Kerala · 6 Days
Grand Kerala — Extended
Kochi, Munnar's estates, Thekkady's forest and a houseboat night, in six days.
Day by Day
6 Days, In Full
The full arc of Kerala with nothing doubled back on. Kochi, then Munnar for a proper estate day, then south through the Cardamom Hills to Thekkady and the edge of Periyar Tiger Reserve. From there the road runs west out of the Ghats and into the delta, where your houseboat is waiting. Four distinct landscapes, six days, one continuous line on the map. If you only do one Kerala trip, this is the one we would put you on.
Kochi
Arrival in Kochi — Fort Kochi & the Spice Quarter
Your driver meets you at Cochin airport. The road runs out to Fort Kochi, where four centuries of trade left their mark on one small peninsula. Walk the lanes on foot. St Francis Church, the Dutch Cemetery, the godowns of Jew Town still stacked with ginger and pepper. Evening is free for a Kathakali performance if you want one.
Kochi → Munnar
Kochi to Munnar — Into the Western Ghats
The drive up to Munnar takes about four hours and climbs the whole way. Rubber gives way to cardamom, then to tea. Stop at Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls when the monsoon has been kind. By the time you arrive the air is fifteen degrees cooler than Kochi.
Munnar
Munnar — Tea Estates & the Old Plantation Machinery
Munnar is tea, and has been since the 1880s. Spend the morning walking a working estate with a planter who can explain what you are looking at. The Tata Tea Museum houses the original rollers and a functioning miniature factory. Afternoon at Mattupetty Dam and Echo Point.
Munnar → Thekkady
Munnar to Thekkady — Along the Cardamom Hills
Three and a half hours south through the Cardamom Hills. The road is good and the views are constant. You can smell the plantations before you see them. Thekkady sits on the edge of Periyar Tiger Reserve, so the last stretch runs through genuine forest.
Thekkady → Alleppey
Thekkady to Alleppey — From Forest to Backwater
Roughly four hours west, dropping out of the Ghats and into the delta. It is one of the better transfer days in Kerala because the landscape changes completely twice over. You board your houseboat in the afternoon and spend the night moored out on Vembanad.
Alleppey
Alleppey — Sunrise on Vembanad, then Departure
The lake is at its best before seven. Mist lifts off the water. Fishermen work the nets while the light is still soft. Breakfast is served on deck as the boat returns to the jetty. Your driver takes you on to Cochin airport, roughly ninety minutes away.
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Priced Packages On This Route
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luxury · 5 Nights
Grand Kerala — Extended — Luxury
per person, twin sharing — enquire for current pricing
premium · 5 Nights
Grand Kerala — Extended — Premium
per person, twin sharing — enquire for current pricing
luxury · 5 Nights
Kerala Backwater Houseboat Journey — Luxury
per person, twin sharing — enquire for current pricing
premium · 5 Nights
Kerala Backwater Houseboat Journey — Premium
per person, twin sharing — enquire for current pricing
Kashmir to Kanyakumari
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