5 Nights Private Tour-Cochin/Munnar/Thekkady/Houseboat/Cochin

Thank you to Sanguine Holidays, Nimisha and Sumesh for a fantastic trip around Kerala during August monsoon! I booked through Sanguine Holidays while visiting Bangalore for work and only had 5 days available, travelling solo. Nimisha organised everything very efficiently, including transport, hotels and excursions, and provided a clear itinerary, pricing and information pack. I paid 50% deposit up front and 50% on arrival which I was happy with. The hotel choices were given upfront, which I appreciated. I stayed at The Valle Munnar and Greenwoods Thekkady, both of which were beautiful and excellent. As a first-time visitor to India from the UK, I particularly appreciated how organised and reliable everything was. Sumesh was an excellent driver - friendly, punctual, safe and very knowledgeable about Kerala and the roads. The car was a big comfortable Toyota with proper seats in the back, more like front seats but also in the rear - very nice for long journeys. He was more of a driver than a formal guide, but we had some great conversations and he told me a lot about Kerala. A particular highlight was stopping at his village, where I was treated to fruit and homemade jackfruit cake made by his mother. A genuinely memorable experience! The itinerary covered Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey Houseboats, Kochi and worked very well. Munnar was beautiful and the Lockhart tea factory visit was interesting. Unfortunately, Eravikulam National Park was closed, so I did a jeep safari instead. I wouldn't recommend this excursion: much of the time was spent stuck in an off-road traffic jam with other jeeps. The Ayurvedic full-body massage, however, was a great experience and something I'd recommend, although visitors from Britain should be aware that it is considerably more nude than a typical UK massage! Thekkady was excellent. I enjoyed the Periyar Tiger Reserve boat trip, saw deer, wild boar and monkeys, and loved the traditional martial arts show at Mudra. Greenwoods was also a fantastic hotel and a great base for shopping. The Blue Green Houseboat experience in Alleppey was another highlight. The boat was comfortable, the food was good and the staff were friendly. I paid extra for fresh jumbo prawns cooked onboard (1,000 INR) and a smaller boat trip through the narrow canals (1,500 INR), both of which were worthwhile. The smaller canal trip was particularly enjoyable and I even saw a snake boat practising with around 60 rowers. My only significant criticism was being taken to two expensive tourist shops in Fort Kochi where I believe commission was involved. I almost accidentally paid 21,000 INR for a small handicraft box and scarf in 'Boutique India' before realising I'd misunderstood the price. Later I bought a similar box for 900 INR and a chess set for 1,000 INR elsewhere, which is the fair price. The Spice Plantation walk at Valara with 100 rupee entrance cannot be recommended either as it was a ruse for a shop. The guide spent the whole tour selling the benefits of alternative medicine, including suggesting as I had too much belly fat I needed the help of a particular plant! Unsurprisingly he had a shop at the end of the tour where he then tried to sell me a tub of this at a high price (around 2500 rupees). I'd recommend tourists do their own shopping rather than buying from shops they are taken to on the tour. Despite this, the overall trip was excellent. The organisation, hotels, transport and most excursions were very good, and the price was very fair considering the quality of the hotels and private transport.

We had a great experience with this tour. The hotels were fantastic and our driver Sumesh was very friendly and helpful. Will recommend to my friends who may visit Kerala.

Had a fantastic time with Sanguine Holidays Nimisha was brilliant from the get go arranging the tour to our specifications and it didn’t disappoint. I would recommend Sanguine if you are wanting to tour India. We had Sumesh as our driver and tour guide and he went the extra mile to make our experience unforgettable We cannot thank him enough.

Good and reliable organization and flexible to the wishes of the customer. Nice hotels and good driver. Definitely recommended for those who want to visit Kerala

We thoroughly enjoyed this 5-day trip through Kerala. The program was very well put together and allowed us to discover several highlights of the region, such as the beautiful tea plantations in Munnar, the nature and wildlife in Thekkady, the tranquil backwaters of Alleppey and the vibrant atmosphere of Kochi. Everything was excellently organized from start to finish. Communication with Sanguine Holidays went smoothly and they were always ready to help or answer questions. The hotels were comfortable and well chosen, and the overnight stay on the houseboat in the backwaters was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. Also a special mention for our driver Sumesh: he was very professional, friendly and made sure everything went smoothly during the trip. Thanks to his local knowledge, we also got some nice tips along the way. In short, this was the perfect combination of nature, culture and relaxation. Kerala is a beautiful destination and thanks to the good organization we were able to enjoy ourselves without worrying about the planning. Definitely recommended for anyone who wants to discover Kerala in a carefree and complete way!

We spent 7 days with our dedicated driver. Our experience with the organisation and tailoring the trip to our needs was excellent. They provided information about activities and events at each destination along the way and the driver added his advice too. We were treated very professionally and as honoured guests.

It was a great experience overall, we saw some wonderful sights and everyone was extremely helpful and friendly. Our driver (and now our friend) Sujith was especially amazing! Highly recommended, especially when adding in the extra optional experiences.

A wonderful tour of Kerela Overall the trip was well organized ,allowing for flexibility if required . The driver Vijeesh was very knowledgeable and made sure we had plenty of opportunities along the way for photo taking,rest breaks etc . Trip Included Tea plantation visit and factory tour, Thekady elephant sanctuary (have chance to ride and shower with elephants. . Great fun ) boat trip at tiger reserve, jeep safari and watching traditional India show .. Lovely day/night on houseboat cruising the quiet backwaters of Kerela . Great tour of Cochin ,Jewish quarter and Chinese fishing boats . All the food was delicious and all hotels were first class . Would definitely recommend using Namisha and her team and wouldn't hesitate to use her again .Brilliant service from start to finish if holiday .

Amazing tour of Kerala. Namisha did a great job making sure all our requirements were met. The driver for the week Vijeesh stopped at all the viewpoint took photographs of us and made sure we missed nothing. The tea plantations, massages, local shows to the jeep safari, boat trips and zip lines we had so much fun. All the accommodation was first class with great restaurants. The houseboat was relaxing and the food cooked delicious. We didn’t want to come home. We can’t wait to do another tour with Sanguine Holidays.

Overall the trip was great with plenty of flexibility built in if you ask for it. The accommodation was good particularly in Thekaddy and the houseboat. Things we would recommend include the visit to the tea plantation which was stunning and informative, and the houseboat which was beautiful and relaxing. A couple of things to note when deciding to book. The road to Munnar and the to Thekaddy is long and very very windy with continuous bends for almost the entire way. Remember that you have to pay for pretty much everything you do from excursion costs to entrance fees, so take that into account when budgeting. Overall an excellent and well worthwhile trip.