For two
Save ₹9KKashmir5 Nights / 6 Days
Kashmir Valley Retreat
Dal Lake, the Gulmarg gondola and a valley that still looks like the postcards
Starting from
₹52,999₹61,999
per couple
Kerala Backwaters & Hills
Tea estates, a boat of your own and rain on a tin roof
About this trip
Kerala is a driving itinerary, and the mistake most people make is trying to do it in four nights. Six is what the route actually needs.
The order matters too. Starting high in Munnar and working down through Thekkady to the backwaters means the trip gets progressively slower, which is exactly how it should feel.
The houseboat is a full private charter — one bedroom, a crew of three and a cook. You board at midday, moor somewhere quiet before dark, and dinner is made on board.
- Two nights on a working tea estate above Munnar
- Private houseboat charter on the Alleppey backwaters
- Sunrise walk through the tea gardens
- Spice plantation and boat safari at Thekkady
- Kathakali performance in a small courtyard theatre in Fort Kochi
- Private car and driver for the full seven days
Day by day
A working outline rather than a fixed schedule. Every day can be moved, and at least one is deliberately left empty.
- 1
Day 1
Kochi up to the tea hills
Met at Kochi airport and driven up to Munnar — around four hours, climbing through rubber and then tea. The last hour is the good one.
- Airport transfer
- Drive through the tea country
Stay: Munnar estate stay
- 2
Day 2
Munnar, early
Out before the mist lifts for a guided walk through a working estate — how the leaf is picked, what the grades mean, and a tasting at the end. The afternoon is open.
- Sunrise tea estate walk
- Tasting at the factory
Meals: breakfastStay: Munnar estate stay
- 3
Day 3
Down to the spice country
Around three hours south to Thekkady. An afternoon boat safari on the Periyar lake, then a spice plantation walk before dinner.
- Periyar boat safari
- Spice plantation walk
Meals: breakfastStay: Thekkady jungle lodge
- 4
Day 4
Board the houseboat
Four hours west and down to sea level at Alleppey. Board at midday. The boat moves through the narrower channels in the afternoon and moors somewhere quiet before dark; dinner is cooked on board.
- Private houseboat charter
- Lunch and dinner cooked on board
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinnerStay: Private houseboat, one bedroom
- 5
Day 5
Disembark and on to Fort Kochi
Breakfast on the water, disembark around nine, then ninety minutes north to Fort Kochi. The afternoon is for walking — the Chinese fishing nets, the spice quarter and the old churches.
- Breakfast on the backwaters
- Fort Kochi heritage quarter
Meals: breakfastStay: Fort Kochi heritage hotel
- 6
Day 6
Kochi, unhurried
Nothing fixed until evening, when there is a Kathakali performance in a small courtyard theatre — the makeup starts an hour before and is half the point.
- Kathakali performance
Meals: breakfastStay: Fort Kochi heritage hotel
- 7
Day 7
Fly home
Breakfast, then a transfer to Kochi airport, around an hour from Fort Kochi.
Meals: breakfast
What is and is not included
Included
- 2 nights Munnar, 1 night Thekkady, 1 night houseboat, 2 nights Fort Kochi
- Daily breakfast, plus all meals on the houseboat
- Private car with driver for all seven days including airport transfers
- Private houseboat charter with a crew of three
- Guided tea estate walk in Munnar
- Spice plantation tour and Periyar boat safari at Thekkady
- Kathakali performance tickets in Fort Kochi
Not included
- Airfare or train fare to and from the destination
- Meals not specified in the day-by-day itinerary
- Entry tickets to monuments and parks unless listed
- Personal expenses and tips for drivers and guides
- Anything described as optional rather than included
Before you book
Important information
- Prices are per couple on twin sharing and are indicative — final pricing is confirmed against live availability for your dates.
- Peak periods (Christmas, New Year and long weekends) carry a mandatory gala dinner supplement set by the property.
- Hotels listed are the properties we normally book. If one is unavailable we substitute a comparable alternative and tell you before you pay.
- Standard check-in is 2pm and checkout is 11am. Early check-in and late checkout are requested but never guaranteed.
- Carry a valid photo ID for every traveller. International trips need a passport valid for at least six months beyond your return date.
- Houseboats are required to moor by 5:30pm and do not cruise after dark. This is a state regulation, not a property policy.
- Munnar can drop to 10°C at night between December and February. Pack something warm even if the coast is hot.
- The Periyar boat safari is first-come on the day. Your driver will queue for tickets while you have breakfast.
Questions about this trip
Is the houseboat shared with other travellers?
No. This is a full private charter — one bedroom, your own deck and a crew of three including a cook. You are the only guests on board.
How much driving does this itinerary involve?
About twelve hours in total across seven days, in stretches of one and a half to four hours. The longest is the first day up to Munnar.
Is Kerala worth visiting in the monsoon?
Yes, particularly for Ayurveda, which is traditionally done in the monsoon months. Expect heavy rain in bursts, extraordinary greenery and considerably lower rates.
Next step
Enquire about the Kerala Backwaters & Hills
One travel designer picks this up, checks live availability for your dates and comes back with real numbers — usually the same day.
Before you go
Best time to visit Kerala
September to March. Post-monsoon Kerala is green, comfortable and dry. December and January are the peak. June to August is heavy monsoon — the classic season for Ayurvedic treatments and a beautiful time to be on the water if rain does not bother you.
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