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BOOKED AND ARRANGED
in the U.K. by H.C. TRAVEL
Our Kerala bike tour is offering a dramatic contrast to our other Indian
tours, and a great winter touring option. As this is southern India,
there are a few changes to our tour set-up, but as with the rest of our
programme, there are no compromises on quality. Daniel, our tour guide,
has lived in the area for many years, and has been running motorcycle
tours since 1999. We have ten 350cc Bullets (so no large unwieldy tour
groups!), but these come with higher bars and improved grips for
comfort, reinforced rear struts to improve handling, chrome mirrors,
crash bars, and short silencers. Electric mosquito machines are provided
throughout the tour, and nets are provided in the main areas, the
backwaters and Cochin. As with our other Indian tours, we travel with a
mechanic, the excellent Ranesh, a jeep driver with unbelievable driving
and negotiating skills, the incomparable Niyaz (and space for non-riding
passengers), and carry bottled mineral water for when you just can’t
face another cup of chai. Our hotels range from the very good through to
the truly exotic, and we are sure that each one will be an enjoyable and
unique experience. For 2008 we have again tweaked the itinerary to give
you more time to enjoy the fantastic scenery and wildlife.
DAY 1 DEPART UK.
For our flight inclusive guests your holiday starts here. Board your
morning flight to Cochin.
DAY 2 ARRIVE COCHIN.
We will greet you personally upon your arrival in Cochin this morning,
and transfer you to our beach hotel, nestled amongst acres of palm trees
with uninterrupted views across the Indian ocean into the sunset., Here
you can unwind after the long flight and enjoy some R&R by the pool.
Then we have an introductory meeting to get to know each other and our
bikes, hopefully with time for a short ride We finish off the day with
our Welcome Dinner. Marari Beach Resort or The Beach at Pollethai.
DAY 3 ALEPPEY.
A leisurely breakfast sets the scene for a relaxing day. You can go for
an exploratory ride along the coast, past mission churches, unspoilt
fishing villages, backwaters, lighthouses and beaches shrouded by
endless palm trees. After this you should be starting to adjust to the
pace of life here. And if you haven’t quite chilled out enough, book a
massage, go to a yoga or cookery class or just order abeer, grab a
hammock and relax!
DAY 4 ALLEPPEY – KUMILY (205 km).
Now you are ready for your adventure! An early start today for a long
day's ride through some truly spectacular scenery. We traverse the
backwaters and rice paddies before starting the ascent through the
rubber and tea plantations of the Cardoman Hills and Southern Ghats.
Stopping for tea and small snacks every hour or so we climb on largely
empty, well-surfaced roads until we reach the Periyar Wildlife
Sanctuary. Here the views become more sensational as the road gets
worse! This route is largely untrodden - whereas tourists usually see
the area by taking the boat on Lake Periyar, we pass through 100 km of
the 770 sq. km sanctuary on our bikes. There is an abundance of
wildlife, from flora, birds and insects up to bears, leopards, elephants
and even tigers, although they keep themselves well hidden usually. And
no traffic. The riding is slow, and we will often switch off engines to
freewheel down narrow lanes and take in the full sounds of the forest.
(There is an easier route available too). After riding to over 2000 m,
we finally meet up with the good road again and rejoin the highway for
the final short run into Kumily. The temperature here is much cooler
than by the beach and you can reward yourself with a nice hot shower.
Spice Village or Greenwoods.
DAY 5 KUMILY (free day).
We stay in Kumily today, so you can decide what you want to do. If you
would like, there is an early 6 am start to take the Periyar Lake boat
trip to see the wild elephants, or you can get up a little later and
take an elephant ride, or just take a walk around the town, take in the
sights, do some shopping and enjoy the atmosphere.
DAY 6 KUMILY – KODAIKANAL 150 km).
We drop down to the plains again on some very good roads and stop for a
traditional Tamil lunch at the foot of the Palani Hills. We head off in
the heat of the day, but temperatures soon drop as we ride up to the
hill station of Kodaikanal at 2000 m in just 30 miles. If there’s time,
you can take the bike around the paths of the summit, explore on foot or
horseback, hire a boat on the lake in town, or just enjoy the local
dairy products - cheeses and ice creams - and mushrooms. Carlton Hotel
or Zest.
DAY 7 KODAIKANAL – MUNNAR (165 km).
A mid-morning start gives us time to cruise back down the hill, to stop
for lunch at the restaurant at the foot of the Palani Hills. We then
ride across the plains for about an hour, before climbing again through
17 hairpin bends and the start of a road of never-ending tea
plantations. After stopping for tea on the edge of the Tata tea estate,
the world's largest, with a splendid view over Devikulam Lake we carry
on to the enchanting hill station of Munnar, and our hotel. Tea County
or Club Mahindra.
DAY 8 MUNNAR (free day).
A chance to explore the delights of Munnar and the surrounding area. We
can also go in search of the Nilgiri Tahr, a rare mountain goat, in the
cool of the morning. About half of the total world population of about
2000 animals live in the ranges below the Anamudi Peak (2695 m), the
highest in southern India. Alternatively we can ride up to the Top
Station, or take a dirt-road scramble up to one of the highest tea
estates in the world.
DAY 9 MUNNAR - OOTY (OOTACAMUND) (245
km). Leaving Munnar, we ride through
Eravikulam Park, with its abundant monkeys and scattering of elephants,
leopards and tigers. We then pass through Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary,
stopping for tea at Marayoor, famous for its local sandalwood. We then
descend to the plains of Tamil Nadu as the temperature rises, and stop
for a late lunch at a roadside restaurant near Coimbatore. Then we head
back up into the Nilgiri Hills, hairpin bends aplenty, to a height of
2000 m and our overnight stop in Ooty, 'Queen of the Hill Stations'. Taj
Savoy or Zest.
DAY 10 OOTY – MASINAGUDI (50 km).
See Ooty by motorcycle or on foot. Ride up to the Dodabetta Peak for
fantastic views of the surrounding plains, or Avalanche Point, where
there was snow and an avalanche many years ago! Visit the botanical
gardens, English-style public schools and churches, tea gardens and
shops. We then take our final mountain ride down a steep ghat road with
over 40 hairpins to Masinagudi. Jungle Retreat Taj Savoy or Zest.
DAY 11 MASINAGUDI – CALICUT (175 km).
An early start to go looking for elephants and tiger. Then it’s back on
the motorcycles and across the plains of Tamil Nadu, the huge Mudumalai
Wildlife Sanctuary, via Masinagudi and into Karnataka. We stop for a
pleasant lunch at the Bandipur Sanctuary and then head west into Wayanad
Sanctuary. We traverse the Western Ghats for the last time, with a stop
at a chai shop in the bamboo forest. Our final descent brings us to the
coastal town of Calicut. Taj Residency.
DAY 12 CALICUT - CHERAI BEACH (180 km).
Heading south, we arrive by mid-morning at Guravayoor, one of the most
famous temples and pilgrimage sites in southern India. We stop at the
Sanctuary for Temple Elephants, where the elephants are trained for
processions and elephant races. A handler will show us around and
explain the personalities of the elephants and you have the opportunity
to be with the elephants, without any barriers or cages. Then it's back
on the bikes for a quiet section of the coastal road to our lunch stop -
excellent food, slow service! Another hour's riding this afternoon sees
us reach Cherai Island, an undeveloped beach resort north of Cochin.
This beach is unique in India in that it faces the Arabian Sea to the
West, and is separated from the mainland to the east by backwater lakes
and canals with hundreds of traditional Chinese fishing nets hugging the
banks. The people here are incredibly friendly and make great efforts to
wave and shout at you as you pass, they want to make you feel most
welcome and have not yet become blasé towards strangers. Cherai Beach
Resort.
DAY 13 CHERAI BEACH – THATTEKAD (125
km). You can spend the morning on the
beach, or go for a short ride. After lunch we head off for Thattekad.
The road is generally good here until the ferry. Here we get
reacquainted with the Periyar River system as we take a local ferry
across to a rubber plantation – nice and shady and a wildlife reserve –
and then on past the shrine of St Francis to o ur hotel. This is close
to paradise and we spend the evening watching the birds nesting for the
night,and the villagers playing and working in the lagoon, with the
croak of bullfrogs to complement our conversation. Birds Lagoon.
DAY 14 THATTEKAD -
As our tour draws to a close, we change
our mode of transport today. There’s an early morning breakfast cruise
across the Periyar River, with it’s sand boats and into the Periyar
Nature Reserve. We switch the engine off and just absorb the sounds and
smells and the changing light. If we’re lucky we can take a houseboat
ride on the river later in the day.
DAY 15 THATTEKAD – COCHIN (50 km).
Our final ride takes us back to Cochin and
a last chance to cement those memories. In the afternoon there’s time
for sightseeing in the old town. Famous churches, cathedrals, synagogues
and palaces are all within walking distance, and the sights and smells
of the famous Chinese fishing nets and the market, with its teas,
spices, nuts, fabrics, rosewood, Kathakali masks, cigars - make this an
enjoyable wander. Our hotel has the most amazing location on the
waterfront in the old town, with spectacular views across the harbour
entrance. Early in the evening there’s a cruise around Cochin harbour,
with the sun setting against the Chinese fishing nets and giant
container ships, a definitive image of Cochin. We bring the tour to a
close with our Farewell Dinner. Brunton’s Boatyard.
DAY 16 DEPART COCHIN.
We take you back to the airport for your morning
flight home, and say our goodbyes - until the next time! Your flight
arrives in the UK later today.
Total distance c. 1500 km
Tour DATES, RATES & BOOKING please
click here
for H.C. travel website
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