Kerala, God’s Own Country

8 Day Tour to Kochi, Munnar, Periyar, Backwater Cruise & Kovalam

Discover the natural charm of Kerala — from the colonial elegance of Kochi to the misty hills of Munnar, the wildlife of Periyar, the tranquil backwaters of Alleppey, and the golden beaches of Kovalam. A journey through lush landscapes, culture, and serenity.

Day 01: Arrive Kochi

Arrive Kochi, the most cosmopolitan city of Kerala. Upon your arrival at the airport, you will be met by our representative and escorted to your hotel. Rest of the evening at Leisure Kochi, also known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, is one of the finest natural harbours in the world. Starting from the Dutch, Portuguese and the British, Kochi was the site of the first European colonial settlements in India.

Day 02: Kochi Meal: B/D

After leisurely breakfast, take a guided walk through the historic Fort Kochi area. You will visit the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, St. Francis Church and see the authentic Chinese fishing nets still in use. This evening, you will watch a spectacular Kathakali performance. Kathakali is one of the oldest theatre forms in India. It is a spectacular combination of drama, dance, music and ritual. Characters with vividly painted faces and elaborate costumes re-enact stories from the Hindu epics of Mahabharata and the Ramayana

Day 03: Kochi to Munnar (135 Kms / 4.5 Hrs) Meal: B/D

After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive to Munnar, one of the most popular hill resorts of south India. Under the British Raj, Munnar was popularly called ‘Switzerland of India' for its natural surroundings and cool climate. The entire area is occupied by thick forests and tea estates. The specialty of Munnar is jungle honey, tea and a rare flower ‘Neela Kurunji’ which blooms once in 12 years. Afternoon visit a local tea plantation and the Tata Tea Museum to learn about the cultivation and processing of a variety of Indian teas.

Day 04: Munnar to Periyar (110 Kms / 4 Hrs) Meal: B/D

After breakfast, we embark on a scenic drive to Periyar, the spice plantation hub of Kerala. Upon arrival in Periyar, check in to your hotel and freshen up. Late afternoon, take a spice plantation tour and learn about the mystery and history of Indian spices. The spice plantations in Periyar are captivating farms growing different spices in different sections of the plantations. You will be intrigued to see the vast variety of spices ranging from cloves, cardamom, ginger, pepper, chilli, turmeric etc.

Day 05: Periyar to Backwater (115 Kms / 4 Hrs) Meal: B/D

Today we drive to Alleppey, the coastal town in the backwaters of Kerala. Upon arrival you will embark your houseboat to cruise through the backwaters. Kerala backwaters consist of a complex network of lagoons, lakes, & canals and are best experienced while slowly rowing down the labyrinth of canals in a traditional thatch-roofed houseboat, known as 'Kettuvallam'. See life on the banks, lush green rice fields, and coconut groves with occasional temple or church as you cruise through the canals. Enjoy the special Kerala style meals prepared by your chef on board. Overnight stay at houseboat

Day 06: Backwater to Kovalam Meal: B/D

After breakfast you alight your houseboat and drive to Kovalam, a serene south Indian beach destination that is renowned for offering authentic Indian Ayurveda therapies. Upon arrival in Kovalam, check in to your hotel for 2 nights stay.

Day 07: Kovalam Meal: B/D

Today is at leisure. You may wish to explore the spa at your resort and experience an Indian Ayurveda massage.

Day 08: Kovalam – Trivandrum Airport Meal: B

This morning is at leisure. Subject to hotel check out policy. In time, you will be transferred to Trivandrum airport for your flight back home.

Airline	Price
Land Only	$1950	Book

Remarks

This tour is guaranteed to depart at a minimum of 2 participants.
Land only price: Tour starts from Arrival transfer in Cochin to Departure transfer in Kovalam; excluding any international air tickets.
Camera / video fees may apply in some sightseeing places (at your own expenses).
Indian Tourist visa: all travelers need to log on to website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html and submit your application online accordingly.
Hotel for your references:
Kochi Olive Downtown
Munnar The Siena Village
Periyar The Elephant Court (Patio)
Backwater Houseboat (deluxe)
Kovalam Travancore Heritage - Beach Grove
Single supplement: $660

Inclusions

Fully inclusive tour with all transfers between airports / piers / stations and hotels in each city; daily sightseeing and entrance fees as per itinerary; evening entertainment; professional English speaking local guides and cruise etc. Most meals - breakfasts are Western / local cuisine style buffet at hotel, while lunches and dinners are mostly local cuisines served at selected restaurants, please refer to meal code on itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner, BD=buffet dinner, SD=specialty dinner, WD=western dinner).
Most of our hotels are 4 star international standard hotels with twin share superior class accommodation. All rooms have private facilities, telephone, colour TV and in-room internet facilities. Many hotels have a swimming pool.
Professional English speaking National guide will accompany the group throughout the trip, in association with the local tour guides. This is subject to the minimum of 10 clients for each tour. Should the group be less than 10 people, the local guide will meet you at the airport / station upon your arrival and return you to the station / airport for your next destination.
CBT Holidays travel wallet and travel kits.

Customer Reviews

December 2019

CBT are always ready with the best itinerary and value for money holidays. I would recommend their personal attention and experienced staff as well as their care and consideration for clients.

Wendy Ross

January 2018

I just had a fantastic trip with CBT Holidays organised by Eric Wang. The itinerary was fabulous and I was impressed with the professionalism and sincere care offered. would like to recommend to anyone who is interested in having a holiday in the near future.

Jinping Blunden

November 2019

I would like to express my appreciation for your outstanding assistance and recommendations for the excellent China holiday we have just completed. The trip was one of the best we have experienced in many years of travel to a wide range of destinations throughout the world.

Brian & Emma James

28 July 2024

Thank you for organizing our Silk Road trip in April 2024, it has been a while since we returned. We thoroughly enjoyed the fascinating and memorable trip. I particularly like to inform you that Nur, one of the tour guides provided us with impressive service. He was knowledgeable, friendly, caring and mindful of the group’s needs. I am sure members of our group would look forward to any China tour in future. Kind regards

Lucia K

29 Jul 2024

We have just returned from our short break to Taiwan and it was everything that we hoped for! However, we didn't hope for a Typhoon, but nonetheless, it was an experience that we have not had previously... I must compliment your Taiwan based tour provider, as they were first class in everything that they did, especially when the tour itinerary had firstly been adjusted due to the earthquake, but also due to the impacts of Typhoon Gaemi. Yes, there were some attractions that we could not access internally, given the whole country was effectively closed, but the tour guide, Mr. Alan Chou more than covered it with his explanation of things. The standard of all the hotels that we stayed at was outstanding! We also appreciated you and your company's communication with us to keep us fully informed of what was happening, Hopefully, we can utilise your company's services again, at some future time. Thanks and kind regards

Stuart Allen & Fiona Hamilton

8 Day Tour to Kochi, Munnar, Periyar, Backwater Cruise & Kovalam