Kerala Tours and Trips

A great experience to see India and parts of it that you wouldn't see normally. I have enjoyed the experience. If in Kerala the boathouse is a must.

This was my first trip as a single person and I had a fabulous time. The group of 12 (four couples and four singles) really gelled and were very friendly, supportive and fun. The itinerary was very good, with at least one specific thing to do, see or visit each day. The high points were the tea plantation, the spice farm, the cookery evening, the wonderful scenery and the houseboat . The accommodation was generally very good, but the homestay was too basic to be an enjoyable experience. It didn't feel as though we were guests in someone's home, it felt more like a commercial exercise (eg the host talked of building a hotel next year to accommodate more guests). The food was excellent in most places with some well-chosen restaurants/snack bars, and plenty of choice for vegetarians, but I was a little disappointment at the street food experience, which was just selecting one cold, precooked snack (such as samosa, vada or fritter.) I was anticipating some freshly cooked food (while we looked on) such as rice and dahl or pani puri. Also, I thought that the purpose of visiting the market was to select spices and vegetables to use later in our cookery evening, but there wasn't an obvious link. Our guide, Sree, was flexible, knowledgeable and very accommodating of all our needs. Overall a really great experience with a great group of people. Will definitely use Explore again for another adventurous trip.

This trip was excellent but undoubtedly needs some modifications. The upgraded hotels were good but there was often inadequate time to spend in them and enjoy and relax which was a pity. There should be fewer destinations to reduce travelling time. The visits that should be eliminated are the Beypore boatyard at Calicut (literally a couple of hulks in half construction) and the mosque, the Wildlife safari on arrival at Wayanad was a waste of time as it took an hours travelling in each direction in the afternoon and a one hour trip in a not very comfortable bus to see five elephants in total. The afternoon could have been spent enjoying the lovely hotel at Wayanad. This was an eco hotel based up in the forest and had some activities such as a night safari led by naturalists. Otherwise highlights were undoubtedly included hindu temples, churches, a synagogue, a mosque and the Tibetan monastery. The houseboat cruise and overnight stay in the backwaters of Kerala at Allepey was excellent and memorable. The one hour traditional theatre trip and following meal in Kochi was great. The two train trips were really interesting along with the visits to the tea and coffee plantations. The hotel at Goa was excellent and we had the time to make full use of it and relax. We had booked an extra day. The trip was made all the more memorable by our excellent guide, Shevi, who could not have been more polite, friendly and helpful. The bus we travelled in was air conditioned and very comfortable and the crew extremely pleasant. Overall I would definitely recommend this trip but hope that Explore may modify it taking into account the comments about travelling times and some of the visits.

The tour is well organised and the guide was extremely attentive to our needs and questions.. The tour goes at quite a pace however the information we learn of the area is superb. One feels one can explain the tour to someone unfamiliar with the area very well. If doing the holiday on your own one would not obtain the friendships of the other tour participants, the fun with the guide and fully understand what we see. The upgrade is a good idea .. I have done Explore before on my own and I brought my partner this time - she absolutely loved it . I felt confident my partner would always like the accommodation on her first trip to India. Please do the upgrade for other holidays - it’s a good idea . Thank you very much

Fantastic guide and all the hotels except 1 were great. The highlight was the house boat on the Kerala Backwaters - a truly fabulous experience. The 2 nights in the Wyanad Jungle hotel were also wonderful - and the coffee plantation visit was excellent. A very varied trip - a good mix of city and varied countryside.

A well organized tour itinerary from their posted website trip to completion of our most amazing South India, Delhi and Agra trip. All personnel were knowledgeable with the ability to adjust for our specific conveniences. Our Tour Guides, Drivers and all local responsible parties were carefully selected for our information, safety and confidence. Hotels, were all very comfortable, with all the necessary amenities. Clean, modern and with sumptuous dining servings. For budget bookings on Air India, it was not short of comfort and security. Thank you for a great tour, once again! We are looking forward to our Extensive Dubai, Holy-land tours and all our future travel plans for 2024, God's willing.