Individual Trip: South India – Kerala, 8 days

Day 1: Athens – Kochi

Departure from the airport and flight to Kerala via a connecting airport, arriving the following day.

Day 2: Kochi

Arrival in Kochi, meeting with our representative, transfer and check-in at the hotel. Although it is not the capital, Kochi together with the neighbouring town of Ernakulam has far more inhabitants (over 1 million) than Thiruvananthapuram, the seat of government in the south of the state. Known as the “Queen of the Arabian Sea”, surrounded by water and tropical vegetation, it is a destination renowned for its prosperity and development in every field. It is the commercial capital of Kerala, thanks to its strategic position linking the state with the rest of the world both by air and by sea through its port. On arrival at the hotel you will get an immediate taste of Indian hospitality. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

Day 3: Kochi

After breakfast, departure for a guided tour of Kochi. We will see old residences from the era of Portuguese, Dutch and British rule, such as the Dutch Palace (16th century), which despite its name was built by the Portuguese, and the Mattancherry Synagogue, the oldest Jewish synagogue in India, built in 1568. It was destroyed by the Portuguese and rebuilt by the Dutch a century later. We will visit St. Francis Church, built in 1564 and the oldest church built by Europeans in India. It also holds the tomb of Vasco da Gama, who fell ill and died in Kochi on his third visit to India; the remains of the Portuguese explorer and merchant were taken back to Portugal 14 years after his death. In the evening we will watch Kathakali, a traditional form of dance-drama from Kerala in southern India (katha: religious story, kali: to perform/play). Its roots go back many centuries, but what we see today took its final form in the 17th century. Kathakali is closely linked to mime and dance and recounts events from the great Indian epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

Day 4: Kochi – Periyar – Thekkady (155 km, about 5 hours)

Breakfast and departure by road for the town of Thekkady. The area is a sanctuary protecting rare flora and fauna. Its national park is the most popular in South India (777 sq km). Check-in at the hotel, then transfer to Lake Periyar for a boat ride through one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries. A unique landscape that is home to 62 species of mammals, including 27 endangered tigers, Indian elephants, roe deer, deer and foxes, as well as 45 species of reptiles, 320 species of birds, 27 species of amphibians and 160 species of insects. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

Day 5: Thekkady – Kumarakom (135 km, about 4 hours)

After breakfast we set off for Kumarakom, also known as the “Venice of the East”. Unspoilt nature, dense tropical forests, huge coconut palms, vast rice paddies and winding water channels – the famous backwaters – make up a picture that brings calm, peace and renewal to the mind. This is the authentic, untouched face of Kumarakom. Check-in at our hotel. Free time. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

Day 6: Kumarakom – Houseboat – Alleppey

After breakfast we transfer to the jetty and board our houseboat to cruise the famous backwaters of Kerala. A huge network of canals creates one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world, as the dense vegetation on the banks meets the water in a feast of colours. Lunch, dinner and overnight stay on board.

Day 7: Kumarakom – Houseboat – Marari

Breakfast on board and disembarkation at Alleppey Jetty, where our driver will meet us and take us to Marari (45 minutes). Check-in at the hotel and free time to rest and relax, and to swim along the idyllic Marari coast with its beaches full of palm trees and sand. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

Day 8: Marari – Kochi – Athens / Thessaloniki

After breakfast, free day until our transfer to Kochi airport (60 km) for the return flight via a connecting airport. Arrival the following day.

Travel notes