Scenic
Kerala Backwaters Houseboat Cruise
From $540 per person
Kerala tours
Kerala is India's tropical south-west: palm-fringed backwaters you cruise on a private houseboat, misty tea hills in Munnar, and the old spice port of Kochi. Plan 5–7 days for the classic route of Kochi, Munnar and an Alleppey houseboat, and 8–10 days to add Thekkady's spice gardens and wildlife, an Ayurveda stay or a few beach days in Kovalam or Varkala. The best time to go is October to March.
Every tour below is private: your own air-conditioned car and driver, a licensed local guide where it helps, and boutique hotels or a houseboat just for your group. Kerala pairs well with the Taj Mahal — see our Golden Triangle tours. We tailor any route and send a free quote within 24 hours.
- Tours6 private tours
- Length4–14 days
- Price from$540 per person
- Destinations3 places
Up to 5 days
- Honeymoon
Kerala Honeymoon Escape
From $760 per person
6–8 days
- Best seller
Kerala — God's Own Country
From $820 per person
- Wellness
Kerala Ayurveda Wellness Retreat
From $1,240 per person
9 days or more
GrandGolden Triangle with Kerala
From $1,580 per person
Grand tourGrand India — North & South
From $2,180 per person
Compare Kerala tours
| Tour | Days | Visits | From (per person) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerala Backwaters Houseboat Cruise | 4 | Kochi (Cochin), Alleppey (Alappuzha) | $540 |
| Kerala Honeymoon Escape | 5 | Kochi (Cochin), Munnar, Alleppey (Alappuzha) | $760 |
| Kerala — God's Own Country | 6 | Kochi (Cochin), Munnar, Alleppey (Alappuzha) | $820 |
| Kerala Ayurveda Wellness Retreat | 7 | Kochi (Cochin) | $1240 |
| Golden Triangle with Kerala | 10 | Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kochi (Cochin), Alleppey (Alappuzha) | $1580 |
| Grand India — North & South | 14 | Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi, Kochi (Cochin), Munnar, Alleppey (Alappuzha) | $2180 |
Where you'll go
Things to do, best time to visit and tours for each city.
Kerala questions
5–7 days covers the classic route: Kochi (1–2 nights), Munnar's tea hills (2 nights) and a night on a houseboat in Alleppey. With 8–10 days you can add Thekkady (spice gardens and Periyar), an Ayurveda retreat or 2–3 beach days in Kovalam or Varkala.
October to March, when it is dry and warm (around 28–32 °C on the coast, cooler in Munnar). April and May are hot and humid. June to September is monsoon season — very green, quieter and good for Ayurveda, but with heavy rain most days.
Day 1–2 Kochi (Fort Kochi, Chinese fishing nets, Mattancherry, a Kathakali show) → Day 3–4 Munnar (tea estates, Eravikulam National Park) → Day 5 Thekkady (spice plantation, Periyar lake) → Day 6 Alleppey houseboat overnight → Day 7 back to Kochi airport.
A houseboat (kettuvallam) is a converted rice barge with bedrooms, a sundeck and its own crew and cook. You board around noon in Alleppey or Kumarakom, cruise the backwaters past villages and paddy fields, moor for the night and return the next morning. All meals are cooked on board; we book private boats only, with air-conditioned bedrooms.
Fly into Kochi (Cochin, COK) — it has direct international flights and is about 3 hours from Delhi by air. From there, a private car with driver is easiest: Kochi to Munnar about 4 hours, Munnar to Thekkady about 3 hours, Thekkady to Alleppey about 4 hours, Alleppey to Kochi about 1.5 hours.
Both. Couples love the private houseboat, tea-hill resorts and Ayurveda spas; families enjoy the elephants and spice gardens of Thekkady, beaches and easy, short drives. Kerala is also one of India's calmest and cleanest states, which suits first-time visitors.