Kerala Luxury Getaway

Overview

Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Hotels

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Cancellation Policy

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Highlights & Route

This six-day journey runs the length of Kerala from north to south and from the high tea country to the coast, staying each night in a four- or five-star resort. It is the classic Kerala route, hills, forest, backwaters and beach, done without hurry and without compromise on comfort, and it ends at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, one of the most important Vishnu temples in India. You arrive at Kochi and leave from Thiruvananthapuram, so no road is driven twice.

Two nights in Munnar give a full day for the lakes, dams and viewpoints among the estates, and the drive up includes the Rajamala side of Eravikulam National Park, where the Nilgiri tahr graze below Anamudi. From Munnar the road winds through cardamom plantations to Thekkady, where a boat cruise on Periyar lake inside the tiger reserve offers sightings of elephant, bison and sambar along the drowned forest edge. The fourth night is on the backwaters at Kumarakom or Alleppey, on Vembanad lake, where the resort itself is the destination.

The last two days are on the coast. Kovalam’s crescent beaches below the lighthouse are the best-known in the state, and the final morning is given to Thiruvananthapuram: darshan at Padmanabhaswamy, where Vishnu reclines on Anantha in a sanctum seen through three doors, followed by the Napier Museum and the zoo if time allows. Our Kerala partners handle the ground arrangements; our Dehradun office remains your single point of contact throughout.

Route

Kochi airport → Cheeyappara and Valara falls → Munnar (2 nights) → Eravikulam, lakes and viewpoints → Thekkady (1 night) → Periyar lake cruise → Kumarakom or Alleppey (1 night) → Kovalam (1 night) → Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram airport

Good to know before you book

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram admits Hindus only and has a strict dress code: men wear a mundu (dhoti) without a shirt, women a saree, half-saree or long skirt with blouse; mundus can be hired at the gate. Phones and cameras are not allowed inside.
Eravikulam National Park closes every February and March for the Nilgiri tahr calving season; the Munnar day is adjusted around it.
The Periyar lake cruise runs in fixed slots operated by the forest department and KTDC; tickets are limited and are booked in advance with your ID details.
October to March is the best season; April and May are hot on the coast but pleasant in Munnar and Thekkady; the monsoon (June to September) is green and quiet, with lower hotel rates.
Kathakali and Kalaripayattu performances at Thekkady are optional evening shows, paid locally.
Kochi has direct flights from Delhi; Thiruvananthapuram also has direct flights for the return.

Yatra Highlights

Two nights in Munnar's tea estates with the Nilgiri tahr at Eravikulam
Periyar lake cruise at Thekkady and a night on the Vembanad backwaters
Kovalam beach and darshan at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple

Day 1 :

Kochi to Munnar via waterfalls and Eravikulam

Pickup at Cochin International Airport at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time and drive about 130 km, four to five hours, into the Western Ghats. Stop at the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls beside the highway and, as the road climbs, at the first tea estates for photographs.

If time and the season allow, continue through Munnar to the Rajamala entrance of Eravikulam National Park, where a forest bus takes visitors up to the tahr-viewing slopes below Anamudi, South India's highest peak at 2,695 m (closed February and March). Check in to the resort. Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: Munnar

Day 2 :

Munnar sightseeing

After breakfast, drive out along the Mattupetty road: Mattupetty Dam and its boating lake, Echo Point and Kundala Dam, the quietest of the three. Return via the Pothamedu viewpoint for the wide view over the estates. Visit a tea factory or the Tea Museum (closed Mondays) for a short guided look at how the leaf is processed.

The late afternoon is free for the resort or for the spice and tea shops in Munnar town. Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: Munnar

Day 3 :

Munnar to Thekkady, Periyar lake cruise

After breakfast, drive about 90 km and three hours through cardamom and pepper plantations to Thekkady, the gateway to Periyar Tiger Reserve. Check in to the resort.

In the afternoon, take the boat cruise on Periyar lake, which was formed by a dam in 1895 and is fringed by the stumps of a drowned forest; elephant, gaur, sambar and wild boar are often seen at the water's edge, along with cormorants and kingfishers. Optional evening performances of Kathakali or Kalaripayattu martial arts are held in the town (own cost). Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: Thekkady

Day 4 :

Thekkady to the backwaters

After breakfast, descend from the hills to the coastal plain, about 130 km and four hours, to Kumarakom or Alleppey on Vembanad lake, depending on the resort confirmed. Check in to the backwater resort.

The afternoon is for the resort and its setting: a canoe or shikara ride through the village canals, the Kumarakom bird sanctuary nearby, or simply the lake from a chair. Ayurvedic massages are available at most resorts (own cost). Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: Kumarakom or Alleppey

Day 5 :

Backwaters to Kovalam

After a late breakfast, drive south along the coast, about 175 km and five hours, to Kovalam. Check in to the beach resort.

Spend the evening at Lighthouse Beach, the main crescent below the red-and-white lighthouse, and Hawa Beach beyond the headland; the lighthouse can be climbed for the view. Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: Kovalam

Day 6 :

Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram, departure

After breakfast, drive 15 km into Thiruvananthapuram for darshan at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, where the 18 ft reclining Vishnu is viewed through three doors of the sanctum. Dress in the traditional manner (mundu for men, saree or long skirt for women); the temple is open to Hindus only and has morning and evening darshan hours with a midday closure.

Then visit the Napier Museum and its gardens (closed Mondays) and, if time allows, the zoo in the same compound. Transfer to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel); please book flights after 3 pm.

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
1	Munnar	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
2	Munnar	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
3	Thekkady	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
4	Kumarakom or Alleppey	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
5	Kovalam	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

What does 'luxury' mean in this package?

Four- or five-star resorts at every halt, a private air-conditioned vehicle for your group alone, and a pace of one sight at a time with free afternoons. The exact properties are confirmed with your quote and depend on the dates; we always name them before you pay.

Can non-Hindus enter Padmanabhaswamy temple?

No. The temple admits Hindus only, and this is enforced at the gate. Non-Hindu members of a group can see the gopuram and the temple tank from outside and visit the Napier Museum while the others take darshan.

What is the dress code at the temple?

Men wear a mundu (dhoti) and no shirt; women wear a saree, half-saree or a long skirt and blouse. Salwar-kameez and trousers are not accepted for women, though a mundu can be wrapped over them. Mundus are available for hire at the entrance. Phones, cameras and bags are deposited outside.

When is the best time for this tour?

October to March, when the coast is pleasant and the hills are cool and clear. April and May are hot at Kovalam but comfortable in Munnar and Thekkady. The monsoon from June to September is lush and peaceful, with far lower resort rates, but beaches are rough and Eravikulam is closed in February-March regardless.

Is a houseboat included?

Not in the standard plan, which uses a lakeside resort at Kumarakom or Alleppey. A night on a private air-conditioned houseboat on Vembanad lake can replace the resort night at a supplement, with all meals cooked on board; ask when you enquire.

Will vegetarian food be available at the resorts?

Yes. Resort dinners are vegetarian for our groups, and Kerala’s own vegetarian cooking (sadya, appam and stew, puttu, dosa) is excellent. Jain and no-onion-garlic meals should be requested when booking.

Can we start from Thiruvananthapuram instead?

Yes. The route can be reversed, starting with the temple and Kovalam and ending in Munnar and Kochi. The price stays the same; tell us which airport suits your flights.

Will we see the Nilgiri tahr at Eravikulam on this Kerala holiday?

Usually, outside February and March. On Day 1, if time and season allow, we continue past Munnar to the Rajamala entrance of Eravikulam National Park, where a forest bus takes visitors up to the slopes below Anamudi where the tahr graze. The park closes every February and March for calving, so on those dates the Munnar days are adjusted. Park entry fees are paid by you.

Yatra	Duration	Starts from	Price
Kerala Luxury Getaway (this page)	6 days / 5 nights	Kochi	From ₹40,000
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Andaman Islands Sightseeing Holiday	8 days / 7 nights	Port Blair	From ₹45,000
Andaman Relaxation Holiday	6 days / 5 nights	Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram)	From ₹30,000
Darjeeling, Pelling & Gangtok Hill Holiday	7 days / 6 nights	Bagdogra / New Jalpaiguri	From ₹40,500
Family Holiday in Sikkim	9 days / 8 nights	Bagdogra / NJP (Siliguri)	From ₹51,000
Kerala Scenic Nature Holiday	9 days / 8 nights	Kochi	From ₹55,000

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Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

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Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

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