Indian Moments

After early breakfast proceed to Thekkady. As you leave the coast, the road begin to climb and you will see rice fields, Rubber plantations, Coffee, Cardamom, Pepper and Tea plantations as altitude increases. Arrive at Thekkady, traditional welcome and check in to the resort in Periyar. Evening demonstration by the Chef on cooking with spices followed a cultural performance.

Enjoy a delicious breakfast and start the day with a walk through the Periyar Wilderness, a protected elephant and tiger reserve, together with the park rangers. Together, join our resident naturalists on a tour of the spice garden. In the evening, learn more about the rich flora and fauna of Periyar before settling down for dinner.

After breakfast, continue to Kumarakom, the charming backwater region of Kerala. On the way you will visit a tea factory and learn more about tea. Upon arrival, check into your hotel. The labyrinthine network of rivers, canals, streams and lagoons that make up the famous backwaters of Kerala offer breathtaking views and are an ideal place to relax.

Early noon you will check in on your private houseboat and cruise along the backwaters: a beautiful area full of canals, lakes and bays. The houseboats or “Kettuvalloms” are luxurious boats with well-equipped bedrooms and private bathrooms. You can sunbathe on the deck or watch the palm-fringed landscape from your cabins. Aside from the fascinating surroundings, it is the everyday life of the people who live along the shores that adds a touch of the exotic to this experience. The locals themselves travel in canoes and work from there as vegetable vendors, fishermen, and other traders bringing household goods from door to door in the small wooden boats. As you cruise along the backwaters, you can ask your captain to stop at villages, rice paddies and other places along the way. You can also buy fresh fish, which will be prepared to your liking by the cook on the houseboat.

After breakfast, the houseboat will drop you off at the Puthenangadi jetty at 10am. Transfer to Mararikulam.After breakfast on the houseboat, check out and your driver will take you to the picturesque fishing village of Mararikulam. Tucked away in tranquil and lush coconut groves, the resort on the pristine white sandy beaches of the Marari offer you a wonderful setting to relax.

After breakfast, explore the area and it’s fishing villages nearby on a bicycle or take a dip in the sea. The beach usually being nearly empty except for a few other guests and the odd local fishermen. Afternoon, it will be a great idea to visit our organic farm, which ensures that the vegetables and fruits we serve are the freshest you can get.

In the morning after breakfast and check out, drive to Cochin, a port city since early centuries. The city is also known as the Spice Coast of India as it attracted many traders and conquerors from all over the world. In the afternoon, take a walk on the Cochin Royal Heritage Trail and explore the stories of a dynasty. On this trail you will explore the origins of the royal family of Cochin and the rise and fall of their fortunes under the Europeans before their eventual union with India. We look at their role in the development of the modern city of Kochi and their contributions in the fields of art, language, education and medicine. Starting from Hill Palace, the last seat of power of the Rajahs, we continue into the residential area that showcases the best of traditional and colonial architecture. The trail will end with a traditional high tea where, with luck, one or two family members of the former Rajas will be present.

After breakfast, time to say goodbye to South India. Transfer to the airport and flight to Delhi. Arrival in Delhi and welcome by your tour guide and transfer to Jaipur. Sumi, your fluent German speaking tour guide has studied German at the Goethe Institute in Pune and is always good for surprises. A good tour guide makes the trip. After arrival check-in to the hotel. In the evening explore the city on foot with Sumi and watch the inhabitants trading in the markets. The lively city full of people, tuk-tuks, scooters and cars will captivate you.

In the morning you will take a city tour in Jaipur. You will get to know the famous Amber Fort, which is located a bit outside. By jeep you will drive up to the fort. Afterwards you will pass the Palace of the Winds to visit the elaborately designed City Palace with ornate paintings and exhibits as well as the observatory Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory of the Maharaja Jai Singh II.

On the way to Agra, we stop at Abhaneri to marvel at the amazing Stepped Fountain, which appears to be an optical illusion. The thousand-year-old work of architectural genius descends 13 dizzying steps. Afterwards we reach Agra. The city is marked with unique buildings from the Mughal period and several sites are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Today the highlight of your trip awaits you – the world famous Taj Mahal. The visit at sunrise will remain unforgettable. The huge mausoleum, built of pure marble, is located in the middle of a large garden complex and is one of the 7 wonders of the modern world. You will have ample time to view this impressive structure and be enchanted by its fascinating architecture. In the afternoon you will visit the Red Fort, an impressive fortress made of red sandstone. Mughal Emperor Akbar had this majestic structure built between 1565 and 1573 in the shape of a crescent moon. Then transfer to the railroad station and drive to Delhi. Arrival in Delhi and transfer to hotel.

After breakfast you will see the most important highlights of Old Delhi on a city tour. You will get to know the highlights such as the Jama Masjid Mosque, the largest mosque in India, the Red Fort from the outside and the Mahatma Gandhi memorial, Raj Ghat. The bicycle rickshaw takes you through the streets of Old Delhi. Followed by a city tour of New Delhi. You drive past the India Gate, the government district and the presidential house and visit the Qutub Minar, one of the tallest towers in the Islamic world.

Early morning transfer to the airport, where the trip ends. With lots of memories and experiences flight back to Zurich.