After a delightful breakfast, we visit the Jewish quarter and synagogue, the magnificent Santa Cruz Basilica, as well as some street photography around the lanes and alleys of Fort Kochi. After lunch we get to witness Kalaripayattu, the Dravidian martial art, that’s as Kerala in origin as the six billion coconuts the locals harvest each year. Like most martial arts, Kalaripayattu is a rigorous system of movements, postures, and techniques and is inextricably associated with religious practice and a master-pupil teaching model. Its top practitioners are formidably fast, supple, strong and graceful — and they are wonderful objects of photographic worship as well.

While Kalari is blisteringly fast, the training sessions are usually slow-paced, full of photogenic ritual and elaborate choreography. We’ll see Kalaripayattu every which way: as a formal performance (with real weapons!), as individual demonstrations by students of their mastery of the art, and with the supporting commentary of the Kalari master to ensure that we connect and understand as well as capture stunning images. There’s so much here for every kind of photographer: introspective slice-of-life closeups, mid-air freezes, fiery action sequences, soft scenes of worship and blessing… 100% pure shooting heaven. In the evening we will take a sunset boat cruise from our hotel. (B)

Today we set out for some early morning low light photography throughout the streets of Fort Kochi as the markets open up and the locals fill the streets. We’ll return to our hotel for breakfast. After reviewing our favorite photos from the first two days, we set out to photograph the dance forms of Kerala. These classical dance styles offer everything photographers could ask for: rich colors, dramatic makeup, vivid and elaborate costumes. Rather than an off-the-shelf tourist shoot, we’ve planned a private performance and venue where we’ll be able to get access to the artists.

Kathakali is a dance form which evolved during the 17th century. It has a dance song, literature and make up art at its best. It is traditional and depicts stories from Hindu mythology. It is composed of overnight performance. Elaborate headgear, facial decorations, and dressing mark the dance form. In the evening we will walk the beach at sunset before enjoying a wonderful dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants. (B)

After breakfast, we check out and head for the hills. It’s a four-hour drive to Munnar, and you’re going to love it! Winding roads run through the dense forest and scenic hills; you’ll get your first glimpses of the ribbed emerald-green carpets of the tea-planted slopes. Munnar is an important high-point on our Kerala photography adventure. It’s storybook pretty, it’s authentic Kerala. We’ll be making frequent stops along the way to grab some great photos. We will arrive in Munnar for a late lunch.

The afternoon is free to settle into our hotel. Early evening we head to Pothamedu to photograph the whole transition from day to dusk, with stunning tea-estate scenery at our feet. (B)

This morning is a high point of our Western Ghats exploration. It’s the loftiest tea-growing plantation in the world, perched at 2,400 meters (7,875 feet) with its green slopes overlooking some truly remarkable Kerala scenery. The photographic treasure-hunt today is about tea-garden landscapes, sometimes with the clouds high above, sometimes with clouds so low that we literally drive through them. We’ll capture the bright colors of the estate workers’ clothes and machinery against the verdant green, and at the tea factory itself, we’ll walk into an engineering time-warp where old, battered machines process the tea leaves into top-quality tea.

At Kolukkumalai, you’re right at the historic heart of Kerala tea. Here on this estate in the 1930s, the British constructed a small processing facility to turn the freshly picked tea leaves into the classic cuppa — and that same factory is here today, with the very same Gainsborough-built machines whirring and clanking as they do the withering, rolling, sieving, fermenting, drying, extracting and grading stages of making tea. Anywhere else, these machines would be museum-pieces — but here they seem to be perfectly suited to the time-honored traditions of tea-making.

After a long day photographing the most amazing tea-plantation panoramas, and the locals working the tea mills, we head back to our hotel for dinner. (B)

Today, we continue our exploration of Kerala’s tea country and get to photograph much more than Munnar’s famous tea gardens. We begin with a drive to the Top Station, which used to be a ropeway station back in the early 1900s. For over a century, this was the highest transshipment point for tea, connecting Munnar with the nearby hills of Tamil Nadu. We’ll take a truly breathtaking drive past Maduppety Dam, Echo Point and several villages. When we arrive at the Top Station, we’ll be treated to the best panoramic views of the neighboring state and valleys. 

En route we’ll experience terrace farming, rustic villages and beautiful landscapes. We get to visit Vattavad, which is popular for its wide variety of crops including oranges, strawberries, plums, gooseberries, peaches, passion fruits, which cannot be seen anywhere else in Kerala. The people here are very welcoming and love to showoff their produce. This is one of those places that begs for both landscapes and portraits alike. By late afternoon we begin our drive back to our hotel for dinner. (B, L)

Nestled amidst these hills, are the settlements of those who first paved routes to Munnar. They are the Muthuvans, who got their name from carrying their children and belongings on their backs (‘muthuku’ in tamil), while migrating to these hills from Tamil Nadu. Today, we’ll drive though beautiful valleys to several of their settlements where we will get to interact with them. We’ll experience the Muthuvan lifestyle, unique social norms, family life and a culture that has been preserved for ages, unaffected by modern developments. Walking through clusters of homes, we will see women clad in ethnic saris. We will travel by local jeep so we can navigate the off-road trails. 

The settlements we will explore are set into the forest, as their rituals and resources are closely connected with nature. Honey, natural spices and few medicinal flowers are the produce they harvest and sell in the local market. These early settlers of Munnar play an important role in protecting and preserving the land by taking part in eco-development programs. After a wonderful day of photography and adventure, we return to village of Munnar. 

Before we end our day, we will visit another location from the past, but quite a contrast to our morning adventure. We’ll enjoy a special high tea session at one of the old British Clubs, the High Range Club, where we will be taken back to the time to the British Raj, over a cup of tea. (B, L)

After breakfast depart the tea country and drive to Allepey. Upon arrival we will check-in to our beautifully appointed luxury houseboat. We’ll set sail and begin cruising the tranquil backwaters of Kerala. 

Referred to as the Venice of the East, Allepey has always enjoyed an important place in the maritime history of Kerala. Today, it is famous for its longboat races, backwater holidays, beaches, marine products, coir industry and houseboats. These houseboats are in fact reworked versions of Kettuvallams of olden times. The original Kettuvallams or rice barges were used to carry tons of rice and spices. The Kettuvallam or ‘boat with knots’ was so called because the entire boat was held together with only coir knots. Today, houseboats can come appointed with all the creature comforts of a nice hotel, including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even balconies. One of the best experiences is enjoying uninterrupted views of Kerala’s backwater life. 

As our day comes to a close, we’ll be photographing the sunset while our crew is preparing a wonderful dinner. It really is a magical experience. Dinner will include local fish, prawns, and plenty of organic vegetables. After dinner and desert, we’ll kick back, relax and tell stories. (B, L, D)

After a wonderful breakfast aboard our private houseboat, we’ll begin our cruise throughout the backwaters. These backwaters consist of a network of 932 miles (1500 km) of canals both manmade and natural, 38 rivers and 5 big lakes extending from one end of Kerala to the other. Vembanad is the largest of the lakes, covering an area of 785 sq mi (2033 sq km).  

We’ll visit villages along the way, including Vizhinjam village, a busy port flooded with fishing boats. We’ll photograph the many fishermen venturing into the distant sea. The village which is rustic and earthy is very different from Kovalam in many aspects. You’ll witness children going to school by boat, families shopping, cutting coconuts from trees, making repairs to their homes. No one has a car, only simple canoes and boats. This remote life is peaceful and fascinating. 

We’ll enjoy lunch and dinner, prepared by our chef and crew, followed by another glorious sunset. (B, L, D)

After a lovely breakfast on our houseboat, we will disembark and proceed to Mararikulam, a fishing village on the coast of the Arabian Sea. An hour’s drive from Alleppey, takes us to this small yet fascinating beach destination in Kerala. Here, we’ll stay at a beautiful beach resort, which is perfect way to end our adventure with photography and leisure time. 

After check-in, we prepare for a sunset shoot on the beach, where we get to see locals and fishing boats alike. ‘Marari’ beach is known for its calm and serene ambience, with swaying palm trees, clean water and a local charm. We’ll find a few stalls selling locals pickles, savories, and toys for children. Our shoot will be followed by dinner. (B)

We are up for an early morning shoot at a nearby fishing harbor, where the local fishermen bring their daily catch for auction. As interesting as it sounds, the whole act of presenting the day’s catch to the buyers, and the craziness of an auction, provides us with some great street photography opportunities. A fishermen’s fascinating and authentic life will be on display for you to capture. Afterwards, we return to our hotel for breakfast, after which we can spend time reviewing and discussing photos. We’ll take a break from the afternoon heat to enjoy our resort. 

In the evening, we’ll venture to the local village where we will visit the homes and families of these fishermen. In the evening we celebrate our amazing 12 days together with a “Farewell Dinner” fit for a king. (B) (D)

After our morning breakfast, we depart Marari for Cochin International Airport for your flight.

Theyyam Festival Add-on (March): If you are continuing on to our Theyyam Add-on, we will be escorting you on a flight to Kannur.