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9N/10D · India
Kerala
Kochi → Munnar → Thekkady → Kumarakom → Kovalam
Ten days from Fort Kochi to the Kovalam coast. Two nights in the Munnar tea hills, two in Thekkady for Periyar, two on the Kumarakom backwaters and two by the sea, with a day trip to Kanyakumari.
Planning guide: Kerala itinerary for 10 days: a family plan, day by day
- Duration
- 9N/10D
- Stops
- 5 places
- Best time
- Oct – Mar
- Price
- From ₹45,000 per adult, land only
Day by day
Day 1: Arrival in Kochi
Arrive in Kochi and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, walk through Fort Kochi: the Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront, St. Francis Church and Santa Cruz Basilica. Dinner and overnight in Kochi.
Stay: Novotel Kochi or similar
Day 2: Kochi → Munnar
Drive up into the Western Ghats to Munnar, about 130 km and 4 to 5 hours. After check-in, visit the Tea Museum, 15 to 20 minutes from the hotel, then take an easy evening walk through the tea plantations. Overnight in Munnar.
Stay: Eastend Munnar or Grand Plaza or similar
Day 3: Munnar Sightseeing
Morning at Eravikulam National Park, home of the Nilgiri tahr, 30 to 40 minutes from town. Then Mattupetty Dam, Echo Point and Kundala Lake, each a short drive from the last. Finish at Top Station, about an hour from Kundala, for the view across the Ghats. Dinner and overnight in Munnar.
Stay: Eastend Munnar or Grand Plaza or similar
Day 4: Munnar → Thekkady
Drive to Thekkady, about 85 km and 3 hours. In the evening, a guided spice plantation tour, followed by a traditional Kathakali performance. Dinner and overnight in Thekkady.
Stay: Serene Horizon or Spring Dale Horizon or similar
Day 5: Periyar National Park
A full day in Periyar. The Gavi safari runs through the forest to Gavi and back and takes about 6.5 hours. In the afternoon, a boat ride on Periyar Lake, where elephants and gaur come down to the water, then an evening nature walk. Dinner and overnight in Thekkady.
Stay: Serene Horizon or Spring Dale Horizon or similar
Day 6: Thekkady → Kumarakom
Drive to Kumarakom, about 150 km and 4 to 5 hours, and check in at a backwater resort. Late afternoon sunset cruise through the backwaters. Overnight in Kumarakom.
Stay: Manor Backwater Resort or similar
Day 7: Vembanad Lake & Kumarakom
Morning on Vembanad Lake, the longest lake in India, by boat. Visit Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary on its banks, then drive about 30 km to Aruvikkuzhi Waterfall in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Kumarakom.
Stay: Manor Backwater Resort or similar
Day 8: Kumarakom → Kovalam
Drive south to Kovalam, about 4 hours, stopping at Jatayu Earth's Center on the way. Afternoon at Lighthouse Beach. In the evening, Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium and the Kovalam art gallery. Dinner and overnight in Kovalam.
Stay: Hotel Seaface or similar
Day 9: Kanyakumari Day Trip
Early morning at Hawa Beach, where water sports are available if you want them. Drive 2 hours to Kanyakumari for the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Triveni Sangam, where three seas meet. On the way back, stop at Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, which has a strict dress code. Sunset on the beach, dinner and overnight in Kovalam.
Stay: Hotel Seaface or similar
Day 10: Departure
Check out and transfer to Trivandrum airport, about 30 minutes away. If your flight leaves from Kochi instead, the drive is about 250 km and 6.5 hours.
What’s included
Included
- 9 nights hotel accommodation (Comfort or Premium tier)
- Daily breakfast and dinner
- Private AC vehicle with driver for the whole route
- Entry tickets: Tea Museum, Mattupetty Dam, Kathakali show, Gavi safari, Periyar boating, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium and Kovalam art gallery
- One litre of drinking water per person, per day
- WhatsApp support from our team throughout the trip
Not included
- Flights or train tickets to and from Kerala
- Lunches
- Water sports at Hawa Beach
- Personal expenses and tips
- Travel insurance
- Anything not explicitly listed in inclusions
Hotels
Two budgets. We confirm the exact hotels, or similar, when you book.
Comfort
- Novotel Kochi
- Eastend Munnar or Grand Plaza
- Serene Horizon or Spring Dale Horizon
- Manor Backwater Resort
- Hotel Seaface
Premium
- Brunton Boatyard
- Windermere Estate
- Spice Village
- Coconut Lagoon, CGH Earth
- The Leela Kovalam
Upgrades you can add
Houseboat Upgrade
Premium two-bedroom kettuvallam with chef on board.
Ayurveda Add-On
Five-day or fourteen-day program with consultation, daily treatments, and a doctor on call.
Helicopter to Munnar
Skip the long drive — 25 minutes from Kochi instead of 5 hours.
Business-class flights
Lie-flat seats on every long sector. We can book through your preferred airline alliance.
Luxury car upgrade
Mercedes E-Class, Toyota Vellfire, or Innova Crysta — depending on destination.
When to go
- Oct – Mar
- Dry and pleasant across the state. Peak season, especially over Christmas and New Year
- Jun – Sep
- Southwest monsoon. Green, quiet and the traditional season for Ayurveda treatments
- Apr – May
- Hot and humid on the coast, still comfortable in Munnar
Things to do
Backwaters of Kumarakom
A sunset cruise through the canals, then a morning on Vembanad Lake and the bird sanctuary on its banks.
Munnar Tea Country
The Tea Museum, a walk through the plantations, and Top Station for the view across the Western Ghats.
Kathakali in Thekkady
Kerala's classical dance-drama, with its painted faces and costumes, performed in the evening after a spice plantation tour.
Periyar National Park
The Gavi forest safari and a boat ride on Periyar Lake, where elephants and gaur come down to drink.
Fort Kochi
The Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront, St. Francis Church and Santa Cruz Basilica, all within walking distance.
Kanyakumari
Two hours from Kovalam: the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the point where three seas meet.
Photos
Kerala: common questions
- Yes. Drives are 3 to 5 hours at most, the food is mild if you ask, and the hotels on this route all take families. Children are priced at about half the adult rate.
- The ₹45,000 per adult covers 9 nights of hotels with breakfast and dinner, a private AC vehicle with driver for the whole trip, and entry tickets for the sightseeing listed. Flights or trains to Kerala are extra.
- That works best. You arrive in Kochi and finish in Kovalam, which is 30 minutes from Trivandrum airport. Flying home from Kochi instead adds a 6.5-hour drive on the last day.
- October to February for dry weather. June to September if you like rain and quiet; the monsoon is also the traditional season for Ayurveda.
- Yes. The trip includes a backwater cruise in Kumarakom, and we can swap one night of the resort stay for a private houseboat.
- No. Every trip is planned for one family, couple or group of friends at a time: flights, hotels, drivers, guides and sightseeing, all chosen for you.
- Message us on WhatsApp — there is no form. Tell us roughly where, roughly when, and who is travelling. A trip designer replies personally, usually the same day, and follows up with a call to understand your priorities before sending a proposal.
- Where we show a figure it is indicative, per couple, and all-inclusive — flights, visa, hotels, sightseeing, transfers, breakfast and dinner. It is a planning number, not a quote: it is confirmed once hotels and transport are actually held, and it moves with the exchange rate on the day of booking. Trips without a figure are priced on enquiry.
- Yes. On our Europe trips both are included in the indicative price — return flights and visa application support and fees. Elsewhere we book flights through your preferred airline alliance and co-ordinate visa documentation separately.
Plan your Kerala trip
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We send this plan back adjusted for you, with a price.