For those tired of the well-known image of swinging palms, crowded backwaters and kettuvallams of South Kerala, North Kerala is the perfect rendezvous, hidden in the heart of Kerala and far from prying eyes. Comprising of the five districts - Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram, this region is untapped so far, the beaches and the beauty here is far more captivating than South Kerala.

This is a magical journey which takes you to the River Nila in North Kerala and the focus of environmental and community development of North Kerala. At the River Nila, you visit, watch and learn about music and dance from the masters of the Kerala Kalamandalam as well as spend time with a family of musicians. You take part in restoration of a sacred grove at the Travellers Forest, a unique initiative of your tour operator. From the River Nila, you make your way east to Nilambur, the centre of colonial teak plantations, where you visit a local potter or see the unique teak museum.

From Nilambur, its back down to the coast at Beypore, a former Portuguese enclave and home to a weaver’s initiative called Tasara. You then drive up to the extreme north of Kerala in the hidden hills of the Wayanad, where you visit Neolithic caves, trek to a gorgeous waterfall and explore spice plantations. There is pure wilderness and you have time to spend on a wildlife trek and safari in one of Kerala’s lesser known but richly bio-diverse sanctuaries. Your holiday ends with a couple of nights spent at a sublime beach resort in the far north coast away from the tourist trail at Neeleshwar, only two hours from Mangalore or Calicut.

This trip makes a big difference to the local communities of North Kerala - the day with the musicians helps them to promote their art forms and also provides with them a source of income.  The visit to potters and weavers community is an appreciation to the efforts to rehabilitate the local artisans. Spice tours were initiated to support small time farmers and spice planters in and around Wayanad areas to find alternative, supplementary source of income.

And the wildlife trips use guides from the local communities and the programs are operated by them. All parts of the trek routes and campsite follow zero waste management. During and after every trek, the tour operator collects and disposes plastic waste that might have been left behind by other tourists and local people

Short Program

Day 1: Cochin – River Nila
Day 2: River Nila
Day 3: River Nila
Day 4: River Nila - Nilambur
Day 5: Nilambur
Day 6: Nilambur - Beypore
Day 7: Beypore
Day 8: Beypore – Edakkal, Wayanad
Day 9: Edakkal, Wayanad
Day 10: Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary, Wayanad
Day 11: Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary, Wayanad - Neeleshwar
Day 12: Neeleshwar
Day 13: Neeleshwar
Day 14: Neeleshwar - Mangalore