India at its gentlest

Kerala is the India that surprises people. It is green, calm and easy-going: tea bushes rolling over the hills, the smell of cardamom and pepper, fishermen casting nets at dusk, and a wooden houseboat drifting past villages where life happens on the water.

It is a wonderful first trip if you want nature, food and rest more than monuments, and a perfect second trip if you already know the north.

A sample route

• Days 1–2, Kochi: the old port of Fort Kochi, Chinese fishing nets and an evening of Kathakali dance.
• Days 3–4, Munnar: walks through tea estates and cool mountain air.
• Days 5–6, Periyar: spice plantations, a boat on the lake and a cooking lesson in a family home.
• Day 7, the backwaters: a night on your own private houseboat, with a cook on board.
• Day 8, village life: canoe through narrow canals and stay by the water.
• Days 9–11, the coast: beach days, optional Ayurvedic treatments, fresh fish every evening.
• Day 12: back to Kochi and home.

Want more? Add the great temples of Tamil Nadu, or a week of proper Ayurveda at a dedicated retreat.

Good to know

• Best time: October to March.
• Ideal for: nature lovers, food lovers, families and anyone who wants to slow down.
• Price: starting from €1,590 per person, two travelling together. What’s included.

Is the houseboat private?

Yes. The boat is yours alone, with its own crew and cook, and meals are prepared fresh on board.

Is the food very spicy?

Kerala cooking is fragrant more than fiery, with coconut, curry leaves and fresh fish. Tell us what you like and every kitchen on your route will know.