Royal Heritage Tour of Tripunithura

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Summary

Make your own way to the Hill Palace Museum in Tripunithura (pronounced as Thri-pooni-thoora) where you meet your guide. Start with a walking tour of the Hill Palace, which was constructed about 150 years ago for the rajahs who ruled over Kochi. Today the palace has become a museum filled with portraits and antiques that belong to the royal family. Learn from your guide about the lavish lifestyles of the Kochi royalty, and hear interesting details such as why the local rulers declined to wear jewel-studded gold crown that was a gift from King Emmanuel of Portugal, and the controversy surrounding the sale of treasures to build a railway line. After taking in the Hill Palace, follow your guide to the nearby century-old residence of the royal family. Tour the residence — a modest, traditional Kerala home — then meet members of the current royal family and have high tea. Your final destination of the tour is the Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, where your tour ends.

Tour info

Duration
2 hours - 3 hours
Group Size
Pricing (From)
Commentary
Meeting Point
Dropoff location

Why take this tour?

A common feedback from all our visitors has been that getting to meet a local family, in this case members of the Royal Family, is the most memorable part of their trip. While some conversations are about how the family reacts to their non-royal status today, most conversations are around day to day happenings in Kochi/Kerala and also about the country of the visitor. It is like meeting with friends whom you have not been in touch with for a long time, and this a happy reunion. The host family is well travelled and well educated which makes the conversation so much more enriching. The local history of the family and that of the city of Kochi/Kerala sets the tone for the meet with the family. Visitors also get to spend good time in a part of Kochi that is hardly visited by tourists, both foreign as well as domestic.

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What’s included?

  • Local guide

  • Tea/Coffee/Refreshing Drink

  • Light refreshments

  • Entry/Admission - Hill Palace Museum

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

  • Gratuities

Things to know

Before you book

  • Duration: 2-3 hours

  • Mobile tickets accepted

Covid Policy

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience

Our hosts and storytellers/guides are fully vaccinated.

Cancellation Policy

    For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Operator Website

Operated by:

The Traveling Gecko

About operator:

The story of Cochin is also the story of the Cochin Royal Family. One among three major royal dynasties of Kerala, the Cochin Royal Family played a significant role in shaping Kerala’s history, both past and present. While narrating the fascinating story of the royal family, the trail also aims to create awareness, both within the family and outside, the alarming pace at which the Family and the City is losing its heritage. On this trail we explore the origins of the Royal Family and the rise and fall in their fortunes with the arrival of the Europeans before their eventual merger with the Indian Union. We look at their role in developing the modern city of Kochi and their contributions in the field of art, culture, language, education and medicine. We start with the Hill Palace, the last seat of power of the Cochin Rajahs, now a Museum, before moving to the residential quarters of the royal family that radiates around the family temple and showcases some of the best in traditional and colonial architecture. High-tea with present day members of the family at their private residence is how we bring the trail to an end. Please Note: “Palace” in a Kerala context is very different from what you would see in Mysore or Rajasthan. The interaction with the royal family will be an informal one.

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  • 11 reviews

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