The Ultimate Adventure in Kerala

A great introduction to India, This was our first time in India and we were not disappointed. The whole trip was amazing, from the food and accommodation to the activities, all of which was superbly organised and led by our tour guide Vinneth and his wider team. The highlights of the trip were walking through the tea plantations in Munnar (photographs don't do them justice) and relaxing in the backwaters of Alleppey on our very own houseboat. We can highly recommend this trip, you will not be disappointed.

The Kerala, India MBA trip was lots of fun and adventure. The days were filled; the food plentiful and the accommodation great. There was lots of down time, and opportunity for socialization among the group. The staff and supporting staff were wonderful, professional, attentive and caring.

A great trip. Thank you all.

We had the best time on this trip. We enjoyed all the varied activities, the beautiful scenery, wonderful food and spending time with our lovely group and wonderful guides Neeraj and Rahul. No logistics to worry about just disconnect from any hard work and enjoy it! Accomodation was clean and comfortable - with various hotels earning the favourite of different members of the group. Food was very good and again we always found a favourite dish at every dinner. A couple of meals were real authentic experiences like lunch cooked on the fire in a bamboo tube or eating from a banana leaf with our hands. Level 2 feels right for this holiday ‐ cycling was the most challenging whereas the hike and kayaking were quite easy. Visiting the tea factory was interesting and a jeep safari quite a thrill ride! Can't recommend it all enough. The places we visited were green and peaceful with lots of wildlife and birds - a very different experience to Mumbai or Dehli. I hope we return to Kerala one day and we've now booked a third MBA trip because they're great!

The Ultimate Adventures of Kerala did not disappoint. The local hosts were exceptionally knowledgeable, the activities, food, hotels and other guests made this the best time.

Kerala is beautiful and this trip was a fantastic way to explore and experience it. The guides and team were great, friendly and made everything super easy and fun. Everything is well co-ordinated and thought out, with a good pace and felt like we got off the beaten track. A great mix of activities and ending with down time at the beach. Loved it!

This was my 4th MBA trip and first visit to India, and it did not disappoint. So much was packed into the week I felt like I’d been away for a month. Cycling, walking, jeep off roading, wild life & bird watching, kayaking and chilling out on a house boat and then at the beach; honestly there’s nothing quite like this adventure!

I loved the variety of activities, the contrast of places we visited and of course getting to know my fellow travellers…we all met as strangers and left as friends.

Couldn’t fault the accommodation (some hotels were exceptionally nice); the food was fantastic and you really don’t need to bring any snacks as everything’s provided (easy to buy locally anyway).

The guides, Neeraj and Rahul were so helpful and kind, and a special shout out to the team at Kalypso; dealing with ever changing transfer logistics as the crisis in the Middle East developed on our last day was extra challenging.

All in all, I highly recommend this trip to anyone who wants to experience this particularly beautiful part of India, be challenged yourself (but in a good way!) and make new friends…you won’t regret it!

Things to consider:

To compensate for the heat and humidity I’d recommend taking electrolytes to add to your water on the cycling/hiking days. You don’t need to be a cyclist to do this adventure but a bit of practice before coming would be a good idea so you’re more familiar with changing gears etc.

We enjoyed Kerala, the good mix of activities, fab guides and drivers who took great care of everyone, and we had great fun with our fellow travellers. It is a great value trip, being almost all inclusive. There is little or no need to take your own snacks as there is so much provided by the guides.

I would class it as easy rather than medium in terms of activity difficulty, although it was pretty full on with more cultural activities than expected and little down time until the lovely beach stay. We had expected a tough full day hike on day 6 but it was only 2 short easy flat walks, with an hour sitting on a raft in between (The website description has already been corrected to reflect this). Only day 5 was a proper hike but I class it as easy due to the pace which some found frustratingly slow at times. The anticipated 4 hour kayak was only 2 hours at a relaxing pace with additional activities laid on at the lunch stop instead.

There is a great variety in terms of hotel standard but I would prefer a more consistent offering. The Gazelle property on day 2 struggled with hot water, and the dampness of some of the rooms at the Forest Canopy on day 4 let down an otherwise perfect place. However, as we were usually late back from the busy day of activities, there was often very little time to enjoy the hotel facilities, it was a case of dinner and an early night ready for the early starts.

Note :

• No real likelihood of seeing tigers and we were unlucky and did not see Elephants.
• No waterfalls in the dry season.

All in all, I would recommend this trip. Of course the experience will vary depending on expectations, the group dynamic, mix of fitness levels and interests and the approach of the trip guides. Some folks wanted to stroll or had difficulties with the terrain, whilst others wanted to stride out and hike. Some wanted to stop and view the wildlife, others wanted to chat and get to the end. So trying to always keep the group together meant compromises for everyone. This was our first attempt at this type of group holiday; being in our 60's we played safe in choosing a medium level multi activity holiday. We will try another trip but will perhaps go for a more adventurous or more focused itinerary next time.

Whilst the scenery was stunning, it was the combination of sights, sounds, flavours and the warmth and hospitality of the guides, drivers and locals which made the trip so special. It’ll be in my heart forever!

“The ultimate adventure in Kerala” was a great holiday and I and my companions thoroughly enjoyed it. The variety of places and activities was really good. We had fantastic friendly guides ( and local experts too). The places we visited were gorgeous and the experiences like the visit to nature reserves, tea plantations and stay on house boat and canoeing were all scenic and fun. Accomodation was good and the food was delicious. We also got on very well with our group which made the experience lots of fun.

This is a holiday full of variety and some wonderful experiences. Mostly it was great but some of the activities (hiking especially) were much shorter than stated in the itinerary. I had a great time apart from a real dip in the accommodation quality mid trip. There were two stays in particular that were substandard and depressing for all: The ‘glamping’ at Hornbill was horrid. Damp and depressing with mildew on the canvas walls. I think MBA have now ditched that camp which is a good thing. Also …. Gazelle accommodation was also poor. I would have happily paid additional money for better accommodation. No WiFi and no hot water at either of those places. I was delighted to move on. The houseboat was a real highlight for us all as was the turtle beach hotel. All in all a great holiday.

This was a wonderful trip. The tour was interesting, varied ,fun and sociable . We covered a lot of ground, visited beautiful places , learnt the value of leech socks and were extremely well fed. Our tour companions were all lovely as were our guides Neeraj and Santosh.

A great trip - variety of activities in glorious settings. Food, guides, company were all good. All equipment provided: bikes, kayaks. etc were of a good standard.

Wonderful country. Great People

What a great trip made so special by Our guides Neeraj and Santosh and an amazing group of like minded individuals in the group A great way to experience the charms of Kerala with a gentle activity programme . Everyone was kind and friendly and our drivers kept us safe and amused amongst the chaos of traffic 🤣 Fab food all the way and wonderful home stay experiences Only negative is some of the accommodation needs reviewing / not great to have a damp bed and no hot shower after a day in the rain

All guides were fantastic. Neeraj and Santos are the perfect hosts. loved all activities bur would drop some hotels. I would not use fort cochin as the start point as it offers nothing and does not reflect t well on the rest of the tour. Glamping wasn't great and neither was hotel on 4th night which was extremely damp. In all I loved the experience and would recommend it to friends.

What an amazing trip to Kerala. I loved all of the activities from the cycling along the canal path to the hiking in the western ghats amongst the tea plantations and cardomon hills, to the kayaking in the backwaters of Alleppay, not forgetting the yoga classes and cookery lessons and jeep safari. A fantastic way to seeing the best of Kerala. the people we met are so friendly. Our guides were brilliant and so happy and helpful and knowledgeable. This was my second trip with MBA and I highly recommend them.

Kerala with MBA was recommended by a friend who felt the range of activities would well suit me. And that did not disappoint. I loved the cycling, hiking, kayaking, campfire, cooking show, bird watching and bamboo rafting. The accommodation was good and the food excellent. But what made it very special was Vineeth and his team who were so positive and helpful. They all made it a memorable experience and I can’t thank them enough.

I loved my experience in Kerala! The guides, Vineeth and Santosh, and our driver, Rajeev, were all excellent - professional, supportive, extremely knowledgable and very fun. There was a great variety of activities which were adapted to the groups needs and interests. All accommodation was great too, especially the hotel at Marari Beach. I would definitely recommend as a female solo traveller as a way to get to know this amazing part of India!

I very much enjoyed my trip to Kerala. The cycling was great as were the hikes and the kayaking experience. It was jam packed with activities. The accommodation was a bit of a mixed bag but there were some really nice places. The houseboat was a great experience although the boats were of different standards. We had some excellent food but as a group who were really into authentic local cuisine we were a little disappointed with a couple of the hotel meals as they had been a bit ‘anglicised’. It’s a shame our leader didn’t join us at any dinners as we struggled to communicate this to the hotels. The traditional keralan lunch was the best food by far and in a wonderful location. The guides were generally great and very friendly and we learnt a lot about the local plants and wildlife from them. I definitely would return to India to explore further.

The organisation of the week and activities were amazing. We packed in A LOT in a short space of time, but on a couple of the days, the activities were harder than 'moderate'. We had a couple of lovely hotels, but we also had some really basic ones. The last hotel we stayed in had smelly bathrooms and was located on a stretch of the beach that was polluted. We stepped near the water, and our feet turned black. The glamping was a lovely location (wider village/area), but it was very basic, and the beds were uncomfortable. The photo of the houseboat bedroom is not a true reflection (or even close) to the real thing - this photo should be removed from your site. The knowledge of the local team was great though and we learned a lot about the wildlife, local fruit plants / spices etc.

Amazing trip around Kerala. Fantastic guides and the best group of people to share this amazing adventure with. MBA organised everything brilliantly, took the stress from travel completely away! Now looking for my next adventure!

This was a great holiday and was a wonderful and fulfilling experience of Kerala which exceeded all expectations. A diverse itinerary and activities that gave a great introduction to the beautiful landscapes and people of Kerala. Activities, accommodation, food and transfers were excellent whilst our guides Roger and Rahul were very informative and went the extra mile for us all. A fabulous group of like minded adventurous people.

A utterly wonderful and fulfilling experience of Kerala which exceeded all expectations. A diverse itinerary that gave a wonderful introduction to the beautiful landscapes and people of Kerala. Activities, accommodation, food and transfers were excellent whilst our guides Roger and Rahul added a personal touch to our adventure with their insight, humour and kindness. A fabulous group dynamic of like minded souls. Thank you to MBA for such a joyful time!

What an incredible trip! Kerala is truly one of the most beautiful and tranquil region of India. The entire experience was seamlessly organised, striking a perfect balance between relaxation and adventure.

This journey had it all—vibrant towns, wildlife encounters, scenic treks, mountains, serene beaches, lush forests, and the iconic backwaters. Each day brought something new and exciting.

Travelling in a small group of like-minded adventurers made the experience even more enjoyable, and our guides were exceptional—knowledgeable and always attentive to our needs.

Every place we stayed was unique and full of character, adding to the charm of the trip. And the food—wow! There was always more than enough, and it was consistently delicious.

There's simply no way one could see and do so much in just 10 days without this kind of expert planning. Highly recommended!

I had an absolutely incredible time in Kerala. It is such a beautiful part of the world. A jam packed, well planned itinerary made me feel like I got a good experience of the place and our group had an amazing time. The scenery and activities were just incredible.

Very well organised, great local team from Kalypso led by Roger. Packed programme full of interesting and fun activities, cycling, walks, kayaking etc and taking in some local culture.

This trip was absolute perfection - a wonderful variety of locations and activities, great food, great people! Roger, Rahul and the entire team made so much effort to make everything run smoothly and they were a joy to have as our guides. I miss Kerala already!

Excellent holiday. Well organised by the Kalypso team and in particular Roger and his local team.

From thrilling activities to Kerala’s warm hospitality and delicious cuisine, this holiday had it all. If you love adventure blended with nature and culture, Kerala should be at the top of your bucket list!

A special shoutout to our incredible guides Vipin and Akshay who made this experience even more memorable. Their knowledge, passion, and dedication ensured that every adventure was not just exciting but also deeply enriching. Whether it was sharing fascinating insights about the local wildlife, leading us safely through rugged trails, or teaching us the best kayaking techniques, they truly went above and beyond!

We thoroughly enjoyed the Ultimate Kerala Adventure tour with Much Better Adventures. It showcased a great variety of Kerala’s natural and cultivated landscapes, waterfronts, culture and wildlife. Our guides and drivers were very kind, knowledgeable, attentive and accommodating to the group’s various needs, and the group itself cohered very well. Our primary guides Vipin and Akshay worked tirelessly to make everything happen. The accommodations were varied - resort hotels, houseboat, glamping - and all were pleasant and comfortable with air conditioning. The food was amazing. The highlight for us was seeing eight elephants at Periyar Lake, though that, of course, cannot be guaranteed. Another highlight was the bonfire dance party! We have many fond memories to cherish and highly recommend this adventure tour.