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Welcome to the final group tour page for the retreat|recreate
SOUTH INDIA TEXTILES & HANDCRAFTS TOUR
22 February – 9 March 2027
Your tour page comprises the following documents:
- Itinerary
- Trip Notes
- To Do List (includes bank details for paying your deposit and tour balance)
- Travel Details form – updated 14 June 2026. Submit ASAP and before 31 Oct 2026
- Booking Conditions
- Packing List
- Visa Application Information and Instructions – to be uploaded closer to departure
- Useful Information booklet – to be uploaded closer to departure
- Map showing ATMs (red symbols) near our Chennai starting point hotel
Our list of pre-trip reading and viewing suggestions for India is HERE
NEW – Scroll down for details of a new optional post-tour activity ex Kochi
THE TOUR IS CONFIRMED TO PROCEED. You’re welcome to go ahead and book flights. Please follow the instructions on the To Do List and Trip Notes and consider allowing extra time in Chennai and Kochi to join the optional pre-tour and post-tour activities below.
IMPORTANT DATES AND REMINDERS:
- Complete and submit your Travel Details Form ASAP and no later than 31 October 2026
- Your tour balance is due no later than 7 November 2026 (AEDT)
- Refer also to the To Do List for other important dates and reminders
THINGS TO NOTE:
Our welcome briefing meeting is at 6pm on 22 February 2027 at The Residency, Chennai (see address below)
Our STARTING POINT HOTEL IN CHENNAI: The Residency – 49, GN Chetty Road, T. Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Our FINISHING POINT HOTEL IN KOCHI is: Abad Dutch Bungalow – Napier Street, Fort Kochi, Kochi, Kerala
OPTIONAL PRE-TOUR ACTIVITIES: As each requires a minimum of 2 participants to proceed, please indicate your interest (by sending us a quick email) and your preferred date/time sooner rather than later to allow coordination with others in the group. These activities include return transfers from our Chennai hotel. Confirm your interest on your Travel Details Form. Pre-tour activities will be added to the invoice for your tour balance. Booking requests will be indicated below in red as they’re received.
- Cooking class and meal with a local family (lunch or dinner) @ A$145 per person. 11.30AM departure for lunch OR 5.30PM departure for dinner. Duration = 2.5 – 3 hours plus travel time from/to our tour hotel.
- EOIs: 22 Feb lunch – Kim, Lynette, Noelene, Kathleen, Denise
- Culinary tour of Chennai @ A$130 per person. Depart from our tour hotel at 3pm. Tour duration = 2.5 – 3 hours plus travel time from/to our tour hotel. Bustling, chaotic, fragrant, and unapologetically indulgent, Chennai’s Sowcarpet neighborhood is a feast for the senses. Arrive curious, leave enlightened but most importantly, come hungry. From buttery pav bhaji and melt-in-the-mouth palkova to fluffy thattu idlis and the wildly addictive murukku sandwich, this is a trail designed for those who believe food is best enjoyed with stories. Wander through the vibrant lanes of Chennai’s Sowcarpet, where every bite carries memories of migration, family traditions, secret spice blends, and culinary obsessions that are equal parts amusing and fascinating. This immersive food walk is not merely about tasting local favourites; it is about understanding the people and cultures that shaped them. Discover why certain flavours became fiercely spicy, why sweets hold such emotional significance, and how age-old recipes continue to survive in hidden kitchens and tiny eateries.
- EOIs: 21 Feb – Susan K, Kim, Lynette, Noelene, Kathleen, Kerry, Kate, Denise, Belinda, Sheridan
- NEW – OPTIONAL POST-TOUR ACTIVITY @ AUD130 per person, including return transfers from our Kochi hotel. Depart at 08:00AM, return at ~13:00-13:30. Driving time (included) is ~45 minutes each way. A minimum of 2 bookings is required for the tour to proceed. Join us for a half-day tour to visit the village and weaving community of Chendamangalam, where the long legacy of Kerala’s handloom industry continues to this day. The beautiful village is home to a long line of master craftspeople, famous for producing the best quality cotton and silk textiles in Kerala. Gain insight into local weaving traditions as we experience the traditional street-warping process, visit a dye house, observe looms in operation and explore a handloom co-operative centre. Please indicate your interest (by sending us a quick email) and your preferred date, sooner rather than later to allow coordination with others in the group. Confirm your interest on your Travel Details Form. Booking requests will be indicated below in red as they’re received and added to your invoice.
- EOIs: 9 March – Susan K, Noelene, Kathleen, Denise, Kate, Lynette, Kim
- EOIs: 10 March – Belinda, Sheridan
OPTIONAL ON-TOUR ACTIVITIES: require a minimum of 2 participants to proceed. Indicate your request now and pay cash to our tour leader two days prior.
- 2 March – Early morning basic yoga class @ A$50 per person – indicate your interest on the Travel Details Form and pay cash to our tour leader two days prior.
- EOIs:
ITINERARY
TRIP NOTES
BOOKING CONDITIONS
TO DO LIST as at 18 May 2026
TRAVEL DETAILS FORM updated 14 June
PACKING LIST
eVISA – INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS – to be uploaded closer to departure
USEFUL INFORMATION – to be uploaded closer to departure
ATMs near our starting point hotel, The Residency, Chennai (centre of image)
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