KERALA January 2024
Yoga, Culture and Creativity, Kerala
South of India, January 2024
Have you been dreaming of a trip to India but feel overwhelmed to organise it on your own? Are you a person that likes yoga, new cultures and spending time with like-minded travellers in a relaxed and supportive environment.
Then this trip may be for you...
Arrive in Kerala on the 20th January
- 8 days by the sea - 4 days in the city of Kochi
HIGHLIGHTS:
Unwind with daily on-site yoga & meditation.
Enjoy free time on the long empty beach. Take a
swim in the warm and salty Indian Ocean.
Two full day-trips to the back-waters and the
mountains.
Explore the nearby village of Verkala with craft
shops, cafes and local restaurants.
Lectures about yoga and Ayurvedic medicine.
Avail of Ayurvedic treatments and massage.
Visit local Hindu temples.
Nurture the body as well as the mind with
delicious vegetarian Keralan food.
Rise at dawn to see the sunrise — and enjoy
sunset yoga on the beach
Laugh and have fun with some like-minded new
friends!
Join me for eight days to Odayam beach - a small fishing village on the coast of Kerala, where we will stay in a small yoga hotel called The First Place, only 150m from the shores of the Arabian Sea. If you would like to, you can add 5 days in the spice capital of Cochin, now called Kochi, via a local train journey.
The First Place is run by a Swedish man in conjunction with his Indian team and they are proud to offer a friendly and serene atmosphere to their visitors. It has been operating successfully as a yoga destination for over ten years.
We will fly out to a city called Thiruvananthapuram (formerly, and often still called Trivandrum), where we will be picked up by arranged car transfer to Odayam, about 1.5 hours trip.
The holiday offers yoga every morning and evening at the First Place. In the morning conducted in English by a highly experienced South Indian teacher called Siva. In the early evening just as the sun is setting, Liz will lead a slow and mindful practice on the beach.
Beginners, advanced, young, and old–all are welcome!
There is an option to take part in creative workshops where we investigate different types of mark- making often using the breath as inspiration. A reflective dairy with words and visual note taking will be encouraged. We will also try block printing on both paper and fabric. All creative workshops are optional, at your choice.
Five day extension of the trip to Kochi:
It will also be possible to extend the trip for a further five days and travel with me on the train to Kochi - the home of the spice trade. Kochi is a colourful and lively city, and is one of the most picturesque destinations on the southwest coast line of Kerala. Here we will stay in my favourite hotel ‘The Secret Garden’, which offers daily yoga and a fantastic breakfast. The hotel is owned by an Icelandic architect who carefully renovated the ancient heritage Keralan house. The hotel is hidden down some small back lanes in Fort Cochin, and has a beautiful garden and swimming pool to relax in. The days in Kochi are self directed, with no organised activities. I am of course very happy to help with suggestions of where to shop, excursion and places to eat.
You will make your return trip back to Dublin ( or wherever home is ) straight from Kochi.
Alternatively perhaps you want to keep travelling in India for a few more weeks.
There is also an alternative option stay on for a few days at The First Place and then travel back to your home destination via Trivandrum on your chosen date.
This eight - or twelve day trip - offers a intimate, authentic and relaxing introduction to the practice of yoga amidst the cultural diversity of South India. The group will be small with 10 -12 travellers.