Spend time on the coast in Karnataka and explore the rubber plantations and banana groves of Mothakkara in the Wayanad Hills. Add to this the spice gardens at Hulgol and a stay on the community houseboat for an enchanting discovery of the magical South.
This experience runs in spring and autumn (October to March)
From the aromatic spice gardens of Karnataka, to the vibrant Wayand hills, to the tranquil backwaters of Kerala, the warmth and hospitality of these communities is hard to beat. Lose yourself in the relaxed and timeless charms of southern India and discover captivating villages and the wonderful city of Mysore.
For this holiday we recommend an outward flight to Mumbai and a return flight from Kochi via Mumbai. Jet Airways offer a through-flight from Kochi via Mumbai.
Welcome at Mumbai airport, transfer to guesthouse for a freshen up then onwards to the train station for the overnight express train to Kumta in a comfortable air conditioned sleeper coach.
We’ll meet you at Kumta station and go by car to the charming village of Hulgol (2-3 hours). Relax at the Spice House guesthouse and begin your introduction to the area. Your guide will meet you to plan the days ahead and help you make the most of your stay.
Spend three nights in the Hulgol Spice House. Your stay will include visits to spice plantations and the auction market in Sirsi. Enjoy guided walks or borrow the guesthouse bicycle for further exploration through the forest. You stay in simple twin rooms in the Spice House with breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner.
After a final morning in Hulgol, a road transfer takes you to Taleguppa to catch the day train to Mysore. Arrival Transfer to your hotel. Enjoy two nights here, with half a day of sightseeing included.
From Mysore, a road transfer takes you to Mothakkara, a charming village in the Wayanad region of the Western Ghats, for three nights.
Following your stay in Wayanad, you return to the coastal town of Kozhikode to catch the day train to Ernakulam, further south along the Kerala coast. We meet you at the station and take you directly to Vayalar, the first backwater village in your three-night stay onboard our houseboat.
The Goodearth is owned and crewed by the village communities that you visit and was built by the village team in Valayar, from local materials. The houseboat has two pretty twin cabins with private facilities. If there are fewer than four in your party, you may wish to upgrade and have exclusive use of the houseboat.
Spend three nights onboard, stopping at each of the four communites; Vayalar, Chenganda, Perumbalam and Kodamthuruthu. Spend mornings and evenings in the villages, getting to know the communities and discovering the customs and traditions, or exploring deeper into the backwaters in the houseboat’s own canoe. Spend a day discovering local art and crafts and enjoy local cuisine in a women-led home kitchen project started by the Responsible Tourism Mission, Govt of Kerala.
During the hotter afternoons, the boat progresses gently through the backwaters to the next village. Local villagers prepare the fresh food, which you can enjoy while floating on the river.
Dates
Party of 2/3
Party of 4+
Winter
1 Dec 2025 – 15 Mar 2026
£1,886
£1,473
Spring
16 Mar 2026 – 31 Mar 2026
£1,848
£1,444
Autumn
15 Oct 2026 – 30 Nov 2026
£1,940
£1,516
*All prices are per guest. Prices vary by season and reduce with larger group sizes due to shared logistics and accommodation.
Winter
1 Dec 2025 – 15 Mar 2026
Party of 2–3: £1,886
Party of 4+: £1,473
Spring
16 Mar 2026 – 31 Mar 2026
Party of 2–3: £1,848
Party of 4+: £1,444
Autumn
15 Oct 2026 – 30 Nov 2026
Party of 2–3: £1,940
Party of 4+: £1,516
From the aromatic spice gardens of Karnataka, to the vibrant Wayand hills, to the tranquil backwaters of Kerala, the warmth and hospitality of these communities is hard to beat. Lose yourself in the relaxed and timeless charms of southern India and discover captivating villages and the wonderful city of Mysore.
For this holiday we recommend an outward flight to Mumbai and a return flight from Kochi via Mumbai. Jet Airways offer a through-flight from Kochi via Mumbai.
Welcome at Mumbai airport, transfer to guesthouse for a freshen up then onwards to the train station for overnight express to Kumta, 2nd class a/c sleeper berth.
Meet at Kumta station; road transfer to Hulgol (2-3 hours). Relax at the Spice House guesthouse; introduction to the area. Your guide will meet you to plan the days ahead and help you make the most of you stay.
Spend three nights in the Hulgol Spice House. Your stay will include visits to spice plantations and the auction market in Sirsi. Enjoy guided walks or borrow the guesthouse bicycle for further exploration through the forest. You stay in simple twin rooms in the Spice House with breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
After a final morning in Hulgol, a road transfer takes you to Taleguppa to catch the day train to Mysore. Arrival Mysore and transfer to hotel.
Enjoy two nights in Mysore, with half a day sightseeing included.
From Mysore, a road transfer takes you to Mothakkara, a charming village in the Wayanad region of the Western Ghats.
Spend three nights in the village of Mothakkara in Wayanad. Explore the coffee and pepper plantations, enjoy forest walks or visit nearby Thrikkaipatta to meet the ladies weaving beautiful bamboo handicrafts. Why not add on an extra trip to nearby Tholpetty for a jeep safari through the Sanctuary, abundant with wildlife – including wild elephant.
Following your stay in Wayanad, you return to the coastal town of Kozhikode to catch the day train to Ernakulam, further south along the Kerala coast. You are met from the train and transferred directly to Vayalar, the first backwater village of your three night stay onboard the Goodearth houseboat. The Goodearth is owned and crewed by the village communities that you visit and was built by the village team in Valayar, from local materials. The houseboat has two pretty twin cabins with private facilities. If there are fewer than four in your party, you may wish to upgrade and have exclusive use of the houseboat.
The charming hamlet of Hulgol nestles in a wooded landscape in the Wester Ghats and enjoys the pleasant sub-tropical climate of upland Karnataka.Wander through aromatic spice gardens and rice farms, enjoy picnics by tumbling rivers and admire gushing waterfalls. Borrow one of the house cycles or walk along the shady forest paths to the Shalmala river to discover the astonishing carvings on rocks in the river. Explore 10th century temples and forts.
In the scented hills of Kerala, the delightful hillside village of Mothakkara sits at 1,000m amid pepper and coffee plantations, with views across the tea gardens towards the spectacular hills. Hill House guest-house, owned and run by the village, enchants guests with its simple comfort and great hospitality. This is a village full of life and activity, where women play a major role – all our guides here are female, and a highlight of any visit is to witness the women’s drumming group performing.
Enjoy gently cruising on the Goodearth houseboat around the network of peaceful waterways, fringed by coconut palms and secluded villages, remote from the main centre of houseboats. Moor each night at a different village.
Marvel at the design of the boat, based on traditional rice barges that formerly conveyed grain from up-stream paddy fields. The Goodearth is owned and crewed by the village communities and was built in Valayar by the village team, from local materials.
Wander around the water-side villages, with your own guide, themself a fishermen and steeped in the environment and traditions of the backwaters. Meet village friends and sharing an understanding of riparian life over a cup of tea. Take part in fishing, from shore-side ‘Chinese” nets, or from hand-paddled traditional boats using drift nets, help with prawn catching or even diving for brackish water mussels.
Kerala’s cuisine is justly famous and makes use of amazing local produce and tropical spices. In Mothakkara enjoy delicious, fresh vegetarian meals.
On the houseboat, select the fish of your choice or opt for vegetarian, locally-sourced and cooked on-board by the crew and women’s committee members.
With opulant palaces and temples, secret gardens, sandalwood and silk, it is easy to see why Mysore is high on the list of must-visit cities in India. A stay here is sure to captivate.
Your holiday ends in style, with a stay in the vibrant port city of Kochi, or Cochin. Kochi comprises a number of small islands and peninsulas, all connected by ferry, including the historic quarter of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry which have an unusual mix of Portuguese, Dutch and English influences.
For this holiday we recommend an outward flight to Mumbai and a return flight from Kochi via Mumbai. Jet Airways offer a through-flight from Kochi via Mumbai.
We look after you from the moment of your arrival at Mumbai airport. Your holiday includes transfers, your own guide throughout your stay with the communities, and a half day guided tour in Mysore.
Accommodation in Hulgol and Mothakkara villages is in simple, community-owned guesthouses, run on a rota system by the local communities. You will meet different people from the villages, keen to welcome you and prepare freshly-cooked ingredients, including the local spices. The guesthouses have twin bedrooms with simple en-suite shower facilities.
All meals are provided during your stay with the communities; in Mysore and Kochi breakfast only is included. In the city and during transfers, meals are at your own local charge.
The houseboat has two twin cabins with private facilities. If there are fewer than four in your party, you may wish to upgrade and have exclusive use of the houseboat. This can be arranged at a supplement of £96 per person (£192 for a single traveller).
All our itineraries can be tailor-made to create your perfect holiday. You can extend your stay on the houseboat, in the cities or villages, or shorten the itinerary if time is limited. Our knowledgeable staff will be delighted to help fashion the holiday to suit you.
15/10/2025 -31/01/2026
£1,875
£1,386