Kerala Tour Packages
- Best TimeOctober to March
- FlightsNonstop to Kochi from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru
- Ideal Duration6 to 8 nights
Kochi 10.15° N, 76.40° E
Backwaters, Tea Hills and a Slow Coast
Kerala runs down India's southwest coast, between the Arabian Sea and the hills of the Western Ghats. In one trip you can spend a night on a houseboat in the backwaters, wake up among the tea estates of Munnar, walk the old streets of Fort Kochi and finish on the cliffs at Varkala. It is also the home of Kathakali, a long Ayurveda tradition and a kitchen built on coconut, rice and fresh fish.
Distances look short on the map and run slow on the road. Munnar to Alappuzha is a hill drive of about five hours, and the order of the stops decides how much of the trip you spend in a car. We set the route first, then the houseboat, then the stays.
Kerala, at a Glance
- Best time
- Oct to Mar, peak Dec to Feb
- Ideal stay
- 6 to 8 nights
- Best TimeOctober to March, peak December to February
- FlightsNonstop to Kochi from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Thiruvananthapuram serves the south.
- PermitsNo permit needed for Indian citizens. Carry photo ID.
- Getting AroundBy car with a driver. The hills and the coast are a few hours apart.
- WeatherAround 28 to 33°C on the coast, cooler in Munnar. The monsoon runs from June to September.
The Best Time to Visit Kerala
The coast stays warm all year, around 28 to 33°C. What changes is the rain, and Kerala gets two monsoons. Here is how the year works.
October and November
After the rains
The hills and paddy fields are at their greenest and the backwaters run full after the monsoon.
Afternoon showers are common as the northeast monsoon passes, so we keep outdoor plans to the mornings.
December to FebruaryPeak Season
Peak season
Dry, sunny days on the coast and cool nights in Munnar, the easiest months for the houseboat and the beaches.
It is also the busiest, Christmas and New Year above all, so we book the houseboat and the hill stays well ahead.
March to May
The hot months
Hot and humid on the coast, around 33°C, with thunderstorms building through May.
Munnar stays cool, and the houseboats are quieter and easier to book.
June to September
The monsoon
Heavy rain, rough seas on the beaches and the greenest hills of the year.
It is the traditional season for Ayurveda, and August usually brings the Nehru Trophy snake boat race on Punnamada Lake.
What We Can Arrange in Kerala
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Backwaters and CoastA Houseboat Night in the Backwaters
A private kettuvallam from Alappuzha or Kumarakom, with meals cooked on board and an overnight mooring somewhere calm. We check the route and the air conditioning hours before we book.
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Hills and WildlifeMunnar and the Tea Hills
Tea estates on the slopes of the Western Ghats, about 1,500 metres up, with a factory visit and walks through the plantations. Eravikulam National Park, home of the Nilgiri tahr, usually closes for the calving season in February and March.
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Hills and WildlifePeriyar and Thekkady
A boat on Periyar Lake inside the tiger reserve, where elephants and gaur come down to drink, with spice gardens and guided forest walks around Thekkady.
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Culture and WellnessFort Kochi
Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront, the old Jewish quarter at Mattancherry and a Kathakali performance in the evening, often with the make-up applied in front of you before the show.
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Backwaters and CoastVarkala and Marari
Two different beaches: Varkala's red cliffs above the sea in the south, and the quiet fishing-village sands of Marari near Alappuzha. The sea can be rough, so we point you to the beaches where swimming is safe.
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Culture and WellnessAyurveda
Treatments at an Ayurveda centre with resident doctors, from a single massage to a week or more on a doctor's plan. The monsoon months are the traditional season for it.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons, cropped: Houseboat, Alappuzha by Paul Arps from The Netherlands, CC BY 2.0; Tea estates, Munnar by www.eatoutzone.com, CC BY 3.0; Periyar Lake by Sudipta sadhukhan, CC BY-SA 4.0; Chinese fishing nets, Fort Kochi by Rangan Datta Wiki, CC BY-SA 4.0; Varkala cliff by Ganesh Mohan T, CC BY-SA 4.0; Dhara vessel by Vijayanrajapuram, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Who Kerala Suits
Honeymooners
A private houseboat, a hill resort among the Munnar tea estates and a few slow days at Marari or Varkala: a warm honeymoon close to home.
Start planning this kind of tripFamilies
Short hops between the stops, a boat on Periyar Lake, spice gardens in Thekkady and a day and night on a houseboat the whole family shares.
Start planning this kind of tripWellness Seekers
An Ayurveda programme with a resident doctor, often timed for the monsoon when it is traditionally done, with the rest of the trip kept slow around it.
Start planning this kind of tripNature Lovers
Tea hills and shola forest around Munnar, elephants on the shore of Periyar Lake and the birdlife of Vembanad Lake at Kumarakom.
Start planning this kind of tripHow Many Days in Kerala?
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4 to 5 nights
A short Kerala loop
Kochi, Munnar and a night on a houseboat. Tight on the road, so best with a direct flight in and out of Kochi.
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Most trips
6 to 8 nights
The classic Kerala
Fort Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, a houseboat night and two days on the coast at Marari. Most Kerala trips land here.
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9+ nights
Kerala, slowly
Room for Varkala in the south, a second night on the water or a full Ayurveda stay.
ID and Practical Notes
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Step 1
No Permit Needed
Indian citizens need no permit to travel in Kerala.
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Step 2
Carry Photo ID
Carry a government photo ID such as Aadhaar, a passport or a driving licence, since hotels and houseboats ask for it at check-in.
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Step 3
On the Water
We book only registered houseboats with life jackets on board and a crew we know. Many run the air conditioning only at night, from a generator, so we confirm the hours before you pay.
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Step 4
In the Hills
The roads up to Munnar and Thekkady are narrow and winding, so we plan the drives in daylight and keep each one to a few hours. Pack a warm layer for the evenings in Munnar from December to February.
One Tailored Trip, Not an Off-the-Shelf Package
The difference is in the order and the joins. We set the route so the long drives fall early in the day, choose the houseboat for its route and its crew rather than its photos, and match each stay to what you came for: a tea estate view in Munnar, a heritage house in Fort Kochi, a quiet beach at the end.
None of it is a fixed bundle. It is one tailored trip, priced and shaped around who is travelling and what matters to you, with a real person accountable from the first message to the flight home. If rain closes a road or a flight moves, we rework the plan and tell you what changed.
- Flights in and out that suit the route
- A route that keeps the drives short
- A houseboat we have checked
- Stays chosen stop by stop
- Kathakali and Periyar booked ahead
- A real person accountable
Kerala Questions, Answered
When is the best time to visit Kerala?
October to March, with December to February the peak. The southwest monsoon runs from June to September with heavy rain, though it is the traditional season for Ayurveda. March to May is hot and humid on the coast and cooler in Munnar.
How many days do I need in Kerala?
Six to eight nights covers Fort Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, a houseboat night and the coast. Four to five nights suits Kochi, Munnar and the backwaters, and nine or more leaves room for Varkala or an Ayurveda stay.
Alappuzha or Kumarakom for a houseboat?
Alappuzha (Alleppey) has the largest fleet and the narrow village canals, and it is the busier of the two. Kumarakom, on Vembanad Lake, is quieter and better for birds, with more time on open water. We choose by the season and what you want from the night.
Is one night on a houseboat enough?
For most people, yes. The pace is slow, and one night with a day on the water either side gives you the backwaters without the hours dragging. Two nights suits travellers who want to switch off completely.
Which airport do we fly into?
Kochi has the most nonstop flights, from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other cities. Thiruvananthapuram suits a trip that ends in Varkala, and Kozhikode serves the north. Schedules change, so we choose the flights that fit the route.
Is Kerala worth visiting in the monsoon?
It can be. The hills are at their greenest and it is the traditional season for Ayurveda. The beaches see rough seas and some days are washed out, so we keep the plan flexible and the drives short.
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