Kerala & Tamil Nadu Tours in March 2026

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.

Without the dust in Rajastan India is indeed a great destination not only for Westerners but anyone interested in East Indian cultures and traditions. Food was good but a little too salty for my tastebuds. In southern India food not as salty but also very good. I plan at some later time to revisit India but be a little more prepared to deal with the dust and the northern weather in January.

The trip included Kerala and Goa lasted for 14 days. It included Kochi, Water canals, house boat, healing treatment, nature, tea plantations and more. All the hotels were first rate as well as the drivers and guides long the way

I’d highly recommend this trip for those wishing to experience a ‘soft landing’ into India & the wonderfully friendly states of Kerala, Karnataka & Goa. Our expert tour guide, SreeRaj who accompanied us, was informative, punctual , thoughtful & entertaining. We felt very safe in our second home (new comfortable air conditioned, with phone chargers, mini-bus) & careful, helpful driver. We stayed in some very luxurious accommodations, but due to trip pace & travel, didn’t always get the opportunity to make the most of facilities ( e.g. early morning yoga, swimming pool). Highs for us included, Kathakali theatre show and dinner afterwards; Tibetan monastery in Coorg & the exceptional staff and experiences at Wayanad Wild. Lows, few and could easily be amended, the visits to Beypore boatyard ( wooden boat renovations now closed?) and mosque ( outside only) visit. Oh and I haven’t mentioned the delicious foods! The group (8+guide) met for most meals sharing ideas, thoughts & experiences. Tip- pack light and shop whilst there, bargains galore & a shopper’s delight!

This tour has the potential to be very good. Hotels were lovely and Explore had found an alternative to Windflower in Coorg which really spoiled us. We had not expected so many buffet meals, which is probably our mistake. We’d have preferred having less choice and freshly cooked, but appreciate that is to do with preferences. Bus and driver were excellent. Malabar coast train also really good, the other one more typical Indian. Highlights were Wayanard birds and reptiles, houseboat, Tibetan buddist temple on the day they celebrated New Year, coffee plantations in blossom and all interactions with local people. The trip notes are out of date in terms of hotel, timings and activities. The poorly reviewed wildlife drive from Wayanard has been quietly dropped (well, made optional and discouraged). Itinerary seems to be unresolved with the activities not always as good as the hotels. Does anyone try the tour out before the Guinea pig customers? Guide was clearly trying to fill in time before we could check into the next hotel at Allepy and Calicut was a poor tour. However, things did improve as the tour went on. If Explore sort the itinerary out and decide on whether the experiences or the hotels are the star turns then this could be a 5* tour. Travelling companions and guide all pleasant and interesting people so we did enjoy this slower paced tour and the chance to appreciate the hotel facilities.