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| Rice Boat travel - Kerala |
Leader: Gail Konantz
Dear Interested Women Travellers,
Once again, next January, I'm excited to return to the exotic beauty of South India. This corner of the world is a feast for the senses where impossibly carved temples, deep green coconut groves and rice paddies, ayurvedic massages, and classical dance will all conspire to delight you.
Bangalore is where we land and recover from jet lag before our journey south.
Over the next 16 days we will travel up the Western Ghats through tea and rubber plantations, ride a toy railroad in the high hills of Ooty, and journey down to Kerala's Malabar coast where rice boats guide us for a day and a night through a bewildering labyrinth of shimmering backwater lagoons. We'll see Chinese fishing nets and Kathakali dancers. We can join a Yoga class or stroll through spice gardens where coriander, cloves, cardamom and coffee scent the air.
Along the way we'll visit an elephant farm and swim in a serpentine pool.
An important focus for me is to balance culture with nature, and to find the most interesting and unique hotels.
My other primary criteria is to have a guide with impressive knowledge to whom everyone will relate. Sateesh is that man. He will be with us from flight arrival until departure, shepherding us through markets and shops, synagogues, temples and game preserves. I can guarantee that everyone will warm to his shy laughter and selfless charm. We know him well, his wife Bindu and his two children Hari Krishna and Sri Devi.
I hope you'll consider this adventure next year and treat yourself to an unforgettable experience.
Most sincerely,
Gail Konantz
Depart Vancouver Jan 18, 2012 Return Feb 8, 2012
Air Price $3,200 CAD
Land Price $5,200 CAD
Single traveler supplemenent $2,200 CAD
Prices subject to change
Land Price includes:
Transportation by deluxe mini bus (18 seater), breakfast in all the hotels, 3 lunches on long driving days, 10
dinners, all meals in Wayanad and on the Rice Boat, accompanying tour guide – Satheesan, entrance fees,
visit to Kalamandalam in Cheruthuruthy, Guruvyar Elephant camp, Kathakali Dance Program, toy train ticket
in Ooty, Cochin-Mumbai air travel, gratuity for guide and drivers.
Not included:
items of personal nature such as cost of liquor, laundry, telephone calls and tips to hotel
attendants.
Air Price includes:
Cathay Pacific economy return Vancouver to Bangalore via Hong Kong, 2 nights Hong Kong hotel plus
airport transfer.
| Day 1 | depart Vancouver | Wed Jan 18, 2012 |
| Day 2 | arrive Hong Kong | Jan 19 |
| Day 3 | Arrive Bangalore – The Paul hotel |
Jan 20 |
| Start of Tour | ||
| Day 4 | In Bangalore – The Paul Hotel | Jan 21 |
| Day 5 | In Mysore – Green Hotel | Jan 22 |
| Day 6 | Mysore – Green Hotel | Jan 23 |
| Day 7 | Ooty – Taj Savoy hotel | Jan 24 |
| Day 8 | Ooty – Taj Savoy hotel | Jan 25 |
| Day 9 | Wayanad – Vythiri Resort | Jan 26 |
| Day 10 | Wayanad – Vythiri Resort | Jan 27 |
| Day 11 | Calicut – Kuvadu Hotel | Jan 28 |
| Day 12 | Calicut – Kuvadu Hotel | Jan 29 |
| Day 13 | Cheruthuruthi – River Retreat | Jan 30 |
| Day 14 | Cochin - Taj Malabar | Jan 31 |
| Day 15 | Allepey - Rice Boat | Wed Feb 1 |
| Day 16 | Kumarakom - KLR Resort | Feb 2 |
| Day 17 | Kumarakom - KLR Resort | Feb 3 |
| Day 18 | Cochin - Brunton Boatyard Hotel | Feb 4 |
| Day 19 | Cochin | Feb 5 |
| Day 20 | Fly Cochin / Hong Kong | Mon Feb 6 |
| End of Tour | ||
| Day 21 | Hong Kong | Tue Feb 7 |
| Day 22 | Fly to Vancouver | Wed Feb 8 |
Kumarakom Lake Resort |
Bangalore Palace |
