Cycling tours are a leisurely way to explore Kerala and the best season is October-April. There are routes with various degrees of difficulty depending on the terrain.
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| Image from Atlas Cycles website |
The Straight Path – 1 day
· Kochi airport to Athirapally-Vazhanchal waterfalls which offers lovely treelined roads with hardly any vehicular traffic and the sight of the Sholayar forests.
Accomodation - Athirapally and Kochi
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| Athirapally Waterfalls Kerala |
The Straight Path – 1 day
· Chinnar’s sandalwood forest to the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Accomodation - Machans
The Slight Elevation – 2 day
· Kochi to Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in Thattekkad near Periyar in Thekkady. Spot over 280 species of birds like the Sunbird, Fairybluebird, Hornbill, Crimson-throated Barbet.
· Thattekad to the Edmalayar rain forest region along serene country roads and mountain roads.
Accomodation - Forest Department Inspection Bungalow called Hornbill
Contact: Assistant Wildlife Warden
Thattekad Bird Sanctuary
Njayapilli, Kothamangalam P.O.
Call : 0485-588302
The Slight Elevation – 2 day
· Follow the holy River Pampa in Ranni - the Queen of the Eastern Hill Lands along uninhabited dirt roads passing through forest and grassland and spot wildlife to the end of the coast
· Rest pause at a hotel or homestay and spend time cruising the pepper, cardamom, chilly, turmeric, clove and ginger plantations
The Straight Path – 3 day
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| Allepey |
· Allepey’s paddy fields and serene backwaters OR Vembanad lake in Kumarakom and visit the bird sanctuary. Stay overnight on the traditional houseboat.
· Cycle along Marari Beach along coastal and country roads with an overnight stay at beach hotels
· Wind up at Fort Kochi. Take in an open air performance on the beaches of Kochi. Stay at boutique hotels or homestays in Fort Kochi or stay at Kochi
The Flatland to Uphill Climb – 3 day
· Kochi to Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in Thattekkad near. Spot 275 species of birds.
· Kochi to the rain forests of Edmalayar rain forest region along serene country roads and mountain roads.
· Periyar to Adimali hills of the Western Ghats. Ride along the banks of the river Periyar, past the cardamom plantations and pineapple patches and rubber estates. Cross the 1935 built bridge across the Periyar river at Neriamangalam from where starts the climb up mountainous terrain giving a glimpse of villages growing spices carved out of canyons and watered by mountain streams and lakes. You can take a break and see the Cheeyapara waterfall plunge 1000ft pounding down 13 rock slabs and bathe in it if you wish and also catch the Deviyar river plunge 200ft to become the Valara waterfalls near Adimali as well as the Adimali waterfall and take a walk around the pepper estates while staying at a homestay.
Uphill All the Way – 2 day
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| Munnar Tea Plantation First Glimpse |
· Munnar’s tea estates through the highest tea estate in the world.
· Take a rest for a day more in hotels or homestays in the old town of Chithirapuram and soak in the beauty.
Uphill All the Way – 2 day
· Valparai at the elevation of 3500 ft from sea level in the Anamalai mountain range will drive you round the bend literally as the narrow mountain pathway takes 40 dizzy hairpin turns giving a glimpse of the tea estate on what was once forest land and rain forest.
· Take a rest pause at hotels or homestays and visit the Grass Hills 15 km away from Valparai, the rare tall grass forest that’s home to the elephant, boar, cheetahs among other wildlife that roams the Anamalai Tiger Reserve
