Overview

 

Ride a bike at a gentle pace as you breeze through rural Kochi with an experienced guide. Spend a full day taking in the sights from Fort Kochi to the Kerala backwaters, where you’ll float leisurely in a boat along the waterway. Stop to eat an authentic Indian lunch with a local family.



Tour Briefing:

 

Meet your guide at No. 18 HOTELand hop on your bicycle for a 21-mile (34-km) leisurely ride that includes plenty of stops along easy terrain that is suitable for cyclists of all levels.Begin your bike tour in the port town of Fort Kochi, pedaling past fascinating sights such as the Santa Cruz Basilica and St Francis Church, where the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was originally buried. Stop to hear about the town’s history on your way to visit local fishermen and learn how they use traditional nets for their work.After taking a break at a few beaches that are popular with the locals, follow your guide down coconut tree–lined streets, stopping en route at fish auctions and prawn-peeling factories along the seashore. These sites make up the backbone of Kochi’s fishing industry and offer an authentic glimpse of the people who live and work here. If there’s time, pop into a local toddy bar for a drink (own expense).Upon reaching Ezhupunna village and the Kerala backwaters, you'll be treated to a traditional fisherman’s lunch with a local family. Enjoy fresh fried fish and tasty curry dishes as you experience village life and interact with the locals — your guide is there to assist you, of course.In the afternoon, set your bike aside for a couple of hours and hop in a canoe or a shikara (covered wooden rowboat) for a ride through the narrow canals. This relaxing cruise snakes you through a labyrinth of waterways set amid Kerala’s lush vegetation.After your scenic boat ride, hop back on your bike for the return ride to Kochi, stopping along the way to check out some prawn farms and the Kumbalangi fishing hamlet, India’s first model eco-tourism village. You’ll have plenty of photo ops of fishermen casting their nets and other picturesque scenes before your full-day tour ends in Fort Kochi.