4N / 5D
Wayanad Hills
On enquiryper person
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6N / 7D
Hills, Backwaters & Coast
Kerala
Kerala Classic
Kochi · Munnar · Thekkady · Alleppey — Kerala works best as a descent — from the tea hills of Munnar, down through the spice country and Periyar's forest at Thekkady, to the backwaters at Alleppey and finally the coast. We run it in that order because it flows downhill both literally and in mood, ending with a night on a houseboat drifting through the paddy-and-palm channels. The drives are short but genuinely winding in the hills, and we say so; the reward is a state that unfolds gently rather than being rushed.
Duration6N / 7D
StartsKochi
EndsAlleppey / Kochi
Best seasonSeptember to March
Ideal forHoneymooners · families · nature lovers · slow travellers
- Duration
- 6N / 7D
- Cities
- Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey
- States
- Kerala
- Distance
- ~450 km overland
- Start → End
- Kochi → Alleppey / Kochi
- Transport
- Private air-conditioned car + backwater houseboat
- Hotels
- 3★ / 4★ / plantation stays + houseboat
- Meals
- Daily breakfast; full board on the houseboat
- Best season
- September to March
- Ideal for
- Honeymooners · families · nature lovers · slow travellers
Day by day
Complete itinerary
Tap any day to expand. Drive distances and times are realistic approximations, stated up front and traffic-dependent — never hidden.
Day 1 Arrive KochiAirport → Fort Kochi
- Transfer to Fort Kochi & check-in
- Chinese fishing nets & the harbour front
- St Francis Church & the Dutch-era streets
- Optional Kathakali performance
Fort Kochi is the gentlest possible start — a walkable colonial quarter of Portuguese, Dutch and British layers, the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets still working the harbour at dusk. An evening Kathakali show, with its extraordinary make-up and eye-acting, is optional but a fine first taste of the state's culture.
✓ Chinese fishing nets✓ St Francis Church✓ Fort Kochi streets✓ Kathakali (optional)
🛏 Overnight: Kochi
Day 2 Kochi → MunnarKochi → Munnar
- Route
- Kochi → Munnar
- Distance
- ~130 km
- Travel time
- ~4 hrs (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car (hill road)
- Depart
- 09:00 AM
- Arrive
- 01:30 PM
- Alternative
- Waterfall & spice-garden stops en route
- Depart Kochi for the hills
- Cheeyappara & Valara waterfall stops
- Arrive Munnar & check-in
- Tea Museum & first views over the plantations
The climb into Munnar is the point of the day — the road winds up through waterfalls and the first tea terraces, and we build in stops rather than pretending it is a straight run. It is genuinely twisting, so travellers prone to car-sickness should take it slow and sit up front. You arrive to the cool, green amphitheatre of the tea country by mid-afternoon.
✓ Hill-road waterfalls✓ Tea Museum✓ Plantation views
🛏 Overnight: Munnar
Day 3 Munnar — Tea CountryEravikulam → Top Station
- Eravikulam National Park — Nilgiri tahr & high grassland
- Tea plantation walk
- Lunch
- Mattupetty Dam & Echo Point
- Kundala Lake / Top Station viewpoint
A full day in the tea hills, at altitude and pleasantly cool. Eravikulam is best early, both for the light and for a chance at the Nilgiri tahr on the slopes; the rest of the day is deliberately unhurried — a plantation walk, the dam and lake, and a high viewpoint for the valley. Note Eravikulam closes for a few weeks in the calving season; we check current dates for your travel.
✓ Eravikulam tahr✓ Tea walk✓ Mattupetty Dam✓ Top Station views
🛏 Overnight: Munnar
Day 4 Munnar → ThekkadyMunnar → Thekkady
- Route
- Munnar → Thekkady (Periyar)
- Distance
- ~90 km
- Travel time
- ~3h30m (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car
- Depart
- 09:00 AM
- Arrive
- 12:30 PM
- Alternative
- Spice-plantation visit at Kumily
- Depart for Thekkady
- Arrive Kumily & check-in
- Spice-plantation walk — cardamom, pepper, vanilla
- Periyar lake boat cruise
Down out of the tea into the spice country. Thekkady is the gateway to Periyar Tiger Reserve, and the afternoon lake cruise is the classic way to see it — elephant, gaur and bird life along the shore, though sightings are never guaranteed and we won't pretend otherwise. A guided spice-plantation walk beforehand explains what actually grows in the hills you've been driving through.
✓ Spice plantation✓ Periyar lake cruise✓ Kumily bazaar
🛏 Overnight: Thekkady
Day 5 Thekkady → Alleppey houseboatThekkady → Alleppey
- Route
- Thekkady → Alleppey
- Distance
- ~140 km
- Travel time
- ~4 hrs (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car to jetty, then houseboat
- Depart
- 08:30 AM
- Arrive
- 12:30 PM
- Alternative
- Board a private Kettuvallam houseboat
- Depart for the backwaters
- Board your private houseboat — lunch aboard
- Cruise the Kuttanad channels — paddy fields, villages, palms
- Sunset mooring, dinner & overnight aboard
The trip's centrepiece: a private Kettuvallam houseboat through the Kuttanad backwaters, full board aboard, drifting past below-sea-level paddy fields and canal-side village life. The boat moors for the night by regulation — the channels aren't navigated after dark — so the evening is quiet water, dinner on deck and a genuinely restful night.
✓ Private houseboat✓ Backwater cruise✓ Full board aboard✓ Sunset mooring
🛏 Overnight: Houseboat
Day 6 Alleppey → Kochi / coastDisembark → Kochi
- Route
- Alleppey → Kochi
- Distance
- ~55 km
- Travel time
- ~1h30m (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car
- Depart
- 09:30 AM
- Arrive
- 11:30 AM
- Alternative
- Add a Cherai / Marari beach night on request
- Sunrise & breakfast aboard
- Disembark
- Transfer to Kochi & check-in
- At leisure — Marine Drive, Jew Town & the antique lanes
Breakfast aboard as the backwaters wake, then disembark and transfer back to Kochi for a relaxed final evening. Prefer sand to city? We can swap this night for the quiet Marari or Cherai beaches instead — the itinerary bends to how you want to finish.
✓ Sunrise on the water✓ Jew Town antiques✓ Optional beach swap
🛏 Overnight: Kochi
Day 7 Departure from KochiHotel → Airport
- Route
- Kochi → Cochin Airport (COK)
- Distance
- ~40 km
- Travel time
- ~1 hr (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car
- Depart
- As per flight
- Arrive
- —
- At the hotel
- Private transfer to Cochin airport for your onward flight
A relaxed transfer to Cochin airport for your departure. If your flight is late we can add a final morning walk in Fort Kochi rather than sitting at the gate.
✓ Leisurely morning✓ Airport transfer
Where you stay
Hotels
| Destination | Nights | Category | Meal plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kochi | 2 | 3★ / 4★ / Heritage | Breakfast |
| Munnar | 2 | 3★ / 4★ / Plantation | Breakfast |
| Thekkady | 1 | 3★ / 4★ | Breakfast |
| Alleppey | 1 | Private houseboat | Full board |
Specific hotels are confirmed against your dates and budget at quotation — we never claim a named property is included unless your package explicitly specifies it.
Meals
What's included, day by day
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Arrive Kochi | — | Optional | Optional |
| Day 2 · Kochi → Munnar | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 3 · Munnar — Tea Country | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 4 · Munnar → Thekkady | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 5 · Thekkady → Alleppey houseboat | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 6 · Alleppey → Kochi / coast | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 7 · Departure from Kochi | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
✓ Included · Optional add-on · — not included. Meal plan (CP / MAP / AP) is configurable per booking.
Inclusions
What's in the price
- ✓Accommodation on twin sharing
- ✓Daily breakfast + full board on the houseboat
- ✓All airport transfers
- ✓Private air-conditioned car with driver
- ✓Private houseboat (one night, full board)
- ✓Periyar lake cruise & spice-plantation walk transfers
- ✓Toll, parking & driver allowance
- ✓Applicable taxes (GST)
Exclusions
Not included
- ✕Flights (can be added on request)
- ✕Park & monument entry fees & guide charges
- ✕Lunch & dinner off the houseboat unless specified
- ✕Personal expenses, tips & shopping
- ✕Travel insurance
- ✕Anything not listed under inclusions
Good to know
Important information
- •Hill roads to Munnar are winding — travellers prone to motion sickness should plan accordingly.
- •Wildlife sightings at Periyar and Eravikulam are never guaranteed; we set honest expectations.
- •Eravikulam National Park closes for the calving season (typically Feb–Mar); we confirm current dates.
- •Houseboats moor for the night by regulation — the channels are not cruised after dark.
- •September–March is the pleasant window; the monsoon (Jun–Aug) is lush, dramatic and quieter.
Who is this for
Ideal travellers
👨👩👧Family
💑Honeymoon
👴Seniors
👥Friends
🏢Corporate
🧳Solo
Make it yours
Customize this trip
Change hotel category · add or remove nights · extend the route · upgrade transport · add flights, activities, meals or travel insurance. This is the default; almost everything is configurable.
Pricing
Starting from
Figures on enquiry · priced for your dates
On enquiry / per person · twin sharing
We price the real configuration — your exact party, dates, hotel category and inclusions — rather than publish an average that changes the moment you ask.
| Occupancy | Price / person |
|---|---|
| Single occupancy | — |
| Double / twin sharing (per person) | — |
| Triple sharing (per person) | — |
| Child with bed | — |
| Child without bed | — |
Price varies with travel dates, hotel availability, season, number of travellers and selected inclusions. The occupancy grid above is the live structure; figures populate from configurable pricing fields — never hard-coded.
Questions
Package FAQs
Is one houseboat night enough, or should we add more?
One night is the classic and suits most travellers. Add a second only if pure backwater downtime is the point of your trip — some find a full extra day on the water slow.
Is Kerala good for a honeymoon?
Very. The plantation stays and the private houseboat are genuinely romantic, and the pace is unhurried. We can add a beach finish at Marari for a few quiet days.
Will we definitely see wildlife at Periyar?
No — and anyone who promises you will is not being straight. Elephant and gaur are common along the lake; tigers are present but rarely seen. The cruise is lovely regardless.
Can we do this with young children?
Yes. The drives are short, the houseboat is a hit with kids, and we can swap the longer walks for gentler options. Connecting rooms and child seats on request.
When should we avoid travelling?
Nothing is off-limits, but heavy monsoon (June–August) means rain most days. It is green and cheap, but if you want reliable sun, aim for October–March.
How do I get a price?
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