Kerala moves at the speed of water. Along its palm-fringed backwaters, life drifts past from the deck of a converted rice barge — fishermen casting nets, children waving from the banks, the scent of cardamom and frying spice on the air. It is India at its gentlest and greenest.
We weave the backwaters together with the tea-clad hills of Munnar, the spice gardens of the Western Ghats, and the Portuguese-Dutch streets of old Kochi, for a journey that is as much about flavour and stillness as it is about sights.
Trip highlights
Houseboat nights
Cruise the backwaters on a private kettuvallam, your crew cooking fresh Keralan dishes as the water slips by.
Tea hills of Munnar
Walk through impossibly green tea terraces in the cool of the Western Ghats, with mist rolling through the valleys.
Old Kochi
Chinese fishing nets at sunset, spice warehouses, and a fusion of Portuguese, Dutch and Indian history in its streets.
A sample journey
A starting point, never a script — every day flexes around how you like to travel.
- Days 1–2
Kochi
Arrive into Cochin to explore Fort Kochi’s old streets, art cafés and a Kathakali dance performance.
- Days 3–4
Into the hills
Drive up to Munnar for tea-estate walks, spice gardens and cool mountain air.
- Days 5–6
The backwaters
Board your private houseboat at Alleppey and drift through the palm-lined canals and lagoons.
- Day 7
Beach or homeward
Unwind on the beaches of Marari, or fly home via Kochi.
When to go
Oct – Mar
Dry season — warm, sunny and comfortable. The ideal window for backwaters and hills alike.
Apr – May
Hotter pre-monsoon months — lush and quieter, with good value before the rains arrive.
