Calypso or Kalypso has many meanings. But the first to strike one would be the fun, laughter and carefree life of the Caribbean Islands. It also stands for the ship Jacques-Yves Cousteau sailed for his adventures underwater and the motto of that ship in its glory days was "Il faut aller voir" ("We must go and see for ourselves"). We combined both to form Kalypso Adventures. What started as promoting adventure in Kerala, now covers the entire country – providing adventure travel to the furthermost corners of the country.

Through the years Kalypso has remained focused on special interest tours in adventure, nature travel and eco tours – all the time keeping in mind the importance of the fragile environment we work in and the lives of the local communities. Our guides are arguably the best in their chosen fields be it birding, natural history safaris or entomological expeditions.
Our love of the great outdoors and many years of experience has enabled us to develop some of the most exciting adventure and wildlife trips in India. We now offer an unrivalled selection of suggested itineraries for tours that can be taken as shown or tailor-made, all on dates to suit you.

One of our most popular trip types are the classic discovery tours which mix sightseeing, maybe some walking and wildlife elements along with wonderful accommodation. We have many suggestions for you and can design a trip that will give lasting memories.

We also have trips that focus on a specific activity - wildlife safaris in the premier national parks of India, kayaking and rafting trips in Kerala, walking and trekking in the breathtaking jungles and hills of the south. Our birding trips are justifiably famous and, as with all our wildlife trips trips, you're accompanied by experienced guides who are arguably the best in the business and who have won accolades from leading birders across the globe.We have cycling adventures take you on the back-roads of the south right up and into the Himalayan foothills - all with equipment of a very high standard to make riding a joy.

Family trips are growing in popularity, combining activities such as backwaters trips, elephant camp visits, kayaking, homestays, beaches and much, much more.

Finally we offer diving in the Andaman Islands, the stunning tropical paradise that sits off India's southern shores, charity challenges and corporate training trips. 

Sam

Thomas

Madhu

Vinay

Commander Sam T Samuel - Managing Director of the company is a former pilot of the Indian Navy with over 4000 hrs of flying hours to his credit. A keen equestrian and an adventure enthusiast, he has also been a member of the Naval Sailing Association and has been actively involved in water sports activities throughout his career. He is also a qualified facilitator for Outward Bound Training courses for Corporate Executives.

Commander Thomas Zacharias -  The Executive Director of the company, is a former Electronics Engineer of the Indian Navy. He has been an active member of the Nilgiri Angling Association and the Tahr Foundation at Munnar. He has also had vast experience in trekking and camping and has been an active volunteer member assisting the Kerala Forest & Wildlife wing in their fieldwork in Kerala.

Commander R Madhusoodanan - Heads the Training Division of Kalypso and regularly conducts Training sessions for Corporates and Business Schools. An MBA in HR from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute for Management Studies and a qualified trainer, Commander Madhu commanded ships and also headed a training institution of the Indian Navy. As the Chief Public Relations Officer of Defence Forces, he has interacted with senior dignitaries and VVIPs. He is also a qualified Deep Sea Diver from US Navy.

Vinay - “My biggest buzz is to watch students deal with our most basic societal structures as wanderers and come out equipped to deal with everyday life. It is truly leadership in action" , says Vinay Sirsi, Director of Kalypso, a former flighter pilot, qualified NOLS instructor and consultant in Outdoor Adventure. Vinay also has MS, Outdoor Education from University of New Hampshire-Manchester besides an MBA.

Through these years Kalypso has remained focussed on special interest tours in adventure, nature travel and eco tours – all the time keeping in mind the importance of the fragile environment we work in and the lives of the local communities. Our guides are arguably the best in their chosen fields be it birding, natural history safaris or entomological expeditions.