only 4 days in Kerala..Can I do it all???

I'm taking the (night?)train to Kochi from Goa,arriving in Kochi on the 23rd of February 09. I'm flying onward from Kochi on the 27th so I'll only be staying in Kerala for 4 days. I'd like to see the Periyar wildlife sanctuary, take a (day) boatride to the backwaters and if I'm extra-lucky, even squeeze in a few elephants! (There's a training centre somewhere, right?)
Is it impossible to do all these things in such a short period of time, and how much does it cost to get to (and do stuff in) the sanctuary?Should I spend a night there?
I know I should stay longer but this is all I can manage on this particular trip. I guess I only need one day to see Kochi (take pictures of the fishing nets etc, I'm not big on museums) but are the other places too far to visit?
Thanks for all your help, can't wait for my big trip to start already!!!

Ignoring the shopping of Ernakalum, you can 'do' the main tourist sites of Kochi in half a day. They are not far apart, and it won;t be relaxing, but neither will it be too rushed. The synagogue has limited open days.

Kochi am & lunch, pm car to Periyar, stay overnight.

day 2: Boat journey on Periyar lake, hopefully including seeing elephants! stay overnight:

day 3: starting very early, take car to Kottyam or Kumerakom, and take motor launch to Alleppey, arriving evening. Stay overnight.

day 4: depart to Kochi airport.

...Just an idea! One of our kerala members is sure to be able to do better.

afterthought.

Day two would leave you with a free afternoon. Either relax, or you could head for the water without spending a second night in the same place. This would give you the opportunity to maybe spend that night on a houseboat, and take a houseboat cruise to Alleppey the next day.

Sounds great, thanks!!

I just realized that as I haven't booked a train yet (I'll try to get one a few days before,risky I know..), so I don't even have to start in Kochi but can leave that to last day before my flight!
So, train from Goa to..? How much is the bamboo raft thing in Periyar?How about getting around? Any buses etc. or should I take a taxi everytime?
Wow,planning a trip is so confusing..I just want to get everything done so I can just relax on my trip (which will be round-the-world, 4months, so you can imagine how stressed I am at this point..)

With so little time to spare, I think you should do everything by car.

I last visited Periyar in 2003, and it was a package, albeit tailor-made, so I cannot say about what individual items cost. We went on a larger boat, and although they say that these scare the animals away, we were happy with what we did see. There is also the possibility of early-morning treks; we had one booked, but failed to get up for it

Really risky, especially if you need to travel on a special day... why don't you prebook?

Ok I will definitely try to prebook the train, now that I have an idea on my itinerary. I'm just horrified about the whole process, having visited the site once (got dizzy!). I hope I can get an e-ticket as i haven't booked a place to stay in Goa yet. (Or can I have the tickets delivered to Delhi/Mumbai where I will have prebooked hostels?)

I think my 4 days in Kerala will look something like this:
1.day: Arrive in Kochi, take in the sights.Take a cab to Periyar.
2.day: Take a morning safari in Periyar, enjoy the scenery and take a cab back to Kochi in the evening.
3.day:Take a cab to Kodanad in the early morning (don't wanna miss the bath!) and be back in Kochi in the evening.
4.day: Take a minicruise in the backwaters (8.30am-6pm???)
My flight leaves at 11.45 the next day so I think I'll head straight to the airport.

Is there a place to leave my backpack for the first day? Trainstation for example,and how safe is it? Not really looking forward to carrying (by then at least 15kg) all my stuff around all day..

Take a car to take you around for that first day.

No... take the same car that is going to Periyar for you, and include the Kochi siteseeing! The pack will be safe locked in the back.

It was Rs1000 per head in May when we did it. It is a whole day programme. http://periyartigerreserve.org/html/bamboorafting.htm has more details. Not that many people book for it so you need to let them know at least a day in advance, your hotel can do this for you or you can call and reserve in advance. We were the only two on our trip.

Ideally, you should stay inside the sanctuary, there are 3 hotels all run by the KTDC ktdc.com for rates, bookings etc. If you do not have time for the bamboo rafting, at least do the morning boat ride and a nature walk.

It is most convenient if you have a taxi at your disposal for your trip, budget permitting, it is well worth the extra for the flexibility and comfort it affords.

what time is dusk in February? I'd ideally like to get back to Cochin by the same evening so I'll be ready for a backwater trip the next morning. Or is that impossible?How long is the ride and how much should I expect to pay a taxidriver (for getting me there and back and hanging out for 1 night and day while I'm in the park)
And again, anyone who'd like to tag along to Periyar on the 23-24 of Feb, let me know!

We are close enough to the equator in Southern India for the day length to be almost the same all year: it will be dark around 6.30pm

hi i am due to arrive i Kerala for only four days- how do u add a new thread so i can post my itinerary and ask for suggestions? thanks so much i am new here!

Click on Forums on the top of the page just below where you see IndiaMike.com Now select Kerala under states or if you come down you will see India Travel Advice. After you clicj on wither of the options the page will open. On top of the window you will see a New Thread button. Click on it and create your thread.

Thank u ever so much!