Golden Triangle & Kerala holiday, India

Planet

On this tour you will contribute to very special responsible resorts where responsible tourism is at their heart!

Staying at the SpiceTree in Munnar for example involves active participation in its well-planned green initiatives to breathe life into vast stretches of land that once was green.
* Every time you book at SpiceTree, you are planting two trees. The resort has adopted the Miyawaki method and strategies to restore natural forests and grasslands. Till date, guests have successfully planted 45,000 trees and counting. They are planning to plant a total of 100 000 trees by 2027.
* As part of reducing the carbon footprint dramatically, on average 25% of the total energy requirements in the resort are met using solar energy.
* SpiceTree is 50% self-sufficient- its kitchen uses fresh, organic ingredients grown in their land. Nestled in the lush green hills of Munnar, their farm gives 100% organic produce consisting of a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and spices, that are cultivated using natural seeds and fertilizers. Incase of shortage, the products are sourced from the local farmers who follow organic means of cultivation. The goal is to become 100% self-sufficient in the near future.
More initiatives include:
* RO treated water is prepared in-house and filled in sterilized and reusable glass bottles
* Bamboo toothbrushes and organic toothpastes are provided.
* Herbal eco-friendly bathing amenities, both in packaging and content, are provided, the insect repellents made for indoor-outdoor use are certified non-toxic herbal solutions
* 99% of our light source comes from LED lamps
* Eco-friendly Construction and Design, ensuring that the sanctity of the land is fully respected
* Zero Waste Initiatives (food waste from restaurant is converted into manure, sewage water is treated and used for irrigation, use of plastic bags is minimized by using recyclable packaging products, plastic stationery products have been replaced with paper-based products...)
* zero-tolerance for noise pollution, to help sustain the pristine nature of the environment

Your tour will also include stays at several CGH Earth Hotels that offer tourism respectful of nature and local ethos, in search for new harmonies.
CGH Earth practises responsible tourism which includes environmental sensitivity, support for the local community and respect for the local ethos. They were the pioneers of this movement in India and continue to be the custodians, even after 60 years. The CGH Earth Hotels adopted the construction methods of the Ooralie tribe of Periyar and the fishermen of Mararikulum and made them their own.

CGH EARTH’s whole business model is based on sustainable and responsible tourism. Every thought and action is born out of this commitment to the environment and the local communities where it operates. The experiential character of its holidays does homage to nature and engages closely with local people and their cultures.

Some of the many initiatives include:
* Saying no to plastic: CGH bottle and serve purified rainwater in glass bottles that can be reused
* Keeping the lakes clean: as a mandatory practice, they do not discharge any waste from the boats into the lake and they work with local governing bodies to educate and spread the message of good environmental practices
* Preserving natural habitats - protecting fragile ecosystems, conserving local flora and fauna and taking measures to save water and energy
* Influenced by the native people of parts who have lived in harmony with their surroundings for generations, the CGH Earth hotel Spice Village for example adapt many self-sustaining systems. The roof of the cottages are thatched using elephant grass, in a unique way of Mannan tribes of Periyar.


Wildlife
The greenest state of India offers shelter to some of the best and rarest plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species. Naturally there are many wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala that have been developed to look after and preserve the wide variety of birds and animals.

During your stay in Kumarakom you will visit the Vembanad Lake, the largest fresh water lake in Asia located in Kottayam. Kottayam is a vast network of several rivers and canals that drains water into the large expanse of the Vembanad Lake. The lake supports the large variety of flora and fauna, from mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields and coconut groves to white lillies. You can also visit the famous Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary on the eastern bank of the Vembanad Lake.

Kumarakom, the clump of small islands on the Vembanad Lake, has launched a Responsible Tourism model, linking the local community to the hospitality industry and has won the national award for the best rural tourism project. Kerala Tourism’s “Responsible Tourism” model at Kumarakom also got the biggest international recognition when it was conferred the top United Nations Award, UNWTO Ulysses Award, for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance.

In general, Kerala has taken a deeper interest in increasing locally produced food and organic foods in the last years. The state is now meeting over 70% of its demand for vegetables on its own compared with just 20% a few years ago. Large tracts of land are now being converted for organic cultivation. Initiatives by government agencies, social organisations and farmers are all participating in what is becoming an organic farming revolution in Kerala, that will not only benefit the environment but also your health.

We believe that there are a thousand small ways to give back more than we take from the earth. We are trying to keep the extra unneeded waste to a minimum in all our tours and actively promote that our guides educate local families that they visit with you to do the same.

People

With your stay at SpiceTree, you are contributing to shaping the lives of many. SpiceTree is actively involved in initiatives that will transform the livelihoods of people and communities - 2.5% of its room revenue go to the Mother and Child Foundation. The Foundation is a humble abode for disadvantaged mothers and children seeking a place of love and warmth. Established in 2000, the charitable institution strives towards building a nurturing environment where education, medical care, and quality living are accessible to all.

Also the CGH resorts we select for you endeavor to employ people from local community, be it the naturalist who guides you through the wilderness or the therapist who rejuvenates your mind and body. CGH instituted community based programmes that helped rehabilitate poachers and smugglers. Local tribes were taught organic farming techniques, which helped them to prosper and preserve their way of life. CGH Earth have adopted the local culture and way of life as a form of respect for the local heritage and traditional modes of living. They set up market mechanisms such us purchasing produce from the local community only.

Local Culture
In Kochi, our experienced local guide will take you on a very special tour in Fort Cochin, providing you with rare and researched inisights about culture, heritage and spiritual history of the the city and its diverse buildings. We will take you for example to the oldest synagogue in all the Commonwealth of Nations, the Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1568. It is run by the last and only Jewish woman in India.

We will take you to the local fishermen suspended on Chinese fishing nets, introduced by Chinese explorers. It is a very unique and unusal method of fishing operated from the shore. Set up on bamboo and teak poles and held horizontally by huge mechanisms lowering them into the sea, they look like hammocks and are counter-weighed by large stones tied to ropes.

You also have the possibilitiy to witness a very special and sacred Kathakali dance, performed by the local dancers, which tells stories from the ancient Hindu epic – Ramayana and Mahabharata, and maybe a Kalari spectacle, demonstrating parts of the origin of Martial Arts.

On your boat ride or house boat visit on the serene lake Vembanad, you might be able to celebrate Onam (August-September), the most ancient Hindu festival, with a spectacular water regatta - the snake boat races. It is indeed amazing to watch oarsmen, at least a hundred in one boat, slice their way through the waters to the fast rhythm of their own full throated singing. All boats used for the races are home-made out of indigenous materials.

At Marari Beach, you can learn local & sustainable traditions by watching the fisherwomen using palm fronds to prepare sapling protectors, or the fascinating process of coir making, a wonder fibre that forms the basis of numerous items, from handbags to ropes to sandals to mattresses.

If you do want to shop, then we will take you to local collectives where local women of that very region craft there products and help keep the money earned in that very community.