“Join this high end tour in India's high ranges”
6 Day Exploring the Western Ghats of India Guided Motorcycle Tour
Windermere River House, Inchathotty Neriamangalam Road, Inchathotty, Ernakulam district, Kerala, India
Guided Motorcycle Tour in India
The mountains of The Western Ghats, older than the Himalayan Mountain Chain, and one of the world's top hotspots for biological diversity form the backdrop for this tour. This bike tour will embrace all the features of these marvelous mountain ranges. Kerala Bike Tours' 500cc Royal Enfield Bullets will enable you to explore this immense variety, with the distinctive beat of the single cylinder engine you'll pass forests, plantations, dams, and tea gardens. Winding through swaying mountain roads, passing by waterfalls and through the jungle, all culminating at a secluded beach watching sunset over the Arabian Sea. Boutique Luxury Resorts also welcome you every night of the trip. Make your trip to India an unforgettable one by joining this tour!
Key information
- Terrain: asphalt
- Bike: rental bike (Royal Enfield 500 or 350 Bullet)
- Mileage: 621 kilometers / 389 miles
- Daily rides: 26 - 160 kilometers / 16 - 99.5 miles
- Riding gear: included: oil and maintenance / spares
- Meals: all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
Meet the instructors
Daniel & Niaz
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Highlights
- Starts and ends in Kochi
- Jeep safari for wild animals in the tea plantations
- Ride through Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and Shola forest
- Visit to Athirapally Falls and local tribal village tour at Top Station
- Climbing through 40 hairpin bends on mountain roads
- Motorcycle rental throughout the tour
- Transfer from and to the airport
- 5 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Intermediate
6 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Malayalam
Group size: 4-10 participants
Airport transfer included:
Cochin International Airport
Accommodation
During the tour, you will be staying at fantastic luxury boutique hotels and resorts with a pool almost every night in every destination.
Program
Day 1: Kochi - Nariamangalam, 55 kilometers / 34 miles
After being met at Kochi airport, you will be whisked away by air-conditioned minibus to Nariamangalam (55 kilometers, one hour 30 minutes). Here, you'll meet up with Daniel and the team and get acquainted with the bikes and fellow riders on the tour. Depending on your arrival time, you will take a short ride to Thattekad Bird Sanctuary on quiet back roads to get accustomed to the bikes.
Later in the afternoon, you can take a dip in the pool and enjoy a restful evening at the enchanting Windermere River House.
Day 2: Nariamangalam - Munnar, 150 kilometers / 93 miles
After a relaxed breakfast, it's time to press the starter, rev the engine, and power off on the adventure. You will start your climb into the Western Ghats through Kerala Bike Tours' specially designed route taking you off the beaten track on roads passing dams and forests, and through some great scenic spots before reaching your final stop for the night nestled in tea estates.
Expect to be on the road for nine hours with regular tea breaks, lunch stop, and an exploration. The actual distance is 150 kilometers and the riding time is six hours.30 minutes.
Arrive at Windermere Estates Plantation and Retreat, a hot cup of tea and local snack await you at the garden gazebo. Catch the sunset at their private viewpoint looking over acres of tea plantations, forests, and mountains. Have a super relaxed evening chatting with your fellow riding companions about the day's adventures.
Day 3: Munnar, 80 kilometers / 49.5 miles
Today, you can explore the delights of Munnar visiting the tea factory, riding to Top Station (the highest motorable route in the region) passing the scenic Mettupatti Dam with the chance of encountering a family of wild elephants who roam the area.
A visit to the national park to spot the rare and endangered goat, the Nilgiri tahr, is also an option. Expect to be on the move for four hours, a maximum riding distance of 80 kilometers, with no more than two hours 30 minutes in the saddle.
Arrive back at Windermere Estate by midday for a relaxed afternoon by the pool, interrupted only by lunch and afternoon tea in their sprawling gardens. The more energetic of you can try a trek through their private cardamom estate with a naturalist for two hours.
Day 4: Munnar - Annamalai Hills, 160 kilometers / 99.5 miles
You will leave Munnar and head down through Eravikulam National Park and the Sandalwood forests of Marayoor, traversing the world's largest tea plantation and into Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary where wild elephants, peacocks, deer, and bison can stroll across the road.
You will ride into the state of Tamil Nadu and cut through an area known as "The Coconut Belt" for the mass of coconut plantations, before climbing through 40 Hair Pin Bends to the Tea Planters' Bungalow resort set amidst an organic tea estate, at more than 1400 meters altitude in the Annamalai Hills. The air is clean and bison roam free.
Expect to be on the road for six hours 30 minutes, covering a distance of 160 kilometers with five hours 30 minutes in the saddle. You'll aim to arrive here by late lunch and the rest of the afternoon is at your leisure. The nature enthusiasts amongst you can opt for a midnight jeep safari in search of panthers, lion-tailed macaques, wild boar, wild elephants, and Malabar squirrels.
Day 5: Valparai - Athirapally Falls, 150 kilometers / 93 miles
You will leave Valparai to ride through one of the thickest evergreen forests in India. Like venturing through the Amazon or canopied rainforests of Central Africa, this is a motorcycling experience not to be missed.
After this sensational ride through the jungle, you'll reach Athirapally Falls, known as "The Indian Niagara", where you'll stop for lunch and an exploration. From here, you'll ride on to civilization passing through small towns and over backwater rivers with the traditional Chinese fishing nets lining the banks. Reaching the lovely secluded boutique beach resort on the shores of the Arabian Sea, in time to see the sun setting over the ocean.
Expect to be on the road for eight hours with tea breaks, lunch, and an exploration. An actual riding distance of 150 kilometers spending five hours 30 minutes on the bikes. The evening is left to spend reminiscing on the past days' adventures and enjoying the farewell dinner.
Day 6: Departure to Kochi, 26 kilometers / 16 miles
You will bid farewell to your bikes and fellow traveling companions and head off to the airport or on other tour extensions as planned. Kochi Airport is 26 kilometers away and you'll reach it in less than an hour.
Skill level
Intermediate
- can ride for 3-4 hours
- average riding experience
- little assistance required
- comfortable with extreme curves and leans
- average experience with unsurfaced roads
- steep ascents and descents
Included excursions
Excursions included in the price are midnight Jeep safari, plantation walk, visit to Tea Museum, visit to Top Station, visit to Athirapally Falls, and ride to Thattekad Bird Sanctuary.
Instructors
Daniel Benster
Daniel Benster was born and brought up in Yorkshire, UK. He’s 48 years old. He first came to India in 1992, when he bought his first bike in Delhi, a 350cc Enfield Bullet. That’s where his love affair with India, the bike (which he still owns), and the experience began. Born out of the desire to share this fantastic experience of motorcycling around the Indian subcontinent, Kerala Bike Tours was founded in 1999. Now 26 years and more than 200,000 kilometers on from the first riding with his beloved bike, and 19 years since running his 1st tour, Mr. Benster wants to share his passion with you.
Niaz VA
Kerala Bike Tours' operations manager and support vehicle driver is the man who makes everything tick on tour and at the base in Kochi. Born and bred in Kochi, he has a vast network of contacts (everybody knows Niaz in Kochi) and a huge wealth of local knowledge. On tour, he’s always on hand to offer a cold drink, sort out permits, red tape, and any other local ‘difficulties’ with a smile and the right words. And he somehow manages to get Kerala Bike Tours' support vehicle through gaps that you'd think only a motorbike could get through. He's also an expert rider and has led many tours.
Location
This tour will take you to explore The Western Ghats in India. The places you'll visit include Munnar, Top Station, Athirapally Falls, and Thattekad Bird Sanctuary.
Food
Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served for you during the tour. Even if you don't think you like Indian food, you will love Keralan cuisine.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Seafood
- Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
- Houseboat cruise
Kerala Bike Tours can offer you an optional houseboat cruise after your tour - a traditional Keralan boat is a great way to get even more from your mountains and beaches experience! Prices are available on request.
- Visit to Eravikulam National Park
What's included
- 5 days rental of Royal Enfield 500 (new, left foot gear change) or 350 Bullet
- Oil and maintenance / spares
- 4WD air-conditioned jeep support vehicle
- Services of group leader with medical kit / training
- Enfield mechanic
- Tours / guides listed
- Airport transfers
- All entrance fees to monuments / parks / reserves
- 5 nights accommodation
- All breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
- Bottled mineral water on tour
- Road maps / information packets
What's not included
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Refundable security / damage deposit (500 USD to be paid locally in cash)
- Visa
- Fuel
- Alcoholic beverages
- Laundry service
- Tips / gratuities
- GST
How to get there
Recommended Airports
COK
Cochin International Airport
40 km
Transfer included
Airport: Cochin International Airport
Airport transfer included: Cochin International Airport
No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 10% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.
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