Sample itinerary – India South – 14 days - Spice Trek & Project Adventure Day 1 - 2 Departure day The departure day is finally here, check your flight details on My World Challenge and make your way to the airport with enough time to check in, pass through customs and board your flight. Arrive in Kochi. Welcome to India, a country full of colour and enriched in cultural traditions. On arrival you will need to make your way to Fort Kochi, a charming laid back beach town located approximately 1 hour from the airport. You’ll be tired after your long journey but before making your way to the pre-booked accommodation, you’ll need to change some money into rupees and then locate the pre-booked transport. Day 3 Orientation morning in Kochi Catch a local bus to meet your In-Country Agents Kalypso Adventures, to discuss your trek itinerary and see a presentation on Indian culture. When the admin is out of the way you'll have the rest of the day to explore Fort Kochi. Kerala, popularly known as 'God's Own Country', Kochi has been influenced by a variety of cultures and you'll see this everywhere. You'll find Chinese style fishing nets, Portuguese merchant's houses, a 16th century synagogue, ancient mosques and crumbling British Raj-era buildings showing the colourful history of the area. This thriving port is the commercial and industrial capital of the state. Let yourself adjust to the sights, sounds and smells of India and become accustomed to the different pace of life. As a rest and relaxation activity you might decide to go to a traditional Kathakali dance performance, with its elaborate costumes and make-up. Travel to your project. This afternoon you will make the onward journey to your community project. You will need to make sure you have made contact with your project host beforehand, so the community is ready for your arrival. This is a good opportunity for you to run through any plans you have made for lessons, songs and sports games. Day 4 - 6 Community Project The community engagement phase of your expedition will offer a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in an India, giving an insight into a rich new culture! In India, quality of education is linked to many variables including remoteness, the provision of toilet facilities, safety and cultural attitudes. It is proven that female attendance in schools in particular is strongly linked to having a female specific toilet onsite, and support from the wider family and community. Those families who live too far from their closest school cannot afford daily transport fees, so have no affordable access to education. Supporting the development of education and training facilities is a key focus of World Challenge’s community projects in India. Improving learning environments helps schools to stay open, enabling children to continue to receive an education. You will explore local development challenges, by participating in a local project that is aimed at meeting an important community need. Community engagement in India will offer a unique opportunity to fully engage with passionate local people and organisations seeking to make a positive impact in society, and share in both your cultures - to become Active Global Citizens. Come prepared with ideas - Photos of your school, community and families are often great ways to make friends! Everyone loves to play sports, share songs and perform dance routines! Be prepared to cook a meal for your hosts, or learn to make traditional dishes. The more you engage with the project hosts the more you will feel part of something bigger - a community. Don’t forget to learn some of the local language and dialect, either before you arrive or while you are on expedition - it will be invaluable! Day 7 - 10 Munnar Trek You will start your journey by private bus, through lush countryside and dramatic rolling hills to Munnar, part of the Western Ghats along India's south-west strip; a region recognised as a biodiversity hot spot. The unique eco-system is home to an abundance of butterflies, birds, fish and the exciting terrain of high altitude forests and giant redwoods, craggy peaks, cardamom plantations and vast lakes offering trekkers endless challenges. Heavy rain makes the land fertile, evidence of which can be seen from the plantations of tea, cardamom and spices which have given rise to the commercial importance of this region. The trail will lead you through grassland from Chinnakanal to Suryanelli Camp, then it will take you to your next camp through beautiful high altitude forests towards the edge of a lake. Snaking across a large area, this placid and picturesque lake is a source of water for farmers downstream. Many tribal colonies farm spices and cardamom in the favourable climate here. The trek will take you to the area known as the ‘Cardamom Hills’ – the capital of the spice growing region. The route will take you past large forested areas where cardamom, pepper and coffee are grown under the canopy of the trees, before the scenery opens up to reveal forest covered mountains and spice growing villages. Day 11 Final camp to Rest & Relaxation destination Today you will travel onwards from the final camp at the end of your trek to your R&R destination. Day 12 - 13 Rest and relaxation The coast is a great place to spend your rest and relaxation time. Kollam Beach Resort, just outside Kollam, is an ideal base to organise your exploration of the Keralan backwaters. You have the cost of houseboats included in your itinerary. You could take a trip on a Kettu Vellum houseboat (a converted cinnamon barge) or a ½ or full day kayaking trip through the backwaters (only one option included in your budget). Kerala has many things to see and do including temples, wildlife and bird sanctuaries, colonial fishing ports and tea plantations. To get the most out of your stay you'll need to carefully plan your time in this beautiful part of India. Why not head to the stunning beach resort of Varkala, perched almost perilously along the edge of 15m-high cliffs, the resort of Varkala has a naturally beautiful setting and the cliff-top stretch has steadily grown into Kerala's most popular backpacker hangout. It's not hard to escape the crowds further north or south where the beaches are cleaner and quieter. Despite its backpacker vibe, Varkala is essentially a temple town, and the main Papanasham beach is a holy place where Hindus come to make offerings for passed loved ones. Day 14 - 15 Return to Kochi It is time to make the journey back to Kochi for your journey home, your Indian adventure is coming to an end. Dependent on your flight time you may need to make an early start. Depart Kochi. Time to go. Cram everything back into your rucksack and set off for the airport. Check-in, sit back and reflect. You’ve just experienced something incredible. You’ll be bursting with stories and cherished moments to share with your favourite people back home – we’d love to hear them too! @weareworldchallenge Please remember embarking on an expedition with World Challenge is not without risk. There are a number of factors to be aware of including variation in climate, the intensity and nature of the planned activities, health, personal safety, and security all of which may differ from what participants are used to. Our expeditions are not holidays, and the level of challenge should not be underestimated. The nature of travelling in the developing world is such that things don’t always go according to plan and it’s really important for each team to enter into their expedition expecting that things may need to change. During your itinerary you may have the opportunity to take part in approved Rest and Relaxation activities. These approved activities must be completed in accordance with World Challenge risk assessments and, unless otherwise specified in your expedition paperwork, may come at your own expense. Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions or concerns about the nature of the expedition. .