Our Western Ghats vacations & tours

Running through five peninsula states, the mighty Western Ghats might not reach the giddy elevations of other parts of South Asia, but they boast impressive diversity – including almost a third of the world’s Asian elephants. Our Western Ghats vacations might find you wildlife watching in Periyar National Park or the Nilgiri Hills, where high altitude endemic birdlife flits between the trees. Alternatively, go trekking – our multi day treks in the Western Ghats are a great way to see how rolling grassland gives way to cloud forest. Our vacations to the Western Ghats use local guides to enhance your experience – and by visiting and purchasing chai and snacks from the area’s tribal communities as you go, you can help support the people in this region.

Our top Western Ghats vacations

Golden Triangle & Kerala vacation, India

From £2418 to £2812
17 days ex flights
Best of Golden Triangle & Kerala, a perfect intro to India

Western Ghats walking tour in India

From £550
5 days ex flights
Rain Forest trek through bio-diverse Western Ghats, India

Kerala birdwatching vacations, Western Ghats

From US $1540
8 days ex flights
An endemic birding tour through the Western Ghats of India

Walking and cycling vacation in Kerala, India

From £890
8 days ex flights
Walking and cycling through Kerala forests and grasslands

Nilgiri Hills nature and indigenous culture vacation, India

From £1750 to £2300
14 days ex flights
Off the beaten track in stunning Western Ghats
Small group2026: 1 Dec

Southern India small group vacation

From US $1860 to US $2550
14 days ex flights
Discover the two southern most states of India
Small group2026: 20 Sep, 11 Oct, 25 Oct, 1 Nov, 8 Nov, 15 Nov, 6 Dec, 20 Dec, 2027: 10 Jan, 17 Jan, 24 Jan, 31 Jan, 7 Feb, 21 Feb, 28 Feb, 7 Mar, 14 Mar, 21 Mar, 28 Mar, 2 Apr, 11 Apr, 19 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct, 31 Oct, 7 Nov, 14 Nov, 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 2028: 9 Jan, 16 Jan, 23 Jan, 30 Jan, 6 Feb, 13 Feb, 20 Feb, 27 Feb, 5 Mar, 12 Mar, 19 Mar, 26 Mar, 2 Apr, 9 Apr, 16 Apr, 24 Sep, 1 Oct, 8 Oct, 15 Oct ...

Kerala in depth tour

From £1649
16 days ex flights
Kerala vacation with awesome activity & brilliant experiences

South India walking, culture & wildlife vacation, India

From US $2120
11 days ex flights
Feel South India through walking, nature & culture

North and South India grand tour, 30 days

From £4600 to £5500
4 weeks ex flights
The Very Best of India In Style
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Western Ghats map & highlights

You’ll need at least two weeks to get your head around the Western Ghats, although you can make do with a week if you’re concentrating on a specialist subject like birding or cycling. Kochi (Kerala) and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) are popular starting points. Some tours can last up to a month, traveling from Mumbai to Kochi in a series of flights, hikes, safaris and rail trips. They sometimes even bolt on an extra week for a Golden Triangle tour, Goa beach break or Kerala houseboat cruise. Most of our Western Ghats vacations are tailor made, so you can choose which kind of accommodation you’d prefer, too.
Cardamom Hills

1. Cardamom Hills

You’ll smell the woodsy forests of the Cardamom Hills before you see them. The deepest cardamom groves look practically prehistoric, alternately protected and farmed along this border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. You might spot pepper and coffee being grown under the misty canopy, too. Thanks to the smooth roads snaking between the spice and tea hills here, the Cardamom Hills are the stomping (or freewheeling) ground of cyclists.
Kodagu (Coorg)

2. Kodagu (Coorg)

The Kodagu district in Karnataka is one of the lesser-visited tea regions of the Western Ghats. Hike the 1,748m up to Tadiandamol Peak via coffee plantations and pharmacy forests; Ayurvedic medicine is big here. Meet the Kodava people, who have been here for over 1,000 years. Or head south-east to peek at the Bengal tigers, elephants, langur monkeys and 250 bird species in Nagarhole National Park.
Mumbai

3. Mumbai

There’s Mumbai and then there’s Mumbai. Hop on a city tour to see the colonial cluster of the Gateway of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station and the National Gallery of Modern Arts. And then get exploring yourself to fully realise the gamut of backstreet bazaars, hipster hangouts, restaurants and film studios that jigsaw the city. It’s a good place to start before easing away to the cool Western Ghats.
Munnar

4. Munnar

A one-time hill station for the British Raj, Munnar perches in the cool cloud forests of Kerala, a picturesque landscape dotted with interesting tea museums, guest houses and lakeside viewpoints. Hop north-east to the Kannan Devan Hills, where mist wraps around archaic churches. Or cycle through waterfall-threaded eucalyptus forests to Kodaikanal (2,133m), the ‘island in the sky’.
Nilgiri Hills

5. Nilgiri Hills

The Nilgiri Hills mark where the Western Ghats step down into the Eastern Ghats. A biosphere reserve, they contain some of the world’s most species-rich forest. Up to 10,000 Asian elephants plod the paths – that’s the largest population on the planet. And 10 percent of the world’s tigers stalk the grasslands. The Blue Mountain Railway chugs through it all, through tea hills, tunnels, and up to the hill station Ootacamund (Ooty).
Periyar National Park

6. Periyar National Park

From flowering grasslands and river valleys to evergreen forest and lakes – the medley of landscapes in Periyar National Park tempts in a huge variety of animals. In fact, about half the endemic species in peninsular India settle here. Leopards, tigers, elephants, mammoth gaur oxen and 320-plus bird species are residents, including punky chestnut-winged cuckoos and Asian fairy-bluebirds.

Our Western Ghats vacations reviews

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Judith Brown16 Apr 2026
A great way to see this region, getting out into the wilds and experiencing the sights and sounds of the jungle. Our guide Satheesh and our driver Manu were both excellent and very willing to share their extensive knowledge of the local area and customs. read more
Carolyn Ryan11 Mar 2026
We enjoyed all of it, from the stunning temples and palaces to the rural village life.read more
Xavier Vrigneau22 Feb 2026
5 stars, affordable and brilliant for variety of species and expert guidanceread more
Lee Lee18 Feb 2026
We had a fantastic week in the western Ghats, amazing scenery and wildlife, and the tour made it very easy and relaxing for us. read more
Photo credits: [Page banner: Prateek Rungta] [Cardamom Hills: Marc Shandro] [Kodagu (Coorg): RN Satyanarayana rao] [Mumbai: Jacek Reszko] [Munnar: Raj] [Nilgiri Hills: Yathin S Krishnappa] [Periyar National Park: Ramprasad T]