Kerala EasyKerala in 4 nights

Four nights that show you the two sides of Kerala everyone comes for: the tea hills and the backwaters. We go straight up to Munnar from the airport while you're fresh, come down to a private houseboat in Alleppey, and finish in old Fort Kochi, an hour from the airport. It suits first-timers, couples and parents who want an unhurried holiday with only one long drive.

Day 1

Kochi – Munnar (2 Nights)

About 110 km · 3.5–4 hours by road

Welcome to Kerala. Your driver meets you at Kochi airport and we head east through rubber and pineapple country towards the Western Ghats. The road begins to climb after Neriamangalam, and we stop at the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls, which tumble down right beside the highway. The last hour winds up through cardamom and then tea, with the estates folding over every hill. Check in at your hotel in Munnar, have a hot cup of local tea, and spend the evening at leisure. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Munnar.

• Cheeyappara waterfalls
• Valara waterfalls
• Munnar tea estates

• Note: The falls are fullest from June to December; in late spring they can be a trickle.

Prafull’s tipBook a morning flight if you can. The ghat road is far easier in daylight, and you'll reach Munnar in time for the sunset over the estates.

Dinner

Day 2

Munnar

After breakfast we drive to Eravikulam National Park, where a forest-department bus takes you up the Rajamala slopes to see the Nilgiri tahr, a mountain goat found only in these hills, grazing on the grassland. Then on to the Tea Museum to see how the leaf becomes the tea in your cup, with old machinery and a tasting. In the afternoon, drive out to Mattupetty Dam and the lake, Echo Point and Kundala Lake, with tea gardens on every side. You're back at the hotel by late afternoon for a quiet evening. Overnight in Munnar.

• Eravikulam National Park
• Tea Museum, Munnar
• Mattupetty Dam
• Echo Point
• Kundala Lake

• Note: Eravikulam National Park usually closes for a few weeks around February–March for the tahr calving season. Then we take you to Top Station instead.
• Note: Boating at Mattupetty and Kundala is optional and paid locally.

Prafull’s tipReach Eravikulam when it opens. The queue for the park bus grows fast after 9 am, and the mist often lifts by mid-morning.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 3

Munnar – Alleppey Houseboat (1 Night)

About 170 km · 4.5–5 hours by road

An early breakfast and we drive down from the hills to the backwaters of Alleppey. You board your private houseboat around noon: a traditional kettuvallam of wood and woven bamboo, with a bedroom, a sit-out deck and a crew of two or three. Lunch is served as you cruise out across Vembanad Lake and into the narrower canals, past paddy fields below water level, village churches and temples, and ducks being herded along the banks. The boat moors for the night by early evening, and the crew cooks dinner on board. Overnight on the houseboat.

• Alleppey backwaters
• Vembanad Lake
• Kuttanad paddy fields

• Note: Houseboats must stop cruising by about 5.30 pm and moor for the night; check-out is around 9 am.
• Note: On deluxe boats the bedroom AC usually runs from about 9 pm to 6 am; premium boats run it for longer.

Prafull’s tipTell us about pure-veg or Jain food in advance; the crew shops for you before you board. Ask for karimeen only if you eat fish, as it's their speciality.

All meals

Day 4

Alleppey – Kochi (1 Night)

About 55 km · 1.5 hours by road

Wake up on the water with tea on the deck and breakfast on board. After check-out we drive north to Fort Kochi. Walk along the seafront to the Chinese fishing nets, still worked by hand, and to St Francis Church, where Vasco da Gama was first buried. Then Santa Cruz Basilica, Mattancherry Palace with its murals from the Ramayana, and the narrow lanes of Jew Town, lined with spice warehouses and antique shops, ending at the Paradesi Synagogue. Check in at your hotel. In the evening, catch a Kathakali performance if you like. Overnight in Kochi.

• Chinese fishing nets
• St Francis Church
• Santa Cruz Basilica
• Mattancherry Palace
• Jew Town
• Paradesi Synagogue

• Note: Mattancherry Palace is closed on Fridays, and the Paradesi Synagogue is closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays.
• Note: A Kathakali performance in Fort Kochi is optional and paid locally; arrive early to watch the make-up being applied.

Prafull’s tipSee the fishing nets in the late afternoon, when the boats come in and the fish auction starts on the beach.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 5

Kochi – Departure

About 40 km · 1–1.5 hours to the airport

A slow breakfast at the hotel and, if your flight allows, a last walk through Fort Kochi in the cool of the morning or a stop for spices, tea and banana chips to take home. Your driver collects you at the agreed time and takes you to Kochi airport, allowing for city traffic on the way. Your holiday ends here. Thank you for travelling with TripRoutes; come back in the monsoon one day, when the hills are at their greenest.

• Fort Kochi

Prafull’s tipAllow a full 1.5 hours for the airport drive on weekday mornings; the bridges out of Kochi slow down at rush hour.

Breakfast

Tour details

Accommodation

Choose the hotel category. The same route and sightseeing in every category.

Hotels are confirmed when you book. If a hotel is full, we give you one of the same category in the same area, and tell you before you pay.

Optional add-ons

Not in the price. Prafull can book them for you or you can pay locally.

Tour information

Read this to prepare for your holiday.

Good to know

• The hill roads to and from Munnar are winding. Anyone prone to motion sickness should sit in front and take something before setting off.
• Munnar is at about 1,600 m and cool in the evenings, especially from November to February. Pack a light jacket.
• Houseboats have a few steps on and off from the bank, and a narrow gangway. Tell us about any mobility needs and we'll pick a boat with an easier deck.
• Kerala food is excellent for vegetarians. Jain meals are possible on the houseboat and at hotels with advance notice.
• Dress modestly at churches and temples, and remove shoes where asked.
• Best for parents: one long drive only, short sightseeing days and a private boat with its own cook.

When to go

October to March. Dry and pleasant, cooler in the hills and calm on the backwaters. June to September is monsoon: green and quiet, but some drives and boat trips are affected.

Our favourite months

Cancellation policy & payment terms

• Cancellations must be sent in writing, on email or WhatsApp; the date we receive it is the cancellation date.
• Flights, trains, visa fees and non-refundable hotel or activity bookings are refunded only as their own rules allow.
• Date changes are free when made 30 days or more before travel, subject to hotel availability and any difference in price.
• Refunds are paid within 14 working days of us receiving them from the hotels and suppliers.
• No refund is possible for services not used during the holiday.
• Hotels may ask for a refundable security deposit at check-in, paid directly to the hotel.

Questions about this holiday