8-Day Family Friendly Itinerary for Kochi, Munnar, Ooty, Coorg, Alleppey, Wayanad, Varkala, and Kovalam
Day 1: Kochi
35 minutes (21.7 km) from Kochi International Airport
Visit the Mattancherry Palace and learn about the history of the Kingdom of Cochin in the morning. In the afternoon, explore the Indo-Portuguese Museum and the Paradesi Synagogue. In the evening, take a relaxing sunset boat ride at Marine Drive.
Day 2: Munnar
4 hours 30 minutes (130 km) from Kochi
Explore the tea plantations of Munnar in the morning. Visit the Top Station viewpoint and the Kundala Dam Lake in the afternoon. Enjoy a traditional Indian dance performance in the evening.
Day 3: Ooty
7 hours 30 minutes (250 km) from Munnar
Visit the Government Botanical Garden and Ooty Lake in the morning. Explore the tribal Toda huts and learn about their culture in the afternoon. Take the Nilgiri Mountain Railway ride in the evening.
Day 4: Coorg
6 hours (210 km) from Ooty
Visit the beautiful Abbey Falls in the morning. Explore the Namdroling Monastery and Dubare Elephant Camp in the afternoon. Take a relaxing nature walk in the Iruppu Falls in the evening.
Day 5: Alleppey
7 hours (244 km) from Coorg
Take a morning houseboat tour of the beautiful backwaters of Alleppey. Visit the ancient Ambalapuzha Sree Krishna Temple and the St. Mary's Forane Church in the afternoon. Enjoy a delicious traditional Kerala dinner in the evening.
Day 6: Wayanad
5 hours 30 minutes (230 km) from Alleppey
Visit the Edakkal Caves and the Banasura Sagar Dam in the morning. Explore the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in the afternoon. Take a nature walk in the beautiful Pookode Lake in the evening.
Day 7: Varkala
7 hours 30 minutes (250 km) from Wayanad
Visit the beautiful beaches of Varkala in the morning. Explore the ancient Janardhanaswamy Temple and the Sivagiri Mutt in the afternoon. Take a relaxing Ayurvedic spa treatment in the evening.
Day 8: Kovalam
45 minutes (16 km) from Varkala
Visit the beautiful beaches of Kovalam in the morning. Explore the Vizhinjam Rock Cut Temple and the Padmanabhapuram Palace in the afternoon. Enjoy a delicious seafood dinner in the evening.
Recommendations
If you have time, consider visiting the beautiful hill station of Coonoor and the scenic Athirappilly Waterfalls. To maximize your fun, try out local cuisine and shopping in each destination. Don't forget to bring comfortable shoes and clothing for the nature walks and visits to the temples.
Time and Costs Estimates
Mattancherry Palace (2 hours, INR 5)
Indo-Portuguese Museum (1 hour, INR 20)
Paradesi Synagogue (1 hour, INR 5)
Boat Ride at Marine Drive (1 hour, INR 500 per person)
Tea Plantations in Munnar (3 hours, INR 200 per person)
Traditional Indian Dance Performance (1 hour, INR 500 per person)
Government Botanical Garden (1 hour, INR 30)
Ooty Lake (2 hours, INR 15)
Toda Huts (1 hour, INR 50)
Nilgiri Mountain Railway Ride (3 hours, INR 205 per person)
Abbey Falls (2 hours, INR 15)
Namdroling Monastery (1 hour, free)
Dubare Elephant Camp (2 hours, INR 849 per person)
Iruppu Falls (2 hours, INR 50)
Houseboat Tour in Alleppey (5 hours, INR 8000 per night)
Ambalapuzha Sree Krishna Temple (1 hour, free)
St. Mary's Forane Church (1 hour, free)
Edakkal Caves (2 hours, INR 40)
Banasura Sagar Dam (2 hours, INR 60)
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (3 hours, INR 10)
Pookode Lake (2 hours, INR 20)
Varkala Beaches (3 hours, free)
Janardhanaswamy Temple (1 hour, free)
Sivagiri Mutt (1 hour, free)
Ayurvedic Spa Treatment (1 hour, INR 2000 per person)