“Coconut, Spices and Tea”

Kerela, India Yatra, October 29th-November 9th, 2022

An Anandi Yatra is designed to be a sensory and spiritual journey, a personal and collective journey, sprinkled
with sights, delights and insights, moments of reflection and soulful conversations, cultural immersion and much
more all in a safe, comfortable and authentic environment.

Kerala – India’s most idyllic state, better known as God’s own Country, is today one of the most sought-after
tourist destinations in Asia. Palm fringed backwaters, mist clad hill station, tea estates, spice plantations, lush
tropical forests, exotic wildlife, monuments, art form and festivals give it a distinctive charm.

A rough itinerary of our Yatra is listed below.

Day 01 ARRIVE COCHIN

15.00 hrs: Enjoy a Fort Kochi Walk organized by Maneesha.

The palm green, commercial capital of Kerala which has one of the finest
natural harbours & is known as the "Queen of the Arabian Sea". Visit the
Dutch Palace, the Jewish Synagogue, the Church of St. Francis, the
Bolghatty Palace & the famous Chinese fishing nets.

Overnight: Secret Garden

https://secretgarden.in/

Day 02 COCHIN
Sunday, 30 Oct ‘22 Morning Yoga session at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.

Day at Kayal Island Retreat

http://www.kayalislandretreat.com/

The experience at Kayal is immersive, up close and personal. You don’t just
get a fleeting glimpse of life along the backwaters; you get to be a part of
it. If you are an experience seeker, you can walk right into our village and
soak in the local life.

12.00 noon: Depart from hotel to arrive at Eramallor jetty for a short boat ride to Kayal
Island. You will be met and taken to the resort.
 A cooking demonstration, lunch, a village walk, with a close view of several
local activities is planned for the day.

Watch the farmer in his fields, the fisherman on the lake, the toddy
tapper up the tree! Each of these traditional occupations will bring alive
local lifestyles of the state.

18.00 hrs: Depart Kayal to arrive back at the jetty.

Return to the hotel for a relaxed evening and dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Secret Garden

Day 03 COCHIN- KUMARAKOM (50 kms / 1 ½ hr drive)

Monday, 31 Oct ‘22 Breakfast at the hotel after a morning yoga session.

10.30 hrs: Check out from the hotel and procced to the home of Nimmy and Paul for
an interactive cooking demonstration of authentic local cuisine followed
by a delicious lunch.

Nimmy is an excellent cook and very well respected for producing and
teaching amazing local food.

http://nimmypaul.com/

14.00 hrs: Drive to Kumarakom.

15.30 hrs: Arrive Kumarakom & check-into hotel.

17.00 hrs: An hour-long sunset cruise on the backwaters organized by the hotel.

Dinner in the hotel.

Overnight: Coconut Lagoon – CGH Earth

https://www.cghearth.com/coconut-lagoon

DAY 04 DAY CRUISE EXCURSION

Tuesday, 01 Nov ‘22 Breakfast at the hotel.

11.30 hrs: Drive to jetty to embark the traditional rice boats – “kettuvallam” for a fascinating
day cruise through the backwaters.

Begin your journey through the picturesque backwaters and the small lakes relaxing
in the tranquillity of Kerala’s beautiful scenery and some lovely inland lagoons,
fringed by thin green necklaces of vegetation. You are on the boats' forward
sundeck, comfortably ensconced in a rosewood-and-cane easy chair. It would be a
fight to keep your eyelids from closing. You move upstream, and the gentle life of
another world unfolds around you.

Lunch will be served on board.

 17.00 hrs: Return to the hotel.
Dinner in the hotel.

Overnight: Coconut Lagoon – CGH Earth

DAY 05 KUMARAKOM
Wednesday, 02 Nov ‘22 The yoga instructor at the hotel is a great teacher and an early morning class is an
excellent way to begin your day.

11.00 hrs: Proceed to visit Philipkutty’s Farm, where cooking class will be organized and
where you will learn the nuances of the local cuisine along with an escorted Farm
walk and learn about farming below lake level as well as the different crops
cultivated.
http://philipkuttysfarm.com/

Potentially some free time in afternoon for indulging in Ayurveda treatments and
massages at the hotel (on direct payment).

Dinner in the hotel.

Overnight: Coconut Lagoon – CGH Earth

DAY 06 KUMARAKOM- THEKADY (135 KMS/4.00 HRS DRIVE APPROX.)

Thursday, 03 Nov ‘22 Morning Yoga session at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.

09.30 hrs Check-out and drive to Thekkady.

Enroute stop for lunch at a rubber plantation- Kalaketty Estate, home to

Anuja and Kurian.

15.00 hrs Arrive Thekkady & check into hotel.

THEKKADY, also known as Periyar. The spice plantations in Thekkady are a

prime attraction of this beautiful land. Though sprawling tea estates cover much of
the landscape of Thekkady, plantations of cardamom, rubber, vanilla and coffee are
also aplenty.
This evening enjoy a classical dance performance arranged at the hotel.
Dinner in the hotel.

Overnight: Spice Village – CGH Earth Resort

https://www.cghearth.com/spice-village

Day 07 THEKADDY
Friday, 04 Nov ’22 Breakfast at the hotel

09.00 hrs: Guided walk in the Periyar National Park. This will be approximately a
2-hour activity.

Rest of the day at leisure to relax at the hotel or enjoy Ayurveda treatments
and massages (on direct payment)
 19.00 hrs: The hotel will organize a cooking demonstration in the evening, offering
a glimpse into typical Malayali cuisine. Watch, taste and take away the chef’s
recipe!

Later enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Spice Village – CGH Earth Resort

Day 08 THEKADDY
Saturday, 05 Nov ’22 Breakfast at the hotel

11.00 hrs: Tour of a spice plantation followed by a traditional lunch at the Planter’s
house.

Enjoy a tour of a spice plantation. Walk through the spice farm, taste the
various spices and breathe in the fragrant air while exploring the spice
plantation. Pick up a few packets of the tea and spices grown here that make
for a good buy. There are various kinds of spices cultivated here. The most
abundantly found spice in Thekkady is pepper. But there is a variety of
cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric and curry leaves on the
slanting slopes of the spice plantations in Thekaddy.

15.00 hrs: Return to hotel.

19.30 hrs: Dinner at 50-mile restaurant, where ingredients are sourced within 50
miles of the restaurant to reduce our carbon footprint. Enjoy this sustainable
meal with inputs from the chef.

Overnight: Spice Village – CGH Earth Resort

Day 09 THEKADDY-MUNNAR (110 KMS/03.30 HRS DRIVE APPROX)

Sunday, 06 Nov ‘22 Breakfast at the hotel.

09.30 hrs: Check out and leave by road for an overwhelming scenic journey to Munnar.

13.00 hrs: Arrive and check in. Lunch at the hotel.

Munnar: Located at an altitude of over 6000 feet above sea level, Munnar ranks
among the most beautiful hill stations in South Asia. Majestic mountains, lush green
forests, pristine mountain streams and sprawling tea, coffee & cardamom
plantations give Munnar its unique charm and beauty. It is the home of the
endangered Nilgiri Thar (ibex) that roams on a stretch of grassland or is seen
climbing the pinnacles of the undulating hills.

19.30 hrs: BBQ Dinner at hotel

Overnight: Windermere Estate

https://www.windermeremunnar.com/

DAY 10 DAY EXCURSION TO LOCKHART TEA ESTATE

Monday, 07 Nov ‘22 Breakfast at the hotel.

Make your own cup of Tea at Lockhart Estate.

 09.00 hrs: Today morning Jeeps are arranged to visit Lockhart Tea Estate. Guided walk of
the Tea Plantation is arranged.

This activity will begin with a 30 min drive from Munnar town to Lockhart Tea
Factory. Make your own tea programme will includes tea plantation walk (minimum
02 hrs), picking tea leaves along with the local tea picking ladies, witnessing and
weighing process.
Lunch at the estate is organised to enjoy the stunning ambience.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner is independent.

Overnight: Windermere Estate

DAY 11 MUNNAR
Tuesday, 08 Nov ’22 Breakfast at the hotel.

08.30 hrs: Today morning proceed for a 04-05 hrs hike through tea plantations & mountain
ridges along with a guide & refreshments at Kolukkmalai.

Afternoon is free.

This evening a special farewell Anglo-Indian dinner, a cuisine that

developed during the British Raj in India as the British wives interacted with
their Indian cooks, will be prepared.

Overnight: Windermere Estate

Day 12 MUNNAR–COCHIN (125 Kms/ 3 ½ hrs drive approx)

Wednesday, 09 Nov ‘20 Morning Yoga session at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out from the hotel and drive to Cochin International Airport to board your
flight for homeward journey.

Note: Check out time is 1200 noon. Late check out can be requested and depends
on availability.

***END OF TOUR***