Going on a tour to a distant land posses many challenges. The climate, people, and so on are usually the things that top the list. But transportation may be the most nagging problem than any other. Traveling from one place to another in a tourist destination is not an easy task. If you do not feel adventurous enough to drive to the location, you have to rely on public transport or taxi services. The availability of such facilities is not predictable in many tourist destinations. So getting to different places in time posses great difficulty.
In places like Kerala, where the public transport system is developed, you will have to face another problem. There will be numerous attractions in a tourist destination. They will not be so close as to walk, and finding public transport on each occasion is difficult and will result in losing valuable time. Also, if you do not like traveling in a public transport vehicle, you will be in a dilemma.
The Solution
Luckily, Kerala is a land with many facilities like rent-a-car, Uber, Ola, and so on. Many tour agencies also provide you with the transportation facilities on your Kerala tour package. You will have a chance to choose from the many options they present. If you are visiting places in cities like Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, or Kozhikode, you can prefer online taxi services like Uber and Ola. They will take you to different destinations at a reasonable price. But these services are not available in rural areas.
If you are interested in driving through Kerala on your own, there are many taxi and rent-a-car companies providing great service. They will have a plethora of options from which you can choose from.
Most of the taxi service providers give you options like
Budget vehicles – If you are trying to cut the cost while on your Kerala tour, you can choose from a range of small budget cars. It will be fit for a family of four or five. Mostly the cars will be from the makers Maruti, as it is one of the most preferred among budget vehicles. The commonly available cars in this class are Maruti Swift Dezire, Ford Aspire, Mahindra Verito, and so on.
If you prefer a much bigger car you can choose from options like Maruti Ertiga, Chevrolet Tavera, Mahindra Xylo, Chevrolet Enjoy, and so forth.
Premium Vehicles – If you prefer comfort above money, you can choose from premium class. Most taxi services in Kerala have cars from this category. You will find brands like Mercedes Benz E class, C-class, BMW 5 series, Honda Accord among others. You can go for this if luxury is your preference.
If you need a seven-seater SUV, you can choose vehicles like Toyota Innova, Toyota Fortuner that most rent-a-car companies provide
Coaches – If you are traveling as a big group, you might need a bigger vehicle for your Kerala tour. It provides you much more space and comfort. You can find budget coaches and luxury ones. Luxury coaches provide you with Air conditioning, great music systems, and reclining seats. There are small coaches with 14 seats to big ones with 49 seats. So depending on the size of your group, you can choose the right one.
Rates
The rate of car rentals depends on many factors. The make of the vehicle, number of days you need it for, whether you need a chauffeur or not are all deciding aspects. So it depends on your choice
Most people prefer someone to drive them through the destinations as they can relax and enjoy the sights rather than stressing themselves out. Also, the risk of maintenance is avoided. But you have to pay extra for a driver.
Nevertheless, there is a universal standard in the rates. Usually, it ranges from Rs 1000 per day for low-end budget cars to Rs 3500 per day for luxury ones. The first 100 kilometers is covered at that rate. For every additional kilometer above 100, you have to pay between 10 to 20 rupees depending on the kind of vehicle.
If you find the rates high, you can insist on the tour operator to arrange the service for you. They can get you better deals and even make it part of the package tour to Kerala.
Enjoy the trip
So the bottom line is you don't need to take your car while you are on a package tour in Kerala. There are several taxi and rental services that you can choose the right vehicle at a reasonable rate. Many tour operators are willing to give you good discounts if you prefer a vehicle while on their Kerala tour package.
Hence you don't have to worry about transport. Leave it to the taxi service providers in Kerala or your tour operator. Then just sit back and enjoy the great experience that the tour provides