Lux India Tours
A man rowing a small boat across calm backwater in daylight

Kerala · 8 Days

Grand Kerala — Complete

Kerala end to end — Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, the Alleppey canals and Kovalam.

Day by Day

8 Days, In Full

Every landscape Kerala has, in the order the roads want you to take them. Fort Kochi and its spice quarter first. Munnar's tea hills next, then the Cardamom Hills down to Thekkady for a plantation walk and a dawn boat on Periyar. Out of the Ghats to Alleppey, a night on Vembanad and a country boat into the narrow canals. Kovalam closes it on the Arabian Sea. Eight days, one driver, no backtracking. This is the itinerary our repeat travellers ask for by name.

A quiet Fort Kochi street lined with yellow colonial buildings under a clear blue sky
01

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.

A curved mountain road cutting through a lush green hillside in the Western Ghats
02

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.

Green tea plantations covering rolling hills under a warm orange sky
03

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.

A row of tall trees along the crest of a lush green hillside in the Cardamom Hills
04

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.

Rows of plantation crops on a hillside field with mountains behind
05

Thekkady

Thekkady — A Working Spice Plantation

Thekkady grows cardamom, pepper, clove, nutmeg and vanilla, often on the same hillside. A guided walk through a working plantation shows you how each one actually grows, which is rarely what people expect. Buy directly from the estate if you want the good stuff at the real price.

Tall green coconut palms crowding the edge of a still backwater channel
06

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.

A narrow backwater channel with small boats moored under overhanging palm trees
07

Alleppey

Alleppey — The Narrow Canals by Country Boat

Houseboats cannot reach the small canals. A punted country boat can. You slip into channels barely wider than the hull, past coir workshops, toddy shops and school children rowing themselves home. This is the half-day that most travellers remember longest. Back on board for a late lunch.

An aerial view of a curving beach and the town behind it on the Kerala coast
08

Kovalam

Kovalam — Last Morning, then Departure

A slow final morning on the beach. Trivandrum airport is only sixteen kilometres away, so there is no rush. If your flight is late, your driver can take you through the city — the Padmanabhaswamy temple and the Napier Museum are both worth the detour.

Guest Stories

What Our Travelers Say

Real words from real journeys — rated 5.0 across 310 Google reviews.

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“

An absolutely flawless experience. We felt like royalty from the moment we landed in Delhi until our departure.

Sarah & James

United Kingdom

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Guest

“

Truly exceptional — Brijesh, our tour planner, was incredibly attentive, professional, and meticulous in organizing a flawless itinerary.

Milly Witcomb

United Kingdom

Mentions guide Brijesh

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Guest

“

Nothing short of magical. Brijesh crafted a seamless itinerary that balanced sightseeing, culture, and relaxation, making our journey truly special.

Shakira Tabizi

United States

Mentions guide Brijesh

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Guest

“

Everything went beyond our expectations. Our driver Rajesh kept us comfortable in every city, and Vicky was endlessly knowledgeable.

Melissa

Australia

Mentions guide Rajesh & Vicky

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Guest

“

From the moment we landed until we left, our driver Manish made us feel so taken care of — he made the trip even more memorable.

Rossen Milanov

United States

Mentions guide Manish

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“

Brijesh is a super good man! A comfortable journey through six cities, exactly to our desires and limits.

Michelle de Matheu

United States

Mentions guide Brijesh & Manish

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Guest

“

Excellent hotels and tour guides. Our driver Manish was superb in every way — reliable, and full of local knowledge.

James Boochame

Australia

Mentions guide Manish

A private itinerary being sketched out by hand

Kashmir to Kanyakumari

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