Kerala Backwaters Tour — 7 days
- 7 days / 6 nights
- Private tour
- Private guide and vehicle
- Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
- Couples, families and slower travellers who want hills, water and coast rather than temple-hopping.
- Best November to February; December and January are peak season with the highest rates and busiest houseboats, so shoulder months either side are worth asking about.
What’s included
- Private car and driver throughout
- One night on a traditional Alleppey houseboat, all meals included on board
- Local guide in Kochi and Munnar
- Hotel stays as confirmed at enquiry
- Daily breakfast
What’s not included
- Flights to and from Kochi/Trivandrum
- Entry fees at Eravikulam and other parks
- Ayurveda treatments (bookable locally)
- Lunches and dinners other than on the houseboat
- Travel insurance
Cancellation terms are confirmed with your written quote
- No payment is taken until you approve the itinerary.
Day 1
Arrive Kochi
- Met on arrival; afternoon walk through Fort Kochi to see the Chinese fishing nets.
- Evening Kathakali performance, if timings allow.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Kochi
Day 2
Kochi to Munnar
- Drive up into the Western Ghats, about 4 hours, through spice plantations and waterfalls.
- Evening at leisure among the tea gardens.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Munnar
Day 3
Munnar tea country
- Morning at a working tea estate and museum.
- Afternoon drive to a viewpoint over the plantations; Eravikulam National Park if the season allows entry.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Munnar
Day 4
Munnar to Alleppey
- Drive down to the backwaters, about 4 hours.
- Board a traditional houseboat for an overnight cruise through the canals and paddy fields.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (on houseboat) · Stay: Houseboat, Alleppey backwaters
Day 5
Backwaters to Varkala
- Disembark after breakfast; drive to Varkala, about 3 hours.
- Afternoon at the cliff, overlooking the beach.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Varkala
Day 6
Varkala at leisure
- Free day for the beach, an optional Ayurveda treatment, or a walk along the cliff shops.
- Sunset from the cliff edge.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Varkala
Day 7
Departure
- Transfer to Trivandrum airport for your onward flight, about 1 hour.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Departure day
This seven-day private Kerala tour runs Kochi to Munnar to Alleppey to Varkala — old-city heritage, tea-hill mornings, a backwater houseboat night, and a cliffside beach finish. It follows the same route order Kerala's own tourism data recommends for a first trip, at a pace that allows two to three nights in the hills rather than rushing through.
Kochi to the hills to the water to the coast
Kerala's classic route runs Kochi, Munnar, Alleppey and Varkala — old-city heritage, tea-hill mornings, backwaters by houseboat, and a cliffside beach to finish. Seven days gives one night in Kochi, two in Munnar, two on a houseboat and by the backwaters in Alleppey, and two in Varkala, without the rush of trying to add every stop on the map.
Is one night on a houseboat enough?
For most travellers, yes — it gives a full afternoon and morning on the water without feeling like a floating hotel room. Longer backwater stays are possible by adding a night in Kumarakom instead of Varkala.
What is the best time to visit Kerala's backwaters?
November to February is driest and most comfortable. Kerala's monsoon runs roughly June to September, which some travellers actually prefer for the deep green landscape, though houseboat routes can be affected by high water.
Can Wayanad or Thekkady be added to this route?
Yes. Wayanad or Thekkady fit well with two extra weeks of travel time; ask and we will re-quote a nine- or ten-day version.
Is this tour suitable for young children?
Yes. The houseboat, tea gardens and beach are all manageable with children; the main consideration is the winding hill road up to Munnar, which some find carsick-inducing.
Reviews
- 5 stars4
- 4 stars2
- 3 stars1
- 2 stars0
- 1 stars0
What our guests say
Isabella R
Family · Verified trip
4/51 week agoExcellent guide and a well-paced day. My only note is that lunch was at a fairly touristy restaurant; food was fine but we would have preferred somewhere more local. Otherwise faultless.
via Google
Oliver C
Family · Verified trip
5/52 weeks agoClean vehicle, careful driver, and a guide who was patient with all our questions about temple etiquette. We never felt like a number. The office also called to check we had got home safely.
via Tripadvisor
Laura K
Family · Verified trip
4/51 month agoVery good day out. Guide was knowledgeable and the driver excellent. The only reason it is not five stars is that the lunch break felt too long when we would rather have seen one more site.
via Google
Ananya D
Family · Verified trip
5/51 month agoBooking was easy and the communication was clear at every step. No hard selling, no last-minute shop stops, just a full day of the things we actually came to see.
via Google
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