The Western Ghats

• Bangalore to Mysore

  On our arrival in Bangalore, we will be picked up by our local transport and head towards 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, 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 homestay for the night.

• Mysore - Ooty

  Early morning after breakfast, visit the most beautiful Bonsai garden in perhaps the country. Post which we will depart for Coonoor and drive through the Bandipur wildlife reserve in Karnataka and the Madhumalai reserve in Tamil Nadu. After lunch, we will ascend the forty-hairpin bends to get to an altitude of 6000 ft above MSL. We will also pass Ooty on our way. Dinner and overnight stay at Red Hills Nature Resort .

• Ooty - Coonoor - Ooty

  Wake up to the sounds of nature and the scent of Nilgiris, and start your day with a drive to the town for breakfast. Later proceed to Kodanad , the highest point in the Nilgiris mountain (2100m above sea level). Have lunch in a continental restaurant with a view of the Nilgiris. After which we will head to the market to shop for local specialities like embroidered cloth by the Toda community, beeswax beauty products, and famous Nilgiris tea and oil. Spend your evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at Red Hills Nature Resort.

• Ooty - Siruvani

  Early morning, drive down to the foothills and head to Dvara Siruvani, a traditional south-Indian styled resort overlooking the ghats of Kerala. Each room has a private pool, so you can enjoy a dip after lunch. Evening, we will head to Isha Foundation, a spiritual place that is home to Sadhguru. The precinct houses the largest bust of Shiva in the world. 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. The area has a thriving population of elephants and bisons that wander the tea gardens and are easy to spot. We will explore the surrounding estate with the local naturalist in the evening. Make sure to not venture out after dark. Dinner and overnight stay in Sinnadorai Bungalows.

• Valparai

  We’ll start our day with a refreshing and easy hike to a nearby waterbody and later 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 more dry 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. After a home-cooked dinner, we will enjoy a night safari where we will go off-road in a jeep to spot the animals in the wild. Overnight stay at the Mud House.

• Marayoor

  After a late breakfast, we will visit a jaggery-making plant and sip fresh sugar cane juice. Later we will drive to the highest point in this range and take our time tasting some of the locally grown produce. For lunch, we’ll have traditional vegetarian food of Kerala on a banana leaf, followed by some time at leisure in the Mud House. In the evening, 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. Return to 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

  Spend the morning at leisure and after lunch, we’ll visit the Kodungallur region on the Malabar Coast where the Portuguese first entered India from. The Jewish Synagogue and the Mahadev Temple are two of the must-visit heritage places here. In the evening, depart for Kochi airport and from there fly back home taking back amazing memories from the trip.

Handpicked Accommodation on Tour:

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.
Ooty - Red Hills Nature Resort - A nature retreat with a splendid view of the forest and the 'Emerald Lake.'
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 cottage.
Valparai - Sinnadorai Bungalows- Owned by a 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-air force 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.

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TOUR DATE:

Tour Cost  (below cost applicable for before 31st March 2023 booking)

(5% GST will be added to the total tour cost)

Tour Cost  (below cost applicable from 01st April 2023 booking)

(5% GST will be added to the total tour cost)

Note: (for booking flights)
Pick up from Bangalore Airport by 9:30 AM
Airport drop to Cochin Airport at 5:30 PM