India Kayaking, Culture and Cuisine
From
Duration
Max Guests
India Kayaking, Culture and Cuisine tour is a spectacular experience kayaking in the Kerala Backwaters, with numerous channels meandering through it. This is Kerala, a small and abundantly beautiful state at the tip of India with huge achievements. Such as a high literacy rate, long life expectancy, religious tolerance, good health care and education, and fabulous cuisine. It’s a place of superlatives, not least for paddling, which is an enchanting journey into its fascinating, rich, and diverse culture. Our India Kayaking tour begins in Fort Cochin. Here we meet our kayaks for the next four and a half days. We paddle deep into this wasteland, where life goes on as it has done for centuries past. This is also a birder’s delight. Hopefully, we catch a glimpse of egrets, herons, cormorants, terns, and our favorite, the kingfisher, with its iridescent blue wings.
If you’ve never been to India, Kerala is the place to start! As well as being verdant and peaceful, it has rural prosperity that’s reflected in the smiles of its hospitable people. On this India Kayaking adventure tour, our luggage is transported seamlessly ahead of us. While we paddle “inn to inn”, arriving in the afternoons at our accommodations in cozy heritage villas. Here we relish the famed Kuttanadan cuisine, unique to the backwaters, and go deep into the rich cultural heritage of Kerala. We watch private traditional music and dance performances. However, if you’re an experienced Indian hand, but haven’t explored the south, join us for an intimate journey into “God’s Own Country”.
LAND COST
From US $4990 per person
Single Supplement US $990
SCHEDULED DEPARTURES
2025
Feb 5
Length
10 nights / 11 days
Group size
10 guests maximum
Accommodation
9 nights heritage hotels and villas
1 night luxury rice boat
Activities
Spectacular kayaking, fabulous cuisine and culinary adventures, checking out spice warehouses
- Airport transfers on the 1st & 11th day
- All cultural tour guiding and entrance fees,
- All accommodation,
- All meals from during tour
- Kayak and bike guiding and equipment.
- International flights,
- Airport transfers not on 1st & 11th day
- Drinks,
- Personal insurance,
- Gratuities, and visa fees.
Settle into our hotel, an exquisitely restored 300 year old heritage building. Wander a short distance to the beach to see the famous Chinese nets being worked as they have for centuries. Meet your travel companions and enjoy a welcome dinner and your first taste of Kerala’s world-renowned cuisine.
On a morning walking tour with a history guide, explore the old town, follow your nose to the fragrant spice warehouses, check out the architecture left by Portuguese, Dutch, and British traders of old, and visit the church where Vasco de Gama was buried. After a free afternoon, marvel at the skills of heavily bejeweled and painted Kathakali dancers as they re–enact Hindu epics.
Head to the serenity of the backwaters – 900 km of waterways winding through swathes of paddy fields, orchards, and palm plantations, which are ‘roads’ for villagers who farm and fish here. Go local as you begin your kayaking journey along tiny channels and past peaceful villages, arriving at our small family-run resort.
Paddle past duck farms (and stop for duck crossings!) and watch the traditional toddy tappers at work in the coconut palms. Our destination, and home for the next two nights, is a waterfront heritage house, set in 9 acres of lush paddy fields. From here we go deep into a maze of tiny channels, meeting ladies doing their washing on the ghats and children running along paths on their way to school. To stretch our legs, we walk to a local village to watch the sunset over the paddy fields and enjoy a touching cultural event.
Today we paddle across Vermbanad Lake, arriving at a village for a special lunch with a local family. Our final destination is a Tharavadu (ancestral home) built according to ancient rules and rites, converted into a lovely boutique hotel. As night falls, we are treated to an incredible musical performance by world-renown local musicians.
After a final early morning paddle, we have a leisurely breakfast then board our “kettuvolams” with en suite bedrooms and a gourmet chef. We cruise through some of the bigger channels and across lakes, stopping at villages to stroll through the lush countryside.
Something completely different: after farewells to our mothership crew and the backwaters, transfer to the cooler climes of the Western Ghats, and the tea growing area of Munnar. Settle into a boutique resort with old-world charm and get ready for three days of activities. Wander through the local market in Munnar town, learn all there is to know about tea on a plantation, visit a village and a farm, go walking and bird watching in the hills, get some tips on Keralan cuisine during a cooking class…..and/or relax on the estate, enjoy traditional afternoon tea, and soak in the vistas of Kerala’s high country!
Say farewell to your newfound friends and transfer to the airport for homeward or onward journeys.
*Please note: this itinerary serves as an example of trip highlights and is subject to change.
Its physical beauty is outstanding: the beaches, the mountains, and the unique system of natural channels and lakes that make up the backwaters. Its history is fascinating, stretching back 2000 years, with many cultural influences from around the world evident in its architecture and world-renowned cuisine. Infused throughout all of this is a strong tradition of dance and music. It’s also a very easy and comfortable place to travel – see below for more details. All in all, a simply delightful place!
Kerala is truly ‘India Lite’. The pace of life is slow and laid back, there is good health care, excellent education with an almost 100% literacy rate, and virtually no corruption. It is the perfect start to your explorations of India, gently easing you into the culture.
Delicious and unique. The cuisine reflects the diverse history and culture of Kerala, with its many influences from all over the world. There is a huge array of textures, flavors, and colors in the food, and if spiciness isn’t your preference you don’t have to worry, as many dishes are very mild. We’ll have an in–depth look at the cuisine, with cooking lessons in two of the places we stay, and the chance to see firsthand where some of the essential ingredients come from – and also to help gather them! And, of course, we will be enjoying great food every day.
It starts in Fort Cochin, in Central Kerala, and ends in the Spice Belt. We provide airport transfers from our last accommodation to Cochin Airport – the driving time is approximately the same as from Fort Cochin (approximately one and a half hours).
Cochin International Airport has regular flight connections to the main hubs of the Middle East – particularly Doha – and South East Asia. There are also regular domestic flights from Mumbai. Coming from the East Coast of North America, you can fly with Etihad or Emirates Airlines, transiting in Doha. From the West Coast of North America, you can fly with Qatar, transiting through Montreal, New York Frankfurt, and Doha. Please contact your travel agent for other options, as there are many!
On our kayaking days, we paddle for two to four hours at a gentle pace. The beauty of paddling here is that it gives us an intimate view of daily life, so we won’t be hurrying! And we have a support boat close by, in case you need to take a break. The walks on the trip are very gentle. The bicycle ride is about 2 hours, on mostly quiet rural roads.
The daytime temperatures will be up to 28–30 degrees, and by night they drop to between 20–25 degrees, with fairly high humidity. There may be occasional showers, but these will be short.
The parts of Kerala where we will be traveling are considered very low risk for malaria, but it is present in other parts of India. It is always best to consult your local travel clinic and follow their advice.
Your routine vaccinations (tetanus/diphtheria, polio, etc.) must be up to date. Another general precaution for travelers anywhere in the world is hepatitis A and possibly a typhoid vaccination. If you are traveling to India from a country where yellow fever is present, you must have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. Please consult with your physician or local travel health clinic.
Medical insurance, including emergency evacuation, is mandatory on all our trips. We also strongly advise you to purchase trip cancellation insurance which should be done within a few days of making your booking.
Related Tours
LAND COST
From US $4990 per person
Single Supplement US $990
SCHEDULED DEPARTURES
2025
Feb 5
Length
10 nights / 11 days
Group size
10 guests maximum
Accommodation
9 nights heritage hotels and villas
1 night luxury rice boat
Activities
Spectacular kayaking, fabulous cuisine and culinary adventures, checking out spice warehouses
Its physical beauty is outstanding: the beaches, the mountains, and the unique system of natural channels and lakes that make up the backwaters. Its history is fascinating, stretching back 2000 years, with many cultural influences from around the world evident in its architecture and world-renowned cuisine. Infused throughout all of this is a strong tradition of dance and music. It’s also a very easy and comfortable place to travel – see below for more details. All in all, a simply delightful place!
Kerala is truly ‘India Lite’. The pace of life is slow and laid back, there is good health care, excellent education with an almost 100% literacy rate, and virtually no corruption. It is the perfect start to your explorations of India, gently easing you into the culture.
Delicious and unique. The cuisine reflects the diverse history and culture of Kerala, with its many influences from all over the world. There is a huge array of textures, flavors, and colors in the food, and if spiciness isn’t your preference you don’t have to worry, as many dishes are very mild. We’ll have an in–depth look at the cuisine, with cooking lessons in two of the places we stay, and the chance to see firsthand where some of the essential ingredients come from – and also to help gather them! And, of course, we will be enjoying great food every day.
It starts in Fort Cochin, in Central Kerala, and ends in the Spice Belt. We provide airport transfers from our last accommodation to Cochin Airport – the driving time is approximately the same as from Fort Cochin (approximately one and a half hours).
Cochin International Airport has regular flight connections to the main hubs of the Middle East – particularly Doha – and South East Asia. There are also regular domestic flights from Mumbai. Coming from the East Coast of North America, you can fly with Etihad or Emirates Airlines, transiting in Doha. From the West Coast of North America, you can fly with Qatar, transiting through Montreal, New York Frankfurt, and Doha. Please contact your travel agent for other options, as there are many!
On our kayaking days, we paddle for two to four hours at a gentle pace. The beauty of paddling here is that it gives us an intimate view of daily life, so we won’t be hurrying! And we have a support boat close by, in case you need to take a break. The walks on the trip are very gentle. The bicycle ride is about 2 hours, on mostly quiet rural roads.
The daytime temperatures will be up to 28–30 degrees, and by night they drop to between 20–25 degrees, with fairly high humidity. There may be occasional showers, but these will be short.
The parts of Kerala where we will be traveling are considered very low risk for malaria, but it is present in other parts of India. It is always best to consult your local travel clinic and follow their advice.
Your routine vaccinations (tetanus/diphtheria, polio, etc.) must be up to date. Another general precaution for travelers anywhere in the world is hepatitis A and possibly a typhoid vaccination. If you are traveling to India from a country where yellow fever is present, you must have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. Please consult with your physician or local travel health clinic.
Medical insurance, including emergency evacuation, is mandatory on all our trips. We also strongly advise you to purchase trip cancellation insurance which should be done within a few days of making your booking.
You might also like …
We have places to show and stories to tell. Our adventures are soft and moderate in adventure but high in quality, history, and culture!
