Kerala Backwaters & Hills – 5 Nights / 6 Days

Trip overview

This is our most popular Kerala itinerary. It balances cool hill air in Munnar with wildlife and spices in Thekkady, then slows right down for a night drifting through the backwaters on your own houseboat. Distances are short, so you spend more time enjoying places and less time in the car.

Highlights

• Tea estates and Eravikulam National Park in Munnar
• Spice plantation walk and Periyar Lake in Thekkady
• Overnight private houseboat cruise in Alleppey with Kerala meals
• Fort Kochi’s Chinese fishing nets and heritage streets

Day-wise itinerary

Day 1: Kochi to Munnar (about 4 hours)

Pick-up from Kochi airport or railway station and drive into the Western Ghats, stopping at the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls. Check in to your Munnar hotel and spend the evening at leisure.

Day 2: Munnar sightseeing

Visit Eravikulam National Park (subject to the seasonal closure for the tahr calving season, usually February–March), the Tea Museum, Mattupetty Dam, Echo Point and Kundala Lake. Evening free for a walk through the tea gardens.

Day 3: Munnar to Thekkady (about 3 hours)

Drive through cardamom hills to Thekkady. In the afternoon, take an optional boat ride on Periyar Lake or a guided spice plantation tour, then watch a Kathakali or Kalaripayattu performance in the evening.

Day 4: Thekkady to Alleppey houseboat (about 4 hours)

Drive to Alleppey and board your private houseboat around noon. Cruise through palm-fringed canals, paddy fields and villages, with lunch, evening tea and dinner cooked on board. Overnight on the houseboat.

Day 5: Alleppey to Kochi (about 1.5 hours)

After breakfast, disembark and drive to Kochi. Visit Fort Kochi, the Chinese fishing nets, St. Francis Church, Mattancherry Palace and Jew Town. Overnight in Kochi.

Day 6: Departure

After breakfast, drop at Kochi airport or railway station with memories of God’s Own Country.

Good to know

• Houseboats cruise until about 5:30 PM and then anchor for the night, as per local rules.
• We can upgrade you to premium houseboats with glass-walled lounges or add an extra night in Kovalam or Varkala.
• Vegetarian and Jain meals can be arranged on the houseboat with advance notice.

Package FAQs

Can this package start from Thiruvananthapuram instead of Kochi?

Yes. We can reverse the route and end with Kovalam, starting or finishing at Thiruvananthapuram.

Is this itinerary suitable for senior citizens?

Yes. Drives are short and most sightseeing involves little walking. We can choose ground-floor rooms and an extra rest day.