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inDia & sri lanka
11 Days
Kerala Backwaters & Beaches
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Day /Kochi Your trip starts today with your arrival in historic Kochi (Cochin) a great place to start a south India adventure. No activities are planned, so you can arrive at any time. Days 2-3/Kochi - Vaikom From our base at Fort Cochin we visit the remains of St Francis Church, the oldest in India, as well as the famous Mattancherry Jewish Synagogue and look out for unique Chinese fishing nets. We also enjoy a day trip to Vaikom and explore the small backwaters, giving us an insight into rural Keralan life. Day 4/Kerala Backwaters Cruise - Alleppey Today we board a kettavallum (traditional rice barge) and sail among the beautiful backwaters of Kerala. Sit back, relax and absorb the peaceful way of life on these amazing waterways. We stay overnight in the pretty town of Alleppey.
Days 5-6/Periyar National Park Wildlife Sanctuary Periyar is one of Indias most popular wildlife reserves home to buffalo, wild boar, sambar deer, monkey, wild elephant and blackbuck antelope. An early morning cruise on the lake is a great way to start the day, while in the afternoon we can take an optional jungle walk with a local guide. Days 7-9/Varkala Time to chill out as we head to the magnificent cliff top hideaway of Varkala. The beaches are unspoilt and the laid-back atmosphere here is condusive to doing nothing in particular! Varkala has some great cafes and restaurants and is famous for its Ayurvedic massage centres. Its also a place where you can see traditional Kathakali dances. Days 0-/Kochi After breakfast we take the day train back to Kochi, arriving around noon. We have the rest of the day free to explore various shopping options. Our trip ends on the morning of Day 11.
Discover the beautiful south of India at a pace to match the local lifestyle very relaxed. We explore the best of Kerala, including historic Fort Cochin, the peace and tranquility of the Kerala backwaters, the lush forests of Periyar and the palm-fringed beaches of magical Varkala.
n KoChi n vaiKoM n Kerala baCKWaterS CruiSe n periyar Wildlife SanCtuary n varKala
Trip info
Prices: See inside cover.
Group size: Maximum 15. Grade: Moderate. Transport: bus, houseboat, local bus, taxi, train. Accommodation: 10 nights hotels/ guesthouses. Meals: 1 lunch. Local payment: Your tour leader will collect US$200 from each person on Day 1. Tour Code: GIKB. Further Info & Trip Notes: www.geckosadventures.co.uk/trips/gikb
Starts Sat 2007 20-Oct 03-Nov 17-Nov 01-Dec 22-Dec Finishes Tue 30-Oct 13-Nov 27-Nov 11-Dec 01-Jan 2008 12-Jan 26-Jan 09-Feb 23-Feb 08-Mar 22-Mar 05-Apr 04-Oct 18-Oct 01-Nov 15-Nov 29-Nov 20-Dec 2009 10-Jan 14-Oct 28-Oct 11-Nov 25-Nov 09-Dec 30-Dec 20-Jan 24-Jan 07-Feb 21-Feb 07-Mar 21-Mar 04-Apr 03-Feb 17-Feb 3-Mar 17-Mar 31-Mar 14-Apr
22-Jan 05-Feb 19-Feb 04-Mar 18-Mar 01-Apr 15-Apr
13 Days
Days 7-9/Nuwara Eliya - Worlds End - Ella Driving through rolling hills covered in tea plantations, we arrive in the quaint English town of Nuwara Eliya. We spend the night in the charming century-old Heritage Bungalow, complete with our own cook feel free to get involved and help out! The next day we visit Horton Plains Nature Reserve and trek to Worlds End, which offers amazing views down to the lowlands. The following day we enjoy a nature walk through some mind-blowing scenery and then catch a train that winds through beautiful forest to Ella. Days 0-/Unawatuna - Galle A scenic drive takes us to the groovy beach town of Unawatuna. There is time for a swim in the turquoise waters in the afternoon and the following day is free. You can chill out on the beach or explore nearby Galle, an interesting town with decaying colonial buildings. Day 2/Colombo We arrive back into Colombo at lunchtime and we have the rest of the day free to explore this busy city. Why not enjoy a final meal with your new friends this evening? Day 3/Colombo Our trip ends today around breakfast time. If you wish to stay on in Colombo, you should pre-book your accommodation before commencing your travels. Kerala Backwaters & Beaches Highlights of Sri Lanka
Highlights of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a fascinating island of extraordinary beauty. Covering the must sees of Sri Lanka, this trip visits ancient historical sites, quaint towns set in rolling hills and spends time in the chilled out beach town of Unawatuna.
n anuradhapura n Sigiriya n polonnaruWa n daMbulla n Kandy n nuWara eliya n WorldS end n ella gap n unaWatuna n galle n ColoMbo
Day /Negombo There are no activities planned for today, so you can arrive at any time. We stay in a small fishing town about an hour from the busy capital, Colombo, and so avoid the traffic snarls. Days 2-4/Ancient Sites A short drive takes us to Pinnawela, an elephant orphanage, then on to Mihintale, the birthplace of Sri Lankan Buddhism. The following day we explore the ancient Buddhist city of Anuradhapura and the impressive Sigiriya Rock Fortress. This spectacular fortress is a monastic retreat and holds a wealth of frescoes painted on the rock walls in the 5th century. The next day we ride bikes to discover the highlights of the famous 12thcentury city, Polonnaruwa. There is also the option of a wildlife safari in the afternoon. Days 5-6/Dambulla - Kandy We stop at the Dambulla cave temples, which contain well-preserved Buddhist paintings and statues, then head into the hill region, visiting Matale spice garden en route. Arriving in the wonderful town of Kandy, we visit the Temple of the Tooth and have a full day to explore the town and its pretty surrounds.
Group size: Maximum . Grade: Moderate. Transport: bus, on foot, train. Accommodation: 12 nights hotels/guesthouses. Meals: 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch. Local payment: Your tour leader will collect US$200 from each person on Day 1. Tour Code: GIHS. Prices: See inside cover. Further Info & Trip Notes: www.geckosadventures.co.uk/trips/gihs
Trip info
INDIA
Kochi Alleppey Vaikam Periyar National Park
SRI LANKA
Varkala Polonnaruwa Dambulla Sigiriya Matale Pinnawela Kandy Negombo Nuwara Eliya Colombo Ella Galle Unawatuna Anuradhapura
Starts Sun 2007 07-Oct 04-Nov 16-Dec
Finishes Fri 19-Oct 16-Nov 28-Dec
2008 27-Jan 17-Feb 09-Mar 06-Apr 04-May
08-Feb 29-Feb 21-Mar 18-Apr 16-May
10-Aug 07-Sep 05-Oct 02-Nov 14-Dec
22-Aug 19-Sep 17-Oct 14-Nov 26-Dec
2009 25-Jan 15-Feb 08-Mar 05-Apr
06-Feb 27-Feb 20-Mar 17-Apr
www.geckosadventures.co.uk
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