Frequently Asked Questions
Answers from our planners to the questions guests ask most, from booking and payments to drivers, hotels, seasons and temple etiquette. Choose a topic, or search for a word below.
Fill in the Plan Your Trip form, send us a WhatsApp message or write to our email. Tell us your dates, how many people are travelling and what you would like to see. A planner from our Kochi office replies within 12 hours with a first day-by-day draft, hotel options and a written price.
For October to March, the busiest season, three to four months ahead is ideal, especially if you want a particular houseboat, heritage hotel or tea-estate bungalow. Around Christmas, New Year and Pongal, earlier is better. For the monsoon and summer months, four to six weeks is usually enough, and we can often arrange trips at shorter notice.
Yes. Before travel, we can change hotels, add nights or rework the route, subject to availability and any hotel change fees, which we tell you about first. During the trip, small changes such as swapping the order of sights or adding a stop are handled directly with your driver-guide or planner at no charge.
No. Every tour we run is private: your group, your car, your driver-guide and your own schedule. We do have sample itineraries that many guests start from, but each one is adjusted to your dates, pace and interests before it is confirmed.
Your quote lists every inclusion. As standard it covers hotels with breakfast, a private air-conditioned car with the same driver-guide throughout, fuel, tolls, parking, interstate permits, driver allowance, airport and station transfers, and all meals on houseboats. Entrance tickets, local site guides and extra meals can be added if you prefer.
Cost depends mainly on hotel category, trip length and group size. A 10-day Kerala tour with comfortable 3-star hotels starts at around ₹60,000 per person for two people sharing, while luxury and heritage stays can cost two to three times that. Tell us your budget and we will build the plan around it.
A deposit of 20 to 30 percent confirms your hotels and vehicle once you approve the itinerary. The balance is due 30 days before arrival, or on arrival for shorter trips. You can pay by bank transfer, UPI or international card, and we send a written receipt for every payment.
Cancellation charges depend on how close to travel you cancel and on individual hotel policies. The exact terms are written on your quote before you pay anything. We always try to move dates rather than cancel where possible, and deposits can often be carried forward to a new travel date.
Drivers stay in dedicated driver accommodation at or near your hotel, arranged and paid for by us. Their meals and allowances are included in your price, so there is nothing extra for you to pay or organise.
We aim to keep most driving days under five hours, with stops along the way. Some routes, such as Kochi to Munnar or Madurai to Thekkady, take longer because of hill roads, so we plan them as travel days with sightseeing en route rather than rushing.
Yes. All our driver-guides speak English along with Malayalam, Tamil or Kannada. Most have worked with us for years and know the roads, temple timings and good places to eat. At major heritage sites we add a qualified local guide, and guides in French, German, Spanish or Italian can be arranged where available.
For one to two people we usually use a Toyota Etios or Swift Dzire sedan, for three to five a Toyota Innova Crysta, and for larger groups a 12- to 17-seat Tempo Traveller. Luxury cars such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class are available on request. Every vehicle is air-conditioned, insured and fully licensed for interstate travel.
Yes. Chettinad mansions in Karaikudi, colonial bungalows in Munnar and coffee homestays in Coorg are among the most requested stays on our tours. They often have limited rooms, so we recommend booking these early.
For most guests, yes. A night on a Kerala houseboat is quiet and memorable, with meals cooked on board and a slow cruise through the canals. Alleppey is livelier, Kumarakom is calmer and closer to Vembanad Lake. If you prefer, a day cruise with a lakeside hotel is a good alternative.
We work with comfortable 3-star hotels, superior 4-star properties, luxury 5-star resorts, heritage mansions, tea-estate bungalows and family-run homestays. Our team has stayed in or inspected every property we recommend, and we suggest two or three options per stop so you can choose.
Pongal in Tamil Nadu is in mid-January. Onam in Kerala falls in August or September, with snake boat races around the same time. Thrissur Pooram is in April or May, and Mysuru Dasara is in September or October. Tell us if you would like to plan around a festival and we will check the dates for your year.
For the right traveller, yes. The hills are at their greenest, beaches and hotels are quieter, prices are lower and it is the traditional season for Ayurveda. Some roads and boat services may be affected, so we plan with backup options and keep drive times flexible.
October to March is dry and comfortable across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with December and January the busiest months. April and May are hot on the plains but pleasant in the hill stations. The south-west monsoon reaches Kerala in June and lasts until September.
Cover shoulders and knees; a light scarf or shawl is useful. Shoes are removed at the entrance, and in some Kerala temples men are asked to remove shirts and non-Hindus may not enter the inner shrine. Your driver-guide will brief you before each visit.
Please follow the advice of your own doctor or travel clinic. As a general rule, drink sealed or filtered water, carry insect repellent and use sunscreen. We work with hospitals and doctors along every major route, and your planner can arrange medical help quickly if needed.
South India is one of the most relaxed regions of the country to travel in. Your driver-guide stays with you throughout, your planner checks in daily, and our team is reachable at any hour. We also share practical advice on dress and etiquette for temples and rural areas.
Most foreign nationals need a visa, and many nationalities can apply online for an e-Visa. Apply through the official Indian government website only, well before travel. We can send you a confirmed itinerary and hotel list to support your application.