Southern India - Enchanting Kerala 2026-27

Departure for Cochin on a scheduled Emirates/Air India flight – meals on board – overnight flight.

Arrival in Cochin – transfer to the hotel – lunch at leisure – in the afternoon, guided visit of Cochin, an important trading port since ancient times and today a land of spices that draws European merchants, a picturesque blend of old and new where Indian and Western ways coexist in lifestyles, places of worship and eating habits - 13 communities, ethnic and religious groups, live in this city; they have inhabited Fort Cochin for centuries and are still present today – we will see the different lifestyles, dress, food, culture, traditions and religions that still survive - a perfect example of unity in diversity – visit of the Tamil Dhobi, a place of work and house of worship, the Kachi Mamens, Tulu Brahmins, Konkans, Arab dignitaries, Jains, Black Jews and White Jews - dinner at the hotel – in the evening, Kathakali dance performance: this dance is a form of storytelling, with sumptuous costumes and highly theatrical make-up – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – full day devoted to the visit of Cochin, with its rich history and superb location (the 16th-century Synagogue, the Dutch Palace, home to some of the finest frescoes in the country, St. Francis Church, the first European place of worship built in India, and the colourful Spice Market) – during the day we attend a demonstration of Kalaripayattu, the traditional Indian martial art (Kalaripayattu is the oldest of the martial arts, a gift to the modern world and known as the mother of all martial arts) - lunch at leisure - dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure - tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Munnar, at an altitude of 1,600 metres, once the summer retreat of the British administration in the south of the country; it still retains its colonial charm and is famous for its tea plantations, most of which are now privately owned - (5-hour transfer) – on arrival, check-in at the hotel - lunch at leisure – in the afternoon, visit of a tea plantation and of the Indian Tea Museum - dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure - tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Thekkady (4-hour transfer) – on arrival, check-in at the hotel - lunch at leisure – this area is known for its rolling hills, spice plantations and elephant sightings, and for being the oldest of all 27 tiger reserves in India - in the afternoon, mini-cruise on Periyar Lake (a boat trip on the lake to discover its fauna and flora - this is the best way to observe the wild elephants and buffalo that come to drink - with luck, we may even have the chance to see groups of elephants swimming by the lakeshore - the scenery turns into tropical jungle with wild elephants, monkeys, spotted deer, wild boar and birds of every kind) – dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning, jeep tour along the Periyar Bouquet Trail (a tour around Kumily where we have the chance to experience a little village life, seeing a variety of beautiful flowers, vegetables and locally grown spices) – lunch at leisure – in the afternoon, visit of a spice plantation (an opportunity to get to know cardamom, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and many other varieties of spices and medicinal plants, and to learn how these spices are grown, harvested and processed) – dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Kumarakom (4-hour transfer) – along the route through the coastal lagoons, the so-called “backwaters”, there is the chance to observe the everyday life of the Keralan people in the small villages – arrival at the harbour and boarding for a cruise aboard a houseboat; the true magic of a trip on the famous houseboats is the spectacular scenery you pass through as you glide slowly along the canals - lunch on board the houseboat – (Alfred George Baker is believed to have laid the foundations of Kumarakom by reclaiming 500 acres of wetland from Vembanad Lake during the 1840s) - in the evening, disembarkation from the houseboat and transfer to the hotel - dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure for the great Vembanad Lake – visit of the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, alive with songbirds (the Vembanad bird reserve is a favourite haunt of migratory birds such as the Siberian stork, the egret, the darter, the heron and the teal - let yourself be thrilled by the kingfishers blazing with psychedelic colours, enjoy a walk among colonies of herons, night herons and woodpeckers, and delight in the acrobatics of the flycatchers) – lunch at leisure – in the evening, return to Cochin - dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure from Cochin on a scheduled Emirates/Air India flight for the return to Italy.