Planning trip to Kovalum, Kumarakom, Kochi, Ooty

Can you help with itinerary?

Going to Kerala (for 3rd time) for 18 nights, December 2007 with 2 kids (10 %26amp; 12).

Flying in to Trivandrum and out from Kochi.

So far considering: Kovalum 4nights (recovering from v. long journey), Overnight houseboat (not sure from where), Kumarakom bird sanctuary 2 or 3 nights, Kochi 3 nights.

Would love to go on the ';Toy Train'; to Ooty and on to the wild life parks, and then relax a couple of days before a very early flight from Kochi on 2nd January. (A lot of places in Kochi are already booked for New Year.)

1.Should we stop overnight en route to Ooty?

2.Should we stay in Mudumalai National Park or just visit for the day?

3.Any suggestions for the last 2 to 3 days?

4. Any suggestions on the general itinerary?

Could travel with car and driver (as before) but open to suggestions.

(Have been to Kochi %26amp; Kovalum before but don%26#39;t mind revisiting.

Also been to Periyar %26amp; Varkala but don%26#39;t want to revisit.)

All suggestions very gratefully received!

Regards

Planning trip to Kovalum, Kumarakom, Kochi, Ooty

Going from Cochin?Alleppey to Ooty can be done without a night halt-the distance is not more than about 350-400 kms. The raods are in bad shape but the morning Intercity will take you most of the way,and from Coimbatore it is about two hours by road to Ooty. Use the same cab to do Mudumalai, and back to the station at Coimbatore for the return leg. Any wildlife sanctuary deserves a night halt-you should do both a late evening safari as well as an early morning one, to enjoy it to the fullest.

Planning trip to Kovalum, Kumarakom, Kochi, Ooty

Is it possible to travel from Ooty or Coonor direct to Cochin? If so, please could you let me know how long the journey would take and what would be your recommendations ie train, bus, driver?

Dear Friend ,

The suggestion for the travel iternary is as below

Kovalam - 4 ngiths

Kumarakom backwaters - 2 nights

Houseboat - 1 night

Kochi - 2 nights

Coimbatore / Mettupalayam - 1 nght (halt on the way to Ooty and catch teh Metupalayam - ooty train )

Ooty - 2 nights

Mudumalai - 2 night

Wayanad - 2 nights( hill station)

Cherai beach - 2 night

1. if you catch the train to ooty , well you can stay at Mettupalayam for a night

2.Mudumalai national park one night stay is advisable , as ponted out already , you can take the safari early morning or evening

3.a slight changes in the iternary , you can be in cochin on the newyears eve

Kovalm 4 nights

Backwaters - 2 nights

Bouseboat - 1 night

Coimbatore - 1 night

Ooty - 2 night

mudmalai - 2 night

Wayand - 2 nights

Fort cochin- 3 night

4.it is advisable to do the houseboat cruise on the last day at teh backwaters rather than on the first day , in peak season

best regards

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