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India 7 nightsNatureCulture

Kerala Tea Hills and Backwaters

Harbour mornings, tea hills and three nights by the backwaters.

  1. 1Fort Kochi
  2. 2Munnar
  3. 3Kumarakom

From, per person~US$830

Designed by @snuck Shaped around your dates No payment to ask

Best Oct to Mar

By @snuckUpdated 11 November 2026

Stay in a Fort Kochi hotel with local character, explore Munnar's tea hills, then relax beside Lake Vembanad. Travel by private car, cook with a local host and have lunch on a backwater cruise, with free afternoons along the way.

Length
7 nights
Route
Fort Kochi, Munnar, Kumarakom
Best time
Oct to Mar
Ideal for
Couples who enjoy local food and slower days

Why you'll love it

  1. Walk through historic Fort Kochi with a local guide
  2. Learn Kerala cooking in a home kitchen
  3. Walk through a tea estate and taste the tea
  4. Take a private backwater cruise with lunch
  5. Spend three nights at a lakeside resort

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Arrive in Fort Kochi

    Your driver meets you at Kochi airport and takes you to Fort Kochi. Settle into your hotel, then walk along the waterfront if there is time.

    • Stay: Boutique hotel with local character in Fort Kochi
    • Getting there: Private car from Kochi airport, 1.5–2 hours

  2. Day 2

    Old Streets and Home Cooking

    Explore Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and their old trading streets with a local guide. Cook with a local host and stay for lunch, then enjoy a free afternoon.

    • Stay: Boutique hotel with local character in Fort Kochi
    • Getting there: Private car for local visits, 45–75 minutes total; guided walking

  3. Day 3

    Drive to the Tea Hills

    After breakfast, drive up to Munnar with a refreshment stop along the way. Check into your hillside resort and rest for the afternoon.

    • Stay: Premium hillside resort outside Munnar
    • Getting there: Private car, 4.5–5.5 hours including a short break

  4. Day 4

    Tea Walk and Tasting

    Walk through a working tea estate with a guide and learn how tea is made. Taste the tea, then return to your resort for a quiet afternoon.

    • Stay: Premium hillside resort outside Munnar
    • Getting there: Private car to the estate, 1–1.5 hours return; gentle walking

  5. Day 5

    Drive Down to Kumarakom

    Drive from the hills to Kumarakom, stopping for lunch along the way. Reach your lakeside resort with time to settle in before dinner.

    • Stay: 4–5 star lakeside resort in Kumarakom
    • Getting there: Private car, 5–6 hours including a meal break

  6. Day 6

    Lunch on the Backwaters

    Take a private houseboat cruise along wide waterways and smaller channels lined with villages. Enjoy a freshly cooked lunch on board and return to your resort by late afternoon.

    • Stay: 4–5 star lakeside resort in Kumarakom
    • Getting there: Private jetty transfers, 30–60 minutes total; houseboat cruise, 4–5 hours

  7. Day 7

    A Free Day by Water

    Spend the day at the pool, reading or enjoying breakfast with a lake view. Your host can arrange an optional spa treatment at extra cost.

    • Stay: 4–5 star lakeside resort in Kumarakom

  8. Day 8

    Return to Kochi Airport

    Have breakfast before your private drive to Kochi airport. Your departure time allows for city traffic.

    • Getting there: Private car to Kochi airport, 2–2.5 hours

Where you'll stay

  1. 2 nights · days 1 to 2Boutique hotel with local character in Fort Kochi
  2. 2 nights · days 3 to 4Premium hillside resort outside Munnar
  3. 3 nights · days 5 to 74–5 star lakeside resort in Kumarakom

When to go

  1. Jangood time to go
  2. Febgood time to go
  3. Margood time to go
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Octgood time to go
  11. Novgood time to go
  12. Decgood time to go

Best from Oct to Mar. Other months work too; we'll tell you what to expect for your dates.

Included

  • Seven nights in boutique and 4–5 star hotels and resorts
  • Daily breakfast
  • Private air-conditioned transport for transfers and planned sightseeing
  • Guided walk through historic Fort Kochi
  • Cooking session with a local host and lunch
  • Private daytime houseboat cruise with lunch
  • Tea estate visit and tasting
  • Applicable hotel and transport taxes

Not included

  • Flights to and from Kochi
  • Meals other than those listed
  • Spa treatments
  • Personal expenses and tips
  • Travel insurance

Good to know

  • Starting price is per person, with two people sharing a room; festive dates cost more.
  • Drive times are estimates; hill traffic and rain can cause delays.
  • The boat returns the same day; every night is spent on land.

Before you go to India

Capital:
New Delhi
Languages:
English, Hindi, Tamil
Currency:
INR

Questions

How many days is the Kerala Tea Hills and Backwaters trip?

7 nights and 8 days: Fort Kochi, Munnar, Kumarakom.

How much does it cost?

From ₹78,000 per person, twin sharing, without international flights. We confirm the price for your dates.

When is the best time to go?

Oct to Mar.

What is included?

Seven nights in boutique and 4–5 star hotels and resorts, Daily breakfast, Private air-conditioned transport for transfers and planned sightseeing, Guided walk through historic Fort Kochi, Cooking session with a local host and lunch, Private daytime houseboat cruise with lunch, Tea estate visit and tasting, Applicable hotel and transport taxes.

What is not included?

Flights to and from Kochi, Meals other than those listed, Spa treatments, Personal expenses and tips, Travel insurance.

Can the trip be changed?

Yes. A trip designer shapes the pace, stays and length with you before you book.

Make it yours.

Change the pace, the stays or the length. A trip designer shapes it with you, and we confirm the price for your dates.

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From ~US$830