Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Kerala: Backwaters, Tea Hills and Beaches
9 days from Kochi: Fort Kochi, two nights in the Munnar tea hills, Periyar, a night on a houseboat across Vembanad Lake and two nights at Marari Beach.
9 days · Round trip from Kochi · up to 12 guests
A village canal in the Kerala backwaters Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kerala_backwaters,_Canal,_Palm_trees,_India.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Kochi
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Easy
Gentle walking of 1 to 3 hours on most days: Fort Kochi streets, tea estate paths at about 1,600 m, a paved path at about 2,000 m in Eravikulam, a 3-hour forest walk of 4 to 5 km on uneven trails in Periyar and a flat village walk at Marari. The forest walk and the afternoon on day 4 can be skipped.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 460 (estimated price)
- Season
- October to March
Highlights
Why this trip
- Fort Kochi at first light, when the Chinese fishing nets are working, then Mattancherry Palace and the Paradesi Synagogue
- A Kerala sadhya on a banana leaf and a Kathakali performance, with time to watch the actors paint their faces
- Two nights in the Munnar tea hills, with an estate walk in the late light and the Nilgiri tahr at Eravikulam
- A spice plantation lunch and an afternoon boat on Periyar Lake, then a 7 am forest walk with local guides
- A full night on a houseboat across Vembanad Lake, and a dawn canoe into canals too narrow for the big boats
- Two slow nights at Marari Beach, with a sunrise village walk and time for Ayurveda
- No drive over about four hours, and no shopping stops
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 460 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Kochi
Cochin International Airport (COK) to your hotel in Fort Kochi
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Kochi
- Drive about 1.5 h
Fly into Cochin International Airport (COK) at Nedumbassery, north of the city. A driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the drive of about 40 km, an hour to an hour and a half depending on traffic, across the Periyar River at Aluva and down to Fort Kochi, the old harbour quarter at the mouth of the backwaters. We stay here, not in the modern city across the water, so the Chinese fishing nets, the churches and the cafes are a short walk from the hotel.
Evening
The rest of the day is yours: sleep off the flight, or walk the seafront at sunset when the nets are lowered and the fish auction stalls set up along the shore. In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the week ahead, from what to pack for the cool tea hills to how the houseboat night works, and then we walk to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner of Kerala seafood, appam and vegetable curries.
Included
- Pick-up at Cochin International Airport (COK)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner in Fort Kochi
Free time: Free until the early evening briefing
Activity: Plan to land by about 3 pm to reach the briefing; later arrivals are met and join the group at dinner or the next morning.
Fort Kochi and Mattancherry
Fort Kochi on foot, then Mattancherry and Jew Town
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kochi
We start early, when the fishermen are working the Chinese fishing nets on the point and the light is soft, and walk Fort Kochi with your guide before the heat. St Francis Church, built by the Portuguese in the early 1500s, is where Vasco da Gama was first buried in 1524 before his remains went home to Portugal. From there we walk past Dutch and British era houses to the Santa Cruz Basilica.
Morning
A short drive takes us to Jew Town in time for the Paradesi Synagogue's morning opening, roughly 10 am to noon, which is why the morning runs in this order. The synagogue dates from 1568, and the lanes around it still smell of ginger and pepper from the old spice warehouses. Next door is Mattancherry Palace, built by the Portuguese for the Raja of Kochi and later rebuilt by the Dutch, with Kerala murals of scenes from the Ramayana.
Afternoon
Lunch is a Kerala sadhya, a vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf. The afternoon is free.
Evening
In the early evening we go to a Kathakali performance, arriving early to watch the actors paint their faces.
Included
- Fort Kochi walk with your guide: the Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church and the Santa Cruz Basilica
- The Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town, in the morning opening hours
- Mattancherry Palace and its murals
- Kerala sadhya lunch on a banana leaf
- Kathakali performance, with time to watch the make-up
Free time: Afternoon free in Fort Kochi
Activity: The synagogue is closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays, and Mattancherry Palace on Fridays, so day 2 is never planned on those days. The synagogue opens roughly 10 am to noon and 3 to 5 pm, so we visit before lunch. Shoulders and knees covered for the synagogue and churches.
Up into the tea hills
Kochi to Munnar on the road through Kothamangalam and Adimali
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Munnar
- Drive about 4 h
Morning
We leave Fort Kochi after breakfast and drive about 135 km east into the Western Ghats, roughly four hours with stops, which is the longest drive of the trip and right at our cap. The first half crosses flat country of rubber and pineapple; after Kothamangalam the road starts to climb through forest, past the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls, which run strongest after the monsoon in October and November.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal on the way. By early afternoon the forest gives way to tea, clipped into rounded rows across every slope, and we reach Munnar at about 1,600 m, where the air is noticeably cooler. After checking in, a local guide takes us on an easy walk of about an hour and a half along the estate paths in the late-afternoon light, explaining how the leaf is plucked, who picks it and how the estates began under British planters in the late 19th century.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Drive from Kochi to Munnar with stops at the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls
- Sit-down lunch on the way
- Late-afternoon tea estate walk with a local guide
Free time: Evening free in Munnar
Activity: Munnar nights are cool from December to February; bring a fleece. The mountain road has many bends; take a travel sickness tablet if you need one.
Eravikulam and the Tea Museum
Munnar to Eravikulam National Park, then the Tea Museum
- Breakfast
- Stay in Munnar
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
We go up early to Eravikulam National Park, a short drive north of Munnar, aiming for one of the first forest department buses that carry visitors from the gate up to the Rajamalai section, before the holiday crowds of late morning. This is open grassland and shola forest at about 2,000 m, home to the Nilgiri tahr, a mountain goat found only in the Western Ghats, which often grazes beside the path. Anamudi, the highest peak in South India at about 2,695 m, rises inside the park. The park closes each year for the tahr calving season, roughly February and March; on those dates we go instead to the Top Station viewpoint on the Tamil Nadu border for the view down over the plains.
Afternoon
After a free lunch in town we visit the Tea Museum at Nallathanni, which tells the story of the estates and shows the old machinery and a working processing line.
Evening
The rest of the afternoon and evening are free.
Included
- Eravikulam National Park, with the forest department bus up to Rajamalai (October to January)
- Top Station viewpoint instead, when Eravikulam is closed for calving (about February and March)
- The Tea Museum at Nallathanni
Easier option: Skip the Tea Museum and take the afternoon at the hotel.
More active option: In place of the Tea Museum, a guided half-day walk of about 8 to 10 km on estate paths and hill tracks above Munnar.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 1 to 2 hours on foot at Eravikulam on a paved path with a gentle climb, at around 2,000 m. The Tea Museum is closed on Mondays, so day 4 is never planned on a Monday.
Through the cardamom hills to Periyar
Munnar to Thekkady, a spice plantation and Periyar Lake
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Thekkady
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive about 95 km south through the Cardamom Hills to Thekkady, about three and a half hours on a winding road through tea, then cardamom grown in the shade of forest trees, then pepper vines climbing every trunk. Thekkady, with the market town of Kumily, sits at the edge of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Afternoon
We go straight to a spice plantation for a walk with the grower among cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, coffee and vanilla, and lunch there. Mid-afternoon we take the forest department boat, the last departure of the day at about 3:30, out on Periyar Lake, a reservoir made in 1895 when the Mullaperiyar dam flooded the valley, its dead tree stumps still standing in the water. Elephants, gaur, sambar deer and wild boar come down to the shore more often as the day cools, though sightings are never certain.
Evening
In the early evening we watch a kalaripayattu performance, the martial art of Kerala, then dinner is your choice in Kumily.
Included
- Spice plantation walk and lunch
- Forest department boat ride on Periyar Lake, about 1.5 hours
- Kalaripayattu performance in Thekkady
Free time: Evening free in Kumily
Activity: Boat tickets are sold in limited numbers for set departure times; we book the mid-afternoon trip ahead, and switch to an early-morning boat if the afternoon is full.
A forest walk, then onto the backwaters
Periyar Tiger Reserve on foot, then Thekkady to Kumarakom and onto a houseboat
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Kerala backwaters (houseboat)
- Drive about 3.5 h
At about 7 am we walk into the Periyar Tiger Reserve with forest guides from the local community, who run the reserve's guided walks, for about three hours through forest and along the lake shore. You look for tracks, langur monkeys, Malabar giant squirrels and hornbills; elephants are possible but not expected.
Morning
Back at the hotel for a late breakfast and time to pack, we leave at about 11 and drive about 115 km west, roughly three and a half hours with a tea stop, down through rubber estates to Kottayam and on to Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in Kerala.
Afternoon
We board a kettuvallam, a houseboat built on the lines of the old rice barges, at about 2:30 pm, and a late lunch is served as we set off across the lake into the canals of Kuttanad, where rice is farmed below sea level behind dykes.
Evening
After about three hours of cruising, houseboats moor for the night at about 5:30. The cook shows you how to wrap karimeen, the local pearl spot fish, in banana leaf for dinner on deck.
Included
- Guided nature walk in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, about 3 hours
- Drive from Thekkady to Kumarakom
- Overnight houseboat cruise across Vembanad Lake and into Kuttanad, in a bedroom with its own bathroom
- Lunch and dinner on board, with a cooking demonstration
Easier option: Sleep in and skip the forest walk; join the group for breakfast at about 10.
More active option: Once the boat is moored, walk the dyke paths between the rice fields with a crew member before dark, about 2 to 3 km on the flat.
Free time: Evening on the moored houseboat
Activity: The forest walk is on uneven trails, about 4 to 5 km; leech socks are provided when the forest is damp. Boarding is about 2:30 pm, later than the usual houseboat check-in, and is agreed with the boat in advance. The group shares one large houseboat or two or three smaller boats that cruise and moor together.
Dawn canoe, then Marari Beach
Kuttanad canals by canoe, Alleppey, then Marari Beach
- Breakfast
- Stay in Marari Beach
- Drive about 30 min
Wake early for the best hour on the backwaters. At about 6:30 am a country canoe collects us from the houseboat and a local boatman paddles into narrow canals too small for the big boats, past houses with steps down to the water, people washing pots, children waiting for the school boat and kingfishers on the wires.
Morning
Back on board, breakfast is served as the houseboat cruises the last stretch to Alleppey, where we step ashore by about 9:30. From there it is only about 15 km north to Marari, a fishing village with a long, quiet beach of soft sand backed by coconut palms. We stay here two nights, so the rest of the day is yours: swim, read in the shade, or book an Ayurvedic massage at the hotel.
Afternoon
In the late afternoon, walk the beach as the fishing boats come back in.
Evening
Dinner tonight is your choice.
Included
- Dawn canoe ride through the narrow canals of Kuttanad
- Breakfast on the houseboat as it cruises to Alleppey
- Transfer from Alleppey to Marari Beach
Optional experiences
- Ayurvedic massage or treatment at the hotel (price confirmed at booking)
Free time: Afternoon and evening free at the beach
Activity: The sea at Marari can have a strong pull; swim only where the hotel or lifeguards say it is safe.
Marari village morning, a free day by the sea
Marari Beach and the village
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Marari Beach
We start before the heat with a gentle guided walk through Marari village, along sandy lanes between coconut groves, ponds and small houses, with a local guide who lives here. Early is when the fishermen haul in their boats and sort the catch on the sand, and on the way back we stop at a home where coir rope is still spun by hand from coconut husk, one of the old trades of this coast.
Morning
Back at the hotel by mid-morning for breakfast, and then the day is free. This is the time for a longer Ayurvedic treatment, a swim, or a cycle to the next village along the shore. Our guide can arrange a yoga class or a cooking lesson for anyone who wants one.
Evening
In the evening we gather for a farewell dinner of Kerala dishes, with seafood from the morning's catch and vegetarian dishes for anyone who prefers them.
Included
- Guided early-morning walk through Marari village with a local guide
- Visit to a coir-spinning home
- Farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- Ayurvedic treatments at the hotel, including longer sessions (price confirmed at booking)
- Yoga class
- Cooking lesson
Easier option: Skip the early village walk and sleep in; the farewell dinner is the only fixed time today.
More active option: Do the village loop by bicycle, about 10 km on flat lanes, in place of the walk.
Free time: Late morning to evening free
Activity: The village walk is about 3 km on flat sandy lanes.
Back to Kochi and home
Marari Beach to Cochin International Airport (COK)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 2.5 h
Morning
A last swim or a slow breakfast, then we drive about 90 km north to Cochin International Airport, two to two and a half hours depending on traffic through Kochi. The road runs up the coast past Cherthala and the backwater bridges into the city, and your guide sees you to the terminal and checks your flight before saying goodbye. If you are staying on, we can drop you in Fort Kochi instead. Plan on a flight leaving after about 1 pm; for an earlier flight we leave the beach earlier and pack a breakfast for the road. Many guests add a few days: the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur is a short domestic flight north, and our own Golden Triangle trip fits before or after this one. If you would like extra nights at the beach or in Fort Kochi, or an Ayurveda stay of several days, ask us when you book and we arrange the hotel and the transfer.
Included
- Drop-off at Cochin International Airport (COK), or at your Fort Kochi hotel
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 1 pm.
- Kochi2 nights
- Munnar2 nights
- Thekkady1 night
- Kerala backwaters (houseboat)1 night
- Marari Beach2 nights
- Kochiend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: October to March is the season, after the southwest monsoon. October and November are green with full waterfalls and some afternoon showers; December to February is the driest, with cool nights in Munnar; March is hot and humid on the coast. Eravikulam closes for the tahr calving season around February and March. Wildlife on Periyar Lake is never certain: elephants, gaur and sambar are seen most often toward the end of the day and in the drier months.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want the backwaters overnight, not in a one-hour cruise
- A slower India trip with short drives after the Golden Triangle or Rajasthan
- Nature, food and culture in one week: tea hills, spice gardens, Kathakali and a forest walk
- Two beach days at the end, with Ayurveda as an option
Not for you if you want
- Tiger spotting: tigers live in Periyar but are very rarely seen
- Travellers who want a lively beach with bars and nightlife
- A full Ayurveda course, which needs a week or more at a dedicated centre
- Anyone who wants every night in a large resort hotel
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Kochi2 nights
- Munnar2 nights
- Thekkady1 night
- Kerala backwaters (houseboat)1 night
- Marari Beach2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: 2 in Fort Kochi, 2 in Munnar, 1 in Thekkady, 1 on a houseboat on the backwaters and 2 at Marari Beach
- Central hotels of 3-star-plus standard or better, named when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up and drop-off at Cochin International Airport (COK)
- Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver for the group throughout
- Overnight houseboat from Kumarakom to Alleppey
- Country canoe through the Kuttanad canals
- Forest department boat on Periyar Lake
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from arrival to departure
- Local guides in the Munnar tea estates, the Periyar Tiger Reserve and Marari village
Activities
- Fort Kochi walk: the Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church and the Santa Cruz Basilica
- Mattancherry Palace, the Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town in Kochi
- Kathakali performance in Kochi
- Tea estate walk in Munnar
- Eravikulam National Park near Munnar (Top Station viewpoint when the park is closed)
- The Tea Museum in Munnar
- Spice plantation walk near Thekkady
- Periyar Lake boat ride and guided forest walk in the Periyar Tiger Reserve
- Kalaripayattu performance in Thekkady
- Houseboat cruise on Vembanad Lake and Kuttanad, with a cooking demonstration
- Dawn canoe ride in the backwaters
- Marari village walk and a coir-spinning home
Meals
- 8 breakfasts
- 4 lunches: a sadhya in Kochi, on the road to Munnar, at the spice plantation and on the houseboat
- 3 dinners: welcome, on the houseboat and farewell
Not included
- International flights to and from Kochi
- Indian visa
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners not listed above
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide, driver, houseboat crew and local guides
- Ayurvedic treatments, yoga and other optional activities
- Camera fees where charged
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 460 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
Prices in these answers apply from Jan 1, 2027. Black Friday offer: 15% off the small-group price for requests received by Dec 1, 2026. From CAD 2,300 per person. Dec 2 to Dec 31: from CAD 2,490. From Jan 1, 2027: from CAD 2,705.
What does the price include?
Eight nights: two in Fort Kochi, two in Munnar, one in Thekkady, one on a houseboat and two at Marari Beach. Breakfast daily, 4 lunches and 3 dinners, airport transfers, our own vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, local guides where needed, and every entry and activity in the day plan, including the Periyar boat and forest walk, Kathakali and the dawn canoe.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That keeps the houseboat night to one large boat or two or three small ones moored together, and means everyone fits around one table at the sadhya lunch.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the airport on day 1 to the airport on day 9. Local specialists join where they add something: forest guides in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, an estate guide in Munnar, the boatman for the dawn canoe and a village guide at Marari.
How fit do I need to be?
Fairly fit for gentle walking. The longest outings are the three-hour forest walk in Periyar, about 4 to 5 km on uneven trails, and Eravikulam at about 2,000 m on a paved path. Each can be skipped: sleep in on day 6, or stay at the hotel on day 4 afternoon.
Is there a single supplement, and can solo travellers share?
Yes. A room of your own costs from CAD 460 more, shown before you book with no surprise later. On the houseboat a solo guest has a bedroom of their own at the same supplement. If you would rather share a room to avoid the supplement, ask us about sharing when you book.
When is the best time to go?
October to March. The southwest monsoon is over, the hills are green and the waterfalls full early in the season, and December to February is the driest. October and November can bring afternoon showers. March gets hot and humid on the coast. Munnar nights are cool in winter.
What is the houseboat night like?
A kettuvallam is a long wooden boat with a thatched roof, bedrooms with their own bathroom, a deck and a crew who cook on board. You board in the early afternoon, about 2:30 pm, cruise across Vembanad Lake and the Kuttanad canals for about three hours, moor at about 5:30 pm as local rules require, and step off near Alleppey the next morning.
Can I add Ayurveda?
Yes. Massages and treatments are offered as options at the beach hotel, with a free afternoon on day 7 and most of day 8 to fit them in. For a proper course of treatment, usually a week or more with a doctor's consultation, ask us to add extra nights at an Ayurveda centre after the trip.
Will we definitely see Eravikulam National Park?
From about October to January, yes. The park closes each year for the Nilgiri tahr calving season, roughly February and March; the dates change and are announced by the forest department. On those dates we go to the Top Station viewpoint instead, and tell you when you book.
Do I need a visa for India?
Yes. Canadian, US, UK and most other visitors need an Indian visa before they travel, either the e-Visa applied for online or a regular visa. Eligibility for the e-Visa has changed for some countries, so check the official Indian government site for your passport well before you fly.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, from CAD 4,870 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we quote the same hotels, houseboat, drivers and local guides.
How does booking work?
Choose a start date and send a request to book. We confirm availability within 24 hours and no payment is taken until then. The small group starts from CAD 2,705 per person sharing, taxes included. You can combine it with our Golden Triangle trip before or after.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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