Kerala

Cochin & Munnar

Backwaters, spice roads & endless tea slopes

6 Days / 5 Nights

4.9 (240+ reviews)

Starting from

₹26,400 / person

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Duration

6 Days / 5 Nights

Location

Kerala, India

Tour Type

Heritage, Hills, Wildlife & Backwaters

Group Size

2–15 pax (couples, families & honeymooners)

Hotel Category

4★ Hotels + Deluxe Houseboat (upgradable to 5★)

Transportation

Private AC SUV (Innova / Xylo)

Meals

Breakfast daily + 1 sadya lunch + houseboat full board (lunch, tea, dinner, breakfast)

Best Season

September to March

Tour Overview

About the Cochin & Munnar Tour

Old-world Fort Kochi's Chinese fishing nets and Jew Town lanes, the tea-carpeted hills of Munnar, a Periyar wildlife cruise at Thekkady and a private houseboat night on the Alleppey backwaters — Kerala at its most iconic.

Every Cochin & Munnar journey we design is grounded in local relationships — vetted hotels, hand-picked guides and a curator on call whenever you need us. This itinerary suits couples, families and small groups seeking a balance of iconic sights, culture and quiet time.

Tour Highlights

Fort Kochi heritage walk & Chinese fishing nets at sunset
Munnar's contoured tea estates & Tea Museum
Eravikulam National Park — Nilgiri Tahr habitat
Periyar wildlife boat cruise at Thekkady
Overnight private houseboat on the Alleppey backwaters
Kathakali performance & spice plantation walk

Day by Day

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Cochin → Fort Kochi heritage walk

Warm welcome at Cochin International Airport (CIAL — the world's first solar-powered airport). After check-in and lunch, set out on a guided Fort Kochi heritage walk — the iconic Chinese fishing nets at sunset, St. Francis Church (India's oldest European church, where Vasco da Gama was originally buried), the Dutch Palace, Jew Town and Paradesi Synagogue. Evening Kathakali performance at Kerala Kathakali Centre with the make-up session starting an hour before the show.

Day 2

Cochin → Munnar via Cheeyappara Falls

Scenic 4-hour drive to Munnar (5,200 ft) climbing through rubber and pineapple plantations. Photo stops at Valara and Cheeyappara Waterfalls. Arrive Munnar by afternoon, check into your tea-hills resort and take an evening walk through your first tea gardens with sunset over the Anaimudi peaks.

Day 3

Munnar sightseeing & UNESCO tea country

Full day exploring the Kanan Devan tea country: Eravikulam National Park (home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr — you'll spot herds within 5 minutes of the shuttle drop), the Kolukkumalai world's-highest tea estate viewpoint, Mattupetty Dam boating, Echo Point, Kundala Lake and the Tata Tea Museum with a working tea-factory tour and tasting. Optional sunset chai at the Blossom Hydel Park.

Day 4

Munnar → Thekkady & Periyar wildlife

3.5-hour drive to Thekkady via the Idukki reservoir. Afternoon boat cruise on Periyar Lake through the tiger reserve — regular sightings of Asian elephants, gaur, sambar, wild boar and giant Malabar squirrels. Evening spice-plantation walk (cardamom, pepper, vanilla, cinnamon, coffee), followed by a Kalaripayattu martial-arts performance at a traditional kalari.

Day 5

Thekkady → Alleppey backwater houseboat

4-hour drive to Alleppey — 'Venice of the East'. Board your private deluxe kettuvallam houseboat at 12 noon for a slow cruise through palm-fringed canals and paddy fields. Onboard chef serves fresh Kerala meals (fish molee, appam, olan, payasam). Anchor by sunset in a quiet backwater village. Overnight on the houseboat with private cabin(s), en-suite bathroom and open sun deck.

Day 6

Disembark → Cochin airport departure

Sunrise coffee on the deck, Kerala breakfast (puttu, kadala, banana) and disembark at 9 AM. Private transfer to Cochin airport (1.5 hours) for your onward journey with spice-jar souvenirs and the calm of the backwaters still with you.

Package Inclusions

5 nights accommodation on twin-sharing (1N Cochin + 2N Munnar + 1N Thekkady + 1N Alleppey houseboat)
Daily breakfast at all hotels
1 traditional Kerala sadya lunch (banana-leaf feast)
Full-board on the Alleppey houseboat (lunch, tea, dinner, breakfast)
Private AC SUV (Innova / Xylo) with experienced Kerala driver
Cochin airport pickup and drop-off
Fort Kochi heritage walk with an English-speaking local guide
Kathakali performance ticket at Kerala Kathakali Centre
Eravikulam National Park entry and shuttle bus
Periyar Lake boat cruise (upper-deck seats)
Kalaripayattu martial-arts performance at Thekkady
Spice-plantation walk with a naturalist guide
Private 2-bedroom deluxe kettuvallam houseboat with chef and crew of 3
All applicable taxes, tolls and inter-district permits
24×7 on-trip travel assistance from your VacationsVista curator

Package Exclusions

Flights or train tickets to/from Cochin
Lunches and dinners at Cochin, Munnar and Thekkady (unless specified)
Mattupetty Dam boating, Kundala Lake paddle boats and horse rides
Periyar bamboo-rafting or jungle-camping add-ons
Ayurvedic spa treatments at hotels (available on request)
Alcoholic beverages on the houseboat (Kerala dry-day restrictions apply)
Personal expenses — laundry, tips, phone bills, souvenirs
Travel insurance (recommended — we can arrange on request)
Anything not specifically listed under inclusions

Hotels & Accommodation

Crowne Plaza Kochi / Similar

Cochin · 1 night · 4★ backwater-view hotel

The Panoramic Getaway, Munnar / Similar

Munnar · 2 nights · 4★ tea-hills resort with valley suites

Spice Village Thekkady (CGH Earth) / Similar

Thekkady · 1 night · CGH Earth eco-retreat with spice-garden cottages

Deluxe Kettuvallam Houseboat

Alleppey · 1 night · private 2-bedroom houseboat with chef, en-suite baths and sun deck

5★ Upgrade — Taj Malabar / Fragrant Nature / Kumarakom Lake Resort

Luxury upgrade available on request

Transportation & Transfers

Private AC SUV (Toyota Innova / Mahindra Xylo) for the entire trip
Experienced local Kerala driver comfortable with ghat roads
Cochin airport pickup and drop-off included
All inter-district transfers (Cochin → Munnar → Thekkady → Alleppey) included
Private deluxe kettuvallam houseboat with dedicated crew of 3 (captain, chef, helper)
All fuel, tolls and inter-state permits included

Important Tour Information

Periyar Lake cruise tickets are limited to 250 per boat and often sell out — advance booking is essential
Houseboats do not cruise between 5:30 PM and 8 AM — a Kerala Tourism safety rule; the boat anchors overnight
Munnar mornings can be cold (10–14°C) — carry a light fleece even in summer
Eravikulam Park is closed for Nilgiri Tahr calving in February–March (dates vary by year)
Kerala has periodic dry days (state elections, festivals); alcohol availability may be restricted
The single-currency houseboat cannot accommodate walk-ins during peak season — we pre-book weeks ahead

Why Visit

Cochin & Munnar is one of our travellers' most-loved routes — here's why.

Fort Kochi heritage walk & Chinese fishing nets at sunset
Munnar's contoured tea estates & Tea Museum
Eravikulam National Park — Nilgiri Tahr habitat
Periyar wildlife boat cruise at Thekkady
Overnight private houseboat on the Alleppey backwaters
Kathakali performance & spice plantation walk

Frequently Asked Questions

A private converted kettuvallam (traditional rice-barge) with 1–2 en-suite bedrooms, a lounge deck, an open sun deck and a chef who prepares fresh Kerala meals onboard. You cruise all afternoon through canals and paddies, anchor in a quiet village overnight and start again at sunrise. Everything from linen to bottled water is provided.

The 90-minute lake cruise offers near-daily sightings of Asian elephants, gaur, sambar deer, wild boar and Malabar giant squirrels. Tiger sightings are rare but possible. For deeper wildlife encounters, we can add a morning bamboo-rafting trek (3 hours through the reserve on foot) or the 'Border Hiking' programme.

Kerala cuisine is flavourful and coconut-based rather than fiery — think appam with stew, fish molee, olan and payasam. Most restaurants offer mild North Indian, Continental and Chinese options as well. Vegetarian, vegan and Jain requests are widely accommodated with advance notice.

Swimming in the main backwater channels is not recommended due to boat traffic and current, but many houseboats anchor near safe swimming zones and the crew can guide you. Alternatively, most Kumarakom / Alleppey resorts have private lakeside pools.

Perfectly — the private houseboat night is one of India's most romantic experiences and Munnar's tea-hills suites are honeymoon-favourites. We add rose-petal turn-downs, a candlelit sunset dinner on the houseboat and an Ayurvedic couples' spa on request at no extra cost.

Absolutely — we can integrate a 3-, 7- or 14-day authentic Ayurvedic wellness retreat at CGH Earth's Kalari Kovilakom, Somatheeram or a similar accredited centre either before or after the sightseeing loop. Just share your interest with your curator.