India: A 13-Day Culinary Adventure to Kerala
Savor the flavors of Southwest India on this 13-day food tour through Kerala’s tastiest and most historic locales, from Fort Kochi and Thodupuzha to Vagamon, Munnar, and Kumarakom.
India
13 days / 12 nights
$5,440 /person
$5,440 /person
Your trip at a glance
Top Activities
Visit Munnar’s tea plantations, museum, and factory for a tea immersion steeped in the landscape
Tour the historic landmarks of Fort Kochi, from the spice warehouse to ancient religious hallmarks
Sip chai from roadside stalls in the countryside of Kerala
Learn the best cooking and baking techniques at farmhouse workshops in Thodupuzha and Vagamon
Cruise along the canals and lakes of Kumarakom on a luxury houseboat
Welcome to Kerala!
Stories and Spices of Fort Kochi
Fort Kochi’s Countryside and Waterfront, From Rice Farming to Fishing
Onward to Thodupuzha’s Farmhouse Hospitality
Rubber Plantations, Roadside Chai, and Farmstay Cooking
Show All 13 days
Venturing to — and Adventuring in — Vagamon
Market Cooking and Seasonal Baking in Vagamon
Munnar's Countryside of Cardamom and Terrain for Tea
Tea to the T: Tea Museum, Garden, and Factory Visit
Kerala’s Canals, Scenic Lakes, and Fresh Fish Via Houseboat
Kumarakom Temples and Sunset Cruise
Spice Plantations and Cooking Workshop in the World’s Spice Capital
Until the Next Time!
Fort Kochi’s Countryside and Waterfront, From Rice Farming to Fishing
Overview
After yesterday’s full Fort Kochi experience, you’ll have this morning to yourself. Savor breakfast at your hotel before venturing into For Kochi’s old streets by foot or revisiting any favorite landmarks or highlights you’ve seen thus far. This afternoon, your guided experiences will resume with a tour of the neighborhood’s pastoral surroundings. You’ll meet your expert local guide to experience the area’s rice and farming heritage, learning about the role of agriculture in this area and witnessing its most scenic landscapes firsthand. From there, you’ll transition from land to water during a short, 30-minute boat ride to the evening’s dinner destination. Tonight, you’ll set sail for a Chinese finishing net platform, on which you’ll dine on local favorites as the setting sun casts a warm glow on the horizon. What better nightcap for your time in Kochi than a long and leisurely twilight dinner? (Breakfast, Dinner)
Highlights
Chinese Fishing Nets
These massive fishing nets have come to symbolize Fort Kochi, with origins dating back to the 14th century. Today, you'll see how, exactly, fishermen operate these scenic nets and glean insight into all the ways in which they've connected centuries of Kerala's fishing industry.
Twilight Dinner on a Chinese Fishing Net
Tonight’s dinner is more than just a meal. Your evening will commence in a traditional country boat that will lead you to Kochi’s Chinese fishing net platform, where these nets have been converted into the best vantage point in town. Right around golden, you’ll disembark here for a sunset view and an early dinner. On the night’s menu? Think: locally sourced rice, Kerala porotta, patthiri, steamed tapioca with fish curry, fish fry, prawns, and sulaimani tea — a lineup sourced from the community and trained fisherman.
Rice and Land Tour
Get acquainted with Kochi’s agricultural surroundings on this half-day rice tour. During the afternoon’s outdoor experience, your local expert guide will bring you to Kochi’s lush surroundings, offering insight into the origins of the region’s rice and how, exactly, these lands lend themselves to the area’s cuisine and community's livelihood.
Accommodations
Abad Dutch Bungalow (or similar)
This elegant Kochi hotel lives inside a Dutch Colonial building that dates back to 1668. Upon checking in, you'll find gentile and warm furnished rooms with walls adorned in wooden panels and in-room terraces or balconies. This property is more than just a pretty face, however, as it also offers convenient access to the area's best sites; it's a mere three-minute walk from Fort Kochi Beach, and similarly close to Mattancherry Palace and Ernakulam Junction train station.
Location:
Napier Street, Fort Kochi, Kochi, Kerala 682001
Phone:
+914844144000
How it works
Fill out request form
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Meet your expert
Schedule a call with your expert to confirm dates, pricing and any recommended edits to the itinerary.
Book your trip
Once your itinerary is set, it’s time to pay the deposit to secure your trip.
Take-off
Let the journey begin! Your expert will offer real-time support and concierge service while traveling.
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What's included
Included in the final price
- Roadbook with local tips and expert recommendations
- 24/7 on-the-ground support
- On-trip concierge service
- Personalized trip crafting
- COVID entry and exit information and assistance
- 12 nights of accommodations, with daily breakfast included
- All meals mentioned in the itinerary
- All activities, entrance fees, and experiences mentioned in the itinerary
- All tours with a local expert guide as mentioned above
- All cooking classes and culinary workshops mentioned in the itinerary
- All transfers mentioned in the itinerary
Not included in the final price
- International arrival and departure flights
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Any visa fees
- Any meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- Anything not mentioned or listed as optional in the itinerary