About This Tour
Overview
This 7-night journey runs from Delhi straight into the palm-fringed waterways of Kerala. Fly into Kochi and spend the evening at Fort Kochi - the Chinese fishing nets, Santa Cruz Basilica and a Kathakali performance. Drive up into the hills to Munnar, where tea gardens carpet every slope and Eravikulam National Park protects the Nilgiri tahr. Continue to Thekkady for a boat ride on Periyar Lake inside the tiger reserve and a walk through spice plantations heavy with cardamom and pepper. Then the centrepiece: board a premium kettuvallam houseboat in Alleppey - lunch served as the boat slips through canals, sunset over paddy fields, and a night moored under the stars on Vembanad Lake. Wake to village life, disembark at Kumarakom for the bird sanctuary and a lakeside resort, end with a slow evening on Marari Beach, and fly back to Delhi from Kochi. Private air-conditioned car, an experienced Kerala driver and all houseboat meals included.
Duration
7 Nights / 8 Days
Tour Type
Backwaters · Tea Hills · Wildlife · Beach
Region
Kerala · Kochi · Munnar · Thekkady · Alappuzha · Kumarakom
Houseboat
Premium kettuvallam · 1 Night · All meals onboard
From Delhi
Direct flight Delhi–Kochi · ~3.5 hrs
Season
September – March · Peak: Nov–Feb
Top Experiences
Highlights
Overnight Houseboat Cruise
Board a premium kettuvallam at Alleppey - lunch on the sundeck as canals slide by, sunset over the paddy fields and a night moored on Vembanad Lake
Chinese Fishing Nets at Dusk
Fort Kochi's iconic shore - century-old cantilevered nets lowered at sunset, Santa Cruz Basilica and the old Spice Bazaar lanes
Munnar Tea Gardens
Emerald tea carpets rolled over 1,600-metre hills - Mattupetty dam, Echo Point and Eravikulam National Park, home of the Nilgiri tahr
Periyar Lake Boat Safari
Glide across Periyar Lake inside the tiger reserve - elephant herds, gaur and sambar on the shores, then a guided spice-plantation walk
Kathakali Performance
Watch artists paint their faces before the show, then a classical Kerala dance-drama of gods and demons in Fort Kochi
Kumarakom & Marari
Migratory birds at the Kumarakom sanctuary from a lakeside resort, then a golden sunset on Marari's palm-fringed sands
Visual Journey
God's Own Country at a Glance
What's Covered
Includes / Excludes
✓ Included
- Accommodation on twin sharing - Kochi (2N), Munnar (2N), Thekkady (1N), premium houseboat (1N), Kumarakom (1N)
- Daily breakfast and dinner at hotels + all meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) onboard the houseboat
- Private air-conditioned sedan/SUV with an experienced Kerala driver for all 8 days
- Kochi airport pickup and drop
- Kathakali dance show tickets in Fort Kochi
- Guided spice plantation walk in Thekkady
- All taxes, tolls, parking, fuel and driver allowance
- WhatsApp support throughout the trip
✕ Not Included
- Airfare Delhi ⇄ Kochi (we can book at the best available fare)
- Periyar boat safari tickets & Eravikulam National Park entry
- Ayurveda massages and wellness treatments
- Lunches at hotels, snacks and personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities & tips
- Anything not listed under inclusions
Day01
Fly Delhi to Kochi - Fort Kochi & Kathakali
Flight ~3.5 hrs · Heritage evening
Delhi ✈ Kochi · Fort Kochi
- Board your direct flight from Delhi to Kochi (~3.5 hrs). Our driver meets you at arrivals with a private air-conditioned car.
- Evening in Fort Kochi: watch the Chinese fishing nets lowered at sunset along the shoreline promenade.
- Stroll past Santa Cruz Basilica and the heritage lanes of the old European quarter.
- Finish with a Kathakali performance - arrive early to watch the artists apply their traditional makeup.
- Overnight stay in Kochi.
Day02
Kochi to Munnar - Into Tea Country
130 km / 3.5-4 hrs
Mattancherry · Cheeyappara Falls · Munnar
- Morning: if time allows, visit Mattancherry Palace and Jew Town's antique quarter before the drive.
- Drive to Munnar climbing through rubber and cardamom country - stops at the Cheeyappara waterfalls and spice gardens en route.
- Evening: first views of the tea-carpeted slopes as the air turns cool and crisp.
- Overnight stay in Munnar.
Day03
Munnar - Tea Estates & Eravikulam
Full-day sightseeing
Eravikulam · Mattupetty · Echo Point
- Morning: Eravikulam National Park - home of the endangered Nilgiri tahr, with sweeping views of the Anamudi massif (season permitting).
- Visit a tea museum to see how leaf becomes cup, then a working estate for photos among the pluckers.
- Afternoon: Mattupetty Dam and Echo Point, with Kundala Lake's pedal boats if the mood strikes.
- Overnight stay in Munnar.
Day04
Munnar to Thekkady - Periyar & Spice Farms
95 km / 3 hrs
Periyar Lake · Spice Plantation
- Drive down to Thekkady through cardamom hills and tea-clad slopes.
- Afternoon: a boat ride on Periyar Lake inside the tiger reserve - watch for elephants, gaur and sambar along the drowned forest shores.
- Guided spice plantation walk - cardamom, pepper vines, vanilla and nutmeg, with time to shop fresh from the farm.
- Evening at leisure for an optional Kalaripayattu or Kathakali show in Thekkady.
- Overnight stay in Thekkady.
Day05
Thekkady to Alleppey - Overnight Houseboat Cruise ⚓
140 km / 4 hrs · All meals onboard
Premium Kettuvallam · Vembanad Lake
- Morning drive to Alleppey; board your premium houseboat (kettuvallam) at the jetty by noon - a converted rice barge with AC bedrooms, attached washrooms and a sundeck.
- Lunch is served onboard as the boat slips into the canals - village lanes, toddy tappers, women washing at the ghats, kingfishers flashing past.
- Cruise the open water of Vembanad Lake and watch the golden-hour sunset over paddy fields below sea level.
- Dinner onboard - fresh backwater fish and Kerala curries - and the boat moors on the lake overnight under the stars.
- Overnight stay on the houseboat.
Day06
Alleppey to Kumarakom - Bird Sanctuary & Lakeside Resort
30 km / 1 hr after disembarkation
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary · Vembanad
- Wake to dawn mist on the lake and breakfast onboard as village life returns to the banks.
- Disembark by 9 AM and drive to Kumarakom on the opposite shore of the Vembanad.
- Afternoon: walk the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary - herons, darters and (November–February) migratory Siberian storks.
- Unwind at your lakeside backwater resort - pool, ayurveda and sunset over the widest stretch of the lake.
- Overnight stay in Kumarakom.
Day07
Kumarakom to Marari Beach & Kochi
45 + 55 km · Beach afternoon
Marari Beach · Fort Kochi Sunset
- Morning at leisure by the lake - or a short village canoe ride before checkout.
- Afternoon: the quiet palms and golden sands of Marari Beach - swim, walk, or simply watch the fishing boats come in.
- Evening: return to Fort Kochi for a final sunset by the Chinese fishing nets and dinner of Kerala seafood.
- Overnight stay in Kochi.
Day08
Fly Kochi to Delhi
Airport transfer · Tour concludes
Cochin Airport · Departure
- Check out after breakfast; time for last-minute spice and tea shopping in the city.
- Private transfer to Cochin International Airport for your flight back to Delhi.
- Tour concludes - carry home coir, cardamom and a camera roll full of backwaters. We look forward to hosting you on your next journey.
Where You'll Stay
Hotels
Kochi
Heritage Hotel / Boutique Stay - 2 Nights
Colonial-era charm in Fort Kochi, walkable to the fishing nets and Kathakali venues
Colonial-era charm in Fort Kochi, walkable to the fishing nets and Kathakali venues
Munnar
Tea-Valley Resort - 2 Nights
Slope-side rooms facing the tea gardens, misty mornings and campfire evenings
Slope-side rooms facing the tea gardens, misty mornings and campfire evenings
Thekkady
Periyar-Forest Hotel - 1 Night
Minutes from the boat jetty, surrounded by spice gardens
Minutes from the boat jetty, surrounded by spice gardens
Alleppey
Premium Houseboat (Kettuvallam) - 1 Night
AC bedrooms, attached washrooms, sundeck and a private crew with all meals onboard
AC bedrooms, attached washrooms, sundeck and a private crew with all meals onboard
Kumarakom
Backwater Resort - 1 Night
Lakeside villas on the Vembanad with pool and ayurveda
Lakeside villas on the Vembanad with pool and ayurveda
We will arrange and confirm your hotels, resorts and houseboat as per the trip and budget - stay options are not fixed and can be customised to your preference. Contact us for details
Good to Know
FAQs
When is the best time for the Kerala backwaters?
- September to March is ideal - green hills, calm waters and warm days. November to February is peak houseboat season; the June–August monsoon is spectacularly lush but cruises run reduced schedules.
How do we travel from Delhi?
- Direct flights connect Delhi to Kochi in about 3.5 hours on several daily services. We meet you at Kochi airport with a private air-conditioned car, and the same vehicle and driver stay with you until your flight home.
What is the houseboat like?
- A premium kettuvallam - a converted rice barge with one or two air-conditioned bedrooms, attached washrooms, a sundeck and a private crew of cook and oarsman. All meals are cooked onboard; the boat cruises from noon to dusk and moors on the lake overnight, as regulations require.
Alleppey or Kumarakom - which is better?
- They are different moods of the same lake: Alleppey is a lattice of narrow canals and village life, Kumarakom faces the wide Vembanad with lakeside resorts and the bird sanctuary. This itinerary includes both - a houseboat night in Alleppey and a resort night in Kumarakom.
What should I pack?
- Light cottons, an umbrella or light rain jacket, mosquito repellent, comfortable sandals, modest clothing for temples and churches, sunscreen, and motion-sickness tablets if winding hill roads bother you. A light shawl helps on cool Munnar evenings.
Can I extend this tour?
- Yes - popular add-ons include Kovalam and Varkala beaches, a Wayanad wildlife stay, the Athirappilly waterfalls, or a dedicated Ayurveda retreat. Just share your dates.
Full Route
Tour Map
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