Best of Kerala Tour with Backwaters – 9 Days

Your Kerala holiday begins with a warm welcome at Cochin International Airport, where your personal representative will receive you before escorting you to a private luxury vehicle for the transfer to your hotel.

Often referred to as the Gateway to Kerala, Cochin has welcomed traders from Europe, Arabia, and Asia for centuries. Portuguese churches, Dutch houses, colonial streets, and traditional spice markets continue to reflect the city's long maritime history.

After check-in, the remainder of the day is free to relax after your journey.

Depending upon your arrival time, enjoy a leisurely walk around Fort Kochi, where narrow streets, colonial buildings, art galleries, cafés, and local boutiques create one of Kerala's most charming neighbourhoods. A visit to the famous Chinese Fishing Nets along the waterfront offers an ideal introduction to the city's coastal heritage.

In the evening, you may choose to attend a traditional Kathakali dance performance, where elaborate costumes, expressive facial movements, and classical music introduce one of Kerala's oldest performing arts.

Return to your hotel for an overnight stay in Cochin.

After breakfast, spend the morning exploring Cochin, a city where centuries of international trade have left a unique blend of Indian, Portuguese, Dutch, and British influences. The historic district of Fort Kochi preserves much of this heritage through its colonial buildings, churches, and quiet streets overlooking the Arabian Sea.

Begin with a visit to St. Francis Church, recognised as the oldest European church built in India. Continue to the Santa Cruz Basilica, admired for its Gothic architecture, colourful interiors, and beautifully painted ceilings. Nearby, visit Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, where murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana and portraits of the Cochin royal family provide an insight into Kerala's history.

Continue through Jew Town, one of Cochin's oldest trading quarters, known for its antique shops, spice warehouses, traditional homes, and the historic Paradesi Synagogue. The neighbourhood still reflects the city's long-standing connection with international traders who once arrived here from Europe, Arabia, and China.

Later, leave Cochin behind and begin the drive towards Munnar. As the road climbs into the Western Ghats, the scenery changes dramatically. Coconut groves gradually give way to forested hills, waterfalls, winding mountain roads, and endless tea plantations stretching across the hillsides.

Arrive in Munnar by late afternoon and check into your luxury hill resort. Spend the remainder of the evening enjoying the cooler mountain climate and panoramic views across Kerala's famous tea country.

Today is dedicated to exploring Munnar, one of South India's most beautiful hill stations. Situated at an elevation of around 1,600 metres above sea level, the region is famous for its rolling tea gardens, cool climate, and spectacular mountain scenery.

Begin the morning with a visit to the Tea Museum, where the history of tea cultivation in Kerala is presented through original machinery, photographs, and interactive displays. Learn how tea has shaped the economy and culture of Munnar for more than a century before continuing into the surrounding plantations.

Drive through the beautifully maintained tea estates where neatly trimmed green slopes extend across the hills in every direction. Several viewpoints along the route provide excellent opportunities for photography while offering panoramic views of the surrounding valleys.

Continue to Mattupetty Dam, a peaceful reservoir surrounded by forests and tea plantations. Depending on weather conditions, optional boating is available on the lake. Nearby, Echo Point is well known for its natural acoustics and impressive mountain scenery.

The afternoon includes a visit to Kundala Lake, another picturesque location surrounded by forests and rolling hills. During the flowering season, the surrounding landscape becomes especially colourful, adding to the area's natural beauty.

Return to your resort for a relaxing evening in the hills.

After breakfast, continue towards Thekkady, travelling through the scenic mountain roads of Kerala's Western Ghats. The drive passes spice-growing villages, cardamom plantations, dense forests, and fertile valleys that have made this region one of India's leading producers of aromatic spices.

Upon arrival, check into your luxury resort before visiting a traditional spice plantation. Accompanied by a local guide, walk through gardens where cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and nutmeg are cultivated. Learn about the growing, harvesting, and processing methods that have supported Kerala's spice trade for centuries.

Later, visit Periyar National Park, one of India's best-known wildlife reserves. Depending upon availability and personal preference, guests may enjoy a boat cruise on Periyar Lake or an optional guided nature walk with experienced forest guides. Although wildlife sightings vary throughout the year, the reserve is home to Asian elephants, Indian bison, sambar deer, wild boar, Nilgiri langurs, and numerous bird species.

Return to your resort during the evening. Guests may also choose to attend an optional Kalaripayattu performance, Kerala's traditional martial art, which combines agility, discipline, and centuries-old combat techniques.

Following breakfast, leave the forests of Thekkady and travel towards Kumarakom, a peaceful village situated on the shores of Vembanad Lake, Kerala's largest freshwater lake.

As the journey descends from the hills, the landscape gradually changes into coconut groves, rice fields, canals, and small villages connected by narrow waterways. The slower pace of life becomes immediately noticeable as fishing boats, traditional homes, and lush greenery begin to dominate the scenery.

Arrive in Kumarakom during the afternoon and check into your luxury lakeside resort.

The remainder of the day is free to enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Take a leisurely walk through the resort gardens, relax beside the lake, or simply watch local boats glide across the calm backwaters. The quiet atmosphere and natural beauty of Kumarakom provide a welcome contrast to the mountain landscapes explored over the previous days.

Spend the evening at leisure while enjoying Kerala's renowned hospitality and regional cuisine overlooking the tranquil waters of Vembanad Lake.

After breakfast, leave Kumarakom and travel to Alleppey, a destination often referred to as the heart of Kerala's backwaters. Although the journey is short, the scenery changes continuously as narrow canals, coconut plantations, paddy fields, and traditional villages line the route.

On arrival, board a traditional luxury houseboat, locally known as a Kettuvallam. Once used to transport rice and spices across Kerala's waterways, these beautifully restored boats now offer a unique way to experience the backwaters while combining traditional craftsmanship with modern comfort.

As the houseboat begins its cruise, life along the canals unfolds at an unhurried pace. Fishermen cast their nets from narrow wooden boats, children walk along canal-side paths to school, villagers travel by canoe, and small churches and temples stand quietly beneath coconut palms. The backwaters remain an essential part of daily life for thousands of local families, creating an experience that is both peaceful and authentic.

Freshly prepared Kerala cuisine is served on board while the boat continues through a network of lakes, lagoons, and palm-fringed canals. Throughout the afternoon there is ample time to relax on the open deck, enjoy the changing scenery, or simply watch the gentle rhythm of village life pass by.

As evening approaches, the houseboat anchors in a quiet section of the backwaters, allowing guests to experience the calm atmosphere after sunset before spending the night on board.

Wake up to the peaceful surroundings of Kerala's backwaters before enjoying breakfast on board. The morning cruise continues through quiet waterways where local markets, paddy fields, and traditional villages gradually come to life with the start of a new day.

After disembarking, begin the drive south towards Kovalam, Kerala's best-known beach destination. The route follows the state's coastal region, passing coconut groves, fishing villages, churches, and small towns that reflect Kerala's maritime culture.

Arrive in Kovalam during the afternoon and check into your luxury beach resort overlooking the Arabian Sea.

The remainder of the day is free to enjoy the resort's facilities or take a leisurely walk along Lighthouse Beach, where golden sands, gently swaying palm trees, and the sound of the waves create a relaxing coastal atmosphere.

As the sun sets over the Arabian Sea, enjoy dinner at your resort while taking in one of Kerala's most memorable coastal views.

Today has been left free to enjoy Kovalam at your own pace.

Spend the morning relaxing on the beach, swimming in the warm waters of the Arabian Sea, or making use of your resort's wellness and spa facilities. Kerala is internationally recognised for Ayurveda, and many visitors choose to experience traditional therapies and wellness treatments during their stay.

Those wishing to explore further may visit the nearby Vizhinjam fishing harbour, where brightly coloured fishing boats return with the day's catch, offering an interesting insight into the region's traditional fishing industry. Another popular option is a short excursion to the historic Padmanabhapuram Palace, one of South India's finest examples of traditional wooden architecture, located just across the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border.

The remainder of the afternoon is free to relax at the resort.

Spend your final evening in Kerala enjoying the peaceful coastal setting before your departure the following day.

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxed morning depending on your flight schedule.

At the appropriate time, your private chauffeur will transfer you to Trivandrum International Airport, located approximately thirty minutes from Kovalam.

Your Best of Kerala Tour with Backwaters concludes with memories of mist-covered tea gardens, fragrant spice plantations, peaceful backwaters, colonial heritage, traditional houseboats, and the beautiful coastline of the Arabian Sea.