Kochi · Munnar · Thekkady · Alleppey · Kovalam · 7 nights / 8 days · family
Kerala 7N/8D — Kochi to Kovalam
Eight days, the full circuit: Fort Kochi, two Munnar nights, Thekkady, the backwaters and two nights at Kovalam beach, out via Trivandrum. Every stage by private car; houseboat and Kanyakumari day trip available as add-ons.
Photos
Highlights
- 1N Kochi · 2N Munnar · 1N Thekkady · 1N Alleppey · 2N Kovalam
- Houseboat upgrade available — all meals aboard
- Private AC car with driver throughout
- Hotels with breakfast · tolls · permits included
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 — Kochi arrival and Fort Kochi
Land at Kochi airport, meet your driver and check in. The afternoon covers Fort Kochi on foot: the Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church, the Dutch Palace murals and the Paradesi Synagogue in Mattancherry, with an evening walk on Marine Drive.
Day 2 — Kochi to Munnar
A four-hour drive from the coast into the hills, stopping at the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls en route. Check in and rest of the day free. Munnar nights are cool; hill-station rooms are non-A/C.
Day 3 — Munnar sightseeing
Eravikulam National Park in the morning for the Nilgiri tahr (entry tickets paid at the gate), then the Tata Tea Museum. The afternoon covers Mattupetty Dam, Echo Point and Kundala Lake.
Day 4 — Munnar to Thekkady
About three hours' drive to Thekkady. The afternoon is for the Periyar lake boat ride through the wildlife sanctuary (tickets paid at the counter). In the evening, walk the Kumily spice market; a spice-plantation visit or a Kathakali or Kalaripayattu show are optional extras.
Day 5 — Thekkady to Alleppey
Around four hours down to the backwaters. The package includes a hotel night in Alleppey. You can upgrade it to a houseboat night — about 20 hours on the water with all meals aboard — priced as an option below. Alleppey Beach for sunset.
Day 6 — Alleppey to Kovalam
About four hours south along the coast. Check in and spend the rest of the day on Lighthouse, Hawa or Samudra beach.
Day 7 — Kovalam and Trivandrum
A free beach morning. In the afternoon, an optional Trivandrum outing: Padmanabhaswamy Temple (dress code applies), the Napier Museum and the Kovalam lighthouse. A Kanyakumari day trip is available as a priced add-on.
Day 8 — Departure from Trivandrum
Breakfast and transfer to Trivandrum airport, about 30–40 minutes from Kovalam.
Included
- Hotels with breakfast, twin sharing — non-A/C rooms in hill stations
- Private AC vehicle with driver (Sedan for 2, Innova/Ertiga for 4–6, Tempo Traveller for 8–10), 8am–8pm daily
- Transport to every listed sight, with all transfers (entry tickets are paid at each site)
- Tolls, parking, interstate permits and driver allowance
Not included
- Flights and trains to the start point and from the end point
- Lunches and dinners (a hotel dinner plan is available as an add-on)
- Entry tickets and activity fees, paid at each site
- Optional activities marked as optional in the plan
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
- The Alleppey houseboat night — available as a priced upgrade, not included in the base package
Best time to go: September to March; the June to September green season is wetter, greener and considerably cheaper
Things to carry
- · Photo ID for every traveller, including children — hotels ask for it at check-in
- · A light rain jacket or a compact umbrella
- · One warm layer: hill station evenings drop to 12–15°C even in summer
- · Walking shoes with grip, not new ones
- · Mosquito repellent
- · Any regular medication, plus motion-sickness tablets if you are prone to them — the ghat roads have a lot of bends
- · A power bank; charging points on the houseboat are limited
Cancellation policy
More than 30 days before departure: we retain ₹3,000 per person and refund the rest. 30 to 15 days before departure: 25% of the package cost. 14 to 8 days before departure: 50% of the package cost. 7 days or less, or no show: 100%.
Houseboat nights, festival dates and a few resorts carry stricter terms of their own. If any part of your booking is on non-refundable terms, we tell you in writing before you pay anything — it will never be a surprise at the cancellation stage.
Refunds go back to the account you paid from, within 7 to 10 working days of the cancellation being confirmed.
Flight tickets, once issued, follow the airline's own rules and are refunded only to the extent the airline refunds us.
More questions, answered
Will the price change after I enquire?
The exact total for your dates is confirmed in writing before you pay. Some dates carry supplements or are unavailable; we tell you that at confirmation, not after.
Are entry tickets included?
No. Transport to every listed sight is included; entry tickets and activity fees are paid at each site.
Is the houseboat included?
The base package includes an Alleppey hotel night. The houseboat night — about 20 hours on the backwaters with all meals aboard — is a priced upgrade you can select. Deluxe, Premium and Luxury boats are available.
Are the rooms air-conditioned?
City and coastal hotels have A/C rooms. Hill-station hotels provide non-A/C rooms because of the cooler climate — this is standard across categories.