Breathtaking! Our tour guide, shine, was passionate and knowledgeable. Definitely one of my favorite parts of my trip to India

Lijo Jose is an excellent tour guide. He let me take my time, he was respectful, knowledgeable, and his English is great. Before the tour I was worried, as a practicing Jew, that my guide would try to explain Judaism to me and he would be wrong, but Lijo did no such thing. He explained the history of Kochi Jews, knew about Judaism enough to give a good honest tour, and was friendly along the way. I was also honored to meet Elias Ben Yosef Chai, one of the last Indian Jews. For any Jew visiting Kochi, this tour is well worth your time.

Our Jewish Heritage tour of Cochin was outstanding . We did not know a lot about the history of Jews in India before this tour . This tour was very informative and special . Our tour guide Lijo Jose was kind and went out of his way to make sure that we were happy and comfortable. He was very knowledgeable about Jewish history in Cochin . Our driver, Romi was a very safe driver and also very kind . We would highly recommend the tour , our tour guide and our driver for anyone wanted to learn about the Jewish history of Cochin .

My husband, my parents and myself were cruising on Serenade of the Seas and we had three port stops in India - in Cochin, Goa and Mumbai. For all three ports we did shore excursions with Muziris Heritage India Experiences. The tours are specifically arranged around the specific ship's pore schedule. Each tour was very well run and enjoyable. I would hesitate to recommend this company.

I loved the whole experience. It was very thorough and deeply enriching. I felt transported into a different time and place. The deep faith of the Indian Jewish communities was palpable in each of the synagogues that we visited. Below is the itinerary. I would recommend coming to Cochin, like I did, even for one day to do this 7 hour tour. Cochin Jewish Heritage Tour: According to legend, the history of Kerala’s Jews goes back as far as the time of King Solomon (10th century BC), when trade in exotic items from India such as peacocks, ivory, sandalwood and spices flourished. Many believe that Jews arrived on the Malabar Coast after the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Interestingly, the Christian tradition recounts that when St Thomas arrived on the Malabar Coast in the first century, he attended a wedding in Kodungallur (a port town near Cochin, also called Cranganore). He sang a wedding song in Hebrew, which no one understood, except a local Jewish flute girl. This story seems to prove the existence of Jews on the Malabar coast as early as the first century. The Jewish community in and around Kondungallur enjoyed amicable relationships with local rulers. It grew and prospered over the centuries, building several synagogues. In 1524, because of conflicts with the Portuguese and Arab Moors, they were forced to flee to Cochin. They found protection under the Hindu Raja, who granted them land adjacent to his own palace for a town that became known as "Jew Town”. The Jewish community in Cochin grew significantly during the 16th century with an influx of Sephardic Jews primarily from Spain, Portugal and Holland, escaping the Inquisition. Others emigrated from the Middle East, also escaping persecution. The newcomers were called Paradesi, a word that means foreigner in Malayalam, distinct from the Malabar Jews, who were the original Jewish community of Kerala. Thus in the mid 20th century, Kerala had eight Jewish communities each having its own synagogue. Collectively known as the Cochin Jews, they were divided into two subgroups: The Malabar Jews had seven synagogues, among which two synagogues in Chennamangalam and Parur have been restored and are accessible to tourists. The Paradesi Jews had just one synagogue, which was originally built in 1568 in Cochin, and is the only Jewish house of prayer in Kerala where religious services are still held. After the formation of Israel in 1948, the Cochin Jews migrated to the Promised Land. Only a handful of Jews still live in Kerala today – however, their synagogues, cemeteries, houses and streets still bear witness to their 2000-year old association with India. Tour coverage: This tour covers Jewish sites in the old settlement (prior to the move to Cochin), as well as the sites in Cochin itself. 9:00 a.m. with a drive to Kondungallur, the original trading port where the Jewish community arrived. It takes about 1.5 hours from Cochin, through the countryside. We will visit Chennamangalam, to see the sensitively restored synagogue of the Malabar Jews. Based on Indian building traditions, but influenced by visiting traders and imperialists over the centuries, the Chennamangalam synagogue is a wonderful example of the traditions of Keralan vernacular architecture. This architectural style was adapted to Jewish ritual and liturgical requirements, to produce a synagogue that is simple yet beautifully embellished. Another synagogue nearby in Parur, which was earlier in a state of disrepair, has now been restored, and we will visit that also. After lunch, we will drive to Fort Kochi. Here, we will visit the ‘Jew Town’ area, where Cochin’s Jews were given land by the Cochin raja to build their homes and trading houses. We will visit the Paradesi synagogue, known for its hand-painted tiles and its quaint old chandeliers. We will go on a walking exploration through the narrow streets of this area, to absorb the atmosphere and to see the homes of Cochin’s Jewish community. You can also take a brief look at the Jewish cemetery if interested. We will also visit Kadavumbagam synagogue at Jew street

We had a 10 day private tour to Delhi, Agra (Taj Mahal), Ranthambore, Jaipur and Mumbai organised by Lijo Jose. We did not want to leave! Every detail had been meticulously planned. Our driver was superb, each guide was knowledgeable and thoughtful. The hotels were superb. We stayed in The Imperial in Delhi, Oberoi hotels everywhere else. We truly experienced the Rhajastan saying "Guests are Gods" in practice. Can't wait to go back and see more.

We had an absolutely delightful day with Mr Lijo! His knowledge of the Jewish people of India is exceptional! We spent time touring the Kochin markets and at the two synagogues in Kochin where we spent a good amount of time learning of the Jewish people of the city! We also did a tour of Jew town where we met the gentleman who took good care of a woman named Sarah Cohen. We had a great day with Mr Lijo and highly recommend him for any and all of his tours. Thank you for such a great day of touring! My family and I had a great time!! All the best!!

We started day 1 of our trip to the Taj from Goa at the cruise terminal. We had a driver and escort through the process basically to the gate. After the flight we were immediately picked up by another escort and got promptly to the driver. The van was perfect for our family and could have accommodated more people and luggage no problem if you had a bigger group or longer trip. The hotel booking was great comparing notes with people who stayed at other places nearby and you guessed it - yet ANOTHER person met us to make sure we were all set up and relay plans for the next day. The tour of the Taj was totally seamless and our guide was awesome. He pointed out his house over the wall and was able to fill the entire time with info that kept us and the kids engaged the whole time. The Agra fort tour was maybe even better. We would have taken much more time on our own (a bit figuring out entry probably) and not have gotten near the same level of experience. The drive back to Dheli seemed faster or maybe it was just knowing what to expect. The driver had a couple of nice spots to get out for a break. And yet AGAIN there was someone ready for us and the hotel pick was awesome. Same thing the next morning at 4:45 on the dot everyone was ready to get us loaded and back to the airport. And at the last transition we were met on the spot at the exact minute we stepped off the plane by our guide and driver and guide for a tour we put together of Mumbai. We absolutely maxed out the time and our guide was great again. We had lunch with friends who are local and things ran longer than expected, but everything was done to accommodate us and get us back to the terminal to depart at exactly when we expected. I hadn't booked a tour like this before, much less one far in advance that was pretty expensive and not part of the cruise. Add three young kids to the mix. But everything exceeded expectations. We could all just relax (mentally) and have a good time. It was physically taxing for sure, but absolutely everything was handled to a degree I could not achieve myself planning for months. You should absolutely book with Lijo.

My husband and I were on a cruise ship that made 3 stops in India (Cochin, Goa, and Mumbai). The cruise line offered an outrageously expensive excursion to see the Taj Mahal. This was too much for our budget, and I'm so glad to have found Muziris Heritage / Tours by Lijo. They offered a similar Taj Mahal excursion at a fraction of the cruise line's price. Even better, we were in a small group (only 6 people total, all from our ship) instead of a big bus with 40 or more people. Furthermore, the itinerary was much better, since we were able to get a glimpse of Agra at night (beautiful!) and we were able to see the Taj first thing in the morning, after a good night's sleep, with fewer crowds, and before the heat of the afternoon. The Itinerary: We started in Goa, where Lijo met us at the cruise terminal, and we were driven to the nearby airport. Lijo made sure we made it safely aboard our ~ 2 hour flight to Delhi. Upon arrival, we were met at the Delhi airport by our driver who took us in a very nice, air conditioned van (with USB charging ports!) to Agra. This took about 4 hours (with a bathroom/snack stop or two along the way). We enjoyed seeing parts of Delhi and the countryside on this drive, and it was nice to arrive in Agra at night since it was beautifully lit and people were out and about in the cooler evening hours! Our Agra hotel was lovely and we enjoyed a late evening meal. Very early the next morning, we were picked up and taken to the Taj Mahal at sunrise. Spectacular! We had a guide (just for the 6 of us) who offered excellent commentary about what we were seeing, and he patiently allowed us all of the time we needed to take (many, many!) photos. He even took photos of us throughout the day. In all, we spent about 2 hours at this site. As a photographer, I found early morning to be nice because there were fewer people and the air was nice and cool. However, I also liked photographing the "classic view" just before we left the site later in the morning (from the same way we entered). At this time, and I suspect throughout the late morning and afternoon, the Taj was better lit by the sun. We then went back to the hotel to have a delicious breakfast, pack, and check out. Next stop was Agra Fort, which was far better than I expected. This really is worth the stop, and once again, take many photos. From here, there is also a nice long distance view of the Taj Mahal. Lastly, we went to a marble inlay shop to learn about the process and have the chance to buy expensive, but exquisite marble items. If you're not looking to spend quite so much, you might want to consider street-side vendors who offer marble items that are still beautiful, but perhaps not quite as exquisite. After that, we drove back to Delhi (again, comfortable air-conditioned van with USB ports), checked into another nice hotel, and had the late afternoon/evening free to enjoy a nice dinner and reflect upon the day. Early the next morning, we caught a flight to Mumbai since our ship had moved on while we were visiting the Taj Mahal. Once in Mumbai, we had a half day city tour (also excellent and with a lovely guide) before being taken to our ship. All in all, Lijo and the Muziris Heritage team did an excellent job and we were very pleased with the whole excursion! Their pricing was reasonable and the logistics went off without any problems. Lijo took excellent care of us. The hotels (in Agra and Delhi) were very nice and of course, the Taj Mahal was spectacular! Our drivers and guides were excellent and it was a "once in a lifetime" few days. I highly recommend using this company!

We enjoyed a first class Jewish Heritage tour of Cochin. Lijo was in frequent contact with us as we sailed towards the city and our guide Lakshmi and driver Ranjit provided superb guiding and driving. We were able to see sites not available to the general public. Lakshmi has excellent information about the history of Cochin’s Jewish community. We were treated to a very memorable day.

I contacted Lijo on short notice. He was responsive and very accommodating. The guide was engaging and spoke English very well. I recommend Lijo and his company.

I haven't be on a cruise and I did not have a small excursion like some others, but I had a company who organised everything for our 20 days in India. This company is "Muziris Heritage - India Experiences", their manager is Lijo, he booked the hotels, the car and drivers, the tourist guides, the domestic flights, the train trip, the boat-house trip, some dinners...well EVERYTHING with all small details, we went to Rajastan in some of the best hotels in the world, then Kerala, then by the seaside in the South, everything was organised by Lijo precisely. You contact him, tell him your dates, where you want to go and don't, what you want to do and don't, he'll send you a quotation, and you can then be assured that everything will go according to plan. Get his WhatsApp number (I cannot give it to you on this site) and the communication will be great. The attention to details is Amazing, I really recommend his services. We flue business class from London with Vistara, this was a great experience too, and cheaper than some other airlines.

Lijo has been amazing from start to finish. We had booked a tour for 40 of us and our cruise was cancelled. He’s has refunded everyone in a timely manner. He’s been so incredibly helpful and polite throughout this ordeal. I will be booking a tour with him on our next visit to India.

Excellent tour with a group of about 8. Knowledgeable guide who covered the expected sights and had a good sense of humor. A good mix of viewing from the passenger van and walking. He had us back to the cruise ship in good time. I would recommend this tour.

Buyer beware! Booked a Mumbai tour for 2 people and eventually had to cancel. Website states over 45 days out that there will be full refund. We canceled well over 2 months in advance. Had to contact Lijo multiple times before any money was refunded. And to this day, we've still only received half of what we paid back. My last contact attempts has gone unanswered. Money in the pocket, and can't deny a fact, money never returned!