Remarkable Kerala: Women-only luxury Tour

March 2 – 13, 2025

Come to India with us and discover beautiful Kerala.

India for Beginners is proud to announce our Remarkable Kerala: Women-only luxury tour. This is a special JourneyWoman 30th Anniversary Celebration Tour.

The south India state of Kerala is often called “God’s Own Country” because it is lush, unique, and abundant in greenery, waterways, spices, fruit, sunshine and so many of the good things in life. Kerala is often recommended as the ideal place for a first visit to India. The gentle people, tropical climate, and unique culture makes it a soft landing.

Kerala is blessed with a wide variety of landscapes, from white sand beaches to rolling mountains, and from lush jungles to languid lagoons. We will be exploring it all! Our Remarkable Kerala tour will take you deep inland to the fragrant spice gardens, high into the Cardamom Hills, and along the Malabar Coast to the ancient spice trade ports and palm lined beaches. 

The Remarkable Kerala tour will start in the historic trading port of Cochin, take you up into the mountains to visit Munnar and Thekkady, and end at gorgeous Marari Beach. In each location we will stay at the most luxurious — and also sustainable — resort available, including several from Kerala’s leading resort company, CGH Earth. Don’t miss this very special trip, capped at just 14 women.

During the tour, we will be immersing ourselves in many local, cultural activities including strolling the lanes of an ancient trading port with a local storyteller, watching traditional dance performances, visiting a weavers village, learning to use natural dyes, exploring the backwaters, visiting a tiger reserve by boat, enjoying the local cuisine, and relaxing on the beach.

This small group tour for women-only from India for Beginners is for travellers who have an adventurous spirit, who enjoy going off the beaten path, and want to immerse in the culture of India. There will be some walking, and it will be hot, so a moderate level of fitness and a healthy level of enthusiasm is required!

NOTE: Please read our FAQ and Terms and Conditions thoroughly before booking. There is a minimum of 6 participants to run this tour. Please do not book air tickets until we confirm that 6 people have booked.

TOUR DATES: March 2 – 13, 12 nights / 13 days

FOR MORE READING ON BREATHEDREAMGO ABOUT KERALA:

TOUR COSTS:

Per person on shared room basis: $4,100 USD

Per person for single room: $6,200 USD

TO BOOK:

Contact [email protected] for information regarding booking the tour and payment due dates or fill out the form below.

Contact Us
First

India for Beginners tours

India for Beginners tours are designed around relationships — the relationships founders Mariellen and Anjani have nurtured with people they have met on their extensive travels across India over many years. The local experiences we recommend both support the community and offer you memorable experiences of incredible India.

To find out more about India for Beginners, please read about our Travel Philosophy and check out some of our glowing Testimonials.

Tour leader

The tour leader for the Remarkable Kerala: Women-only luxury tour is Mariellen Ward, founder of India for Beginners. Mariellen began travelling in India in 2005, and has spent about 9 years travelling and living in India altogether, and blogging at Breathedreamgo. Kerala is one of her top 5 favourite states in India and she has spent many months there enjoying the tropical vibes, friendly people, and fascinating culture. Photo was taken in the Cardamom Hills of central Kerala several years ago.

Itinerary

Day 01: Sun, Mar 2, 2025 – Arrive Cochin (Fort Kochi)

Arrive Cochin (also known as Fort Kochi) and there will be a private chauffeur driven car to take you to the hotel. Check in at the hotel and rest of the day is free to relax.

Cochin is a historic spice trading port on the Arabian Sea that was ruled by the Portuguese and Dutch for 444 years (from 1503 until India’s independence in 1947). It’s a compact place to explore with layers of history and many historical sites, cafes, boutiques, art galleries, and mansions all within walking distance.

Day 02: Mon, Mar 3, 2025 – Cochin

Start your day with a visit to the Chinese fishing nets, Jewish Synagogue, and St. Francis Church. The Chinese fishing nets were said to have come to India in about 1400 from traders from the court of Kubla Khan. St Francis Church, supposedly the oldest in India, was built by the Dutch in the 15th century. Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was originally buried there.

In the evening, experience a cultural program that features Kathakali (classical dance form) and Kalaripayattu (traditional martial art form).

Perfume shop in Cochin, Kerala.

Day 03: Tues, Mar 4, 2025 – Cochin

After breakfast, proceed for a heritage walk along with storytelling in Fort Kochi. Later visit the weaver’s village of Chendamangalam.

Day 04: Wed, Mar 5, 2025 – Cochin – Munnar (130 kms/ 3-4 hrs)

After breakfast, drive to Munnar check in at the hotel. In the afternoon, enjoy a natural dyeing and printing workshop. We will make beautiful decorative designs using techniques such as wax resist block printing, and tie dyeing using colours made by indigo, tea waste, marigold petals, and eupatorium leaves.

Munnar is a mountainous region in Kerala’s interior called the Western Ghats. This mountain range is one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, and an important region for spices, tea, and coffee.

Day 05: Thurs, Mar 6, 2025 – Munnar

On the second day of our natural dyeing workshop, we will experiment with eco-printing and natural dyeing with various flowers and leaves. Visit Pothamedu in the evening to enjoy the sunset.

Day 06: Fri, Mar 7, 2025 – Munnar – Thekkady (90 kms/2-3 hrs)

After breakfast, visit a tea plantation and drive to Thekkady. Arrive Thekkady and check in at the hotel. Rest of the day is free to relax.

Kerala is called the spice bowl of India and the mountains in the Thekkady region are called The Cardamom Hills, a romantic name that conjures visions of spice scented plantations and misty mornings.

Thatch roof cottage in Thekkady.

Day 07: Sat, Mar 8, 2025 – Thekkady

Start your day with a boat ride through Periyar wildlife sanctuary. Later visit a spice plantation followed by a visit to a spice market. A special program in the evening to celebrate International Women’s Day.

In Kerala, the lengthy coastline, network of backwaters, dense jungles, and Western Ghats mountain range (which runs all along the eastern boundary of Kerala) creates a paradise for nature lovers and bird watchers. One of the country’s preeminent tiger reserves, Periyar, is home to an astonishing range of flora and fauna including Bengal tigers, wild elephants, panthers, and sloth bears, plus many more mammals, reptiles, and more than 300 species of birds. 

Day 08: Sun, Mar 9, 2025 – Thekkady – Kumarakom (110 kms/ 3 hrs)

Drive to Kumarakom and check in at the resort. Later enjoy a one hour cruise of Kerala backwaters.

The backwaters of Kerala are one of the state’s star tourist attractions. The backwaters is a very unique network of canals, home to traditional farming communities that make or grow products such as coir (coconut fibre), copra, (dried coconut kernels) and cashews. In Kumarakom, you can both relax and witness a traditional culture that is largely unchanged.

Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve at dawn.

Day 09: Mon, Mar 10, 2025 – Kumarakom – Marari Beach (30 kms/ 1 hr)

Drive to Marari Beach and check in at the hotel. Rest of the day is free to enjoy the beach and relax.

Marari Beach is one of the best in Kerala.

Day 10: Tues, Mar 11, 2025 – Marari

Day is free to enjoy the beach and relax.

Day 11: Wed, Mar 12, 2025 – Marari

Marari Beach, Kerala.

Day is free to enjoy the beach and relax.

Day 13: Thurs, Mar 13, 2025 – Marari – Trivandrum (40 kms /1 hr)

Our driver will drop you at Trivandrum airport to take your departure flight.

PLEASE NOTE: You can extend your stay in Kerala and enjoy more beach time, or we can arrange treatment at an Ayurveda resort, or a visit to beautiful north Kerala and the Wayanad region.

CGH Earth Marari Beach Resort.

Hotels

  • Indy Old Court House, Cochin (3 nights)
  • Fragrant Nature, Munnar (2 nights)
  • CGH Earth Spice Village, Thekkady (2 nights)
  • CGH Earth Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom (1 night)
  • CGH Earth Marari Beach Resort, Marari (3 nights)

Tour inclusions / exclusions

TOUR INCLUDES:

  • ACCOMMODATION AT SUGGESTED HOTELS OR SIMILAR
  • DAILY BUFFET BREAKFASTS WILL BE SERVED IN HOTELS,
  • SIGHTSEEING TOURS AS MENTIONED IN THE ITINERARY,
  • PRIVATE CHAUFFEUR DRIVEN VEHICLE FOR SIGHTSEEING AND TRANSFERS (NOT AT DISPOSAL),
  • ACCOMPANIED ENGLISH SPEAKING TOUR LEADER FOR THE WHOLE TRIP,
  • ENGLISH SPEAKING LOCAL GUIDE FOR SIGHTSEEING IN COCHIN ONLY,  
  • KATHAKALI PERFOMANCE IN COCHIN,
  • HERITAGE WALK OF COCHIN,
  • WEAVERS VILLAGE TOUR OF COCHIN,
  • NATURAL DYEING WORKSHOP IN MUNNAR,
  • SHARED BOAT RIDE IN THEKKADY,
  • SPICE PLANTATION TOUR IN THEKKADY,
  • ONE HOUR HOUSEBOAT CRUISE IN KUMARAKOM,
  • MINERAL WATER BOTTLES AND TISSUES DURING DRIVES,
  • 24X7 TOUR MANAGER WILL BE AVAILABLE OVER PHONE DURING TOUR,
  • ALL APPLICABLE TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGES, AND
  • ALL ROAD TAXES, GOVERNMENT TAXES AND DRIVER ALLOWANCES.

TOUR EXCLUDES:

  • PERSONAL EXPENSES,
  • LUNCHES & DINNERS,
  • CAMERA FEES, TIPS ETC,
  • MONUMENT ENTRANCE FEES,
  • GUIDE EXCEPT KOCHI
  • ANYTHING THAT IS NOT MENTIONED IN INCLUSIONS,
  • INTERNATIONAL & DOMESTIC AIRFARE,
  • VISA CHARGES,
  • PAYMENT TRANSFER FEES AND BANK FEES.
At CGH Earth Coconut Lagoon, Kerala.

IMPORTANT POINTS:

  • Minimum 6 confirmed pax (bookings) to operate the tour
  • Hotels are subject to availability at the time of booking.
  • Early check-in and late check-out will be subject to availability.
  • The company assumes no liability for personal loss, medical emergencies or other losses.