Kerala Private Trip (6D/5N)

• Meet your driver at Kochi Airport or Bus Stand or Railway Station.
• Checkinto the Kochin guest house, freshen up, have Breakfast.
• Visit St. Francis Church, India’s oldest European-built church, where the famous explorer Vasco da Gama was originally buried. This church is a peaceful, historic spot with colonial architecture.
• Just a short walk away, Santa Cruz Basilica is a beautiful, historic church with impressive architecture, colorful stained-glass windows, and intricately painted ceilings.
• Have Lunch at a local restaurant.
• Explore Jew Town, a historic neighborhood with antique shops, spice markets, and art galleries. Visit the Paradesi Synagogue, India’s oldest active synagogue, famous for its Belgian chandeliers and hand-painted tiles.
• Drive to Marine Drive, a scenic walkway along Kochi’s backwaters. Enjoy views of the water, local life, and the sunset if you stay until the evening.
• There are cafes and shops along the promenade where you can relax and even have early Dinner.
• Take good rest.

• 4 AM: Wake up early in the morning for mesmerizing Kolukkumalai Jeep Safari. Kolukkumalai is the highest tea estate in the world, located at an altitude of about 7,130 feet. The sunrise here is absolutely breathtaking. The ride is around an hour in a 4×4 jeep through rugged trails, adding to the adventure.
• Return to the guest house, have Breakfast, freshen up & check out.
• Start scenic drive to Thekkady (approx. 3 hours). The route is surrounded by spice plantations, so you may want to stop and visit a Spice Garden along the way.
• Visit Elephant Junction of Thekkedy and take a peaceful ride on an elephant through scenic pathways surrounded by lush forests and spice plantations. 
• Check in to our guest house in Thekkady, refresh.
• Dinner & rest.

• After Breakfast, head to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and take a boat cruise on Periyar Lake. Spot wildlife like elephants, sambar deer, birds, and possibly even tigers along the lake’s shores.
• Check out of Thekkedy stay, start journey towards Alleppey which is famous for its network of canals, rivers, and backwaters.
• Check into your private houseboat and  Houseboats typically come with a bedroom, dining area, and deck for viewing the scenic surroundings.
• Go on a relaxing journey in the evening through the picturesque backwaters as your houseboat glides past lush paddy fields, coconut groves, and small village settlements. 
• Enjoy a traditional Kerala Dinner on board with freshly prepared local dishes all prepared by the onboard chef.
• Rest for the night.

• After breakfast on the house boat, start your journey from Alleppey to Jatayu Earth Center, which takes around 2 hours (approx. 70 km).
• Take a scenic cable car ride up to the center for panoramic views. Admire the majestic sculpture of Jatayu, a legendary character from the Ramayana, and explore the interactive museum here.
• Head to Varkala, which is about an hour’s drive from Jatayu Earth Center (approx. 35 km).
• Upon arrival check into the guest house, enjoy lunch at one of the cliffside restaurants overlooking Varkala Beach. There are plenty of options for fresh seafood and local Kerala cuisine.
• Stroll along the cliff, enjoy the view of the Arabian Sea, and explore the local shops selling souvenirs and handmade goods.
• Relax on the golden sands, swim, or enjoy the seaside vibe of Varkala Beach. If possible, witness a beautiful sunset.
• Finish Dinner and rest.

• After breakfast, check out of the Varkala stay and head to Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), about a 1-hour drive (approx. 45 km).
• Begin with a visit to Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, one of the richest and most revered temples in India. Dress conservatively, as this temple has specific dress code requirements for visitors.
• Head to Kovalam Beach, one of Kerala’s most popular beaches, known for its lighthouse and crescent-shaped shores. 
• (Optional) Explore the Vizinjam Lighthouse.
• Head back to Trivandrum. Our Driver shall drop you at Airport or Railway Station or Bus Stand as per your return timing.

• Toiletries, moisturizer, light towel, lip balm, wet wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste etc.
• A lightweight large Backpack for the entire trip (50-60 liters).
• A small bag for basic items (to carry valuables, water bottle, snacks, etc. for outdoor activities).
• Photo identity proof with address (Aadhar/Passport/Voter ID – shall be collected online before trip)
• Thermal inners and warm clothes in winter (cold climate).
• A rainproof jacket with a hood depending on weather forecast (to protect from cold winds, sudden rain).
• Thick socks, track pants, full sleeve t-shirts (to keep your body warm).
• Cap/Hat/Sunglasses (to protect from harmful sun rays).
• Sunscreen (SPF 50 or more).
• Power bank, charger, camera, binoculars (if you wish to).
• Hand sanitizer and liquid hand wash for Camping and outdoors.
• Proper water bottle for your trip. You may fill at our stays.
• Disposable garbage covers (To separate used/unused, wet/dry clothes).
• Water-resistant good grip shoes for travel, extra slippers to use at stays.
• Personal medications that you may feel necessary (remember ghat roads, cold climate), basic first aid kit.

• Operations Manager will get in touch with you close to the trip dates.
• A Whatsapp group will be created few days before to coordinate everything.
• Instructions about itinerary, places, stays, timings, any special scenarios etc., will be given in the same group during the trip.

• The itinerary is fixed. No special requests to change itinerary/schedule shall be entertained. Guests are not allowed to ask Driver to change the itinerary.
• Guests are expected to respect & follow instructions of Driver & the Operations Manager in order to smoothly cover places in the itinerary.
• Every guest is responsible for his/her for your own safety. Don’t indulge in any illegal or silly activity that causes harm to self or locals.
• No alcohol & smoking during journey and outdoor activities. You may consume liquor or smoke at the stay (night time) in a responsible & moderate way.
• Using foul or abusive language, threatening, and/or involving in a physical assault will not be accepted and will stand a chance of complaint at the local Police Station.
• Unexpected situations: In rare scenarios, we cannot cover all the places mentioned in the itinerary because of unpredictable reasons like bad weather, landslides, wild animal presence, abrupt blocking of sites by the local authorities, traffic conditions, etc. In most cases, if the time permits, the Operations Manager will suggest alternate places. But in some cases, we may not have any choice. No refund is applicable in such scenarios.
• Every guest is expected to sign a liability/waiver form given by the Operations Manager online. This liability form will discharge Muddie Trails of any unexpected incident like injury/death/theft etc.

Cancellation by Guests

• 80% refund if a cancellation request is sent 30 days before the trip start date.
• 50% refund if a cancellation request is sent between 30 to 15 days before the trip start date.
• An email has to be sent to muddietrails@gmail.com to raise a cancellation request.
• No refund within 15 days of the event start time whatever is the reason (Health, COVID, Accident, Family crisis, Office issue, or anything else).
• No refund during/after the event.
• No refund on the partial payment (advance) done to block your seat for the trip.

Cancellation due to external factors

If the event has to be cancelled due to external factors that are beyond our control like – Natural Disasters, Extreme Weather Conditions, Red Alerts, Political Disturbances, War, Bandh/Curfews, Local Issues, Covid-19 or any other disease outbreaks etc..

In such scenarios:

• No Refund is applicable.
• 100% trip amount can be used for future dates.