Kerala Connections

“Perhaps the best holiday ever,” says Andy Belfield, who enjoyed a Kerala homestay tour in 2019. “Great people, lovely places to stay and visit, really thoughtful travel agents who couldn't do enough to help.” As for Andy’s recommendation to others taking this trip? “Say yes.” Yes to the food, yes to the activities (some included, some perhaps offered by your hosts), and yes to any opportunity to get to know the local community, of which there will be many. There’s no better way to experience the warmth of Kerala people than by staying in their homes and getting to know them. Across two memorable weeks you’ll stay at six residences, as well as enjoying two nights in a houseboat on the ...Read more >

This fabulous tailor made tour takes you around Kerala as part of a suggested 16 day itinerary that does its level best to uncover some of southern India’s natural and cultural hidden gems. Some of the palatial properties featured throughout this holiday are absolutely stunning and many of the overnight accommodation options have been hand-picked to offer the very best in authenticity, charm and characterful cultural heritage. The itinerary itself is a mix of old and new with popular highlights combining wonderfully well with lesser-known hidden gems. Even if you’ve had a holiday in Kerala before, this two week tour provides ample excuses for a return visit. This tour combines the very ...Read more >

Kerala’s calling – and you don’t need to break the bank to answer. One of the best ways to experience this relaxed part of India is using homestays. This trip uses a few handpicked homestays, as well as guest houses and a houseboat to give you a taste of the area. And what a taste. Enjoy the home advantage of home-cooked meals. In a region that’s celebrated for its cuisine, gorge on gorgeous coconut-based pancakes, rice dishes and desserts, marinated fish, biriyanis, and vegetarian curries. This trip is run by an operator with over two decades experience organising Kerala holidays and can be tailor made to you. You could start with Cochin and Fort Cochin, Kerala’s colourful ...Read more >

Experience a real taste of India on this tour. The 'Golden Triangle' combines India’s most famous sights - historic Delhi, the legendary Taj Mahal at Agra and the Pink City of Jaipur. In Kerala you visit the harbour city of Cochin, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghat mountains, spend two nights on a houseboat in Kerala's backwaters and finish at a beach for a couple of days relaxation. This tour uses economy hotels, guesthouses and homestays so there are plenty of opportunities to upgrade if required. There are airlines that allow an 'open jaw' flight into Delhi and out of Cochin.Read more >

Unearth the elements of India – air, earth, water and fire – and reconnect with that long, lost travelling soul. Each of the four tours that we suggest are for 7 nights in India with each element representing a different activity to help suit your budget and personal interests. Firstly, Air- this tailor made tour of Kerala and Tamil Nadu takes you into the cool surrounds of Wayanad in North Kerala and the Western Ghats where the clean and clear mountain air combine to great effect. From a rustic property with just four rooms and so remote that you need to make the final transfer by jeep and there is no mobile signal to a treehouse at a comfortable homestay (both in Wayanad in Northern ...Read more >

This fantastic fifteen night tailor made tour takes you into parts of Kerala that typical tourists very rarely reach. The north of Kerala has far fewer crowds than those witnessed in the south and as this tour invites you into the homes of local people you'll find a much more authentic and deeper experience. Homestays and locally-owned guesthouses are definitely the best accommodation for getting to know welcoming hosts as well as discovering destinations that won't appear in the glossy guide books. As you travel through North Kerala you'll be treated to some truly exceptional scenery as you make your way by private chauffeur driven car through the foothills of the Nilgiri Mountains and ...Read more >

This fourteen day tailor made tour of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala tickles the senses and opens the eyes to some of southern India's most exciting cultural and natural settings. From Mysore to Cochin by way of Nagarhole National Park, the Nilgiris and Kotagiri, this tour is as enlightening as exclusive with a private car and driver ensuring you travel in style from one hand-picked property to the next. Our company has an intimate knowledge of both Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala which is why we've been able to craft this tailor made itinerary to get you off the beaten track and into the true character of southern India. Local assistance along the way and genuinely welcoming hosts ...Read more >

Kerala houseboat holidays offer a luxurious opportunity to soak up the sights and sounds of life along the riverbanks in the Kerala backwaters, one of the most peaceful and attractive regions of southern India. This particular trip makes use of a traditional one-bedroom rice barge (kettuvallam). Made from natural materials, due to its smaller size it is capable of cruising away from the normal tourist routes while providing comfortable, exclusive accommodation for up to two passengers. You’ll be accompanied by a crew of three, including a guide / cook who will prepare sumptuous Keralan cuisine throughout from ingredients sourced at local markets and perhaps even fish caught fresh. Many ...Read more >

This two-week Karnataka holiday promises a sublime mix of culture, wildlife-watching and relaxation, with plenty of views that you’ll no doubt remember for a long time to come. Travel in a private, air-conditioned and chauffeur-driven car from Mysore to Coorg and then Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, followed by a sleeper train to the UNESCO-listed Hampi, with two or three nights in each destination allowing you to gain a deeper appreciation of life in Karnataka. Get your bearings in the majestic city of Mysuru (Mysore) a three-night homestay here ideal for sightseeing around key locations such as the Mysuru Palace, and the Devaraja Market, a must for photographers and anyone with a passion for ...Read more >

Experience Indian railways on this journey across the two most southerly states of India. The time is divided between the scenic state of Kerala and the temple towns of Tamil Nadu with the longer transfers taken on 'normal' India Rail trains. This trip also includes the 'toy train' in the Nilgiri Hills. Transfers between hotels and railway stations etc will be by car. This is a full itinerary with many places of interest to visit along the way - but it does include time to relax on a beach. Accommodation is offered in a mixture of hotels and homestays and one night is spent on board a train. This is consequently a very diverse holiday and we are sure will appeal to people who like to be ...Read more >

This relaxed Tamil Nadu tailor made holiday allows you to really get under the skin of the local culture. It also explores the variety of beautiful natural landscapes that make up this southern India state from misty mountains to rubber plantations and the glorious coastline near Pondicherry. A suggested 19-day itinerary is for those looking for thorough cultural immersion in Tamil Nadu. It includes your own personal chauffeur and air-conditioned car, as well as local assistance for the duration of the trip to ensure that your tour runs wonderfully smoothly from start to finish. As you make your way around Tamil Nadu you’ll stay in a succession of magnificent heritage properties and ...Read more >

Whether you’re watching the sun touch the water on a sunset cruise of Cochin Harbour, or relaxing at a waterside resort, this luxury Kerala tour is all about adding a little extra bit of luxury. Do as much or as little as you wish: this is your holiday. Kerala is a laid-back region in southern India, where the beaches are big, but the backwaters and the tranquil mountains inland are even more intriguing. This trip gives you a bit of both, so you can balance relaxation with exploration. The special places where you’ll stay on your way give this getaway its luxury edge. They include a waterside resort on Vembanad Lake where birdlife comes up to the door of your guest house, a houseboat ...Read more >