India – Deluxe Southern Yoga Holidays
- Who is this holiday for? Suitable for all with an interest in Yoga and India
- When to go? The best time of year is November to March
- Price? From £2,355 per person
- Type of Holiday? Luxury tour of southern India and stay at luxury Yoga retreat
To make a reservation or for further information – Contact Us
Prana Holidays exclusive 14-day Deluxe South Yoga holiday offers you the opportunity to experience the colours of the fascinating south, one of India’s most vibrant regions. Explore the tranquil tropical backwaters, lined with swaying palms and simple fishing villages and the unforgettable experience of spending the night on a unique houseboat or ‘Kettuvalom’. You then spend 7 nights at a wonderful Yoga retreat based at the fabulous Taj Green Cove Resort.
Day 1 – Arrive in Cochin
On arrival at Cochin Airport you will be met by our representative who will give you a warm welcome with fresh flower garlands and transfer you to your hotel by air-conditioned car. Your room is available for immediate occupancy.
Overnight stay at The Trident Hotel
Day 2 – Cochin
This morning after breakfast we leave for a Cochin sightseeing tour visiting the Jewish Synagogue (Closed on Friday & Saturday), built in 1568 AD. We view the Great Scrolls of the Old Testament, the copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by the Cochin rulers were recorded and the exquisite Chinese hand-painted tiles. The tour includes St. Francis Church, India’s oldest European Church constructed in 1503 by the Portuguese, Chinese fishing nets strung out along the top of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry Palace (Closed on Fridays), built by the Portuguese in 1557. The palace’s alternative name, the Dutch Palace, resulted from substantial renovations by the Dutch after 1663. In the evening we witness Kathakali, the traditional dance show of Kerala with its colourful costumes and stories from the Ramayana.
Overnight stay at The Trident Hotel
Luxury India Holiday
Explore Kerala
Taj Green Cove
Kerala on a houseboat
Day 3 – Cochin to Munnar (150kms / 4hours)
After breakfast our drive takes us to the most popular hill station in India, Munnar which is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. Located at 1600m above sea level, this was once the summer resort of the British Government in South India. Sprawling tea plantations, picture book towns, winding lanes and excellent trekking make Munnar a unique experience. On arrival at Munnar we check in to our hotel. After our lunch we view the tea gardens spread like a green carpet over hundreds of kilometres of lush green hills. Our next visit is to the Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, set up for the preservation of the endangered nilgiri thar (mountain goats). The park has the largest known population of thar’s existing in the world and also shelters atlas moth, elephants, sambhar’s, gaurs, lion-tailed macaque, nilgiri, langur, tigers and leopards. Spread across an area of 97 sq. kms, the park is a breath-taking mix of rolling grasslands and exotic flowers. Anamudi, the highest peak south of Himalayas, towers over the sanctuary.
Overnight stay at the Lake View Resort
Day 4 – Munnar to Periyar (100kms / 3hours)
Today we drive towards one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries in India, the Periyar Wildlife Reserve, situated on the Western Ghats. The sanctuary coverers an area of 777 Sq. Kms. and Karnataka and Tamil Nadu share the rest of the forest on the northern and north-eastern sides respectively. This sanctuary has a very large population of elephants, a large variety of monkey, spotted deer, wild bores and bison. After lunch, we depart on a ’safari cruise’ on Lake Periyar which lets us slip slowly through the animals in their jungle environment.
Overnight stay at the Elephant Court Hotel
Day 5 – Periyar to Kumarakom (185kms – 4hours)
After our breakfast we drive to Kumarakom. When nature is all you need to recuperate, Kumarakom is undoubtedly the most invigorating and fascinating paradise in Kerala. The slender coconut palms standing here, there and everywhere, its never ending paddy fields, meandering lagoons and backwaters with mangroves nesting birds of a hundred varieties, peacefully calm and invigorate your mind with renewed inspiration for your vocation and life. That is the beauty of Kumarakom. On arrival we check in to our backwater resort, located hidden among the palm trees on the eastern shore of Lake Vembanad. The rest of the day is at your leisure to laze around at the resort.
Overnight stay at the Taj Garden Retreat Hotel
Day 6 – Kumarakom to Allepey by overnight houseboat
A morning drive down to the jetty for us to commence a backwater cruise. We board our Deluxe, air-conditioned houseboat for a revitalising experience of the backwaters of Kerala. On the trip we will pass beautiful villages, paddy fields, churches, temples and see the village life of the local people. On board the crew will prepare traditional Keralian food.
Overnight stay at on-board the houseboat
Day 7 – Allepey to Kovalam (175kms / 4hours)
After breakfast on the houseboat, we disembark and drive towards Kovalam, famous for its wonderful beaches. On arrival we check in to our resort for the next seven nights.
In a continuing celebration of Indian traditions, Taj Retreats offer you a moment in time to enter a sublime space where you can explore, rejuvenate and heal both body and soul. Yoga techniques taught at the retreats will be in accordance with the teachings and style of Bihar Yoga, an international school of Yoga with its headquarters in Munger, Bihar, India. At the retreat you will learn body postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), yoga theory, Yoga Nidra (a relaxation technique) and evening meditation.
Overnight stay at the Taj Green Cove Resort
Day 8-13 – Taj Green Cove Resort
The following days are spent in blissful relaxation at the Taj Green Cove Resort.
Day 14 – Depart from Trivandrum
We drive to Trivandrum airport, 15 kms from Kovalam to check in for our flight back to the UK.
A night on a houseboat
Discover Kerala
Indian dancers
Yoga in India
Costs excluding flights
2 people travelling from £2,355 per person (twin/double rooms)
1 person travelling from £3,649 per person (single rooms)
Flights
We recommend using Qatar Airlines for this trip. We do not sell flights but can give you flight times and details.
The price includes the following features:
Hotel Accommodation including all applicable hotel taxes.
Daily breakfast in the hotel of stay.
Stay in houseboat including all meals.
Air-conditioned car with well experienced, English speaking chauffeur.
The services of well experienced English speaking local tour guides.
Entrance fees for all monuments/museums/national parks mentioned in the itinerary.
Safari cruise on Periyar Lake.
Kathakal traditional dance show in Cochin.
All applicable government taxes.
2 complimentary bottles of mineral water per person per day.
The 7 night Yoga retreat package also includes the following :
Accommodation
Breakfast and lunch from a specially designed wellness menu to ensure the maximum impact of the program on the individual.
Attendance to the scheduled Yoga retreat program
Spa Indian Aromatherapy treatments – participants of the 7 nights retreat are entitled to three treatments.
The price does not include the following:
Your international flights
Indian visa charges.
Porterage
Any camera fees at monuments.
Any meals except those mentioned.
Tips to Drivers, Guides, at restaurants etc.
Items of personal nature such as telephone calls, telegrams, table drinks and laundry.
Travel Insurance.
When to go?
During the main monsoon (June/July) there is heavy rain. It can be wet and misty in the mountains during the second monsoon (October/early November) but at other times of the year most rain falls at night.
The high season (when the rainfall is at its lowest) generally starts in mid November and ends in April. August and September are pleasant months to visit. The build up to the main monsoon (May) is the most humid month. If you are planning a holiday in order to undertake Ayurvedic treatments the monsoon period is said to be the best time for this.
