Private journeys in seven lands · a planner replies within one working day
Try "Udaipur", "tiger", "honeymoon", "Ladakh in July"
Our classic first journey through Kerala, in 10 nights: the old port of Fort Kochi, the tea estates of Munnar, the forests and spice gardens of Periyar, a lake resort at Kumarakom, a night on a private houseboat in Kuttanad and two quiet days on the beach at Marari.
This is the route we recommend to most first-time visitors, because it shows the three faces of Kerala in their natural order. You begin by the sea in Fort Kochi, climb into the cool tea hills of Munnar, drop to the cardamom forests around Periyar, and come down again to the backwaters of Vembanad and a final rest on the coast. No drive is longer than about four hours, and each one is interesting in itself.
We have kept to two nights in most places so that every stop has a full day without travel. The stays are among the best in Kerala: Brunton Boatyard on Kochi harbour, Windermere Estate above Munnar, Spice Village at Thekkady, Coconut Lagoon on the lake, a single-party premium kettuvallam and Marari Beach. A private car and driver stay with you throughout, with local guides in each place.
Highlights
Day by day
We meet you at Cochin International Airport and drive to Fort Kochi, about 1.5 hours, to check in at Brunton Boatyard on the harbour. After a rest, take a private launch around the harbour in the late afternoon, past Willingdon and Bolgatty islands and the container terminal, returning to the Chinese fishing nets for the last light. Dinner at the hotel, where the kitchen serves Anglo-Indian and Kochi Jewish dishes as well as Kerala classics.
Start at 6.30 am at the fishing nets with a local historian, walking through the Dutch cemetery, Princess Street and St. Francis Church before breakfast. Later, visit Mattancherry: the Ramayana murals of the Dutch Palace, the 1568 Paradesi Synagogue and the spice warehouses of Bazaar Road. The afternoon is free. In the early evening, watch Kathakali actors paint their faces before a short performance from the epics, with an explanation of the gestures beforehand.
Leave Kochi after breakfast for the drive to Munnar. The road climbs through rubber and spice country to Adimali, with stops at the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls, then winds up through the first tea estates at Pallivasal. Arrive at Windermere Estate, a working spice plantation 3 km from town, in time for a late lunch. Walk the estate gardens in the afternoon and watch the light change over the valley from the terrace.
Set out at 7 am for a two-hour walk through the tea estates with a guide from the industry, passing pickers at work and stopping on a ridge for estate tea. Visit the Tata Tea Museum at Nallathanni and, where possible, a working factory, then taste the grades. In the afternoon, drive to Eravikulam National Park to see the Nilgiri tahr grazing below Anamudi. The park closes for calving in spring, when we drive to Top Station instead.
Drive south through the Cardamom Hills to Thekkady, one of the most scenic roads in Kerala, past tea and cardamom estates and viewpoints over the Tamil Nadu plains. Check in at Spice Village, CGH Earth's thatched cottages among spice gardens near the reserve gate. In the afternoon, walk a family-run cardamom and pepper plantation with its owner. In the evening, an optional Kalaripayattu demonstration in Kumily shows Kerala's martial art at close range.
Spend the day in the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The best option is full-day bamboo rafting with forest guards, combining a trek through the forest with long spells on bamboo rafts on the lake, watching for elephants, gaur, otters and hornbills. For a gentler day, take the first boat on Periyar Lake at about 7.30 am and a three-hour nature walk. Slots are limited and run by the forest department, so we book well ahead.
Descend from the hills via Peermade and the old summer palace at Kuttikkanam, through rubber plantations to Kottayam and on to Kumarakom. A boat carries you across to Coconut Lagoon, built from old Kerala houses reassembled among canals and palms. After lunch, rest by the pool, then take a late-afternoon canoe through the village canals to see coir-making and toddy-tapping, finishing with sunset over the lake.
Walk the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary at dawn with a naturalist, then return for breakfast. At about noon, your private kettuvallam collects you from the jetty. Lunch is served as the boat crosses Vembanad and enters the canals of Kuttanad, where rice grows below the level of the water. Stop for a walk on the bund and a village church. By local rule, the boat moors at sunset in a quiet backwater. Dinner on deck by lantern light.
Wake to mist on the water and fishermen in dugout canoes. After breakfast on board, the boat cruises for an hour and lands at Alappuzha at about 9 am. Drive 30 minutes north to Marari Beach, CGH Earth's resort of thatched villas in coconut groves behind a long, quiet beach. The rest of the day is free: a swim, a late lunch of fresh fish and an Ayurvedic massage if you wish.
Rise early to watch the fishing crews bring their boats in through the surf and sell the morning catch on the sand, with a guide from the village. After breakfast, an optional easy cycle ride of about 12 km through the palm lanes passes temple ponds, churches and coir spinners. The afternoon is for the beach and the pool. In the evening, a farewell dinner can be set up on the sand.
Enjoy a final morning on the beach. Depending on your flight time, we drive you to Cochin International Airport, about 2 to 2.25 hours away, allowing extra time for traffic. If you have a late flight, we can arrange a day room or a stop in Kochi for last-minute shopping. Our team in India stays in touch until you are through check-in.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
A heritage hotel on the Fort Kochi waterfront, rebuilt on the site of a Victorian boatyard, where every room faces the harbour channel and ships pass …
A working cardamom and coffee plantation at Pothamedu, about 3 km from Munnar town, with cottages and a planter's bungalow set on a hillside facing the …
A CGH Earth resort of thatched cottages among spice gardens on the edge of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, built in the style of the area's tribal …
A CGH Earth resort on the shore of Vembanad Lake, reached only by boat, built from old Kerala wooden houses dismantled and reassembled on the site, …
A CGH Earth beach resort in coconut groves behind Marari beach, with thatched villas modelled on fishermen's cottages, some with private pools, an organic farm, an …
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Questions travellers ask
Yes, for the classic southern loop. Ten nights covers Fort Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, the Vembanad backwaters and a beach, with two nights in most places. To add the north for Theyyam, or a serious Ayurveda programme, you would need longer.
November to March is best, with dry weather on the coast and clear, cool days in Munnar. December and January are busiest. September and October work well with some rain. We do not recommend June and July, when the monsoon is at its heaviest.
Four main drives of 3 to 4.5 hours each: Kochi to Munnar, Munnar to Thekkady, Thekkady to Kumarakom and Marari to the airport. All are scenic, and we stop at waterfalls, viewpoints and plantations along the way. Every place has at least one full day without driving.
You can, but we rarely recommend it. One night gives seven or so hours of cruising, a sunset and a quiet morning. A second night tends to repeat the experience in a small space. We would rather add a night at Kumarakom or Marari.
Yes, for children over about six. They enjoy the fishing nets, Kathakali make-up, the tahr, the spice gardens, the boat and the beach. Bamboo rafting is best for children over 12. We can swap a heritage walk for a shorter version and add family rooms.
Yes. Alternatives include The Malabar House or Taj Malabar in Kochi, Blanket Hotel in Munnar, Kumarakom Lake Resort or Taj Kumarakom on the lake, and pool villas at Marari. Prices change accordingly. We suggest the mix that suits your style.
From about ₹3,25,000 per person, twin sharing, at the hotels named, with a private car, guides, the houseboat and the activities listed. Christmas and New Year, pool villas and larger houseboats cost more. Flights are extra. We send a detailed quote for your dates.
Yes. Spice Village, Coconut Lagoon and Marari Beach all have Ayurveda centres where you can book a consultation and treatments. These are relaxing additions rather than therapy. For a full programme of 14 nights or more, see our Kovalam Ayurveda journey.
We include local guides for the heritage walks in Kochi, the tea estates in Munnar, Periyar and the bird sanctuary, where they add a great deal. Your driver handles everything else. Beach days at Marari are free unless you choose a fishing village or cycling outing.
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