Custom Holiday Planning
Built from your interests, not from a template. A genuinely custom Kerala holiday, designed from scratch around you, by a Ministry of Tourism approved tour operator in Kochi.
When a guest writes to us with their first email, we are not looking for which of our existing tours fits them best. We are listening for what they actually want, the kind of pace they enjoy, what their travelling companions are like, what they have already seen elsewhere in the world, what they want this particular holiday to feel like. The tour we eventually build for them comes from that conversation, not from a catalogue.
This is what tailor-made means at Green Earth Trails. Not three pre-set itineraries with two optional add-ons. A genuinely custom holiday, designed from scratch around you.
Our process
The word “tailor-made” is used loosely in the tour industry. For many operators, it means small adjustments to standard packages, switching a hotel, adding a half-day excursion, changing the duration by a day or two. The underlying template stays the same.
We work differently. Every itinerary we propose is built from the first conversation. The starting point is your interests, your travelling companions, the time you have, and the kind of holiday you want this to be. The destinations, the rhythm, the accommodations, the activities are chosen specifically for you, not pulled from a fixed list.
This is why we keep our team small and our guest numbers modest. Building each program properly takes time. We would rather plan thirty tours a year with depth than three hundred a year on autopilot.
Our process
The process is slower than booking a packaged tour. That is intentional.
Initial conversation. You write to us with whatever you have so far. It might be a clear plan or a vague idea. Either is fine. We will reply with questions that help us understand what you actually want from the trip. This is usually two or three rounds of email or WhatsApp.
Custom proposal. Once we have a sense of what suits you, Benjamin builds a draft itinerary. This includes day-by-day flow, accommodation suggestions at the price level you have indicated, transport arrangements, included activities and meals, and pricing.
Refinement. You read it, react, and tell us what to change. Most guests adjust two or three things at this stage, swap one hotel for another, add a day somewhere, remove an activity that does not appeal. Some make bigger changes. Either is fine.
Confirmation. Once the itinerary feels right, we send a formal proposal with final pricing, payment terms, and inclusions. A deposit confirms the booking and we hold all the reservations.
On-trip support. You have direct WhatsApp contact with Benjamin throughout your trip. If anything needs adjusting on the ground, we handle it from Kochi while you continue your holiday.
The whole planning conversation usually takes one to three weeks, depending on how much back-and-forth feels useful.
A few examples
Pricing
Tailor-made Kerala tours vary widely in price because they vary widely in design. Length matters, but accommodation choice usually matters more.
As a general guide, expect roughly USD 100 per person per day for a comfortable mid-range tour with quality accommodations, private transport, English-speaking guides, included activities, and most meals. This is the budget range that most of our European guests choose, and it produces an excellent quality of experience.
At the upper end, a luxury program using premium properties like the CGH Earth group, Taj, or boutique heritage hotels can reach USD 350 per person per day. The difference comes almost entirely from accommodation and dining standards. The underlying tour design, the guides, and the destinations remain similar.
Most ten-day to fourteen-day tours for two travellers fall somewhere between these brackets, depending on which properties are chosen along the way. We can show you specific pricing for each accommodation level once we understand your preferences.
We do not advertise the cheapest Kerala tours. Operators at the lowest price points achieve those rates by compromising on accommodation, vehicle standards, or guide quality. We focus on consistent quality at fair value.
Inclusions
A standard tailor-made tour from us includes:
What is typically not included: international flights, alcoholic beverages, tips, personal shopping, and optional extras you add on the trip. We are clear about exclusions in every proposal so there are no surprises.
Our approach
We are Ministry of Tourism approved (recognition number 201120252958) and GST registered. Benjamin John founded the company and continues to handle every guest enquiry personally. The person planning your trip is the same person you will speak to throughout, and the same person available to you on WhatsApp during your travels.
We operate our own fleet of vehicles – a Tata Winger Plus and two Kia Carens – with drivers employed directly by the company. We have direct relationships with hotels and guides across South India, built over more than a decade of operation. We do not pass guests through ground operators or aggregators.
We focus specifically on European and international inbound travellers. Our planning approach, our communication style, and our pace of work are shaped by that audience. We work with couples, families, small groups, and the occasional solo traveller, but rarely with large groups or rushed itineraries.
Start a conversation
If you have a clear plan, share it. If you have only an idea, that is fine too. We will help you shape it. We typically reply within a working day, sometimes sooner.
You can also message us on WhatsApp or write to hello@greenearthtrails.com.