Beginning — The Green Heart of India
Kerala, which means “God’s Own Country,” is a world-famous paradise with lush green landscapes, calm backwaters, and a lot of wildlife. This narrow strip of land on India’s southwestern coast is a sensory overload of air that smells like spices, tea plantations that roll, and water that gently laps. But this beauty comes with a lot of responsibility. Kerala was one of the first places in the world to understand this, and it became a leader in Sustainable and Responsible Tourism.
This isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a goal for the whole state. For people who travel, this means that Kerala offers a one-of-a-kind chance: the chance to have a stunning, immersive vacation that helps the land and the people who make it so special. This guide will help you get there. We’ll talk about how to responsibly glide through the backwaters, hike the misty hills of Munnar, and connect with a culture that is both deep and well-preserved.
The Tarzan Way brings immersive storytelling journeys to life, letting you dive deep into the heart of Kerala’s green getaway and turning your trip into a story of connection, respect, and adventure that you’ll never forget.
Key Takeaways
- More than “Eco-Friendly”: Learn about Kerala’s pioneering “Responsible Tourism Mission,” a world-class model that ensures tourism benefits local communities, preserves cultural heritage, and protects the environment.
- The Right Way to Visit Iconic Places: Find out how to visit important places in a responsible way, like by choosing eco-friendly houseboats in Alleppey and hiking in Munnar in a way that doesn’t harm the environment.
- Wildlife & Community: Thekkady (Periyar) is a great example of community-based wildlife conservation, and Wayanad is a great place to see how agriculture and tourism can work together with tribal culture.
- Cultural Immersion: Get to know Kerala’s rich history on a deeper level by watching an old Theyyam ritual or learning the martial art of Kalaripayattu.
- Your toolkit for being eco-friendly: Find out what to pack, where to eat, and how to find a real homestay in Kerala so you can be a responsible traveler.
- Travel Responsibly: Learn why staying in certified homestays, eating at Kudumbashree canteens, and hiring local guides is the best way to directly help the local economy.
01. Learning about Kerala’s “Responsible Tourism Mission”
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You should know why Kerala is a leader in sustainable travel before you even book a flight. The state started its “Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission” in 2008. This was a new policy based on three main ideas:
- Economic Responsibility: Making sure that money from tourism stays in the community, creating jobs, and helping local businesses.
- Social Responsibility: Respecting and keeping the culture, traditions, and social fabric of the area.
- Environmental Responsibility: Taking care of the natural environment—the backwaters, hills, and wildlife—that tourism needs to survive.
It’s not just a government policy; it’s a network that lives and breathes. You can see it in the Kudumbashree women who run cafes and homestays. Kudumbashree is a mission to empower women and end poverty. When you hire a guide from the village, you’ll see it. You are helping to make tourism a force for good by choosing to travel to Kerala.
02. Alleppey Backwater Cruise: A Quiet and Responsible Trip
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The backwaters of Alleppey (Alappuzha) are what people think of when they think of Kerala. A slow cruise on a traditional houseboat (kettuvallam) is something you should do before you die. But the huge popularity of houseboats has also caused problems like too many tourists and pollution in the water. To make a visit last, you need to think about it more.
A houseboat is a classic way to get around, but it’s not the only one. For a more personal and eco-friendly experience, think about:
- Getting a Shikara (small boat) or canoe: This lets you see the smaller, quieter canals that houseboats can’t get to, which brings you closer to village life.
- Staying in a Homestay: Stay in a family-run homestay by a canal. You can go on day trips on the water and eat, and stay with real locals.
If you have to rent a houseboat, be a smart shopper. Ask your operator if they have a septic tank, how they deal with trash, if they have a no-plastic policy, and if they use solar power.
Advice for Travelers
- Don’t use plastic bags once. The backwaters are a delicate ecosystem.
- Buy from nearby stores. Buy snacks and crafts from small, family-run stores along the canals.
- Tell your boat crew to turn off the engine and use the old-fashioned pole to steer. This will cut down on noise and pollution in the water.
Quick Facts
- Alappuzha District is where it is.
- Best Time to Go: November to February (when it’s cool and dry)
- A canoe tour of the smaller canals is a fun and eco-friendly activity.
- Don’t Miss: Eating a traditional Keralan meal (sadhya) made with fresh, local ingredients.
03. Munnar Eco-Friendly Adventures: Enjoying the Beauty of Nature
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Munnar, a former British hill station, is a beautiful place with rolling tea plantations and mountains that are often covered in mist. Because it is so beautiful, it is a great place for hikers and nature lovers. But this fragile ecosystem at a high altitude is also fragile.
Being eco-friendly on an adventure here means being careful. This Involves:
- Guided hikes: Get a guide from the area. They can take you to beautiful viewpoints, tea plantations (with permission), and hidden waterfalls, all while making sure you stay on marked trails and don’t disturb the environment.
- Eravikulam National Park: Go to the park, but be polite. The Nilgiri Tahr, a rare mountain goat that is in danger of going extinct, lives there. There is no plastic in the park.
- Visits to Tea Factories: Visit a nearby factory to learn how tea is made. When you pay the entry fee, you help the local tea industry.
Advice for Travelers
- Always have a water bottle that you can use again.
- Don’t pick flowers or tea leaves. Don’t change anything.
- Before you take pictures of tea plantation workers, ask them first.
Quick Facts
- Place: Idukki District
- The best time to go is from September to March, after the monsoon.
- Height: About 1,600 meters (5,200 feet)
- The Neelakurinji flower blooms once every 12 years, so you have to see it. The next one will be in 2030.
04. Thekkady and Periyar: A Good Example of How to Protect Wildlife
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Thekkady is a great place to see sustainable tourism in action. The Periyar Tiger Reserve, which is one of the best-managed wildlife reserves in India, is located there. Its Community-Based Ecotourism program is what sets it apart.
Local villagers and former poachers run the park’s programs, which include guided hikes and bamboo rafting. They have been retrained to be expert guides and protectors of the forest. This model has worked to lower poaching, protect the forest, and give the people who live there a direct interest in conservation.
Things to Do That Are Good for You:
- Guided Nature Walks and Cloud Walks: Go through the jungle with a trained guide and learn about the plants and animals.
- Bamboo Rafting: A full-day trip that includes hiking and rafting on a traditional bamboo raft on Periyar Lake.
- Spice Plantation Tours: Take a guided walk through a local organic farm to learn about Kerala’s “cash crops,” which are cardamom, pepper, vanilla, and cloves.
Advice for Travelers
- Don’t ride elephants. This is a type of tourism that takes advantage of people. You can either go to a “no-ride” sanctuary or just watch them in the wild.
- Book your activities in Periyar ahead of time online because they are very popular and have limited slots to keep the impact low.
Quick Facts
- Where: Idukki District
- The best time to go is from October to February.
- Asiatic elephants are the most important animals, but tigers, sambar, and gaur are also important.
- Don’t Miss: The Periyar Bamboo Rafting is a one-of-a-kind, all-day adventure in the wild.
05. Wayanad: Tribal Heritage and Agri-Tourism
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Wayanad is a less crowded district in northern Kerala that is full of rice fields, spice plantations, and thick forests. Agri-tourism is at the heart of its sustainable tourism model.
- Stay on a Farm: Pick a homestay or eco-resort that is on a working coffee, tea, or spice plantation. This is a chance to learn about organic farming and how to live in harmony with the seasons.
- Take a hike to the Edakkal Caves, which are 8,000 years old and have petroglyphs, or to the beautiful Soochipara Falls.
- Respectful Cultural Visits: Wayanad is home to some of Kerala’s native tribal groups. The RT Mission has helped set up programs where you can visit a village with a local guide, learn about their way of life, and buy their crafts right there.
Travel Tips
- When you go to a farm, buy spices like cardamom and pepper right there. You won’t find anything fresher.
- The hike to the Edakkal Caves is hard. Put on good shoes and get there early to avoid the heat.
Quick Facts
- Wayanad District is where it is.
- The best time to go is from October to April.
- Famous for: Coffee, spices, the Edakkal Caves, and waterfalls
- A homestay on a coffee or spice plantation is a sustainable stay.
06. Cultural experiences that are deep and respectful
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One of Kerala’s main goals is to protect its cultural heritage. You can interact with this old culture in ways that are both real and respectful as a visitor.
- Kalaripayattu: See a show of the oldest martial art in the world.
- Kathakali: Watch a traditional all-night dance-drama that tells epic stories through complicated makeup and facial expressions, or a shorter, more tourist-friendly show.
- If you go to North Kerala (Malabar) between November and April, you might be able to see a Theyyam ritual. This is a strong, trance-inducing ritual dance that is not a show for tourists. It is a raw, spiritual experience.
- Take a cooking class: Sign up for a cooking class with a family in your area. It’s a tasty way to learn about a culture, help a family directly, and bring home a new skill.
07. Your Long-Term A Traveler’s Toolkit: A “How-To” Book
It’s not hard to be a responsible tourist in Kerala. It only takes a few choices that you make on purpose.
| Category | Actionable Tip |
| Stay | Choose Homestays. Opt for RT Mission-certified or Green-certified homestays. You’ll get an authentic experience and your money goes directly to a local family. |
| Eat | Eat at Kudumbashree Canteens. These are small, local restaurants run by the women’s self-help network, serving cheap, delicious, and hygienic local food. |
| Pack | Bring a Reusable Water Bottle. Avoid buying plastic bottles. Kerala’s tap water is often not potable, but most hotels and homestays provide filtered water for refills. |
| Shop | Buy from Local Artisans. Instead of cheap souvenirs, buy handloom fabrics, coir products, or spices directly from co-operatives or producers. |
| Act | Hire Local Guides. For treks, village tours, or cultural explanations, a local guide is invaluable. You get a richer experience, and they get a fair wage. |
| Respect | Dress Modestly. This is especially true when visiting temples or rural villages. Cover your shoulders and knees. Always ask permission before photographing people. |
FAQs
Q: What is the goal of Responsible Tourism (RT) in Kerala?
A: Kerala’s official state policy, which started in 2008, is to make sure that tourism is good for the environment, society, and economy of the areas where it happens. It’s one of the best examples of sustainable tourism in the world.
Q: Do houseboats in Alleppey hurt the environment?
A: Yes, they can be. Unregulated houseboats can make a lot of noise and pollute the water. If you want to be a responsible tourist, pick an operator that doesn’t use plastic, has a good waste management system, and uses solar power. Or, choose a canoe or shikara ride that is better for the environment.
Q: What is a Kudumbashree?
A: Kudumbashree is the mission of the Kerala government to empower women and get rid of poverty. You can help them by eating at their canteens, staying in their homestays, or buying their goods.
Q: What is the best “green destination” in Kerala for animals?
A: Thekkady (Periyar Tiger Reserve) is the best example. It’s a world-class example of community-based conservation because your tourism money goes directly to conservation and the local community.
Q: What can I do to be a good tourist in Munnar?
A: Stay on marked trails, don’t leave trash (this is a plastic-free zone), hire local guides for hikes, and keep your distance from the wildlife, especially the Nilgiri Tahr.
Glossary
- Kettuvallam: A traditional Keralan houseboat made of wood, coir, and bamboo that doesn’t have any nails to hold it together.
- Backwaters: A 900-km-long chain of canals, rivers, lakes, and inlets that are all connected to each other and run parallel to the Arabian Sea coast.
- Kudumbashree is Kerala’s mission to empower women. The name means “prosperity of the family.”
- Kalaripayattu is an old martial art from Kerala that is thought to be one of the oldest fighting styles still in use today.
- Theyyam: A vibrant and mystical ritualistic dance form from North Kerala, where performers are believed to embody the divine.
- Nilgiri Tahr: This mountain goat is endangered and can only be found in the Nilgiri Hills (Eravikulam National Park is where it lives).
Conclusion: The Journey Deeper
“Sustainable tourism” is not a restriction in Kerala; it is an invitation. It’s a chance to go deeper, to eat with a family in their home, to learn the secrets of a spice-filled forest from a local guide, and to see ancient customs that are still alive and well. You will learn that the most responsible way to travel is also the most real and enjoyable.
You become part of Kerala’s amazing story—a story of respect, strength, and a deep, abiding love for the land—when you choose to be a mindful traveler. When you’re ready to visit this green escape, let The Tarzan Way (TTW) take you on an immersive journey that will connect you to the real heart of “God’s Own Country.”
