Passage through Kerala

Day 1 London or Manchester to Cochin, India.

Fly by scheduled indirect flight.

Day 2 Cochin.

Arrive today in Cochin, a bustling multicultural port city where synagogues, mosques, churches and temples sit side by side. The city became an important centre for spices in the 14th century with local merchants trading in black pepper and cardamom with the Arabs, Dutch, Portuguese and Chinese. On arrival we transfer to the Brunton Boatyard Hotel and the remainder of the day and evening is free to acclimatise.

Day 3 Cochin.

Spend the morning on a walking tour of Mattancherry, the bustling part of Old Fort Cochin and the epicentre of the spice trade for centuries. Mattancherry is also home to a small Jewish community whose origin dates back nearly 2,000 years, during the period of King Solomon. Our touring today reveals Kochi’s multi-layered past, a rich brew of Arab, Portuguese, British, and Dutch influences. We begin with the Dutch Palace and St Francis Church, India’s first European church (ca. 1510), famed as the original burial site of Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama who died in Kochi in 1524. We conclude our day with a visit to the picturesque Chinese fishing nets unique to Cochin. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Cochin to Thekkady.

Depart today for Thekkady (approx. four hours), home to a lush landscape of spice plantations and tea gardens. Keralan history is closely linked with its commerce, which in turn was wholly dependent until recent times on its spice trade. Kerala was known for its spices and traders travelled here to trade and to gain control over this rich land. En-route we stop at the small laidback town of Kottayam and stroll along Meenachil River where we can visit the old churches, ‘Cheriya Palli (means small Church)’, ‘Valiya Palli (means main Church)’, and an ancient mosque. After lunch we continue our journey to Thekkady and check in to the Spice Village Hotel with a chance to relax before dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 5 Periyar National Park.

After an early breakfast we explore the Periyar National Park where we will use local boats to see the wild animals in their natural habitat. Periyar Tiger Reserve is part of the World Heritage Site “Western Ghats” under UNESCO and is well known for its unique and diverse flora and fauna which includes Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, sambar, gaur, leopard, Indian wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, monitor lizards and a variety of birds and reptile species. After our safari we will take lunch at the resort and this afternoon is free to relax or maybe join the in-house naturalist to see the amazing flora, fauna and eco activities that are carried out at the resort. You will also be shown around the organic farm where you can experience vegetables being harvested. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Kerala Spice Plantation.

This morning we will visit a neighbouring spice plantation and cardamom grading centre. The naturalist guide and planter will walk us through the plantation providing details on the flora and fauna whilst the scent of the spices mingles with the fresh mountain air. This is the starting point of the centuries-old spice trade and that delicious flavour which makes such a difference to foods worldwide. Return to the hotel for lunch and this evening you can join an interactive cooking demonstration with the resort’s chef to learn how to cook with these local spices. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Thekaddy to Alleppey.

Drive this morning to Alleppey (approx. four hours) where we board the RV Vaikundam. Arriving in time for a traditional lunch on board we will have a chance to relax as we begin our journey cruising the backwaters. This afternoon we will drop anchor at Kanjippadom, where we can explore the village before visiting the boat building yard. Here we learn about the traditional method of wooden boat building of joining wooden planks with coir, cotton, and a natural resin known as Kettuvallom. (B, L, D)

Day 8 Mannar, Karumadi & Thottappalli.

After breakfast, we will board a vehicle for the short drive to visit an ancient sacred grove. The sacred groves are patches of green eco-systems which shelter exotic flora, and fauna, including snakes and other reptiles. Keralan people consider snakes as messengers of mythical and divine serpents, and therefore sacred groves are revered as places of worship of serpents. The divinity of sacred groves is preserved by performing appropriate rituals regularly and they are protected by the local communities from being encroached or destroyed. Later we continue to the ancient village of Mannar which is famous for its bell metal craft. Visiting a workshop we can see the casting of traditional lamps, bells and cauldrons using fine clay found on the banks of the waterways. Return to the boat for lunch as we sail to the quaint village of Karumadi. We will take a walk around a small shrine preserving the ruins of a sculpture of Buddha that dates back to the 11th century, made of solid black granite. We will overnight in Thottappalli where we can take an evening walk to the beach. (B, L, D)

Day 9 Thottappalli & Changankari.

After breakfast we will enjoy a leisurely walk in the village before we plant a sapling of coconut. The coconut tree is considered as ‘Kalpavriksha’ or the divine tree of Kerala because all of its parts are useful in one way or another: the water inside is a healthy drink; the fresh kernel and the oil extract from dried kernel are inevitable components of South Indian cuisine; fibre from the coconut husk is used to make coir, mats and geotextile; the palm fronds are used for thatching roof; the wood is suitable for making furniture and all the dried parts of coconut make good firewood. Last, but not least, the toddy and alcoholic beverage is made from the tree sap. The rest of the day is spent cruising and we will have an informative lecture by an Ayurveda doctor to learn about this 5,000-year old science of life. This evening we drop anchor in the remote village of Changankari. (B, L, D)

Day 10 Changankari, Champakkulam & Mankompu.

Drive this morning to Aranmula, famous for its unique metal mirrors. The technical know-how behind the making of these mirrors, whose distinct feature is 100% reflection, is confined to only some households of master craftsmen. These mirrors are unique to this region and are yet to be replicated anywhere else in the world. Later visit the ancient temple of Lord Krishna, Aranmula Sree Parthasarthy Temple. After lunch at a beautiful house of a local family, situated along the bank of Pampa River, we continue our cruise to Champakkulam which was settled more than 1,000 years ago by Syrian Christian traders, who later converted to Roman Catholicism under the Portuguese. We will visit St Mary’s Church, one of the oldest churches in Kerala, which is believed to be one of the seven established by St Thomas in 427 AD. (B, L, D)

Day 11 Mankompu, Kainakari & Kavalam.

Spend time cruising through the narrow canals towards Chavara Bhavan, the ancestral home of Saint Kuriakose Chavara which is now preserved as a museum. Saint Chavara, the first canonised Catholic male saint of Indian origin, was the co-founder of the first congregation for men, the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I), and of a similar one for women, Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (C.M.C.) and dedicated his life to the upliftment of the poor. After lunch on board we cruise to Kavalam, where the river reverses its course and drains into Lake Vembanad. As we cruise, along the way we interact with toddy tappers working on the banks of the waterways. (B, L, D)

Day 12 Kavalam & Kumarakom.

Early this morning, the keen birders can join a local boat to watch the migratory and endemic birds of Kumarakom that habitate this rich wetland ecosystem. Later this morning we visit the house of a Syrian Christian family for a hosted lunch. The house is located on an island which was made by the men of the house, by reclaiming land from Backwaters. We will have the chance to walk around the farm before our hosts prepare a traditional Syrian Christian meal and tell the story of their family, three generations of laborious men and equally strong women who supported their pioneering spirit. Return to our boat and cruise to Thanneermukkom barrage, built across Vembanad, the largest lake of Kerala, that divides the lake into two; one half with perennial salty water and the other with fresh water enriched by rivers. Relax on board, enjoying the gentle breeze, vastness and serenity of the majestic lake. (B, L, D)

Day 13 Kumarakom, Chenganda & Vaikom.

Today we sail to Chenganda village where we will have an opportunity to interact with coir weavers, shell harvesters and farmers before continuing our journey to the ancient village of Vaikom. We will take a short walk to visit the cultural centre to watch a Kathakali performance. Created over 300 years ago Kathakali originated in Kerala and combines devotion, drama, dance, music, costumes and make up into a divine experience. It retells the great stories of the past, mostly from Indian epics, and leaves one spellbound at the various intricacies involved in the performance. Every single quiver of the lips, flicker of the eyes or movement involving the fingers twirling, has great significance. Return to the ship for our farewell dinner on board. (B, L, D)

Day 14 Maradu, Nettoor & Cochin.

Disembark this morning in Maradu and drive to the nearby village Nettoor to visit a Kalari – an authentic training centre for traditional martial art Kalaripayattu. This is an ancient traditional fighting system from the 12th century that originated in Kerala. The word “kalari” means battlefield and “payattu” refers to “become trained” or “to practice”. Today many schools have incorporated Kalaripayattu into the curriculum to promote physical fitness and mental wellbeing. The students at the school will demonstrate the different techniques like meipayattu (physical body exercise), vadipayattu (fight using sticks), valpayattu (fight using swords) and verumkaiprayoga (bare hand exercise). Afterwards we continue to Cochin for lunch and a visit to the Kerala Folklore Museum. This intimate collection displays many excellent examples of the art, architecture, and crafts that are integral to the culture of South India and Kerala. After our visit, check into the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel located near the airport. (B, L)

Day 15 Cochin to London or Manchester.

Check out after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your return scheduled indirect flight. Arrive this evening.