After arrival and check-in, ease into Kerala rhythms with a gentle walk through Fort Kochi to admire colonial architecture and the iconic Chinese Fishing Nets at sunrise; stop at a waterfront café for strong South Indian filter coffee and fresh appam. Continue to the nearby St. Francis Church and the atmospheric lanes around Mattancherry Palace, where you can browse traditional crafts and start soaking in Kochi's layered history and art scene.
Stroll inland to Jew Town and the atmospheric lanes around the Paradesi Synagogue, where you can browse antique shops and sample local snacks at a tea stall before visiting the nearby Dutch Palace to see royal murals and learn Kochi's princely history. Finish with a leisurely short ferry ride across to Willingdon Island for panoramic harbor views, an early seafood lunch at a waterfront restaurant, and time to relax back at your hotel as the city shifts toward evening.
As twilight falls, wander to Fort Kochi Beach for a sunset stroll and watch local vendors light lamps while fishermen pack up their nets; follow this with a short tuk-tuk ride to Princess Street for lively street food-try spicy pazhampori and freshly roasted peanuts. Cap the night with an intimate Kathakali preview or full performance at the Kerala Kathakali Centre, where you can see performers apply makeup and experience a dramatic excerpt with traditional percussion, then return to your hotel feeling the city's artsy, coastal pulse.
Start your day with a refreshing Kerala breakfast of dosa and filter coffee at a local favorite near Marine Drive, then stroll the promenade for seawater breezes and city views. From there, head to Mattancherry's spice markets to inhale the heady scents of cardamom and clove, visit a traditional coir-making workshop to see artisans at work, and finish the morning with a guided tour of the colorful murals and crafts inside the Indo-Portuguese Museum for deeper context on Kochi's multicultural past.
After a spicy, aromatic morning, head to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium area for a relaxed late-morning-to-afternoon visit to the vibrant Lulu Mall precinct-browse contemporary Kerala fashion, enjoy a South-Indian seafood thali at a popular food court, and catch local crafts at the indoor bazaar. Continue with a short drive to Kerala Folklore Museum to wander immersive galleries of traditional costumes and ritual art, then take a guided heritage walk through the nearby lanes to discover street murals and hidden cafés before returning to your hotel to freshen up for the evening's cultural program.
As dusk settles, take a short drive to Princess Street for lively street-food stalls and sample local favorites like spicy beef ularthiyathu and pazhampori while mingling with locals. Follow this with a contemplative sunset visit to the serene Santa Cruz Basilica to admire its frescoes and stained glass in the golden light, then finish the night at David Hall for an evening art exhibition or live music session-a refined, artsy close to a day of Kochi discoveries.
Leave Kochi after an early breakfast and enjoy the scenic drive to Munnar, stopping first at Kundala Lake for a short pedal-boat ride amid shola-fringed hills before stretching your legs on the lakeside trail. Continue up the winding road to Echo Point to call out over the misty valleys, then wander through manicured rows at a working estate such as Lakshmi Tea Garden, where you can join a guided tea-plucking demonstration and sample fresh single-estate brews while learning about orthodox processing.
After a scenic morning, continue higher into the Western Ghats with a stop at Top Station for sweeping vistas over the valley and a chance to photograph the rare Neelakurunji-covered slopes; breathe in the cool air and enjoy a short meadow stroll. Then visit Pothamedu Viewpoint for panoramic tea garden carpets and a late-afternoon tea-tasting session at The Munnar Tea House, where you can learn about CTC versus orthodox teas while sampling fresh brews and homemade snacks before checking into your hillside hotel as mist settles.
As the hill mist deepens, settle into a cozy terrace at Saravana Bhavan Munnar or your hillside tea-bungalow for a warm Kerala-style dinner featuring spiced vegetable stews and appam, then take a gentle post-meal walk to Lakkam Waterfalls to enjoy the sound of cascading water under lantern-light and the cool night air. Finish the evening with a guided stargazing session or low-key bonfire arranged by your hotel near Blossom Hydel Park, where local guides can point out constellations and tell short tales of the Western Ghats before you turn in, lulled by the aroma of tea and the distant call of night birds.
Wake early for a cool hill-morning trek through the rolling sholas of Chokramudi Viewpoint, where a short guided trail rewards you with sweeping valley panoramas and birdwatching for endemic species like the Nilgiri flycatcher; follow this with a visit to Anamudi Peak Viewpoint (from the permitted vantage) to learn about the region's unique montane ecology from your guide. After the walk, descend to Blossom Hydel Park for a relaxed picnic breakfast by the lake and then stop at a nearby cooperative tea-tasting room to sample freshly processed orthodox teas while chatting with local smallholders about sustainable hill farming, neatly continuing your journey from Kochi's cultural mornings into Munnar's highland rhythms.
After your morning shola trek and tea tasting, head to Mattupetty Dam for a relaxed boat ride across the reservoir with views of grazing Nilgiri tahrs on the slopes, then visit the nearby Echo Rock for playful calls and sweeping valley photos. Continue to the tranquil Kundala Tea Estate Garden Trails for a gentle guided nature walk through manicured tea terraces and cardamom understories, finishing with a visit to a small family-run tea-processing cottage where you can watch orthodox tea leaves being rolled and enjoy a fresh tasting paired with local banana fritters.
As dusk falls, wander to Pothamedu Sunset Point for a mellow golden-hour view over tea-carpeted valleys, then pause at the nearby Tea Museum Café for a steaming cup of single-estate brew paired with homemade banana halwa. After dinner, enjoy a guided night-walk around the quiet lanes near Lockhart Tea Estate to listen for nocturnal frogs and spot moths and glow-worms, then return to your cottage for a warm chai beside a lantern-lit veranda, letting the cool mist and hill sounds ease you into sleep.
After breakfast in Munnar, drive down through the backwaters and arrive in Alleppey mid-morning for a gentle village introduction: wander the shaded lanes of Mullackal market to sample fresh banana chips and toddy-vendor snacks, then take a short shikara ride from Alappuzha Boat Jetty through narrow canals to watch village life-coir-making, canoe fishermen and paddyworkers-unfold at close range. Finish by boarding your traditional rice boat at a calm upstream ghat near Punnamada Lake, where the crew will help you settle into the houseboat and serve a light Kerala-style lunch as the boat slips into the palm-fringed backwater network.
After boarding and a leisurely onboard lunch, glide past traditional coir yards to visit the bustling Chettikulangara Market by a small landing, where you can sample fresh toddy-sweetened jaggery bites and watch women bargaining for vegetables; then ask the crew to steer toward the quieter canals near Kainokary for close-up scenes of paddy harvesting and village temples reflected in still water. As late afternoon light warms the palms, have the houseboat moor beside a family homestead for a short village walk to meet farmers, taste a homemade buttermilk at a kayal-side veranda, and return to the boat for a sunset cup of spiced Kerala chai while the backwaters slowly darken.
As twilight deepens, enjoy a serene sunset cruise through the narrow backwater lanes toward Vembanad Kayal, pausing to watch village women light lamps along the banks and fishermen return with their catch. Afterwards, disembark for a short guided stroll through the fragrant coconut groves around Pathiramanal Island viewpoint, then return to the houseboat for a fresh Keralan seafood dinner on deck and a quiet night afloat beneath the starlit sky.
After an early check-out from your houseboat, disembark at Alappuzha Boat Jetty and take a short drive to Krishnapuram Palace to stretch your legs while admiring its courtyard and historic mural panels that contrast with the backwater calm. Continue toward Kochi with a scenic stop at Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple to experience traditional temple architecture and, if time allows, a quick browse of the famous Aranmula mirror workshops for handcrafted metalware before your onward transfer to Kochi airport or railway station.
After a relaxed morning transfer toward Kochi, pause for a soothing late-afternoon visit to Hill Palace Museum in Tripunithura to wander its shaded grounds, royal artifacts and teak pavilions-a calm contrast to the backwater rhythms and a great spot to stretch before travel. If time allows, stop at Kerala Kathakali Centre (Fort Kochi branch) for a short costume-and-makeup demonstration or a cultural Q&A, then enjoy a final Kerala meal of meen curry and appam at the riverside Kochi Harbourfront Café before heading to the airport or station.
After the morning transfer and museum visit, enjoy a relaxed final evening exploring the leafy precincts of Fort Kochi's Prinsep Ghat for a tranquil riverside walk and paper-thin dosa at a nearby stall, then head to the atmospheric Aspinwall House courtyard café for a last cup of South Indian filter coffee while watching harbor lights. If time permits before your flight or train, browse contemporary crafts and souvenirs at Kashi Art Café on Princess Street for one last dose of Kochi's art scene, then take a short drive to Kochi Harbourfront to savor a farewell meen curry dinner with estuary views before onward transfer.
| Place / Activity | Cost |
|---|---|
| Fort Kochi waterfront / Chinese Fishing Nets | Free |
| Waterfront café (filter coffee & appam) | ₹120 |
| St. Francis Church | Free |
| Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace) | ₹20 |
| Jew Town & Paradesi Synagogue | ₹50 |
| Short ferry ride to Willingdon Island | ₹20 |
| Seafood lunch at waterfront restaurant (per person) | ₹600 |
| Fort Kochi Beach (sunset stroll) | Free |
| Princess Street street food (pazhampori, peanuts, etc.) | ₹150 |
| Kerala Kathakali Centre (performance / makeup demo) | ₹600 |
| Marine Drive promenade | Free |
| Spice market visit (Mattancherry) | Free |
| Coir-making workshop (visit / demo) | ₹100 |
| Indo-Portuguese Museum | ₹20 |
| Lulu Mall (entry / browsing) | Free |
| Kerala Folklore Museum | ₹50 |
| Santa Cruz Basilica | Free |
| David Hall (evening exhibition / music - entry varies) | ₹200 |
| Breakfast dosa & filter coffee (local cafe) | ₹120 |
| Guided heritage walk (Kochi lanes) | ₹500 |
| Drive to Munnar (shared taxi/coach per person approx.) | ₹600 |
| Kundala Lake pedal-boat | ₹200 |
| Echo Point visit | Free |
| Lakshmi Tea Garden guided tea-plucking demo | ₹300 |
| Top Station viewpoint | Free |
| Pothamedu Viewpoint | Free |
| Tea-tasting at The Munnar Tea House (per person) | ₹200 |
| Dinner at Saravana Bhavan Munnar (per person) | ₹350 |
| Lakkam Waterfalls visit | Free |
| Guided stargazing / bonfire (hotel-arranged) | ₹400 |
| Chokramudi Viewpoint guided trek | ₹500 |
| Anamudi Peak viewpoint (permitted vantage) | Free |
| Blossom Hydel Park (entry / picnic) | Free |
| Mattupetty Dam boat ride | ₹150 |
| Echo Rock | Free |
| Kundala Tea Estate garden trails (guided) | ₹300 |
| Tea-processing cottage visit & tasting | ₹150 |
| Pothamedu Sunset Point | Free |
| Tea Museum Café (cup of tea & snack) | ₹120 |
| Night walk near Lockhart Tea Estate (guided) | ₹300 |
| Drive Munnar → Alleppey (per person, shared transfer) | ₹900 |
| Mullackal market visit (snacks like banana chips) | ₹100 |
| Short shikara ride from Alappuzha Boat Jetty | ₹200 |
| Houseboat boarding (day cruise + overnight per person, mid-range) | ₹3000 |
| Onboard lunch & dinner (included in many houseboat rates) - estimate if separate | ₹300 |
| Chettikulangara Market visit | Free |
| Village walk at Kainokary / Kayal-side homestay visit | ₹150 |
| Pathiramanal Island viewpoint (short stroll) | Free |
| Disembark & Krishnapuram Palace | ₹20 |
| Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple (visit) | Free |
| Aranmula mirror workshops (browse / small purchase) | ₹200 |
| Hill Palace Museum, Tripunithura | ₹20 |
| Final riverside meal (meen curry & appam) at Kochi Harbourfront Café | ₹450 |
| Prinsep Ghat riverside walk | Free |
| Aspinwall House café (filter coffee) | ₹120 |
| Kashi Art Café (souvenir browse / coffee) | ₹200 |
| Estimated Total (per person) | ₹11040 |