Create an account sign-up-diamond

Start your adventure today.

Already a member? Login

Spices and Tea Trails Trek

Chat with us on our contact page or fill out the form below!

Spices and Tea Trails Trek
From $1,395USDBook Now
Your itineraryDates & pricesReviews
9 days from $1,395USD
Easy quote
Spices and Tea Trails Trek
Personalized Service
Let our experienced travel advisors plan your perfect adventure

Traverse the rolling, lush hills undulating through the Western Ghats in Kerala, India, on the rewarding Spices and Tea Trails Trekking Tour. But this journey isn’t like any other! Aside from the charming, tropical, mountainous views, your guide will also take you through dreamy villages to an array of spice, tea, and coffee plantations. The Spices and Tea Trails Trek seamlessly fuses storytelling—detailing the plantations—with outdoor adventure.

End each day of your trek by letting your body relax while the campfire connects you with your fellow hikers and the crew journeying alongside you. Book the Spices and Tea Trails Trekking Tour today!

India, Asia
Happiness promise

Spices and Tea Trails Trek

Discover the plantations tucked into the Western Ghats on foot
4.70
(101 reviews)
9 days from $1,395USD
Easy quote
Duration
9 days
Season
Jan-Dec
Activity
Walking
Type
Guided, Private
Accommodation
Hotels and camping
Difficulty
Moderate (3/5)
From $1,395USD (see prices for this tour)
Get a quote
Got any questions?
Ask a question
National Geographic
Guardian
FodorsTravel
Time
Backpacker
National Geographic
Guardian
Spices and Tea Trails Trek
Personalized Service
Let our experienced travel advisors plan your perfect adventure

Traverse the rolling, lush hills undulating through the Western Ghats in Kerala, India, on the rewarding Spices and Tea Trails Trekking Tour. But this journey isn’t like any other! Aside from the charming, tropical, mountainous views, your guide will also take you through dreamy villages to an array of spice, tea, and coffee plantations. The Spices and Tea Trails Trek seamlessly fuses storytelling—detailing the plantations—with outdoor adventure.

End each day of your trek by letting your body relax while the campfire connects you with your fellow hikers and the crew journeying alongside you. Book the Spices and Tea Trails Trekking Tour today!

rating
Read about our scale for Tour Difficulty Ratings.
Trip highlights

Explore the carpet of rolling greenery spanning the Western Ghats, where an array of tea and spice plantations sit.

Trek from village to village and plantation to plantation alongside knowledgeable locals who will unveil the stories behind the spices and teas.

Discover the highest tea estate in the world after summiting the second highest peak in southern India: Meesapulimalai.

Cap off your trekking tour with a cultural program performed by the locals during your last evening in the wild!

We are Australian
We know Adventure
10Adventures only does Hiking, Cycling and Adventure Holidays. Its our mission to help you explore the world!

Trip map

Travellers love 10Adventures

View all
Day by day itinerary
Expand all days
Day 1
See more
Travel from Kambam mettu to Pushpakandam
After breakfast you will drive about 01.00 to 01.30 hours from Thekkady to Kambam mettu where you will begin the trek. You will start your trek from Kumbummedu and will follow the jeep trail to Ramakelmedu, where you'll have spectacular views of the vast plains of neighbouring Tamilnadu. Massive statues of Kuruvan & Kurathy – two legendary tribal figures - make up the backdrop to the magnificent views below. The route is interspersed with tiny spice growing hamlets where the majority of spices of Kerala are grown. You will continue our walk through these small villages and farmlands until you reach our camp.
Distance 5-7 hours, 11 km
Overnight Location Camping at Purshpakandam
Included Meals Lunch, Dinner
Day 2
See more
Pushpakandam to Chaturangapara
After breakfast you start our trek through cardamom and pepper plantations. This would make an excellent opportunity as you can see firsthand to learn about how these spices are grown from the local trackers who will be accompanying you.
Distance 4-5 hours, 17 km
Overnight Location Camping at Chaturangpara
Included Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3
See more
Chaturangapara to Shantanpara and Drive to Suryanelly
You will start today’s challenging trek through sholas and cardamom forests that abound here. This is the capital of the world’s spice trade, known for centuries as the Cardamom Hills. You will walk from Chaturangapara through thick cardamom forests and isolated spice growing villages. En route you will also be walking though great swathes of grasslands, through the spine of the mountains with spectacular views of the plains of Tamilnadu thousands of feet below.
Distance 3-4 hours, 11 km
Overnight Location Camp in Suryanelly
Included Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
See more
Suryanelly to Kolukkumalai
From Suryanelly you have to walk through the road for few kilometers to get the route to Kolukkumalai (you suggest you to take a small jeep ride for about 20/30 minutes to the point where you begin our trek which will be fun and you can avoid the walk on the road as well, this day our trek will be through green carpeted tea plantations which offers wonderful view around it will be a gradual uphill to reach the highest tea estate in the World “ Kolukkumalai” reach the estate visit factory and overnight at Kolukkumalai.
Distance 5-7 hours, 12 km
Overnight Location Camping at Top Station
Included Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
See more
Kolukkumalai to Base Camp
Kolukkumalai the highest organic tea estate in the World situates in the south east slope of Western Ghats so its offers a fantastic sunrise view so you will have an early up fo sunrise and will have free time till breakfast and after the breakfast you will hike down through the tea plantations for about 02 hours and will have a Jeep transfer to Silent Valley tea estate, it will be a 02 hour jeep ride and from Silent Valley tea estate you will have a short trek to Base camp of Meesapulimalai, rest of the afternoon at leisure walk around the camp, enjoying the camp etc. overnight in a tent.<br />Enroute you will also visit a one of the Tea Factory in this day.
Distance 4-6 hours, 8 km
Overnight Location Camping at Base Camp
Included Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
See more
Base camp to Rhodo-Valley covering Meesapulimalai Peak
Our camp is at the eastern slope of the western Ghats so it is one of best camps for the sunrise so will have an early wake up call for the sunrise and free time up to breakfast, after the breakfast you will start our trek from Kolukkumalai it will be a short walk through the tea fields will take you to the foot hill of Meesapulimalai “the second highest peak in South India, before reaching the rolling grass land you need to cross through the shola forest on the ridge offers spectacular view of both the low land of Tamil Nadu and the peaks as well, will have one stretch moderate climb for 1-1.30 hours to summit the peak (2637 meters) After a short refreshment break the trek will continue through a valley where the rhododendrons and pine forests grows wild and of course a unique eco system of grass land and streams through them, to the campsite. Our trek will end at Rhodo-valley, Overnight camp in cottages (Rhodo-mansion) by the side of gurgling mountain streams at Rhodo-valley with the beautiful natural brooks and the meadows of Western Ghats. <strong>Overnight Location:</strong> Camping at Rodho Valley Camp
Distance Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight Location 5-7 hours, 12-14km
Included Meals
Day 7
See more
Rhodo-Valley to Camp
Today you will start our trek from Rhodo-valley camp, This day will be passing through the pine forests rolling grasslands and the scenic beauty of the mountain ranges and through the dense shoals of camp Malai, will take some zigzag walk through the rolling grass land with the shola forest, couple of lakes and mountain ranges views on the other side, to reach the tea estate you have take bit “steep downhill for a short distance easy challenge but fun” reach Yellapatty Estate. To the camp you will walk through the tea estates and with the short climb through the dense forest will reach the mountain cliff for overnight camp, finish our trek at Camp Footprint. The camp site which is surrounded by forests and the panoramic mountains with wonderful views where the clouds are floats under your feet at camp Footprint.
Distance 7-9 hours, 16-18 km
Overnight Location Camping at Footprint
Included Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
See more
Footprint – Top Station
The Camp footprint is also situating in the eastern slope of the Western Ghats so this morning we will get an early wake up call for the sunrise.<br />After breakfast will start our trek from Camp Footprint, you trek on the mountain ridges of the eastern slopes offers fantastic view of tea plantations, second highest peak, the highest tea estate and the low land of Tamil Nadu, the vegetation you are passing which are good habitat for some endemic birds and wildlife in Western Ghats so will be spotting some of them during our trek (matter of chance) this day trek offers verity of nature like shola forest, ever green, mountain forest, grass lands, tea plantations, villages etc…, you finish our trek at Top Station, overnight at Top Station.
Distance 4-5 hours, 8-10 km
Overnight Location Camping at Top Station
Included Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9
See more
Hike to Vattavad village
The trek lasts for 2 hours and is completely through the Shola forest, which are unique in the world and hosts a diversity of fauna and flora specific to the Sholas. You could spot most of the endemic birds of this region like Nilgiri Flycatcher, Kerala Laughing thrush, Black and rufous flycatcher, Nilgiri wood pigeon and a lot more. Also, this national park is also known for Indian Gaur, Sambar deer, Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri Marten, Malabar giant squirrel and possibly, elephants, etc…, or The term Vattavada means ‘enclosed by mountains’, and this is quaint little settlement, aptly named is one of its kind in Kerala. Vattavada’s speciality is terraced cultivation and its wide variety of crops not seen in other parts of Kerala, which includes varieties of apple, orange, strawberry, blackberry, plums, gooseberry, egg fruits, peach and passion fruits, etc. This village is rightfully called the ‘Fruit and vegetable basket of Munnar’.
Distance 2-3 hours
Overnight Location None
Included Meals Breakfast

Why book with 10 Adventures?

We know adventure

Founded by experienced travellers, active and adventure vacations are all we do.

Experience the trip of a lifetime organized by a team of travel specialists who combine knowledge and passion for adventure travel.

Self-guided specialists

With over 600 tours across 30+ countries, we specialize in self-guided tours.

Combine the freedom of travelling on your own with the confidence that all of your logistics are taken care of.

Packed with value

Get everything you need for your next vacation with one easy booking.

We take care of accommodations, luggage transfers, gear rentals, and more - so you can focus on making memories.

World Class support

Get unbeatable support at every step of your journey.

Whether you are planning or travelling, no matter what your question, a real human is always a call or click away.

Hassle free bookings

Have peace of mind for when travel plans change.

Explore our flexible booking, payment, and cancellation options, as well as our Lifetime Deposits program.

Reviews
5
83
4
11
3
4
2
2
1
1
4.70 (101 reviews)
Sort by: Newest
Dates and prices

This guided walking tour to Kerala is always run as a private tour for your group only and the price depends on the size of your group. Please note that the prices might increase during public holidays.

Prices below are per person:

  • Guided Groups of 2: from $1,495USD per person
  • Guided Groups of 3+: on request
What’s included

Meals

8 breakfasts, 8 lunches, and 8 dinners are included on this tour.

Accommodations

Accommodations for 8 nights is included.

Transportation during the Tour

Transportation is included for transfers to the different locations, pick-up, and drop-off spots throughout the tour.

Also Included

  • Guide
  • Trekking arrangements: tents, cook, ponies, helpers, one-inch mattresses
  • Toilet tent
  • Camping fees

Not included

  • Flights to and from Cochin International Airport
  • Any additional nights before or after the tour
  • Tour guide gratuity
  • Personal necessities such as drinks during mealtimes and laundry
  • Sleeping bag
  • Entrance fee to Korangani - $60 per person

Optional Extras

  • Extra night in Cochin
  • Sleeping bag rental – around $13 per daily

Accommodation for Spices and Tea Trails Trek

This tour will have you staying in a combination of hotels and alpine tents at overnight campsites. When you’re not camping, expect to stay in 2-4-star hotels. The hotels provided come with modern amenities that elevate your comfort. Do note that rooms are double occupancy, but you can always upgrade to single occupancy for an additional fee. Single travellers are also required to pay a supplement.

In some cases, the accommodation listed below may be swapped for other similar accommodations.

Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel. It’s also possible to match single travellers up.

Frequently asked questions

How hard is the Spices and Tea Trails Trek?

This tour is rated as a 3 / 5. You will spend the majority of this tour hiking, so some fitness is required.

Do I need a visa to travel to India?

Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.

Are meals included on the Spices and Tea Trails Trek?

8 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 8 dinners are included on this tour.

Do I need insurance?

Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip, and your insurance should cover hiking. Get your Travel Insurance.

How do I get to Thekkady to start this tour?

You can fly into Cochin International Airport and hire a cab to reach Thekkady.

Is the Spices and Tea Trails Trek in English?

Yes, the tour guide speaks English.

Where does the Spices and Tea Trails Trek end?

The tour ends at Cochin International Airport, where you will catch your flight home.

Do I need special vaccines to travel to India?

Check with your family doctor.

Are there any travel restrictions for India?

Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.

When is the best time to travel to India for this tour?

The best time to travel to Kerala for this hike is from September to March, when there is pleasant, less humid weather.

Back to top
Why travellers choose this tour
At 10Adventures, it’s easy to make memories with the following six optional inclusions on this tour:
We're Canadian
Book with a Canadian company whose mission is to help you travel the world.

Southern India Tours by Activity

Get travel inspiration and discounts

Join our weekly travel newsletter