Keralam Backpacking Group Trip (6D/5N)

• Start from Bangalore, an overnight journey to Munnar.

• Check into the Munnar stay, freshen up, have Breakfast.
• The lush tea estates and cool weather of Munnar are a perfect start for the trip.
• Take a pit stop at beautiful Tea Valley view photo point and click some selfies. 
• It’s a stunning viewpoint that offers a wide, sweeping view of the surrounding hills, making it a must-visit for nature lovers and tourists.
• Visit Mattupetty Dam that is among the largest in the country to produce hydroelectricity. Apart from enchanting views of reservoir, one can indulge in Peddle Boating, Kayaking & sometimes, Horse Riding at this happening place in Munnar. Note: On a rainy day, authorities may not allow above activities. We cannot help it.
• Stop over for Lunch at one of the best hanging out places in Munnar – Tea Tales Café.
• Visit picturesque Tea Garden of Munnar and take loads of pictures, learn about Tea life cycle.
• Witness the grand Kalaripayattu show – Kerala’s traditional martial art performance late evening. 
• Head back to the stay, refresh & sit around for social gathering.
• Finish Dinner, take rest.

• Have Breakfast, freshen up & check out of Munnar stay.
• Stop by at beautiful view points while bidding adieu to Munnar.
• Have a pit stop at Attukkad waterfalls and enjoy the fresh breeze. It is a pretty sight during and post monsoons, almost until end year.
• Start journey to Alleppey which is famous for its network of canals, rivers, and backwaters.
• Stop over for Lunch at a local restaurant enroute.
• Check into Aleppey stay by late evening, refresh
• Take a boat ride through the picturesque backwaters late in the evening as our boat glides past lush paddy fields, coconut groves, and small village settlements. 
• Gather around for some games organized by our Trip leader.
• Finish Dinner, retire for the night.

• Check out after Breakfast.
• Head straight to the fantasic Beach town Varkala, which is about 3 hour drive from Aleppey (100 km approximately).
• Upon arrival at Varkala. 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.

• Pack your bags, check out of  Varkala stay after Breakfast.
• Start our journey to Jatayu Earth Center, which takes around 1 hour.
• 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.
• Start the long return journey towards Bangalore.
• We will take stops for evening tea & night Dinner.

• Reach back Bengaluru early in the morning.
• Share your beautiful trip experience of Kerala trip with Munnar, Aleppey & Varkala with friends and family.

• Toiletries, moisturizer, light towel, lip balm, wet wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste etc.
• A lightweight large Backpack for the entire trip (50-60 liters). Strictly no trolleys. Remember this is a Backpacking trip.
• A small backpack for basic items (to carry valuables, water bottle, snacks, etc. for outdoor activities).
• Photo identity proof with address (Aadhar/Passport/Voter ID).
• Thermal inners and warm clothes (cold climate).
• A rainproof jacket with a hood (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 outdoors.
• Proper water bottle for your trip. You may fill at our stays.
• Disposable garbage covers (to separate used/unused 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.
• No need to carry snacks/chocolates. You may buy at local shops.

• Organizers will get in touch with you, or vice versa.
• Once minimum number of people book this trip (at least 4 members), Organizing team will give a green signal to book your flights.
• A Whatsapp group will be created for all the registered folks 5 days before the event.

• The itinerary is fixed. No special requests to change itinerary/schedule shall be entertained. Travellers are not allowed to advice/instruct the Organizers (Driver or Trip Leader or Operations Manager) to change the itinerary.
• Cooperate with the Organizers in following the schedule set for the day (especially getting up and getting ready in the morning). This will ensure travellers won’t miss out on the real fun part that is traveling and visiting all places in itinerary.
• Every traveler is responsible for his/her for your own safety. Do not indulge in any illegal or silly activity that causes harm to self or fellow travelers.
• Do not wander into the forest away from the designated trail for treks. There may be snakes, scorpions, and dangerous animals.
• Unexpected situations: In rare scenarios, we might not be able to 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 police/forest/local authorities, delay in travel because of an issue with our group itself, traffic conditions, etc. In most cases, if the time permits, the Organizers will take travelers to an alternative place. But in some cases, we may have to skip places altogether.
• Note: In case of flight delays, cancellations, or reschedules, Muddie Trails will not be responsible for missed connections to the trip starting point. Travelers are requested to make their own arrangements to reach the destination, as per the itinerary. We recommend booking flights with sufficient buffer time to avoid any last-minute issues.
• No alcohol & smoking during travel, treks, and other outdoor activities. There would be a separate window and space (usually at night) to have these at the stays for interested people.
• This is a budget, backpacking group trip. The facilities are shared between all group members. By default, all the stays and vehicles are Non-AC. No special preference shall be given to anyone.
• Travelers are expected to respect each other and help one another. Avoid discussing sensitive matters like sex, politics, and religion/caste/race.
• Using foul or abusive language, eve-teasing, arguing with fellow travelers/Organizers, and/or involving in the physical assault will not be accepted and will stand a chance of being deserted by the group then and there.
• Every traveler is expected to digitally fill & submit a liability/waiver form given by the Organizers before the trip. This liability form will discharge Muddie Trails of any unexpected incident like injury/death/theft etc.

Cancellation by Traveler

• 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 by Muddie Trails

Muddie Trails may decide to cancel the event if there are less than 3 travelers signed up for the trip/trek.

What if we don’t get the minimum number of people for the trip?
We have 2 options in this case:
Option 1: Complete refund.
Option 2: Switch to any other long trip of the same dates or future dates. The difference amount will be collected from you or paid back according to the new trip cost.

Note: We do not recommend to book flight tickets until the trip is confirmed with atleast 3 travelers signed up.

Cancellation due to external factors

Muddie Trails may have to cancel the event in case of external factors that are beyond our control like Natural Disasters, Extreme Weather Conditions, Red Alerts, Political Disturbances, Bandh/Curfews, Local Issues, Road Blocks, Train cancellations, Covid-19 or any other disease outbreaks etc.

In these scenarios:

• No Refund is allowed.
• 100% trip amount can be used for any other new trip of the same weekend or future weekends. The difference amount will be collected from you or paid back according to the new trip cost.
• Once you confirm your participation on the new trip, all the above Cancellation policies will apply for the same.