1300 KM
9 Nights 10 Days
Goa/Trivandrum
RE Himalayan
70% Tarmac,
30 % off roads
Intermediate
OK
INR 1,80,000 USD 2200
INR 18,000 USD 220
An adventure of epic proportions across a landscape that has been a lure for travelers and adventurers across Millennia.
1300 KM , 4 states, 1 country. The lure of the western coast with its never ending beaches, gastronomic delights, and the overall visual possibilities on two wheels beckons you on a journey!
With pristine white beach sands on one side and the almost contiguous Western Ghats on the other, your route traverses an almost parallel line right between these two geographical marvels. From beaches to mountains, spirituality to debauchery, cuisine to fashion there is a little bit for every sense. The rewards of road tripping in South India; are in the slow winding curves on fast paced roads and psychedelic hued sunsets on beaches you never heard of.
Karma Yatri, now in its 14th year of operations brings you a selection of road trips in Southern India. The circuits have been well researched and seamlessly planned in order to give you the maximum experience but have the relative flexibility to allow for and adventure to retain its spontaneity.
A marriage of Portuguese and Indian cultures, Goa needs little introduction. From its sun-kissed beaches, the seafood, Susegad and beers in the shade, you need to experience the land of chill atleast once in your lifetime.
Try and arrive early so that you can spend the day at leisure, take in the calm of the beach, a nice meal and settle in!
Based on the mood, we take a short ride to get introduced to the bikes and orient to the Indian traffic and road conditions (pot-holes, cows, dogs, buses)
Our first day on the bike is not a very long one, so we can have a leisurely start.
Today is a mixture of everything-small countryside roads, forests, tricky off roads, highways, beaches, mangroves, rivers and ferry crossings- but in small doses.
It’s a great showcase of the diversity of the Western coast of India and the ecosystem created by its unique geography.
We end our day at a gorgeous, beachside temple town and its name literally translates to Ear of a Cow (we take our cows very seriously). Visit the temple and be surrounded by the sights and smells of real India. We recommend a sunset/early morning boat ride to see the unique coastline of this region
Day three takes you into Karnataka, a large state in peninsular India with Bangalore as its capital city. While the IT capital of India is fairly well know the world over, we focus on its rural charms as we trace a high speed( as high as the REs allow) path along a superb highway, which in parts hugs the coast and at others steers over bridges cutting across backwater mangroves.
We stay on an island in a backwater lagoon with views and sunsets that defy reality. Take a walk through the coconut plantations, a boat ride into the mangroves , a walk along the stunning coastline or just a drink on one of the decks and enjoy the lagoon and its incredible eco system.
We leave the coast of Karnataka and head into plantation county to mix it up. The characteristic of the road changes dramatically as we leave the motorway and start gaining altitude on roads that are smaller, have lesser traffic and cut across a landscape that is filled with small villages, temple towns, forests and areca nut plantations.
As we climb higher we enter the coffee heartland of India and with that, a completely different ecosystem. Man and nature in competition or in symbiosis- Forests, coffee, pepper, areca nut overrun the hillsides and the canopy creates pools of dappled gold on the road, like glittering serpentine coils slithering along the landscape.
We check into a plantation resort amidst the sound of monkeys and many different birds.
The stunning scenery continues as we begin our ride in the coffee plantations’, descend a little into densely forested national parks that are home to a plethora of animals. The chances of seeing wildlife are extremely high so keep your eyes peeled for deer, bison, elephant, wild Boar, snakes, monkeys and if you are extremely lucky, one of the big cats. The last bit of the ride as us reconnect to motorway 66 and the buzz of Kerala which is quite unique.
We start seeing the amalgamation of religions, with temples, churches and mosques being equally prevalent across the landscape. This region was after all one of the earliest to interact with the outside world, and its religions and culture.
Harking back to the time of the Portuguese, Dutch, British, Jewish, and Chinese trader influence on the area – Fort Kochi’s vibe seemingly remains framed in time, with relics of their architecture.
The result is a transcultural village grafted onto the tropical Malabar Coast – topped off with tourist trappings. An iconic symbol of this area are the Chinese fishing nets introduced by Chinese explorers who landed there in the 14th century.
But we still need to navigate some more of the crazy traffic, though we try to keep away from the highway and what you will soon learn to identify- the pink buses.
Further down the Malabar coast from Fort Kochi is the town of Alleppey (Alappuzha) and your destination for today. Alleppey is popular as a hub of the Kerala backwaters, also know as the Venice of India.
As you move away from its centre, you enter a vast watery paradigm of greenery; a laid back pace of life in little villages by the banks, stores selling toddy and every now and then Kerala’s iconic Kettuvallams passing you by.
The slow current gently lulling you into the calm and serenity of this region in God’s own country.
Another short ride today, allows you to savor the morning on our island stay.
We steer away from the highway and ride on narrow, coconut lined roads with little traffic and no pink buses. The road hugs the coastline and you glide along fishing communities and a skyline that’s now dominated by church spires and crosses.
We arrive at the famous beachside town of Varkala and we spend rest of the day on the pristine shores of one the prettiest beaches in the country. Sit in one of the shacks and soak in the hues of a mesmerizing sunset – on the Sunset coast of India.
Over the last few days you’ve traveled through some beautiful destinations on India’s southwest coast – taking a peek into their history, cuisine, culture, and sights. Today’s ride marks your arrival at India’s southernmost tip!
Kanyakumari is a small coastal town with some surreal views like the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, the sunsets and the magical sunrise.
A final group photo at the sunset point.
We meet for our farewell dinner and bid adieu to the group.
Our hotel is close to the sunrise point, so we would recommend that you try and catch it.
After all we are in one of the few places in the world where you can see the sun rise and set over the ocean .
Based on your onward plans, our team will be available to assist you with all the necessary arrangements.
