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Heritage & Culture

Spice Route Passage

From the port to the plantations, the way the pepper went.

Thekkady 8 nights Moderate Up to 6 travellers
4.8 out of 5, 112 reviews
Spice Route Passage - Thekkady, Kerala

Overview

Eight nights tracing the trade inland: Kochi, the Periyar reserve, and the cardamom estates above Thekkady, with a night walk in the forest buffer.

Day by day

  1. Arrival in Kochi

    Met at the airport and taken to Fort Kochi. The evening is free; the Chinese nets work best about an hour before sunset.

    Meals
    Dinner
    Stay
    Heritage house, Fort Kochi
  2. The port on foot

    Mattancherry, the synagogue, and the spice godowns, which still smell of what they hold. Lunch in a Jewish-Kochi kitchen.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
    Stay
    Heritage house, Fort Kochi
  3. Kathakali and the backwater edge

    A morning on the water at Kumbalangi, and a Kathakali performance in the evening from the make-up onward, which is half of it.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
    Stay
    Heritage house, Fort Kochi
  4. Inland to Thekkady

    Four hours climbing east through rubber, then pineapple, then cardamom. The air changes twice on the way.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
    Stay
    Plantation bungalow, Thekkady
  5. Periyar at first light

    The reserve boat leaves before the mist does. Elephant are common at the water, tiger effectively never seen and entirely present.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Stay
    Plantation bungalow, Thekkady
  6. The plantation

    Cardamom, pepper and clove walked with the estate manager. Harvest, drying and grading, and why the price moves as it does.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Stay
    Plantation bungalow, Thekkady
  7. Border walk

    A guided walk in the reserve buffer with a tribal naturalist. Distances are moderate; the pace is deliberately slow.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Stay
    Plantation bungalow, Thekkady
  8. Back to the coast

    A long descent to Kochi with a stop at a working spice market. The last night is at leisure.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
    Stay
    Heritage house, Fort Kochi
  9. Departure

    Transfer to the airport. Most flights to the Gulf leave in the small hours; a late checkout is arranged as a matter of course.

    Meals
    Breakfast

What is included

  • Heritage and estate accommodation
  • Full board on plantation
  • Periyar boat safari
  • Guided plantation walks
  • All transfers

Not included

  • International flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa fees
  • Personal expenses

Departures

Departures
Next departure from  
₹1,67,400.00 18 seats left
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₹1,86,000.00 18 seats left
₹1,86,000.00 18 seats left
₹1,86,000.00 18 seats left
₹1,86,000.00 18 seats left
₹1,86,000.00 16 seats left
₹1,86,000.00 18 seats left

Occupancy

  • Double occupancy
  • Single occupancy +INR 65100.00

Questions

How much deposit do you take?
Twenty-five per cent to confirm, with the balance due thirty days before departure. We send reminders at forty-five, thirty-five and thirty-one days.
How long are seats held?
Twenty minutes from the moment you begin payment. If the hold lapses the seats return to sale automatically and nothing is charged.
Which currency am I charged in?
The one shown when you book. The rate is fixed at that moment and printed on your voucher, so the amount that reaches your card is the amount you agreed.
Can I change my dates?
Up to thirty days before departure, subject to availability and any difference in price. Inside thirty days it depends on the property; we will always ask.

From guests on this journey

  • The plantation manager walked us through the harvest for three hours because we kept asking questions.
    Khalid Al Rashid

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