This is the usual first trip to Kerala. You start in old Kochi by the sea, spend two nights up in the tea hills of Munnar and move on to the spice country around Thekkady, then finish with a night on a houseboat in the Alleppey backwaters. Distances are short, but hill roads are slow, so each move takes most of a morning.
Kerala itinerary for 7 days: day by day
Day 1: Arrive in Kochi and settle into Fort Kochi
Kochi’s airport is about an hour and a half from Fort Kochi, the nicest part of the city to stay in. Around sunset, walk down to the Chinese fishing nets on the seafront. You’ll pass St. Francis Church, where Vasco da Gama was first buried.
Day 2: Mattancherry, Jew Town and a Kathakali show
Give the morning to Mattancherry. The Dutch Palace has some of Kerala’s finest murals, and the lanes of Jew Town lead to the Paradesi Synagogue and a row of spice warehouses and antique shops. The palace and the synagogue both close on some days of the week, so check before you go.
In the evening, go to a Kathakali performance and get there early. Watching the actors put on their make-up is half the show.
Day 3: Kochi to Munnar
It’s about four hours’ drive up to Munnar, climbing through rubber and cardamom country. The Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls are both on the way if you want to stop. By afternoon you’re among the tea gardens, and you’ll notice the air is cooler.
Day 4: Tea gardens and Eravikulam National Park
Get to Eravikulam National Park early. It’s home to the Nilgiri tahr, a mountain goat found only in the Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The park usually closes for a couple of months around February and March while the tahr have their young, so check before you plan around it.
Later, stop at the tea museum to see how the leaf is processed. Then drive out to Mattupetty dam or Top Station for views across the hills.
Day 5: Munnar to Thekkady
Leave Munnar early for the three-hour drive to Thekkady, on the edge of Periyar Tiger Reserve. On a spice plantation walk you’ll see pepper, cardamom and cinnamon growing. In the afternoon, take a boat ride on Periyar lake. Elephants and bison often come down to the water, though the tigers rarely show themselves. End the day at a Kalaripayattu martial arts show.
Day 6: Thekkady to Alleppey and a night on a houseboat
It’s a four-hour drive down to Alleppey (Alappuzha), so start early. Overnight houseboats usually board around midday and spend the afternoon cruising the backwaters, along narrow canals and past paddy fields and villages. Lunch, dinner and breakfast are all cooked on board, and the boats tie up for the night by early evening.
Day 7: Back to Kochi
You leave the houseboat after breakfast, and Kochi airport is about two hours away. If your flight is late, spend a few hours at Marari beach first.
Best time to visit Kerala
- October to March is the best time for most people, with dry, warm days on the coast and cool evenings in Munnar. December and January are the busiest months, so book early.
- June to September is the monsoon. It rains hard and the hills turn deep green. Prices drop too, and many people come at this time for Ayurveda treatments. In August the Nehru Trophy snake boat race is held on the backwaters near Alleppey, and Onam falls in August or September.
- April and May are hot and humid on the coast, but Munnar stays pleasant.
How to reach Kerala
- By flight: Kochi (Cochin International Airport) suits this plan best, with direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other cities. Thiruvananthapuram makes more sense if you’re heading to the south of the state.
- By train: long-distance trains from most large cities stop at Ernakulam, in Kochi. From Delhi it’s about two days on the train.
- Getting around: Munnar and Thekkady have no railway, so most people hire a car and driver for the whole loop.
How many days are enough for Kerala?
If you skip Thekkady, five days covers Kochi, Munnar and Alleppey. Seven, as in this plan, lets you see the hills without rushing. If you have ten, add the cliffs and beaches of Varkala, or swap the houseboat night for a stay at Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake.
What affects the cost of a Kerala trip
- Season: stays and houseboats cost the most from mid-December to early January and the least in the monsoon.
- The houseboat: the price depends on how many bedrooms it has, whether there’s air conditioning, and whether you have the boat to yourself or share it.
- Transport: after your stays, a car and driver for six days is usually the largest cost, though your group shares it.
- Where you stay: Munnar and Thekkady have everything from homestays in the plantations to large resorts.
Kerala travel tips
- Houseboats: book a boat licensed by Kerala Tourism and ask which route it takes. Ask for the quieter canals if you can.
- Temples: many Kerala temples allow only Hindus inside, and most ask you to leave your shoes at the door. Dress modestly.
- Hill roads: the drives are slow and winding, so plan for breaks if anyone in your group gets car sick.
- Monsoon: expect leeches on forest walks in Thekkady and Munnar. Leech socks help.
- Pack: light cotton for the coast and a warm layer for Munnar evenings.
Updated . Roads, ferries and rules change, so check the latest before you book.