In this modern era of processed food and microwaved meals, that takes care of everything except our nutrition and well being, Kerala offers a peaceful haven to reboot your senses amidst the richness of nature and to get a sneak peek into their ideal lifestyle required for rejuvenating from the catastrophic side effects of the contemporary society. The purity of the emerald backwaters of Alleppey provides an opportunity to relax and look back into life from a different perspective. The lush green tea gardens, outstretched to the horizon, give the perfect set up clear one’s mind up and fill it with only admiration for the breathtakingly beautiful creations of nature. The spice basin casts an aromatic enchantment so strong that the thin line between real and unreal becomes vaguer and vaguer.
Kerala is not just a tourist destination it is an ancient place rich in its beauty and wisdom has a healing property in its mere existence. After all, it is indeed, God’s Own Country.
Once we arrive at the Cochin Airport our chauffeur will greet us there to embark on a journey to Vandanmedu, about 150 KM away. The 4-hour long journey with the magical beauty of the landscape will keep us enchanted all the way through. On reaching Vandanmedu, we will check into our hotel for some rest. The late afternoon shall be reserved for a leisurely stroll around the plantation area. Later in the evening, we will enjoy the dinner followed by night stay at Vandanmedu.
The first magical sunrise in this part of the world is sure to take you by surprise. The orange hues of the sun mingling with the thousand shades of green will create an environment so magical that it will set the pace of the whole journey. In the meantime, breakfast will be served and the day begins with a lovely stroll along the plantations of Vandanmedu, housing the largest cardamom plantation in India. The strong essence of the green cardamoms stretches unendingly. In the afternoon, we shall visit the Periyar Lake stretched over an area of 26 sq. km. and provide drinking water to the major towns of Kerala. A casual walk along the villages around the plantations helps to get gist of the processes from close quarters. The sunset over the green spice land is something we cannot miss. Late evening, after returning to the hotel we will recharge ourselves with a delicious dinner and finally resting in the coziness of our warm bed at Vandanmedu.
As we finish breakfast, a full day excursion to Kailasam will be an awaited experience. Located at a distance of 22 KM from Vandanmedu, the place is known for its ancient Temple of Shiva. Roaming around the place shall get an idea of the Yoga and the Ayurveda principles, followed by the locals. Spending some more time strolling in the tea plantations and followed by knowing a little bit about the processing shall be interesting. A visit to the Cardamom Smoke House will be another delightful experience for the flavors of roasted cardamom. As we come back to the hotel in the evening, the whole day’s fatigued routine shall get solace over a simple dinner and good sleep at the hotel room in Vandanmedu.
We can get up early to take a silent and lonesome walk around the place, still undisturbed by the commotions of daily chores. This bonding in mind shall never be erased. As slowly the morning starts showing the day, we shall find our boost on the breakfast table to get ready. Today, we will be traveling to Chinnakanal, the land of the powerhouse waterfall. The impeccable natural beauty of the terrain in course of our journey, as the road passes through undulating plains of tea plantations shall keep on rejuvenating ourselves. The day can peacefully be spent on leisure after checking in and having lunch, just to sink in the serenity. A healthy place like Chinnakanal will always tempt an explorer to experiment with dietary varieties for which there will be local cuisine to soothe our taste buds. Let the day ends in such a lazy mood with the night stay at Chinnakanal.
The sunrise in Chinnakanal is ethereal. The purity of the golden hues feeling up the valley sets the right mood to have an early breakfast. Today is a day to explore the nearby. The Mattupetty dam, which is essentially a storage concrete gravity dam, is a prime attraction of the day. The next destination is Kundule Lake which also houses an artificial dam. We can get a clear view of the terrain from the Echo point as well. The picturesque sunset can be witnessed from the Pothamedu View Point which will be the last spot before returning back to your hotel for dinner and night stay at Chinnakanal.
As we finish our breakfast, we will embark on a journey to the Kolukkumalai Tea Estate to experience the aromatic heaven of the finest blends of Tea in the world. Standing at 7900 ft, it is the world’s highest elevated tea garden. We can take a stroll through the huge stretches of flavored shrubs to get lost in the misty enchantment of the terrain. After enjoying an exquisite sunset from the garden, we have to get back to our hotel in Chinnakanal for an overnight stay.
Today we will leave Chinnakanal after an early breakfast to reach Cochin for the mystic experience of the backwaters. As soon as we board onto our pre-booked houseboat, our onboard Chef will greet us with a delightful lunch made out of local ingredients. That lunch shall truly set the mood for the enchanting journey through this magical water world, adorned on both sides by lush green fields and plantations. The sunset from the deck is an experience to be framed behind the lens. The gradual displacement of a vivid painting into the solitude of the darkness is something that can’t be put into words. A wonderful evening, as the adjoining is sinking into darkness, where only the starry sky providing with a self-illuminating canopy project full romance, releases deep breathes and evokes light-hearted chuckles over a sumptuous dinner before dipping into the coziness at the houseboat cabin for the night stay at Cochin.
After a therapeutic travel through the length of God’s own country, it is time for some relaxation and rejuvenation of the mind and the body. So today after backwater breakfast session, we would visit the Green Gram Village, the abode for relaxation and rejuvenation for the next two days. Thriving on authentic home-cooked Ayurveda veg meals and on improving the living quality, the Green Gram Village trip shall open our doors to the greener pastures of life we can attend beyond the restrictions of wish and planning. The 2nd day shall be reserved for any kind of therapeutic treatment along with frequent sessions of meditation and a full body Ayurveda treatment session.
The last healthy breakfast in the Green Gram village will always remind you of the relation of food with existence. This is the sort of influence that Kerala provides to prepare its visitors in meeting goals in life with full exuberance. And, finally, the trip ends with our drop at Cochin airport/ station for the return journey.
At zerodegreel
every moment will someday make you look back and want to experience it all over again.
