Kerala Backwaters & Houseboat
5 Days / 4 NightsBackwaters & Houseboats
Overview
Kerala Backwaters & Houseboat is a 5-day South India journey through colonial Kochi, the tea hills of Munnar and an overnight private houseboat cruise on the Alleppey backwaters. Begin in Fort Kochi with its iconic Chinese fishing nets, spice-trading history and Jew Town markets, then wind up into Munnar's rolling tea estates, visiting a tea museum, Mattupetty Dam and the shola grasslands of Eravikulam National Park, home to the endangered Nilgiri tahr. The trip's highlight is a private houseboat cruise through Alleppey's palm-fringed canals and paddy fields, with all meals cooked fresh onboard and an overnight stay drifting through the backwaters. A relaxed pace, home-style Kerala cuisine and a mix of hills and water make this one of South India's most complete short getaways.
Destination
Itinerary
Arrive at Cochin International Airport or Ernakulam railway station, where our representative will transfer you to your hotel in Fort Kochi. After check-in, spend the afternoon exploring this historic port town - walk along the waterfront to see the iconic Chinese fishing nets, silhouetted beautifully at sunset, and wander through Jew Town's antique shops and the centuries-old Paradesi Synagogue. Explore the spice markets nearby, redolent with the aroma of cardamom, pepper and cloves that once drew traders from across the world. Enjoy a Kerala-style dinner at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for overnight stay.
After breakfast, check out and drive roughly 4 hours into the Western Ghats to Munnar, gaining altitude through winding roads flanked by rubber and spice plantations that gradually give way to rolling tea estates. Check in to your hillside resort and spend the evening at leisure enjoying the cool climate and mist-covered hills, quite a contrast from coastal Kochi. Dinner and overnight stay amid the tea gardens.
Spend the day exploring Munnar's highlights. Visit a working Tea Museum to learn about the region's tea-processing history and sample fresh brews, followed by Mattupetty Dam, set against a backdrop of pine-covered hills with the option of a short boat ride on the reservoir. In the afternoon, head to Eravikulam National Park, home to the endangered Nilgiri tahr and rolling shola grasslands, with a shuttle bus service into the core viewing area (seasonal closures may apply). Return to the resort for dinner and overnight stay, having covered Munnar's tea, wildlife and scenic highlights in a single day.
Check out after breakfast and drive back down from the hills toward Alleppey, roughly 4-5 hours, arriving by early afternoon. Board your private houseboat (kettuvallam) at the jetty, where the crew will welcome you aboard for an overnight backwater cruise. Glide gently through a network of canals, lakes and paddy fields lined with coconut palms and small waterside villages, watching local life unfold along the banks. Fresh Kerala meals - including a traditional fish curry lunch and dinner - are cooked onboard by the houseboat's own chef. Anchor for the night at a quiet spot on the backwaters, falling asleep to the gentle sound of water against the hull.
Wake up on the houseboat to a peaceful backwater sunrise and enjoy a leisurely South Indian breakfast onboard as the boat cruises back toward the jetty. Disembark by late morning and, depending on your onward travel schedule, our vehicle will transfer you to Cochin Airport or Ernakulam railway station, bringing to a close a journey that combined Kochi's colonial charm, Munnar's tea-covered hills and Alleppey's iconic backwaters.
Inclusions
- 3 nights hotel + 1 night private houseboat (all meals on houseboat)
- AC vehicle for all transfers & sightseeing
- Munnar tea garden & national park entries
- Breakfast at hotels
Exclusions
- Airfare/train fare
- Lunch & dinner at hotels (except houseboat)
- Ayurvedic massages & spa
- Personal expenses
₹26,999/ adult
Child: ₹20,999
Enquire Now- Category
- Backwaters & Houseboats
- Duration
- 5 Days / 4 Nights
- Destination
- Alleppey (Kerala Backwaters)