Kerala Backwaters & Hills: Munnar, Thekkady and a Night on an Alleppey Houseboat

Kerala is best done as a loop: tea hills first, then spice forests, then a slow night on the backwaters. Here's the route most of our guests take.

The classic route

• Munnar (2 nights): tea gardens, Eravikulam National Park (home of the Nilgiri Tahr), Mattupetty Dam, Echo Point and Kundala Lake.
• Thekkady (1 night): a guided spice plantation walk, with optional Periyar Lake boating, Kathakali or a Kalaripayattu show.
• Alleppey (1 night): a private houseboat cruise through palm-lined canals, with lunch, snacks and dinner cooked on board.
• Kochi: Fort Kochi and the Chinese fishing nets before your flight or train.

Which package to pick

• 4 nights / 5 days: our Kerala Tour Package with Munnar, Thekkady & an Alleppey houseboat follows exactly this route.
• 6 days: Kerala 6 Days 5 Nights – Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey & Cochin adds more time in Kochi.
• 10 days: Kerala & Tamil Nadu with Munnar, Kanyakumari & Rameswaram for the full south India trip.

Best time to visit

September to March is the most comfortable; December and January are peak season, so book houseboats early. The monsoon (June to August) is lush and quieter, with lower prices.

Tips

• Houseboat check-in is around noon and check-out around 9 AM.
• Light cotton clothes, plus a sweater for Munnar evenings.
• Carry mosquito repellent for the backwaters.

More options are on our Kerala tour packages page.