Highlights
- Explore colorful Fort Cochin
- Trek through the tea plantations around Munnar
- Explore the enchanting canals of the Kerala backwaters
- Treat yourself to an Ayurvedic massage at Marari Beach
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Cochin | Cochin |
| Day 2 | Free Day in Munnar | Munnar |
| Day 3 | Trek Through the Coffee Plantations | Munnar |
| Day 4 | Drive from Munnar to Alleppey and Board a Houseboat | Kerala backwaters |
| Day 5 | Beach Day at Marari Beach | Alappuzha |
| Day 6 | Beach Day at Marari Beach | Alappuzha |
| Day 7 | Departure |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Cochin
When you land in Cochin in the morning, your guide will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel to help you check-in and give you all of the information you need for your trip.
In the afternoon, you'll go on a city that begins with a visit to the Fort Kochi area, where you'll see bright green, yellow and blue warehouses filled with teas and spices; rickety old bikes and hand-painted trucks piled high with goods; and food stalls at every street corner.
You'll also visit Cochin's coast to see the local fishermen and the Chinese fishing nets. Then, you'll see St. Francis CSI Church, the oldest European church in India, built in 1503.
Then, you'll take a tuk-tuk to the Dhobi Khana (laundry station). Afterward, continue through the narrow streets of Mattancherry to see Mattancherry Palace—built as a gift by the Portuguese for the king of Kochi—as well as the synagogue and the spice market.
In the evening, you'll take a cooking class with a local family.
Day 2: Free Day in Munnar
In the morning you'll drive to Munnar, a hill station located in the Western Ghats, approximately 5,250 ft (1,600 meters) above sea level. Spend the rest of the day exploring Munnar and enjoying the hill station's famous serenity.
Day 3: Trek Through the Coffee Plantations
After breakfast, you'll go to a tiny nearby village, where you'll begin your trek with a local guide. The trail will take you on a gradual ascent through tea plantations and into the Seven Malai Hills. You'll walk through cardamom and coffee plantations on your way to the top, where you'll be rewarded with fantastic views of surrounding peaks, lakes, and villages.
After the trek, return to the hotel to rest for a bit. Later in the afternoon, you'll have the option to visit the Tea Museum.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 4: Drive from Munnar to Alleppey and Board a Houseboat
Today, you'll be heading to Alleppey. Once you arrive, you'll board a kettuvallam, a type of houseboat with furniture, running water, bathrooms, bedrooms, and a living room. These flat-bottomed barges traditionally known as rice boats were used to transport tons of materials, with a small bamboo and coir-covered area that served as a kitchen and rest area for the crew. Coir, or coconut fibre, is produced in the area.
Aboard the kettuvallam, you'll discover Kerala's amazing backwaters, a network of canals and lagoons dotted with small fishing and farming villages, as well as rubber and spice plantations.
Day 5: Beach Day at Marari Beach
After breakfast, leave the houseboat behind and drive to Marari Beach, about one hour away. Once you arrive, you'll check-in at your hotel and have the rest of the day to relax by the beach. Make sure to catch the sunset on the coast.
Day 6: Beach Day at Marari Beach
Today, you'll have a free day to enjoy Marari Beach. You can relax, go for a swim, or get an Ayurvedic massage. Other options include a bicycle tour to the many nearby villages where people make handspun coir, visiting arts and crafts markets, or tasting some of the fresh spicy fish that Marari is famous for at one of the area's many beachside eateries.
Day 7: Departure
Today, you'll check out of your hotel and your guide will take you to Cochin Airport (COK) for your flight home.