The Muziris Backwater Paddle is a two-day kayaking expedition that will be held along National Waterway 3 in the Kerala backwaters. Organised by Jellyfish Watersports and the Muziris Heritage Project, the event is slated for January 4 and 5, 2020, and will begin at the Kotturpuram Jetty in Kodungalloor district. Paddling for 40 kilometres (20km a day), the journey will wrap up at Bolgatty Island in Kochi, with river cleaning activities and sightseeing breaks centred around Muziris Heritage locations in between. Over 200 paddlers attended 2019&rsquos event, and similar numbers are expected in 2020.
As participants will spend long periods of time in the water over the two days, the event hopes to raise awareness amongst youngsters and tourists about the need to protect the rivers&mdashKerala has 44&mdashand raise awareness of all the destinations, natural wonders and local economies connected to these waterways. The Kerala backwaters pull throngs of travellers from around the world every year, and Kerala Tourism&rsquos Muziris project has been working to highlight the 3,000-year-old heritage in and around the area. Muziris was an ancient seaport and harbour on the Malabar Coast, going back to at least the 1st century BCE, and key in the exchange of spices, jewels and textiles between southern India and the West.
Muziris Paddle 2020 is open to both beginners and expert paddlers. Sit-in kayaks will only be given to certified kayakers, while beginners will have to use sit-on-top kayaks for safety reasons. The kayak packages include rentals, expert guidance, camping gear, lifeguard support, night camping, team activities and authentic Kerala fare. For booking queries, call 0495-2973112 or 91 94008 93112, or shoot an email to kayak@jellyfishwatersports.com. Tickets and schedules can be found here.