India wildlife & cuisine holiday

country:	India
location:	Kerala
departures:	2008: 8 Nov, 27 Dec
price:	From £1195 - £1395 (9 days) including flights from the UK. This trip can also be booked without flights

Wildlife holidays

India holidays

Cookery holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

India boasts a mammal fauna of over 450 species but for many visitors the term wildlife is synonymous with the well-known National Parks in the north of the country, and of course the magnificent Bengal Tiger. The allure of the Tiger is undeniable but within the Indian sub-continent this supreme predator occurs over a much wider range than might be expected and in the south of the country there are Project Tiger reserves which also offer the opportunity to observe some of the very rare mammals found only in South India and Sri Lanka. The moist, tropical hill forests of Kerela, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, form a distinct vegetation zone in the Western Ghat hills, which has resulted in the evolution of many bird species unique to this region of the country.

The focus of this adventurous new tour will be the Indian (Typical South Indian) Cuisine & Mammals of Southern India and whilst there will be chances of seeing many of the more widespread Indian Species such as Indian Elephant, Sloth Bear, Tiger and Leopard, the itinerary also embraces Reserves where Gaur and Dhole may be encountered as well as a selection of the Endemic Mammals of South India including Nilgiri Tahr, Lion Tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Travancore Flying Squirrel, Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Stripe-necked Mongoose and Nilgiri Marten.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	In Flight.
Day 2-4:	Drive to Kothamangalam. After breakfast we will drive to Kothamangalam where we stay for three nights at a private plantation house belonging to Mr & Mrs Jose who very kindly welcome small groups to share their delightful family home. Mrs. Jose, through her cookery demonstrations, will introduce you to local recipes for rice and vegetables, explain the use of coconut in food and as a climax, prepare a Sadya, a Keralan festive lunch or dinner. Her lessons will give you hands-on experience of local Keralan cooking with special focus on vegetables and ingredients that are available in other countries. During our three-day stay here we include a visit to Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary 12 kilometres northeast of Kothamangalam in Ernakulam District about 50 kilometres east of Kochi. This is one of the prime birding destinations in South India.
Day 5:	Drive to Gavi National Park. Leaving our vehicle at Vandiperiyar we will join the safari team who will take us by road to Gavi for our a night stay at Kerela Forest Development Corporation’s camping site and a night’s stay at simple but comfortable Green Mansions Lodge on the banks of Gavi River. Gavi is contiguous to the Periyar Tiger Reserve and Goodrickal Reserve. Chances of encountering wildlife are high and we hope to find Elephants, Gaur, Lion Tailed Macaques and Sambar Deer, with a chance of maybe encountering Wild Dogs and the occasional Tiger. This place is also a veritable treasure trove of birds (over 250 species). We are served hot tea / coffee on arrival at Gavi. After a briefing and lunch at Green Mansion, we start our 2-hour trek to Valley View Campsite. Local guides and porters will accompany us. We arrive at Valley View Camp in time to spend some time at the sunset point to observe a stunning sunset. We will then settle in for the night at the camp.
Day 6:	Gavi National Park. After lunch we will do a 3-hour easy walk to Meenar Village. This will give us good opportunities to see the Malabar Giant Flying Squirrel, lion Tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Barking Deer. We can expect to see some good birds like the Nilgiri Flycatcher, Grey Headed Canary Flycatcher, Indian Blue Robin, Dark Fronted Babbler, Indian Scimitar Babbler, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Velvet Fronted Nuthatch, Heart Spotted Woodpecker and many more birds.
Day 7:	Drive to Kumarakom. Today we will drive to Kumarakom, which will take us just over 4 hours. We will pass through tea, rubber and cardamom plantations, which will provide us with photographic opportunities. On reaching the jetty at Kumarakom we will be transferred to our hotel. In the afternoon we will proceed to the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. There is no end to the number of exotic birds that visit this picturesque little village by the side of the Vembanad lake. Right in the heart of lush tropical waterways, the peak time to visit the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is between November and March, when it serves as a winter home for a wide range of migratory birds, most of them are from Siberia. Noteworthy species include the darter or Snake bird, little Cormorant, Night Heron, Golden-backed Woodpecker, Crow Pheasant, White breasted waterhen, Purple Moorhen, Black Tailed Godwit, Garganey, Northern Pintail, Cotton teal, Common Kingfisher, Stork Billed Kingfisher, White Breasted Kingfisher & the Pied kingfisher.
Day 8:	Drive to Kochi. We drive from Kumaramon to Kochi, a journey of about two hours. On arrival, we will check into our hotel for an overnight stay. We will have some time to enjoy the sightseeing in this former princely capital. The commercial city of Kochi (or Cochin), also known as “The Queen of the Arabian Sea” is famous for its exquisite designer Gold Jewellery. Kochi lies at the heart of the ancient State of Kerala, and its position, straddling a number of islands and peninsulas, together with its rich trading past and Jewish, Portuguese, British and Dutch influences make it one of the most fascinating cities of India. Those interested in local history can take a cruise in the evening to see the famous Chinese fishing nets. Built of teakwood, these nets were erected at the entrance to Cochin Harbour between 1350 and 1450 AD. They are mainly used at high tide, requiring at least four men to operate their system of counterweights. The nets are lowered into the water by a crane like structure and raised a few minutes later.
Day 9:	London. In the morning we will depart Cochin and arrive back at London in the evening at 1830 hours.

this holiday is operated by a wildlife specialist

Typically trips are expertly guided by a leading specialist with a good knowledge of the area to be visited. Inevitably, birds, plants and mammals are the main focus of attention however, the aim will be to incorporate all other aspects of the natural world in an attempt to be as broad-minded as possible. A local guide may often accompany trips.

how this holiday makes a difference

This 9-day holiday offers a unique combination! Whilst wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers enjoy the Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary and the quiet forest reserve of Gavi, adjacent to Periyar Tiger Reserve, devotees of Indian cuisine within the group will be instructed in the art of Kerala’s cuisine whilst staying at Kothamangalam. Here our Indian host and hostess, Joe and Daisy, run their own comfortable 3-room ‘homestay’, assisted by local staff. They produce most of their own cooking ingredients – including fruit, vegetables, spices, chicken and sheep – within extensive grounds which are also ideal for birdwatching walks from your room! This is your opportunity to learn from them about the cuisine of Kerala.

At Gavi, we spend 2 days enjoying our wildlife encounters on foot, as we trek and camp within the wildlife reserve. Then, on our third and final night, we stay in the government-owned, Green Mansion. This property prides itself on its simple comforts and ‘green’ credentials. Plastics, tvs, phones and alchohol are just some of the trappings of modern life avoided here; whilst the cuisine (vegetarian only) is based around locally grown organic produce, and an avoidance of artificial flavourings.

Our group size is very small (just 6 participants) and guided by one of our highly trained team of expert naturalists (who not only rank amongst the very best in the subcontinent, but invariably are active participants in the region’s wildlife conservation organisations and in encouraging conservation in schools). Additionally, we use local guides and drivers during the holiday. Be reassured that your visit to an Indian national park or wildlife reserve brings valued income and employment to rural communities, and encourages both local people and their governments to value and protect one of the world’s richest wildlife heritages.

As a company we have achieved AITO’s top level, 3-star Responsible Tourism accreditation and we have always tried to operate our holidays in an environmentally responsible manner, striving to contribute to wildlife conservation and habitat preservation at all times.

Our policy includes:

To focus, particularly, on visiting areas which do not benefit from the rewards of mass market tourism.

To minimise environmental damage by exploring in small groups and, as much as possible, on foot.

To use, wherever possible, local guides.

To involve local communities and to ensure that they receive a fair share of the benefits of wildlife tourism.

To use, wherever possible, small, locally owned accommodations & specialist local agents/ground operators.

To purchase, where possible, local produce.

To develop and commit to long-term plans to visit rural areas and support the local communities.

To contribute financially to projects local to the areas that we visit (ie. schools, hospitals, etc.)

To educate the local people on the importance and long-term benefits of wildlife tourism.

To keep our clients well-informed on aspects of wildlife management and conservation.

To work with British and overseas conservation organisations to develop new wildlife tourism destinations.

To run our UK office in as energy-efficient a manner as possible.

We also encourage our clients to offset their carbon dioxide emissions.

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