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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead

Responsible Tourism Initiatives along River Nila

Location:India, Kerala: banks of River Nila, Wayanad, Nilambur and Thiruvillwamala
Date: On request.
Duration: Fourteen nights and thirteen days.
Group size: From two to ten people.
Price: On request.

Description: Enjoy the local atmosphere and experience responsible tourism along River Nila in Kerala, Southern India. This area is an outstanding prove how tourism can contribute to the better. You will be accompanied with local natural and cultural interpreters and story tellers who will take you through traditions, culture, folklore and way of living. You will learn from local experts how responsible tourism is benefiting the local communities along the river.

Do you have questions or want to book this trip here? Contact us here.

Day 1: Arrival.
Transfer to River Nila and Cheruthuruthy, a quaint village in Trichur district known for the famous Dance and Music school called Kalamandalam. Nila (Bharatapuzha), one of the longest rivers in Kerala (209kms) offers one of the most unique cultural experiences as it has an ancient and steeped in tradition river civilization. Lunch and relax at the Hotel.

In the afternoon there will be a short presentation by our local partner The Blue Yonder on the river and its culture. You will understand the reasons why some of the locals decided to come together on a common platform called Nila Foundation to revive and regenerate the dying river.

After the presentation visit a nearby village to see fire worshipping, folk performances. Enjoy the evening with folk artist in a village to understand the folk traditions of the region. A young team of performers will take you through dance forms, music and percussions that make the region so rich in its cultural tradition. The performance organized by the villagers will be held in the courtyard of one of the houses in our village. Return to Hotel for overnight.

Day 2: River Nila.
After breakfast you will visit a 500 year old heritage property that’s been preserved through responsible tourism initiatives. This family has been exponents of traditional medicines (Ayurveda) and guests can undergo Ayurveda massage. Enjoy free time in the afternoon.

Day 3: River Nila.
After breakfast transfer to Tirur for Country boat cruise (Thoni cruise). The boat trip goes through a stunning landscape comprising small canals, rivers and backwaters of relatively unknown area called Tirur. You will stop at a coconut processing centre and a local chai stall during the Thoni cruise. Enjoy lunch at one of the local house holds. This trip gives opportunity to meet various communities and you will understand the way they live.After the boat trip transfer to an organic farm that hosts a 400 year old heritage house that represents traditional living in our area. Short presentation of Travelers Forest initiative and you will also visit Travelers forest project area and plant saplings. Overnight at your hotel.

Day 4: River Nila.
After breakfast visit a village where you will experience Musical Trail which is a program to showcase the percussion culture of the river valley civilization. The program is organized in the house of lower caste musicians including girls and they play more than 15 instruments. Meet the musicians, visit the one room music school and learn about their work in preserving their local music culture. Lunch will be served with the musician’s family. Return to your hotel in late afternoon.

Day 5: River Nila.
After breakfast enjoy time with the Masters at Kalamandalam. Visit to an art-school on the banks of the river to understand the lifestyle and education of artists. With the help of interpreters, you will go for a tour of the school visiting various classes of music, dance and hand-work. The tour depicts the commitment of the art students and masters in creating an environment of dedicated learning. Stop at the hotel for lunch and some relax time.

After lunch visit Vyali documentation centre. Pottery workshops with the traditional potters. You will understand their background, efforts to sustain their tradition. The session gives opportunity to work on pottery. Guests can give orders for small souvenirs which they can collect by end of their trip and take it back home as a memento. Visit to the bell metal workshop who will take you through the unique craft that is confined to few families in the region. You can watch the intricate scientific process of creating the bell metal and how they are used so artistically to create materials like traditional tea pots, unique door locks.

TBY have provided micro-loans to the artisan to purchase raw materials in advance so that he can display souvenirs for travelers from which we makes the profit and re-invest in the micro enterprise that he runs from home. In the evening you will meet with representatives from stakeholders group to evaluate what you observed in the last days. Overnight at your Hotel.

Day 6: River Nila to Nilambur.
After breakfast drive one hour to Nilambur. You will stay at Maranat Mana a heritage property several hundred years old. This property reflects the age old traditions of a Kerala Brahmin family. Focusing on sustainable living, this place strikes an excellent balance between traditional life style and modern living. The two acres of sacred grove inside the farm is a representation of bio-diversity that is still sustained. There are only 4 such structures remaining in the whole of Kerala. Hosts are involved with various activities in the village like teaching in the school which is supported by their family trust.

Day 7: Nilambur.
After breakfast visit Kumbham a nearby village where Pottery work has had a rebirth. Their joint explorations for the revival and sustainability of the potter craft helped the artisans realize their latent creativity and skills, enabled them to create their tools, designs and products. Kumbham has attracted some 80 odd potters to affiliate with it to varying degrees. The community as a whole has witnessed a dramatic turn-around: from being on the verge of dissolution as an impoverished artisan community to a resurgent group of potters whose craft was once again wanted. Rest of the day free to relax. Overnight at homestay in Nilambur.

Day 8: Nilambur.
Enjoy the day in Nilambur. Take a train ride through the teak Forest. In the afternoon visit and interact with students at a local primary school in the village. The school is supported by the owners of Maranat Mana through a family trust. Overnight in Nilambur.

Day 9: Nilambur to Wayanad.
After breakfast drive three hours to Wayanad. Wayanads mountainous terrain houses wildlife and spreads the aroma of coffee, cardamom and vanilla. Situated in the southern region of the Deccan plateau, Wayanad is untouched by rail or air traffic. Wayanad area is integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve which has been established with the specific objective of conserving the biological heritage of the region. In the late afternoon enjoy a spice tour. Wayanad has a viable spice cultivation program. The idea of spice tour was conceived as an alternative source of income for small scale farmers and planters in Wayanad. Spice tours are also arranged in such way that it introduces the planters life style amongst these spice gardens to travellers. Homestay or farmstay at Aranyakam in Meppadi.

Day 10: Wayanad.
Early morning visit Muthanga Wildlife Sancturay in Wayanad. The animal population of the sanctuary ranges from Asiatic Elephant, Tiger, Panther, Jungle cat, Civet, Nilgiri Langur, Wild dog, Wild gaur, Spotted deer, Sambar, Malabar squirrel and Bear. Reptiles and a variety of snakes are seen and different types of birds. After lunch visit Uravu and you their workshop, interact with the artisans and designers and see how they create marvels out of different varieties of Bamboo grown locally. Interact with the promoters and visit to the bamboo nursery. Overnight in Wayanad.

Day 11: Wayanad.
Breakfast at the hotel and proceed on a farm tour. The trip will take you through various farms owned by local communities. Lunch at a local house hold. In the afternoon you will enjoy a two hours soft trekking through the rainforest of Western Ghats to visit Meenmutty waterfalls. Explore the three storied waterfalls and return to the hotel in the evening.

Day 12: Wayanad to Cheruthuruthy.
The morning is free until after lunch. Leave for Cheruthuruthy, a six hours drive. Arrive early evening for dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 13: Cheruthuruthy to Thiruvillwamala.
After breakfast drive five hours to Thiruvillwamala. At arrival you will meet Krishnakumar, an agricultural officer of the panchayat (this year he won the award for the best agricultural officer in Kerala). You will meet farming group and their leaders. 73 farmers have joined a co-operative society to support organic farming. You will learn about organic farming, the whole process and how such farming methods are re-charging streams that fill nila even post monsoon. You will also visit a farm and interact with young, well educated local farmers. Lunch with a local community members’s house.

After lunch you will visit kuthambully weavers village. The handlooms have dwindled from 5000 to 500, and not many have interest in continuing this tradition anymore. Powerlooms from Tamilnadu is a threat and handlooms are moving away for this. People are rich from powerlooms, so they don't really care about handlooms any more. These are communities who were brought to the b anks of nila by Cochin Maharaja who got these weavers as royal dress makers from Mysore. They had an entire village economy and culture and tradition depending on them. The communities were even allotted barbers, farmers, cobblers etc for service. You will see some of the functional looms and purchase products from there if you like. One reason the powerlooms got entry to the area was the death of Nila. The threading business and the dyeing business couldnt be continued any more, because of lack of water so they moved to Tamilnadu...along with this, the business as well. The Weavers speak a dialect of Kannada and Malayalam which is not cipherable for other locals. They still continue this tradition. Overnight at River Retreat Cheruthuruthy or at at Thiruvillwamala Ayurvedamana.

Day 14: Departure.
Breakfast at your hotel. Day is free until departure.

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