Flight: EY246 Abu Dhabi - Kochi 03.05 - 08.35

Meet & greet, transfer to hotel: Welcome to India! You will be met on arrival in Kochi by a local representative and introduced to your private driver. Together, they will take you to your hotel in Fort Kochi to check in. This will be a journey of just over an hour.

Time to recover: Once arrived and checked in, you have the remainder of the day at leisure to relax after your long flight.

Evening performance of the Kathakali Dance Drama: This evening, you will be collected from your hotel and taken to witness the spectacular Kathakali Dance Drama. Kathakali is Kerala’s very own classical dance-drama form which combines facets of ballet, opera, masque and pantomime. Kathakali illuminates ideas and stories from the Indian epics and other story books. Presented in the temple precincts after dusk falls, Kathakali is heralded by the Kelikottu, or the beating of drums, which is accompanied by the Chengila (gong). The rich blend of colour, expressions, music, drama and dance are unparalleled in any other art form. If you are interested you can arrive a little early so as to see the artistes being made up, which is considered to be a full-blown art in itself and regarded as important as the dance-drama. After the performance, you will be taken for dinner in a local restaurant.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Eighth Bastion (2x Adjacent Bastion Rooms)

Meals: Dinner

Keralan cooking demonstration: This morning, you will enjoy an interactive cooking demonstration in a local home, during which you can learn more about South Indian ingredients and cooking techniques. You will meet your host in the morning and then be guided through the local vegetable and fish market visits. You will then board the public ferry over to Vypin Island, north of Fort Kochi. You will then settle down for a cooking demo, followed by a sumptuous lunch. After lunch you will return to the Fort area by ferry.

Afternoon walking tour of Kochi: Later in the afternoon, your guide will take you on a walking tour through historic Fort Kochi. Start at Mattancherry Palace which was built by the Portuguese in 1555 for the Maharaja of Cochin. Later renovated by the Dutch, it came to be known as the Dutch Palace. It has a large central courtyard and a temple depicting scenes from the Ramayana and other legends. The little museum at the palace has a collection of costumes, palanquins and other articles from the royalty. Adjacent to the palace is the Jewish Synagogue, built in 1568. This simple building has marvellously rich interiors with clusters of coloured glass lamps hanging from the ceiling, and a floor of blue willow-patterned tiles, none of which are identical. From here move on to St. Francis Church, which was built in 1503 at Fort Cochin, making it one of the oldest churches in the subcontinent. It was built by the Portuguese, but became a Protestant church with the arrival of the Dutch and an Anglican church after the British occupation. Vasco da Gama – perhaps the father of the spice trade - is buried in its churchyard. After visiting St Francis Church, take a short walk to see the Chinese fishing nets along the shoreline, then return to your hotel to relax.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Eighth Bastion (2x Adjacent Bastion Rooms)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Road journey from Kochi to Kanam: After a leisurely breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel and driven to Kanam, a centre of rubber plantations and verdant countryside. This will be a journey of around 2-3 hours, depending on local traffic. Arrive in time for a sumptuous lunch at the estate house.

Afternoon at leisure: Upon arrival, check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Get to know your hosts and enquire about any activities they may be arranging this afternoon and evening. Alternatively, you may prefer to take a swim in the hotel’s pool, or take a leisurely stroll around the surrounding estate.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Serenity at Kanam Estate (2x Adjacent Deluxe Rooms)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

A day with an elephant: After breakfast, you will be taken to meet the Lakshmi, the estate’s elephant. Make sure to bring with you a bunch of ripe bananas! Feeding bananas to Lakshmi, her favourite snack, will be a natural ice-breaker, after which you can walk with her through the picturesque surroundings of the estate bungalow. Together you will visit the nearby farms, which are teeming with rubber, banana, papaya, pepper, coffee, pineapple and cocoa plantations. Return to the house for lunch, after which both pachyderms and people will have time to relax during the hottest part of the day. Later in the afternoon you will join Lakshmi and her mahout again: watching while they work together, and then later helping out as she cools down and bathes after a working afternoon. Feel free to join in as she splashes and sprays in the water!

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Serenity at Kanam Estate (2x Adjacent Deluxe Rooms)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Road journey from Kanam to Thekkady: After breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel and driven up in the Western Ghats. You will be heading for Thekkady, a centre of spice plantations and wildlife activities. This will be a journey of around 2-3 hours, depending on local traffic.

Afternoon spice plantation visit: Later in the afternoon, your driver will take you back out to visit a local spice plantation, where you can learn about the process of cultivating local produce such as pepper, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon or cardamom and turmeric.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Cardamom County (Suite with Extra Beds)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day at leisure - optional activities: Today is at leisure, with a wide range of activities and excursions on offer. Partake in a nature walk on the trails surrounding the hotel, or travel in style on a bullock-cart. The surrounding hills can be explored by renting bicycles or by 4WD jeep if you wish to travel further afield. Within the Periyar Reserve there are various walks and boat trips on offer, or staying within the resort you can learn the craft of papermaking using pulp made from recycled paper waste, or simply relax and enjoy the pool or spa.

Kalaripayattu Martial Art Performance: In the evening, you will be taken to a demonstration of Kalaripayattu, known as the mother of all martial arts. Kalaripayattu is a Keralan discipline of martial arts which dates back to 1000 BC. Legend traces the 3,000-year-old art form to sage Parasurama, the master of all martial art forms, and purported re-claimer of Kerala from the Arabian Sea. Tonight's performance is held at the Kalari Centre in Thekkady, purpose-built for this ancient martial form. From high banked seats you will look down into the pit below, and be amazed at the flexibility and agility of Kalari artists as they showcase this astonishing form of self-defence.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Cardamom County (Suite with Extra Beds)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Road journey to the Vembanad Backwaters: In the morning, you will be met at the hotel and descend out of the hills by road, heading for your homestay in Kumarakom, on the banks of Vembanad Lake. This will be a journey of approximately 3-4 hours, depending on local traffic.

Afternoon at leisure: The rest of the day is at leisure to relax and enjoy your sumptuous surrounds. There are numerous activities on offer at the homestay, including walks and tours of surrounding villages, farms, and markets. This can be ably done on foot or by bike - your hosts will be happy to help map out a day with you. A demonstration of toddy tapping - the process of drawing palm wine from surrounding trees - can also be demonstrated and, should you wish, sampled! We would also strongly recommend joining your hosts for a cooking demonstration if they are available - a fine way to learn more about local cuisine, and take some skills home with you!

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Vembanad House (2-Bedroom Family Suite)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Cruise through the backwaters of Kerala: This morning, you will board a houseboat to enjoy a cruise through the backwaters of Kerala. Around an hour later, lunch will be served - a spread of delicious local cuisine - and after lunch your houseboat will continue meandering slowly through the tranquil network of water canals, dotted with busy hamlets and lush green paddy fields. A houseboat ride through these placid backwaters is a wonderfully relaxing experience, a perfect opportunity to put your feet up and watch the world glide silently by. Towards the end of the afternoon you will have the option of transferring to smaller rowboat, which will take you deeper into the narrow canals which are unnavigable for larger houseboats. Taking this route allows you to get deeper into the lush, bucolic scenes, passing through tranquil hamlets and observing the rural lifestyles. Once back on board the houseboat will cruise back to you lakeside hotel, dropping you off for an evening at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Vembanad House (2-Bedroom Family Suite)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Road journey to Marari: After a leisurely morning, you will check out from your homestay, reunite with your driver-guide, and depart for Marari. This will be a journey around 45 minutes. On arrival at the beach, you will check in and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Marari Villas (Hibiscus Villa)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Days at leisure: These days are yours at leisure to relax at the hotel and reflect on your adventures. The hotel has numerous activities which can be arranged locally, and a range of facilities to aid your relaxation.

Accommodation: Stay these nights at Marari Villas (Hibiscus Villa)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner