakeets move through the forest, butterfly species include tree nymph, iris peacock and banded peacock, and leopards, tigers and gaur (Indian bison) all occur here.

DAY 6

B, L, D included

A relaxing day on the estate, with an optional bird and butterfly spotting walk through the chickpea and coriander fields; a visit to a nearby Tamil village, with its blue painted houses, to observe the rural way of life; time for a good book, and a delicious dinner by firelight.

DAY 7

B, L, D included

After an early start for the drive to Coonoor, we board the Blue Mountain Railway train for the spectacular ride (almost 2,000 m up) to the celebrated hill station at Ooty (properly called Udhagamandalam), once the summer residence of the entire Madras Presidency. We have tea in our historic hotel (the 5 star Savoy Taj), then set off on foot to see the local Botanical gardens and the beautifully kept English Church, with its commemorative plaques redolent of the colonial era.

DAY 8

B, L, D included

A day's drive to Mysore (6 hours) is punctuated by lunch and a bird watching walk near the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, a tropical dry forest where we hope to find rufous tree-pie and Ceylon frogmouth. We settle into our Sustainable Tourism award winning hotel in Mysore (a converted Princess's palace where profits go to charity and staff are recruited from less advantaged groups), then have an evening walk round the nearby Kukkerly Lake.

DAY 9

B, L, D included

Mysore has the reputation of being India’s cleanest and most ecologically aware city and has a good share of pre-Independence buildings. The Maharaja’s Palace, designed by British architect Henry Irwin in 1912, is a huge, walled, eclectic building, full of memorabilia which provide a fascinating insight into a grandiose Indian dynasty. There is time to visit the Devaraja produce market (mountains of marigolds and jasmine) and then shop for the silks and scented sandalwood for which Mysore is a noted centre. In the afternoon we travel east to visit Tipu Sultan’s fort (the site where he was finally defeated by Col. Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington) and his charmingly decorated summer palace, dating from 1784.

DAY 10

B, L, D included

Travelling west into the Ghats once more, a scenic 2 hour drive brings us to Nagarhole National Park, former hunting reserve of the Maharajahs of Mysore, where deciduous forest along the Kabini river harbours wildcats, sloth bears, leopards, elephants and monkeys, as well as the rare Malabar trogon and Indian pitta. We have time to swim before lunch and settle into our very comfortable private jungle lodge, recently awarded the title of Top Wildlife Resort in India. An optional birdwatching walk precedes a 3 hour early evening boat trip on the lake in search of wildlife.

DAY 11

B, L, D included

We have the choice of a jeep safari before breakfast, with the Park naturalists guiding us, or a relaxing start to the day, watching butterflies from our hammocks and perhaps visiting the local village before lunch. In the late afternoon we again walk in search of wildlife and take a second boat trip on the lake (an ideal way to approach game quietly as they come down to drink, providing excellent photo opportunities).

DAY 12

B, L, D included

Setting off around 9, we have a long, bumpy, but extremely picturesque drive down from the edge of the Western Ghats (the road suffers monsoon damage annually), pausing for lunch en route. In the small town of Thalassery (Telicherry) on the Malabar coast we spend 2 nights in a delightful, colonial style, heritage hotel, famous for its food and with a temple pond pool and panoramic views from the terraces.

DAY 13

B, L, D included

We accompany our host on a shopping expedition to the lively fish market by the harbour, then walk to the fort, built by the British East India Company in 1683 to protect their trade in pepper. After lunch we relax on a beautiful palm tree-backed beach and hope to catch a performance of Thayyam, an ancient Dravidian ritual dance drama special to Malabar, before dining under the stars.

DAY 14

B, L, D included

En route to Fort Kochi and our original historic hotel (Small Luxury Hotels of the World member) we visit the Guruvayur temple with its many pilgrims and colourful wedding ceremonies, pause for lunch and see an elephant sanctuary. We can investigate the intriguing antique shops near our hotel or make some last minute shopping forays before our farewell seafood dinner, accompanied by Indian classical music.

DAY 15

B included

We depart early for the airport and flights home.

Pre-trip beach extension

We recommend a relaxing beach stay in Kerala, preferably for a couple of nights before the trip, and can arrange accommodation and transfers for you as required.

Price includes:

All accommodation for Days 1 through 15 on a double shared basis

All meals with local beer at lunch and dinner as listed (cold beer is far more appropriate with Indian food and the tropical climate, and wine is often spoiled by inadequate storage) - please note that some restaurants in India are strictly alcohol-free - bring some duty free!

All land transportation in private airconditioned vehicles, and trains as described, except during free periods

Jeep safari and trips on watercraft as described

All entrance, National Park and sightseeing fees except during free periods

Services of an expert local naturalist guide and a driver throughout (plus our Kudu Travel tour leader)

Services of specialist trackers and guides in National Parks and reserves

Tips for porters, restaurant and hotel staff

Visa and Health Requirements

All visitors require a visa for entry to India. All visitors require a visa for entry to India. Visa applications are processed by Indian Visa Application Centres (in London, Birmigham and Edinburgh). The costs start from £42.

Alternatively, a visa can be obtained (for a fee) using visa agencies such as IndiaVisa.co.uk (0870 240 2526, www.indiavisa.co.uk) or India Visa Office (www.indiavisaheadoffice.co.uk, 0844 800 4018).

A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is not required when arriving from Europe or the USA. Immunisation/boosters against Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid and Polio are recommended - please consult your doctor in good time about this (at least 6 weeks before departure) and also the latest situation on malaria prophylaxis and anything else they recommend. You may also wish to check the advice given to travellers by the Department of Health.

Insurance

It is essential, and a condition of booking, that you protect yourself with a suitable travel insurance policy as soon as you book a trip. Follow this link for a quote for a policy available to UK residents.

If you are already insured or a non-UK resident, please inform us of your policy at the time of booking.