A Gorgeous voyage out of the Tourist Map

A Gorgeous voyage out of the Tourist Map – 6 days 5 nights

designed by KST Tours

Places to be covered : Athirappilly, Valparai, Pollachi, Athoor, Chettinad, Madurai

Exploring ourselves South India for years, we are very pleased to share this out of beaten track Voyage with well-travelled customers in search of new exclusive experiences.

Valparai, Pollachi or Athoor won’t sound familiar for those who already travelled in Kerala and Tamilnadu.

We have discovered a gorgeous private plantation in Valparai where you will enjoy nature walk and wild fauna in private tea and coffee plantations.
In Pollachi we found the last remaining village of traditional saree weavers and some beautiful landscapes filled with lakhs of coconut trees, mango, cocoa and wild nature.

It was a great effort to discover the unexplored largest market of Jasmine – the famous Madurai Malligai. During this discovery we found many other flower fields which are used for temple offerings. Definitely you’ll enjoy the fragrance and colours in Athoor.

In Kanadukathan we’ll share with you the most amazing sights and visits of clay pottery making, mansions and unique landscapes which are some of the numerous jewels that we have discovered after so many explorations.

4 Nature Wonders

  • Athirappilly Waterfalls

  • Thumboormuzhy gardens

  • Nature walk with Naturalist in Valparai

  • Safari in Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary

     

All included(entrances – Safari – naturalist …)

6 Authentic Discoveries

  • Pollachi handmade sarees and ancient villages
  • Largest Jasmine market of Tamil Nadu
  • Palani Murugan Temple
  • Chettinad full discovery
  • Madurai Temple & Palace with private guide

 

All included (entrances – Mansions &Tiles painting & Ayyanar horses – guide for Madurai temple &palace …)

4 COMFORTABLE AND AUTHENTIC ACCOMODATIONS

Valparai – A unique wooden cottage in a private tea plantation

Pollachi – A great Resort in a coconut plantation

Athoor – An authentic Guesthouse with a panoramic view of valleys & mountains

Chettinad – A Resort up to the mark with the best cuisine

  • All dinner
  • All breakfast + 1 for early arrival
  • 1 Lunch at Valparai
  • All activities and entrances (as listed in Program)
  • Vehicle & Driver of International level

Valparai

Pollachi

Athoor

Chettinad

Starting rate: 50,510 INR per pax(*)

(*) Validity : 30/09/2021
– Tariff /pax : off season rate for 2 Pax /on double room share basis
– Hotel category : 3 Stars Premium & 4 stars RESORTS
– including : Accommodation + Breakfast + Dinner + Lunch as per program  + Premium vehicle & English-speaking driver

  • All activities & sightseeing as per detailed in Included list

Above rate depends on the availability of our selected hotels of the category mentioned in this offer. Above rate is based on current government tax and fuel rate. Rate update applicable in the event of any change in government taxes or in fuel cost, happening before your trip begins.

Expecting weather for this package

KST-WeKST-Website-Weather-monthbsite-Weather-months

October to March – You could have some shower till December but overall, the climate is mild everywhere in this area. It is usually easy to spot animals even on the roads, landscapes are ready for a click, plantations and cultivation fields are greenish!

August to September – Very nice feeling with rain in the mountains only, Tamilnadu could be sometimes little hot.

April to May – Hill stations are little more crowded (Not so much for our hotels). Tamilnadu is more hot and humid.

Designed for: We have designed this particular voyage for Couples and Friends in search of exclusive and out of beaten track journey.

Airport: Pick up at Cochin airport and drop at Madurai airport

Program

Day 1

flight icon

Pick up at airport – arrival assistance, meet and greet with a nice breakfast for any arrival up to 10 AM

You will start by visiting Thumboormuzhy butterfly garden and hanging bridge above the Chalakkudy river (1h drive). The nature is offering a magical scenery.

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Then you’ll reach the largest waterfall of Kerala, Athirappilly.

After you will get an interesting drive on a small and usually lonely road climbing through wild forest area. (2h30 drive)

Enroute you will enjoy Peringalkuthu dam catchment area, lower and upper Sholayar dams. Wild animals and birds are often spotted all along.

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You will reach :
/your resort settled in the heart of a private tea plantation with a stunning view from your charming wooden cottage
/or your house settled in the heart of a private coffee plantation with the wildlife at your door step.
As per option chosen

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Night at Valparai.

INCLUDED

N

Breakfast at 4* star hotel near Cochin Airport

N

Thumboormuzhy butterfly garden and hanging bridge entrance

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Athirappilly waterfalls entrance

Day 2

Early morning, you will go with the hotel guide in one of their plantations for a walk. It’s an amazing experience by walk through coffee and tea plantations during which you’ll get information about wild life, nature, birds, plantations etc. Do not forget your camera, nature is well preserved and so beautiful there.

The local encounters with wild animals are usual in their plantations as it is not disturbed by local tourists. (Lion tailed macaques, Indian bison, Sambar deer, giant squirrels, so many birds etc.)

We are including your lunch in an other property that belongs to the same Land owner, as there is no proper local restaurants in that small village.

After, you will explore very nice places with your driver like waterfall, amazing view point, old temple on top of a hill and one of the tea factories belonging to the private plantation you’re staying in.

 

9

Night at Valparai.

INCLUDED

N

Nature Walk with a naturalist guide from Briar Valparai

N

Lunch at Sirukundra (Same plantation owner than you’re the one you’re staying)

Day 3

After breakfast, you will proceed to Pollachi (2h30 drive)

Enroute make some stop for stunning views from the numerous hairpins overlooking Aliyar dam and Tamil Nadu valleys.

When you’ll reach Aliyar dam you’ll stop there to enjoy the scenery from the top of the concrete Dam with beautiful panoramic view on the lake and the background made of high mountains and when looking behind, a sea of coconut trees fills the entire outlook.

After lunch, you will visit ancient villages with your driver. There are very few of them with old brick houses of whitish or bluish colour. It’s a full part of traditional India that is endangered. Not far from there, we would like to give you a special experience in another old village where each house is arranged like a part of a Saree manufactory. They are making beautiful ones with classy materials and colors, all handmade without any electrical machine.

If you like peaceful atmosphere, we know a small mud path that runs between the Parambikulam wildlife and beautiful well-maintained plantations of coconut, peanuts, mango. Walking there, accompanied by birdsong, is a delight.

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Night at Pollachi

INCLUDED

N

Expenses to visit local villages in Pollachi

N

Entrance for Aliyar Dam

Day 4

Early morning, you’ll have a nice drive toward the heart of the sanctuary of Parambikulam. (1h drive from Hotel / half of it happening inside the Sanctuary).

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Then you’ll start a trek in the forest with naturalists for 2h30 in one of the best wildlife sanctuaries of Kerala, the Parambikulam Tiger reserve. All the valleys are covered by thick forest, full of wild animals due to large dams providing water throughout the year.

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The landscapes are really nice, more luxuriant than any other Sanctuaries of South India, making the walk more interesting. There you can expect different species of monkeys, birds, deer, buffalo and elephant. During the trek, you might also sometimes see a black bear or even a leopard. The tigers are there but very shy so usually you can only see his footprints.

Then you will proceed to Athoor (3h30 drive)

Enroute you’ll discover the major Murugan Temple of South India, built on a high granite Rock at palani.

After reaching your hotel, you will explore the lake which is lying down your hotel, located in the middle of Nature, on the foothills of Kodaikanal.

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Night at Athirappilly

INCLUDED

N

Entrance for Parambikulam Tiger Reserve

N

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve trek (2h30) with Forest Guide

Day 5

At breakfast time, you’ll enjoy the panoramic view from your breakfast table. This medium class charming hotel is ecofriendly, so many birds made their home there.

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Your driver guide will take a diversion to discover the largest flower market of South India dedicated to Jasmine which is known as the world-famous Madurai malligai. You’ll enjoy also nice cultivation fields of wide variety of flowers.

Proceed to Chettinad (3h drive)

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After lunch you’ll visit 2 different typical mansions built by Chettiar community. They were made of luxurious material imported from Western and Asian countries.

Then you will visit a traditional manufactory where people are producing handmade tiles made by a unique process using local soil and glass plates. These colorful floor tiles are still used in beautiful houses.

You’ll finish your amazing day by discovering one Ayyanar temple typical from this area where many painted horses in clay are displayed.

9

Night at Chettinad

INCLUDED

N

Entrance to visit ancient Mansion and handmade tiles factory with natural colours by the local artists at Chettinad.

N

Ayyanar temple visit

Day 6

After breakfast Proceed to Madurai (2h30 drive)

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When reaching, you will visit the flower market which is day and night functioning. You can smell the scent of authentic Madurai Malligai (jasmine),

Then those who are interested by Indian history could discover Gandhi museum which displays 26 panels tracing the history of English colonialism, including old photos and paints, Gandhi photos and personal objects. (entrance free of charge)

Our local English guide will join you for the visit of Madurai Meenakshi Temple (he’ll show you some peculiarities of this unique temple) and nearby Kalmandapam and the Madurai Palace.

Then depending on your flight schedule, you could make a nice walk‘n’shop around the temple

flight icon

Drop at Madurai airport

INCLUDED

N

Full access to Madurai temple

N

Entrance to Madurai Palace

N

Madurai English speaking guide for the visit of the temple and the palace

Hotels
      • Selected Hotels are comfortable with proper amenities for each category chosen for this Travel: 3 stars PREMIUM and 4 stars
      • We have visited ourselves more than 700 hotels and Resorts in South India and have selected the ones providing professional services for the category with the most appropriate location and environment. We have also considered the Value for Money of each of them. We are keeping a good and long-term relationship with their manager so that trusty relation will benefit to all our customers.
Taxi
      • Your vehicle as per detail given in this offer is included from Arrival Airport to Departure Airport.
      • All taxi expenses necessary for your trip as per the program mentioned above in this offer are including fuel, toll, parking, government taxes and driver expenses. No extra would be charge to you by the end of your trip apart for any special request from your part about special use of your taxi (extra kilometers for others reasons than the program mentioned above – extra working time for your driver).
      • Vehicle type: medium car ac as main vehicle for your trip – ALL OUR VEHICLES ARE A/C
      • All our drivers are english speaking (most part is also Hindi speaking). We have selected each of them for their experience, South India knowledge, safe driving and for all the support they can provide to make your trip hassle free. You can be confident in all our drivers who are well trained and use to travel and guide European travellers.
Vehicle upgrade
  • Toyota Innova A/C
  • Travel supplement 4300 INR for this voyage
Recommendations
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We recommend you to reach Cochin Airport before 8 AM and to take departure flight after 7PM from Madurai airport in order to enjoy fully your days as we have prepared a beautiful program.

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No need of special shoes for walking in the mountains of Valparai.

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From August to December climate is changing in Valparai. We could feel fog and sometimes rain in between sun. Nights can be little cold from November to February (around 10 degrees – and sometimes freezing for few hours during some days in winter) It’s better to take some warm clothes.

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Please take your swimsuits to enjoy the swimming pool

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At Madurai temple you need to keep the dress code – shorts and sleeveless tops are not allowed

Travel Inclusions
E

Accommodation for 5 nights

E

Vehicle as per mentioned above

E

Personal Gift Voucher valid in listed hotels for Ayurvedic massages

List of included activities & services in the above travel:

  • Breakfast at 4* star hotel near Cochin Airport
  • Thumboormuzhy butterfly garden and hanging bridge entrance
  • Athirappilly waterfalls entrance
  • Discovery of the fauna and flora in Valparai with a naturalist guide from Hotel
  • Lunch at Valparai Briar Sirukundra
  • Expenses to visit local villages in Pollachi
  • Entrance for Aliyar Dam
  • Entrance for Parambikulam Tiger Reserve
  • Parambikulam Tiger Reserve walk safari (2h30) with Forest Safari
  • Entrance to visit 2 ancient Mansion and handmade tiles factory with natural colours by the local artists at Chettinad.
  • Ayyanar temple visit
  • Entrance to Madurai temple
  • Entrance to Madurai Palace
  • Madurai English speaking guide for the visit of the temple and the palace

KST Tours added Inclusions for all Voyages:

  • Welcome at Airport by our local support with a visible Paging board for a fast and easy identification of your contact
  • Experienced Driver trained by KST Tours – with the proper knowledge about all your voyage & who use to match expectations of international tourists
  • Dedicated KST Tours Staff to coordinate your daily program (activities & guides timing – respect & any necessary adjustment of your daily program depending on local weather conditions etc.)
  • Dedicated KST Tours Staff to reconfirm your Hotels booking, your arrival timing and any hotel adjustments that could be requested
  • Vehicle replacement in case of any unexpected technical hitch
  • KST Tours Umbrella – Ice box with cool water – On Demand, depending the Itinerary: Beach enjoyment accessorie like water polo ball, frisbee, beach umbrella, cushions and mat for PicNic
  • Personal Gift Voucher valid in listed hotels for Ayurvedic massages (to get best discount negotiated by our company for you and best service)
  • Full detailed CONFIRMED OFFER mentioning all hotels/category of rooms and daily program with precise list of included activities, guides, etc. is sent to the customer by mail at the time of booking.
    • Refund to guest for any activity unexpectedly unavailable if no alternative solution could be provided
    • In case of last-minute technical issue with a hotel: minimum same category of hotel is provided in replacement. Under special circumstances, if no hotel of same category or above is available – refund to guest the difference of tariff
  • Printed version of guest travelogue mentioning useful information: local traditions Do’s / Dont’s, etc.
Not included
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Any flight ticket not mentioned as included

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Any eventual fees for : mobile, still / video camera

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Personal expenses, meals not mentioned as included, Tips

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Personal travel and/or health insurance

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Entrances and visits or activities not mentioned as included

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All extra charges or expenses not clearly mentioned as included in this voyage

Selected hotels list for your trip

VALPARAI

We have selected a tea/coffee company that offers various accommodations in 4 locations inside their huge plantations. The one we have selected for this package has charming wooden chalets, well designed, with private terrace offering spectacular and gorgeous view over mountains and tea garden. The catering is tasty and authentic, the staff attentive and welcoming. The location is perfect to explore all Valparai area.

POLLACHI

MARARI hotel

We have selected a nice resort, set in a Coconut tree plantation, with a pleasant park, a nice swimming pool overlooking the large pond that all bedrooms are facing. They have quality Ayurveda centre co-managed with a traditional Ayurveda hospital. The base category rooms are pleasant, with enough privacy and comfort distributed in cottages with one floor they all have a balcony to enjoy the greenery and the large pond. 2 pool villas are nice and spacious with a patio well decorated with a private swimming pool that is perfect for more privacy or for families. 1 other category called Royal suite is really large, with a nice large balcony offering a nice view over all the property. It’s perfect for couple who look for space and nice view or for a family with Childs. The establishment is run by a good family native from this area, with seriousness. The restaurant serves traditional cuisine.

ATHOOR

This charming resort has only 10 bedrooms. It is located on the hillside, at the foot of the mountain near Dindigul, facing the lake on which it offers a beautiful panorama. There is a main ground floor building and 3 independent cottages. The rooms are spacious, air conditioned, simply furnished. The bathrooms are basic but have everything you need. The garden is full of flowers and pleasantly emphasizes the view. The owner is a friendly English well integrated into the local community during the past 20 years. The pleasant swimming pool offers a majestic panoramic view on nature.
It is an address cherished by many European travelers.

Important: There is a fixed menu, in fusion cooking style between India & Europe – No special cuisine such north Indian food is available there.

CHETTINAD

We have selected the best hotel of its category in Chettinad area with comfortable rooms. Each of them is opening on a huge covered terrace facing the garden, Rooms are well-maintained with good facilities. A nice swimming pool has been built recently. The owner is a descendant of an ancient family of Chettinad and she knows the best recipes of authentic Chettinad cuisine. This hotel is well located for visits.

I’m Christian Duroule

The French who felt in love with South India’s amazing nature, gorgeous landscapes and the diversity of culture, 14 years back! I have created KST Tours Pvt Ltd in Kerala to provide authentic travel for International travellers exclusively in south India since 2010. From 2021 – For the first time in India, I decided to share the International way of Travelling with Indian Travellers.

Each voyage has to be valuable for money and to match your expectations. For that, you need a local expert of South India to advise properly about local weather conditions, appropriate accommodations, valuable activities and sightseeing. Your time is precious, your enjoyment should be fulfilled and spend your money wisely.

That’s why I drove myself for more than 2 lakhs kilometres all over South India. I have visited more than 700 hotels and tried almost all what we could experience there.

My concept of Travel
Pack your luggage, we’ll handle the rest!
  • We study precisely each itinerary to optimize your enjoyment. The timing, the hotel location, the activities and visits. You don’t…want to waste your time when travelling: wondering what to do, where to go, waiting in a queue, negotiating all time. All is included in our travel, so you can manage your budget easily.
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  • All our drivers are trained by us and use to guide Europeans for many years. Their main functions are to make your travel smooth, well organized accordingly to a defined daily program, to share with you their knowledge about South India, to keep you and your family safe. Relationship with our drivers is made of trust, knowledge and professionalism. Our Drivers are the key of a successful voyage along with guides, local assistants, boat pilots and jeep drivers.
  • We created partnership in each destinations, so you’ll not be rushed to finish your visit or activity and you’ll get a better service. we have even created with them many activities to offer you more exclusive and authentic experiences, apart from mass tourism.
  • We added a French touch in our travel: Ice box with cool water, nice and quality Caps ,umbrellas, mats and cushions for those who want to experience real Picnic in French style, water polo Ball, frisbee, even stunt kites on demand without any extra cost.

Try my concept and make it yours!

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