The Western Ghats

• Bangalore - Mysore

  On our arrival in Bangalore, we will be picked up by our local transport and head onwards Mysore. En route, we’ll stop by a local restaurant for lunch. In the evening, reach Geetanjali Homestay near Chamundi Hills and after freshening up, drive to the Mysore Palace to enjoy the sound and light show (subject to availability), followed by witnessing the illumination of the grand palace for 10 mins. We’ll have a local dinner in the city and head to the home stay for the night.

• Mysore-Ooty*-Red Hills

  In the morning after breakfast, visit the most beautiful Bonsai Garden in perhaps
  the country. Post which we will depart for the Nilgiris and drive through the Bandipur wildlife reserve in Karnataka and the Mudhumalai reserve in Tamil Nadu. After lunch, in the Masinagudi area we will ascend the forty-hairpin bends to get to an altitude of 6000 ft above MSL. As we pass Ooty we will take a drive towards the remote Emerald Lake region. The Red Hills Resort is more like a homestay run by the owners and overlooking the stunning view of the Avalanche Dam backwaters. In the evening, we will enjoy tea and local cookies. Dinner and Overnight in the Red Hills Nature resort.

• Red Hills Nature Resort

  Wake up to the sounds of nature and the scent of Nilgiris, enjoy a nature walk in the
  tea estate. Enjoy a wholesome breakfast. Later enjoy a tea- tasting session. Have lunch with a view of the Nilgiris. Spend your evening around the Bonfire (Subject to weather conditions) and BBQ meal. Dinner and overnight stay at Red Hills Nature Resort. The idea of staying in this remote area and amidst nature is to feel disconnected from the hustle and crowds of Ooty.

• Ooty-Siruvani

  After breakfast descend the mountains and towards the plains to Dvara Siruvani, a
  traditional south-Indian styled accommodation overlooking the dense Shorayur
  Forest. Each room has a private pool, so you can enjoy a dip after lunch. In the evening, we will head to Isha Foundation, a spiritual place that is home to The
  Sadhguru. The precinct houses the largest bust of Shiva in the world. As the evening
  sets in the energy is more vibrant as various activities for the evening then in the
  evening, we will stay for the aarti which is a magical experience to have. Dinner and overnight stay in Siruvani.

• Siruvani - Valparai

  After breakfast, we will check out and head towards the unexplored Pollachi and
  Valparai mountains. You will come across many waterfalls on the way to the Sinnadorai Bungalows in Valparai. Enjoy your lunch. We would either experience an evening walk around the property or a home-cooked dinner followed by a night safari. The area has a thriving population of elephants and bisons that wander the tea gardens and are easy to spot. Overnight stay in Sinnadorai Bungalows.

• Valparai

  We'll start our day with a drive to the Sholayar Dam. The drive itself will make your
  day as we ride on the road to Ernakulum which passes through India’s thickest
  rainforest and touches the border with Kerala. After returning to the bungalows, we’ll have local food for lunch prepared by the skilled estate chef. In the evening, after tea, walk to the highest point on the property from where on a clear evening we can see a thick forest of clouds extending as far as Kerala over the Western Ghats. It’s an unforgettable and mesmerizing sight to see! Dinner and overnight stay in the Bungalows.

• Valparai - Marayoor

  After breakfast, as we drive towards our next destination in Kerala, you’ll see the
  topography changing from wet mountains to a drier landscape, and again to hills and
  waterfalls. (We’ll go through several check-posts and alcohol is not allowed as we
  cross states). In the evening we’ll check into the most unique accommodation of our tour - Mud House, situated at an altitude of 1200m. Dinner and Overnight stay at the Mud House. If night safari is not done in Valparai then we will go on a night safari in Marayoor.

• Marayoor

  After a late breakfast, proceed to visit the burial site with stone houses dating back to the Iron Age. You’ll find some remnants from the Neolithic Age (500 BC to 2000 BC) as well. We will visit a jaggery-making plant and sip fresh sugar cane juice. For lunch, we’ll have traditional vegetarian food of Kerala on a banana leaf, followed by some time at leisure in the Mud House. Enjoy dinner with a bonfire. Overnight stay at the Mud House.

• Marayoor - Neriamangalam

  Early morning, check out and leave for Neriamangalam. Our drive will take us through some of the most beautiful scenery in the Western Ghats region. We’ll take some stops on the way, including one for lunch. Today, we’ll check in to the exclusive River House property by the banks of the Periyar River. In the evening, we’ll go for a nature walk to reach the Inchathotty Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in Kerala that connects two banks of the Periyar river. Dinner and overnight stay at the River House.

• Neriamangalam - Kochi Airport

  After breakfast, we’ll visit the Kodungallur region on the Malabar Coast where the
  Portuguese first entered India from. The Jewish Synagogue is the must-visit
  heritage place here. Post Lunch, depart for Kochi airport and from there fly back
  home taking back amazing memories from the trip.

Hotels- Handpicked Accommodation on Tour

Self Drive Tour Cost:
2 People - Rs. 76, 500 PP
4 People - Rs. 69, 075 PP
(For anyone who opts to drive themself throughout the tour)

Hotel Details-

Mysore - Geetanjali Homestay - Overlooking the Chamundi hills in Mysore is the Geetanjali homestay. Owned and run by a family from Coorg, the homestay has a lovely lawn and a garden to spend your time in. The morning with an outdoor breakfast is a beautiful experience before we depart for the Western Ghats.

Coonoor - Atwood - The 4-bedroom rustic homestay in a tea garden, where the owners make sure every aspect of hospitality is catered to, respecting the nature you live in. 

Siruvani (near Coimbatore) - Dvara Siruvani - A 10-room intimate hotel in the foothills of the Nilgiris, where our rooms face the mountains and a lake. There is an individual pool in every room. 

Valparai - Sinnadorai Bungalows-  Owned by the group that owns many tea estates in this part of Tamil Nadu, the owners have given this 140-year-old estate British bungalow the South Indian touch it shines in today.

Marayoor - Mud House - The Marayoor Mud house is fully built with natural building materials sourced locally. The property belongs to an ex-airforce engineer.  The food here is home cooked

Neriamangalam - The River House (Windermere Estates) - A unique location on the banks of the Periyar river gives this house a Bali-like feel. There are only 4 rooms and all of them face the river.