Kerala Classic: Kochi, Munnar and the Backwaters
Overview
- Duration: 8 days / 7 nights
- Departures: Private, any date
- Group size: Private, from 2 travellers
- Accommodation: Comfortable 3–4★ hotels, a hill resort in Munnar, a beach stay at Marari and a traditional houseboat
- Country: India
A compact week in Kerala: the harbour lanes of Kochi, the tea estates of Munnar, a night aboard a houseboat on the Kerala backwaters and two easy days on the coast at Marari.
This eight-day trip is a classic first look at Kerala, the green south-western state of India. It suits couples, families and anyone who wants nature and culture without long distances or early starts. It also makes a relaxed second week after a trip to the busier north.
The route forms a simple loop from Kochi. You spend two nights in the old port, with its churches, palace murals and spice warehouses. Then you head up to Munnar for two nights among the tea estates of the Western Ghats, where the air is fresh and walking is easy.
From the hills you come down to the Kerala Backwaters for a night aboard a private houseboat, with all meals cooked by the crew. The last two nights are by the sea at Marari, a quiet stretch of coast where fishing boats still line the beach.
The pace is gentle. Every stop has at least two nights apart from the houseboat. One honest note: the drives into and out of Munnar wind through the hills and take four to five hours, so they fill most of a morning. From June to September the monsoon brings heavy rain, which is green and atmospheric but less suited to beach time.
We can add Thekkady, more nights on the coast or a cooking class. Tell us what you enjoy and we will shape the week around you.
Day-by-day itinerary
You are met at Kochi airport and driven to your hotel in Fort Kochi, about an hour away. Settle in and recover from the journey. In the late afternoon, take an unhurried walk under the old rain trees along the seafront, where ferries cross the harbour mouth and fishermen work the big Chinese fishing nets at the water’s edge.
Overnight: Kochi
Spend the morning on foot with your guide through layers of Kochi’s past: St Francis Church, the Dutch cemetery and the old colonial bungalows. Cross to Mattancherry for the palace murals and the narrow lanes of Jew Town, where the scent of ginger and pepper drifts from the warehouses. In the evening, see a short Kathakali performance, the classical dance-drama of Kerala.
Overnight: Kochi · Meals: Breakfast
Drive about four hours east into the Western Ghats. The road climbs past rubber plantations, small towns and waterfalls, and the air cools as you rise. Munnar sits at around 1,600 metres, surrounded by tea estates that cover the hills in neat rows. Arrive in time for a walk before dusk, when mist often settles in the valleys.
Overnight: Munnar · Meals: Breakfast
Walk with a local guide through the tea gardens and talk to the people who pick and tend the bushes. Learn how leaves become tea at a tea museum or factory. If the season allows, visit Eravikulam National Park, home to the Nilgiri tahr, a mountain goat found only in these hills; the park closes for part of the year, and sightings are never certain.
Overnight: Munnar · Meals: Breakfast
Descend from the hills, a drive of about four to five hours, to the backwaters near Alappuzha. Step aboard your private houseboat, shaped like the old rice barges, and drift through wide lakes and narrow canals. Watch village life go by: children walking to school, ducks herded along the water, women washing at the steps. Dinner is cooked on board.
Overnight: Houseboat, Kerala backwaters · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast on deck, leave the boat and drive about an hour north to Marari, a quiet fishing beach on the Arabian Sea. In the afternoon you can rest, swim when the sea is calm, or walk along the sand where fishermen bring in their catch. Ask your hotel about simple Kerala cooking demonstrations.
Overnight: Marari · Meals: Breakfast
This day is yours. Swim, read, take an Ayurvedic massage or cycle along the village lanes behind the beach, past small temples, churches and coir workshops. If you want to see more of the backwaters, we can arrange a short paddle by canoe through nearby canals in the early morning, when the light is soft and the water still.
Overnight: Marari · Meals: Breakfast
Your driver takes you back to Kochi airport, about an hour and a half by road, for your onward or international flight. With a late flight, you can enjoy a slow morning on the beach first. End of your trip.
Overnight: — · Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
- Accommodation with breakfast
- One night on a private houseboat with lunch, dinner and breakfast
- Private airport and hotel transfers
- Private car and driver throughout
- Local English-speaking guides in Kochi and Munnar
- A Kathakali performance in Kochi
- Entrance fees to the sights in the itinerary
- 24/7 support during your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities, such as Ayurvedic treatments or canoe trips
Good to know
Sample itinerary: we adapt the route, hotels and dates to you and confirm everything in your written quote. Best October–March.
Everything is by private car and driver. The drive from Kochi to Munnar takes about four hours, and from Munnar down to the backwaters about four to five hours on winding hill roads. The other transfers are short, about an hour or two. If you are prone to car sickness, tell us and we will plan more stops on the hill roads.
Frequently asked questions
A week gives you a good taste of the three faces of Kerala: an old port, the hills and the backwaters, with a little beach time. With more days, we can add Thekkady and the Periyar reserve or extend your time by the sea.
You have a private houseboat with a bedroom, bathroom and an open deck, and a small crew including a cook. Lunch, dinner and the next morning’s breakfast are included. See our Kerala Backwaters guide for more about life on the water.
Munnar is noticeably cooler than the coast, especially in the evenings and early mornings from December to February. Bring a light jumper or fleece. Days are usually mild and pleasant.
