Thekkady Spice Trail & Periyar Wildlife Break — 2 Nights / 3 Days
Two nights at Kumily is enough to catch the early Periyar cruise on a fresh morning and still walk a spice plantation and the market without cramming them into one day. The reserve wraps a reservoir created in 1895, and elephants, gaur and sambar come down to drink at first light, which is why the first boat of the morning is the one to be on.
About this itinerary
This 2 nights and 3 days package covers Thekkady and the Periyar Tiger Reserve from a base at Kumily at the reserve gate. Day 1 drives in through the Vandiperiyar tea belt, with a Kathakali and Kalaripayattu performance in the evening. Day 2 is the early Periyar Lake cruise, a guided spice plantation walk and the Kumily spice market, and Day 3 leaves time for optional bamboo rafting or the guided border hike before the drive back.
The pacing puts the lake cruise on a morning of its own because the early boat is the one worth taking and the slots sell out, so we book ahead. The reserve activities on Day 3, bamboo rafting and the guided border hike, are optional and payable direct, booked through the forest department.
Everything below is included unless it is listed under Add-ons.
Day-by-day itinerary
Every day below can be moved, shortened or swapped. Replanning is free — you only pay the difference in what you change.
- Day 1KumilyArrival day
Into the Cardamom Hills at Thekkady
Pickup and drive to Thekkady through the Vandiperiyar tea belt, then check in at hotel. The evening is a Kathakali and Kalaripayattu performance.
The highlight of this day is the Vandiperiyar tea belt on the way in, then the smell of cardamom drying in Kumily town.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: 4 to 5 hrsStay: Kumily - Day 2KumilySightseeing
Periyar Lake Cruise and Onward
The early morning boat cruise on Periyar Lake, booked ahead because the slots are limited and sell out, then a guided spice plantation walk at Kumily covering cardamom, pepper, vanilla and clove, with the afternoon free for the Kumily spice market.
The highlight of this day is the first boat of the morning, when animals are still coming down to the water.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleStay: KumilyBreakfast included - Day 3Departure
Inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve
An optional bamboo raft or the guided border hike, both payable direct, before the drive back for the airport or railway station drop.
The highlight of this day is bamboo rafting on Periyar Lake, which gets you well away from the tour boats.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: 4 to 5 hrsBreakfast included
Hotels on this package
Rooms are held on twin sharing with daily breakfast. Switch the category to see the properties it puts you in — the tab you pick here also sets the price shown at the top of the page and on the enquiry form.
Notes
- The early morning Periyar Lake cruise has limited slots that sell out, so we book the slot ahead. The cruise ticket is inside the quoted price.
- Bamboo rafting and the guided border hike inside the reserve are optional, booked through the forest department and payable directly. They run subject to forest department schedules and closures, which are outside our control.
- A jungle lodge or plantation bungalow upgrade is available and is quoted separately.
- This package is available with or without flights. To add flights or trains, call us for current fares.
- Every itinerary is customisable.
- Extra bed, child with or without bed, and single supplement are quoted separately.
- Quoted on the Bed and Breakfast (BB) plan: room with daily breakfast. A full meal plan or an all-inclusive plan can be arranged on request. Any meal not listed for a day, including on the arrival day, is on request and payable directly.
Popular add-ons
Priced per person unless noted, and added to your quote only if you want them. Everything below can also be booked on the ground once you are there.
What’s included
Included
- Hotel or resort stay on twin sharing, BB (CP) plan: room plus daily breakfast
- Private AC vehicle for all transfers as per the itinerary
- Airport or railway station pickup and drop
- Experienced local driver cum guide who knows the routes
- All fuel, toll, parking, inter-state permit and driver allowance
- Sightseeing as per itinerary
- Houseboat night on full board: welcome drink, lunch, evening tea with snacks, dinner and next-morning breakfast, which is standard practice on Kerala houseboats
- 24x7 on-ground assistance from the trip2keralam team in Kerala.
Not included
- Air and rail fare
- Lunch and dinner except where houseboat full board is stated
- Any site, ride or activity not named in the day-by-day itinerary, including wildlife safaris, bamboo rafting and adventure activities
- Ayurveda treatments and spa unless listed, camera fees, tips and personal expenses
- Extra bed, child with or without bed, and single supplement, all quoted separately
- Travel insurance
- Early check-in and late check-out beyond standard hotel timings
- GST as applicable on tour packages
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Good to know before you book
- 50% of the package amount confirms the booking. The balance is due before departure or on arrival.
- Prices are per person on twin sharing, land only, and do not include air or rail fare. Adding flights or trains will move the price up.
- Rates move during peak dates: 20 December to 5 January, Onam, Christmas, New Year, festive holidays and long weekends.
- Quoted rates hold for the hotel category confirmed at booking. Room and meal plan upgrades are re-quoted.
- Standard hotel check-in is around 2 PM and check-out by 11 AM or 12 noon. Early check-in and late check-out depend on availability and are not guaranteed.
- Guests must carry a valid government photo ID at every hotel. Foreign nationals must carry a passport and visa.
- Houseboats stop cruising by evening and anchor for the night, as required by Kerala government rules, with air-conditioning running for fixed night hours. This is standard across all operators.
- The itinerary may be re-sequenced on the ground for weather, traffic, forest department closures or temple and festival restrictions. Inclusions stay the same.
- Entry rules and dress codes at temples, and permit rules inside forest areas, are set by the authority concerned and are not within our control.
- Costs arising from events beyond our control, including hartals, floods, landslides, roadblocks and other natural calamities, and from any delay or change they force, are borne by the guest and are not refundable.
- The vehicle is provided as per the itinerary. It is not at disposal for unplanned running.
Cancellation and Payments
- Payment by bank wire transfer to our account. Confirmation follows receipt.
- Confirmed dates may be changed, shortened or cancelled with 30 days' written notice to the company, subject to availability.
- Eligible refunds are processed to the original bank account within a reasonable period after cancellation. Bank or wire transfer charges are deducted from the refunded amount.
- Inside 30 days, the reservation cannot be changed, postponed or cancelled, and the package amount is retained in full.
- No-shows are not eligible for any refund.
- No credit is given for unused nights or an early departure.
- Peak-date bookings (20 December to 5 January) may carry stricter hotel cancellation terms, which we confirm at the time of booking.
Traveller reviews — 4.9 average from 412 trips
Questions about this package
How much does the Thekkady and Periyar package cost?
The standard package starts from ₹3,977 per person on twin sharing, land only, on BB (CP), as of August 2026 and subject to approval. Rates move during peak dates: 20 December to 5 January, Onam, Christmas, New Year and long weekends.
Is the Periyar Lake boat cruise included?
Yes. The cruise is named in the Day 2 plan, so the forest department ticket is inside the quoted price, and we pre-book the slot because the early boat sells out. Bamboo rafting and the guided border hike on Day 3 are shown as optional and payable direct.
Will I see wildlife on the Periyar cruise?
Elephants, gaur and sambar come down to the water to drink, and the first boat of the morning is the best window for it. Sightings are never guaranteed in a wild reserve, which is exactly why we push the early slot rather than a mid-morning one.
What else is there to do in Thekkady?
A guided spice plantation walk covering cardamom, pepper, vanilla and clove, the Kumily spice market, Kathakali and Kalaripayattu performances in the evening, and optional bamboo rafting or the guided border hike inside the reserve.
How do I reach Thekkady, and is the transfer included?
Airport or railway station pickup and drop is included, in a private AC vehicle with a local driver cum guide. The drive in takes you through the Vandiperiyar tea belt, so the approach is part of the trip rather than dead time.
How do I book and pay?
50% of the package amount confirms the booking, and the balance is due before departure or on arrival. Payment is by bank wire transfer to our account, and confirmation follows receipt.
Can I change or cancel my dates?
Yes, with 30 days' written notice to the company, subject to availability. Inside 30 days the reservation cannot be changed, postponed or cancelled, and the package amount is retained in full. No-shows are not eligible for a refund, and there is no credit for unused nights or an early departure.
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Want this trip on your dates?
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