Kerala Yoga Retreat

Arrive at Cochin airport, meet assistance by our representative, followed by a transfer to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Start your day with an early morning Yoga session and a healthy breakfast later, at the hotel. Proceed to Fort Kochi and experience ethnic tour start with the visit of the famous Chinese Fishing Nets of Cochin. The huge cantilevered Chinese Fishing Nets that droop towards the waters like over sized hammocks have become a hallmark that represents Fort Kochi on every postcard. Next visit is at the St.Francis CSI Church, the oldest European church in India built in 1503, where the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was originally buried and passed by the finest Santa Cruz Basilica. Take a tuk tuk - the most popular mode of transport among the localities, go along with your local tour and stop at the Dhobi Khana (laundry station), once throbbing with activity, it is now a picture of slow extinction. Enjoy lunch at a local reastuarnt. Continue through the small streets of Mattanchery, and arrive at the fruit market on Palace Road where locals get a variety of fresh and organic produces at bargains prices. Don’t miss a stop at the spice market, where exotic odors of the finest ginger, cloves, cardamom, turmeric and pepper emanate from the spice warehouses lining the street. Make a pause and have one “meter tea” at one of the tea stall. There is now an opportunity to interact with a Brahmin family. The Brahmin are the highest of the four Hindu castes of priests and scholars of Vedic literature, their traditional occupation is to conduct rites at marriages, births and other auspicious occasions. This ritual called mehndi arts holds plenty of cultural significance in Indian traditions and is one of the most important ritual during the wedding ceremonies. Visit the Jewish Synagogue at the heart of what is locally called the Jew Town, and finally stop at the Dutch Palace with its beautiful mural paintings from the 17th century. Rest of the day free to enjoy the premise and activities of the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

This early morning proceed with your morning Yoga session before your breakfast. Go on an exotic village tour the first stage commence by walking through the man made country side foot paths by the side of narrow canals for 15-20 minutes and reach a junction called “Cherunkal”. On the way you can see many houses of old and different types. Your tour will be passing through and by the side of fish farms rearing prawns and the greenly lush paddy fields. Enjoy bird watching of different types of water birds and their chirpings. Follow with a cycling tour from Cherunkal, move on to the next point called Vellathode and reach there within 20 minutes. On the way you can enjoy the glorious greenery of the village and its serenity and beauty. At the end of the cycling you reach a village market where all kinds of local fishes and vegetables are put for sale. In and around this market, you can have the taste of local food and a tea from the local shops. The market is by the side of backwaters and a country boat will be waiting for you for the cruise. A sweet & Fresh tender coconut welcome you on board. The cruise will be in a non mechanized country boat which is pulled manually. This journey takes 2 hours and get you to the next village called ‘Thazhuppu’. Kingfishers just popping in, see the green country side, swaying palm trees and people warm and friendly. Disembark and walk to a family meal experience interactions with the family, exchange of ideas and enriching experience with local Nasarani food for lunch. Later the day visit the local boat building yard/unit where you can watch the craftsmanship of the local carpenters. Back to the hotel, over night stay at the hotel.

After an early morning Yoga session and a healthy breakfast, check-out and drive to Vagamon. On arrival check-in at Vanilla County, a farmstead at the foothills of Vagamon, surrounded by a beautiful series of hillocks, valleys and cascading waterfalls. The rest of your day is free to enjoy the premises of your hotel. There is opportunity to indulge in a rejuvenating ayurvedic massage. Overnight stay at the homestay.

This early morning proceed with your morning Yoga session before your breakfast. In the afternoon, take a spice plantation excursion into the tropical fields where you can touch, smell and taste almost all the spices seen worldwide. Follow your exotic journey with a swim in one of the natural rock pools around. Evening enjoy a drive to a view point for a sunset session. Overnight stay at hotel.

Wake-up with the surroundings chanting birds of this serene area and before your breakfast at the homestay proceed with your morning Yoga session, today followed by a workshop on Yoga along with a resort or local Yoga teacher. This afternoon take a Tea Tour : From the homestay proceed to a tea plantation passing through the tea gardens rolling hills and villages and take a visit to the tea factory : Learn the intricacies of tea manufacture - the difference between Orthodox and CTC Black Tea manufacture as well as master the nuances of tea tasting and how to brew a perfect cup of black tea. Drive back to your hotel, on your way stop at the Christian Monastery Kurisumala, in the heart of the Sahya Mountains. It is a meditative place where thoughts arise from the depth of silence. Even today people move to these mountains in search of peace of mind. Overnight stay at the homestay.

After an early morning Yoga session and a healthy breakfast, check-out and drive to Alleppey. Rightly known as Venice of the East, Alleppey with its majestic canals, streams and distributaries along its banks, weave an intricate and enchantingly beautiful web. On arrival check-in at your hotel, with beautiful backwater frontage. Rest of the day free amidst coconut groves and views of the backwaters. There is opportunity to indulge in a rejuvenating ayurvedic massage. Enjoy a sunset cruise as organised by the hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.

This morning proceed with your morning Yoga session breakfast at the hotel. Free time and Lunch. Later the day go in to the Musings of Aymanam village, home of Arundha thi Roy’s novel ‘The God of Small Things’. Start your local immersion with a ride on a traditional canoe cruise through the narrow, complete tranquil except for the birds or someone washing clothes. Follow with a walk in the heart of this typical Kuttanad village surrounded by paddy fields and identify the snakes abodes, sacred to earliest habitants, some of them still alive. The walk through the village with your storey teller is an opportunity, rare indeed, see local houses, the friendly people and the ways of Living. Meet your Kathakali master in his house who will introduce you to this traditional theatre form, which adapts styles of ancient Sanskrit with visual presentations of human expressions. Follow the trail to a local household. Experience a typical Kerala vegetarian lunch served on plantain leaf. Travel about 15 minutes and your guide will start explaining the birds – various categories – that you see on the paddy fields and the surrounding areas. Vembanad lake with its majestic canals, streams and distributaries along its banks, weave an intricate and enchantingly beautiful web. We proceed back to our hotel by motor boat absorbing the joy of visions around the backwaters. Overnight stay at hotel.

Take an early morning Yoga session with the resort Yoga master and a healthy breakfast later, at the hotel. Day free to relax, or enjoy some ayurvedic treatments. You may also explore some of the activities offered in the property such as canoeing in the canals, village walk, or stay by the pool or just watch the life on backwaters from your launch in the garden. There are also enough possibilities for a curious bird watcher. This evening experience a tranquil Yoga session before you go for dinner.Overnight stay at the hotel.

After an early morning Yoga session and a healthy breakfast, check-out and drive to Marari Beach right on the shores of the Arabian Sea. On arrival check-in at the Marari Sands and lunch at the in-house restaurant. Day free to relax by the pool or at the beach. Enjoy another Yoga session in the evening as the sea as your backdrop dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After your Yoga class and breakfast, pick one of the cycles and take a tour to visit the local villages, temples and churches around. Rest of the day free to relax by the pool, the beach. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Before breakfast enjoy an early morning Yoga session with the sunrise. Free time until lunch. Later join for a workshop on Yoga along with the resort Yoga teacher followed by the Yoga session. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Have a morning Yoga session followed by the breakfast. Check-out and drive to Fort Kochi. On arrival check-in at the hotel. This afternoon is free to explore the Colonial Kochi. Evening witness a demonstration on Kathakali - the dance drama, unique to Kerala. This dance can be characterized by gesticulations, amazing costumes and very extensive make-up. The stories are mostly taken from the epics Mahabharatha and Ramayana. Overnight stay at hotel.

It is time to say good bye. After your breakfast transfer to the Kochi International Airport to connect your flight back home.