6 Nights 7 Days Kerala Round Trip Covers Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey, Fort Kochi and Kodailkanal Sightseeing

Pick up / Check in :

Kochi Airport/ Aluva Railway Station or Bus Stand/ Ernakulam Railway Station

Drop at / Check out :

Kochi Airport/ Aluva Railway Station or Bus Stand/ Ernakulam Railway Station.

Overview of 6 Nights 7 Days Kerala Round Trip Package with Kodaikanal:

This is 7 days Kerala tour package with Kodaikanal along with Munnar, Thekkady and Alleppey, and Kochi. Since this package cover three hill stations, this is also very idle during summer months from Mar to Jun. Get other details of the Kerala Kodaikanal package regarding destination, local travel, itinerary, etc are given below.

About Munnar:

Munnar is a hill station in Kerala. It is located approximately 1700 meters above sea level. Get information about Munnar in detail.

About Kodaikanal:

Kodaikanal is a beautiful hill station in south India and located in Tamilnadu. It is famous all over the world for its natural beauty and pleasant environment.  This hill station is approximately 2000 meters above the sea level. Lots of people come here in Winter.

About Thekkady:

Thekkady is one of the best hill stations in Kerala. It is located near the Kerala-Tamilnadu border.  Thekkady is famous for the Periyar wildlife sanctuary. Know more about Thekkady.

About Alleppey:

Alleppey is famous for Houseboat stay and Backwaters. Get detailed information about Alleppey backwaters.

About Fort Kochi:

Fort Kochi is a beautiful place located in Kochi city. It is a perfect place for one-day sightseeing. You can visit this on foot or on the bicycle. You can take the experience of amazing beach and historical monuments during the Fort Kochi visit.

How to Reach:

1) Arrival and Departure by Flight –

Kochi (Cochin) International airport is the arrival destination for those who are coming by Flight.

2) Arrival and Departure by Train/Bus –

The best suitable railway station or Bus stand is Aluva.  You can also come to Ernakulam Rly station (ERS or ERN).  Kochi is also having an interstate bus terminal.

Arrival and Departure time:

We always recommend reaching before 9 am so that according to our sightseeing plan, this trip can be smooth.   Your departure convenient for this package is any time after 12 pm.

4 Highlights of Kerala Kodaikanal Tour Package:

•  Well experienced behaved driver cum guide for the trip.
• One Kathakali and Kalaripayattu entry is included either at Munnar or Thekkady.
• One plantation tour.
• One entry and boating in the Periyar wildlife sanctuary is included.

Day 1 : Kochi to Munnar

Arrival at Kochi, our representative will meet, receive, and transfer to Munnar.  It takes approximately 3.5 hrs to cover 148 km. On the way to Munnar, you can have your lunch at Onnukal, where veg and non-veg restaurants. These restaurants provide additional services like free restrooms.

On the way, you can see below waterfalls.  You can spend some time there and then proceed to Munnar.

1) Cheeyappara Waterfalls:

This is located on the Kochi – Munnar highway on the left side of the road. This is a good place to have photos, but no bathing is allowed as rocks used to slippery. There is no entry fee or parking fee that needs to be given. There are couples of small shops selling local food items. 15-20 mins halt is recommended.

2) Valara Waterfalls:

After Cheeyappara you can see another waterfall on the right side. You cannot see this nearby. We do not recommend even a photo stop as this is not so important waterfalls.

After the sightseeing, you can proceed directly to your hotel.  If you do not want to go direct to Munnar hotel and need some sightseeing or activities, we recommend Dreamland Fun Park.  Since its a little bit far off, we suggest you go this fist and then to Hotel for check-in. You can also see Kerala martial art (Kalaripayattu) and art form (Kathakali) today evening since there is enough time.

1) Dreamland Fun & Adventure Park:

This is located 16 km away from Munnar a place called Anachal. This park is suitable for all the tourists especially honeymoon couples and family and kids. They have may activities for kids and adults separately. Kids will surely enjoy Trampoline and trampoline bungee jump and pedal boating. There are many activities for adults are available like horse riding, camel ride, hunting game, free fall, Burma bridge, hanging bridge, commando net, and many more. All these are with complete security in international standards. Entry fee starting from Rs 1000 and you can also choose different packages which cost you more. It takes a minimum of 2 hrs to complete the activities.

Dreamland visiting tips-

• Check their web site and see the activities. In case you are not interested, intimate the same in advance to the driver. This will save you time money.
• Ensure you should have good shoes in case you are going for any activities.
• Better to avoid during monsoon from Jun to mid of Aug.
• Restaurant available inside the dreamland.
• In case your arrival is midday or afternoon, you need to skip visiting this place as there is no time left.

2) About Kathakali and Kalaripayattu:

Image Showing Kathakali Artform

Kathakali is a famous art form and Kalaripayattu is a martial art of Kerala  In most of the tourist destinations in Kerala, this kind of stage performance in an auditorium is conducted. There are two performance centers in Munnar. Punarjani which is located a little bit outside is the best one.

Image Showing Kalaripayattu Martial Art

Both these performances are of an hour each which started at 17:00 hrs and ending at 19:00 hrs.  The entry fee is Rs 300 per person for each show.

Note: Check-in Hotel and overnight in a stay at Munnar.

Day 2: Munnar

Munnar Sightseeing:

Today we have planned a full day sightseeing of Munnar. Since there is just one day for the whole sightseeing, we suggest you keep the timing. B/F at the hotel and start the latest by 09:00 hrs. First half day we plan to cover all the sightseeing from Munnar town to Top station which includes Rose garden, Mattupetty Dam, Echo point, Kundala Lake, and Top Station. But we will be doing this on the reverse order as visiting Top Station or Kundala Dam is best during early or morning hrs. It takes approximately 50 mins to reach the top station from Munnar town.

1) Top Station – View Point of Munnar:

About Top Station of Munnar-

• Located at 6410 ft MSL, Top Station is the second-highest elevated place in the whole Munnar.
• It takes approximately 45 mins to cover 18kms from Munnar town.
• The interesting story of Top Station is that the British built a railway line running from Chaya Bazar (near present Munnar town) to Drop Station (present Top Station).
• The train used to carry the tea leaves collected in the whole Munnar to Drop Station and from there by a cable car to down below the processing center.
• You can see the remains of this cable car at Top Station even now.
• Visiting top station, you will get the best experience with regard to the view of mountains towards Kulukkumali, fog, mist, and chilled climate Interestingly, the top station is not in Kerala but located in Tamil Nadu.
• We need to cross 1 km into Tamil Nadu state to reach this place.

Travel Tips to Visit Top Station-

• It opens at 06:00 hrs and closes at 17:00 hrs.
• An entry fee of Rs 25 for adults, Children Rs 15 and Rs 10 for foreigners will be charged.
• Those who have knee problems, heart diseases, breathing problems, and kids below 6 yrs should avoid this place as it involves too much walking by steps.
• We should have good shoes.
• The best time to visit is early morning or before 10 am.
• Should be avoided during monsoon ie from Jun to mid of Aug.
• If you are planning to visit Kolukkumali, Top station visits can be avoided.
• Handicapped persons, pregnant ladies, and wheel chairpersons cannot access this place.

2) Kundala Dam – Beautiful Dam in Munnar:

About Kundala Dam Lake-

• Kundala Dam was constructed for Pallivasal Hydro Electric Project in 1946 and considered to be Asia’s No 1 arch dam.
• This place is located between Top Station and Munnar town, therefore, it is easy for visiting.
• Considered as one of the best scenic spots for photography, you can also have activities like a pedal boat, speed boat, or shikhara kind of trip available in the lake.

Travel Tips to Visit Kundala Dam-

• Irrespective of any restrictions, tourists from all walks of life can access this place.
• Entry to this place is free. In case you want to have some activities like boating in lake, horse riding, etc, all these are available here which is chargeable.
• If you are doing any boating activity in any other lake in Munnar, this can be avoided.
• It takes hardly 15-20 mins here to experience, in case you do not need any other activities.

3) Echo Point – Best Place for Photography in Munnar:

This is nothing much important about this place. If you make a loud noise, your voice will return to you as you have a big hill just opposite of you after the lake. But more than that, this is one of the best places to have a photo of the lake close by. Entry to this place is restricted with an entry fee of Rs 20 per person.

4) Visit Tea Plantations in Munnar:

About Top Station-

On the way to Top station or while coming back to the city, you can see very scenic tea plantations.  In case you want to visit, see or want to have photos, you can do this. There is no entry fee or charges need to pay. You should know that the whole Munnar is tea plantations and you can get good photos not necessarily from one particular place, but anywhere in Munnar.

5) Mattupetty Dam – One of the Best Tourist Spots in Munnar:

All You Need to Know About Mattupetty Dam- 

• Mattupetty dam is located 13 km away from Munnar city towards Top station and it takes 20 mins to drive by road.
• Mattupetty can be narrated like a confluence of mountain, lake, and greenery.
• You will get the best photos and some breathtaking moments of your holiday.
• Unlike Kundala, Mattupetty made elaborate arrangements for tourist comfort. It has a washroom, tourist facilitation center where coffee shop, snack bar, cowboy park, children park with swing, speed boat in the lake, etc available.
• The best experience of Mattupetty is first to go to the boating center or tourist facilitation center, if interested do the boating and come to the dam and take some of the best photos.

Travel Tips to Visit Mattupetty Dam-

• Try to walk from Kundala to Mattupetty dam and you can see tallest blue gum trees, in case you have time.
• You can skip in case you are coming from a place where there are lots of lakes and mountains.
• This place is accessible for all irrespective of handicapped or wheelchaired.
• Very good place for family with kids outing.
• This place is best for a small shopping for handicrafts and souvenirs.
• There are no restaurants available but hot noodles and local snacks are available. During holidays, weekends, and tourist season, this place is jam-packed. You may need to wait up to an hr to get boating tickets or Parking car.
• Take beautiful photos of the Mattupetty dam. After the boating travel to the dam, come out of the car from one end of the dam and walk to other ends.  You can take good photos from the middle as vehicles are not allowed to park on the dam.

6) Beautiful Rose Garden in Munnar:

About Rose Garden in Munnar- 

• This is a kind of botanical garden maintained by the KTDC Floriculture Centre.
• Not only Roses but different varieties of flowers are available and a good place to have memorable photos.
• This garden is located 5 km away on the top station roadside and entry is restricted with an entry fee of Rs 50 per person.

Travel Tips to Visit Rose Garden-

• Since there are steps, handicapped or wheelchaired persons advised not to visit this place.
• A washroom facility is available for the public.
• You can buy favorite plants from the rose garden.

We expect this is over by 13:00 hrs and an hour lunch break is available. There are many vegs or non-veg restaurants available in Munnar city. Post lunch we are organizing a trip to Rajamali in Eravikulam National Park.

7) Eravikulam National Park – Must Visit Tourist Place in Munnar:

About Eravikulam National Park-

• Eravikulam national park having an area of 97 sq km is the first national park in Kerala.
• The Park protects endemic and endangered  Nilgiri Tahr, a rare species of mountain goat, and its habitat.
• The park has the largest stretch of undisturbed shoal-grassland ecosystems in the western ghats.
• Anamudi which is 2695 meters in height is the highest peak south of Himalayas is located within this park.

Useful Instructions- 

• Before becoming a National Park, the area is the hunting reserve of the colonial tea planters.
• It takes approximately 30 mins drive to the entry point.
• On reaching the entry point, you need to show the online booking details or you can buy the tickets from this counter itself.
• From the ticket counter till the entry gate of Eravikulam, it’s almost 20 mins in a minibus which is being provided by the park.
• On reaching the entry points, you need to walk steep pathways for almost 40 mins to see the Nilgiri Thar and Anamudi Peak.
• This is also a good place to have good mountain photographs.

Travel Tips to Visit Eravikulam National Park- 

• Book your tickets online.
• Entry ticket is Rs 125 for domestic tourists and Rs 400 for foreigners.
• Best time to visit in the early morning or afternoon.
• No food or water bottles allowed.
• The washroom is available for both gents and ladies.
• Not accessible by wheelchair.
• Cafeteria and snack bar available at the waiting place.
• To see the Nilgiri Thar and Anamudi peak, you need to hike approximately 40 mins. Those who have breathing problems should avoid this.
• Carry raincoat in rainy seasons. Umbrella is a must for all seasons.
• This park is closed during Feb and Mar for breeding and calving every year.

By the time you visit this park, it may be afternoon. You can come to Munnar town for small shopping. Departure for your hotel and check-in.

Travel Tips to Visit Munnar:

1. On the way from Kochi to Munnar, we have included Valera and Cheeyappara waterfalls. Since these falls depend on raining water, these falls may be dry during summertime or if there is no rain.
2. Dreamland – visit only if you are interested. If you already had been too good amusement parks, you can skip this.
3. In case you are skipping Dreamland, you can go to Munnar city for a visit.
4. We recommend you to visit the art center on Day 1 as you may not get time for the second day.
5. During the tourist season, weekend and holidays, there will be a huge rush due to local guests. Sometimes this leads to a terrific traffic block and may trap for a couple of hrs.  Therefore, ensure that you keep the timing mentioned in this program.
6. The above program is not possible in case your hotel is too far off of Munnar like Adimali, Chinnakanal, Eeticity, Anachal, Kunjithanni, But SreesTours select and provide hotels which are located within Munnar only. Please go here to know where to stay in Munnar.
7. If your trip is during Feb or Mar when the Eravikulam park is closed, you can visit a tea factory, Lockhart gap viewpoint, etc.
8. All these programs may disrupt in case there is heavy rain. Visiting Top station or Eravikulam, during heavy monsoon is not possible.
9. Apart from Hotels, there is a variety of other stay options available like Tree House, private pool villa, jacuzzi, and bathtub rooms, honeymoon cottage, resorts with a view to the tea plantation, tent, and camp stay.
10. Apart from the standard sightseeing program mentioned above, you can also experience attractions or activities in Munnar. We recommend staying more days to experience all these.

• Sunrise at Top station.
• Off-road Jeep safari.
• Guided soft hiking of 2 hrs or hard hiking of 4 hrs and visit beautiful mountains, grasslands, and tea plantation.
• Guided hiking and camping in Swiss tents

This is the best place to buy Tea and coffee at a reasonable price.

Day 3: Munnar to Kodaikanal

After early B/F and departure for Kodaikanal.  It takes approximately 7hrs or more with a couple of stops en route. On the way, no sightseeing is planned.  But if you go via Marayoor, you can see Chinnar wildlife and Marayoor sandalwood forest.  Before reaching Kodai, visit Silver Cascade waterfalls on the way to Kodaikanal.

1) Silver Cascade Waterfalls:

Brief About Silver Cascade:

• This is one of the beautiful waterfalls located 7 km from Kodaikanal to Palani/Madurai Route.
• Situated at a height of approximately 180 ft height, the beauty of fall when it thrashing down right into the ground below with its sheer strength.
• Since it’s located on the roadside, you can even see this while passing by.

Silver Cascade Travel Tips:

• No entry fee, you can just visit either coming to Kodai or while going back.
• The best time to visit is in the morning or in the afternoon.
• You may not find very less water or NO water from Mar to Jun but things may change if there is raining during summertime.
• No separate parking available needs to park as convenient on the roadside.
• Always crowded especially during holidays and weekends.
• Not allowed to take a bath or to go near to falls.
• Public washrooms are available.
• Local small tea and snack outlets are available.

Arrival at Kodai and transfer to Hotel. Overnight stay in the Hotel.

Day 4 : Kodaikanal

Places to see in Kodaikanal: 

Kodaikanal full-day tour. After B/F start the trip by 09:00 hrs. Below are the full day sightseeing option included in this package.

1) Coaker’s Walk:

Know About Coaker’s walk-

• This is a pathway constructed on the side of the hill to have a good view of the valley and mountains.
• The pathway is of one km towards the other side and in the end, there is a telescopic view available.
• Best time to visit either in the morning or in the evening.
• It has beautiful views of the valley, mountains, clouds, and greenery.
• The entrance opens at 07:30 hours one side and the other side is open at 09:00 hrs.
• The entry fee is Rs 20 per head.

2) Upper Lake View:

Brief About Upper Lake View- 

• located approximately 3.5 km from Coaker’s Walk on the way to the green valley.
• One of the best places to see the scenic beauty of an entire Kodaikanal lake and its surrounding. Just stop over for 10 mins.

3) Pine Forest:

Brief About Pine Forest-

• This is being called a Pine tree forest because of lots of pine trees.
• One of the best places for memorable photos.
• This is located between the upper lake view and Guna Caves and the stopover is just 10-15 mins.

4) Green Valley view (suicide point):

Know About Green Valley view-

• Basically it’s a viewpoint located on the way to other sightseeing spots.
• You can have a good view and photography.
• Since you will be seeing other good viewpoints, we recommend you should avoid this place as there is no special thing available.
• But if you want a cheap shopping on the way for handmade items, artificial jewelry, artifacts as there are too many shops and competitions.

5) Devil’s Kitchen (Guna Cave):

Know About Devil’s Kitchen-

• These are the hidden treasures found and discovered by a British officer BS Ward during 1821.
• The caves were got famous after a movie shot from here.
• Since there are many accidents, entry to the caves was closed by Tamil Nadu Govt.
• You can have a glimpse of part of the cave from the protective iron grills.
• More than the caves, the real attraction is the tree routes and wooden bridges and have some memorable photos.

6) Pillar Rocks:

Know About Pillar Rocks –

• Pillar Rocks are the formation of three giant rocks formation, approximately 400 meters in height from ground is a magnificent place of interest.
• The main attraction is the pristine hills and the valley.
• One of the best places for photography.

Important Travel Tips-

• Most of the time this place is covered with mist. Therefore, visit a day when there is a clear view available.
• The best time to visit is midday as morning and afternoon this place usually covered by the clouds.
• There is No parking place available and needs to park on the roadside. Roads leading to this place are narrow and always congested.  Weekends and holidays, there will be a traffic jam due to this.
• You can see this from the main viewing area after paying an entry fee of Rs 5. You can get a better view after hiking for around 100 meters then go left to see the best views of pillar rocks.

7) Moir Point-

Know About Moir Point: 

• Kodaikanal is a famous hill station located at an altitude of 2133 meters MSL.
• So wherever you go, you will get lots of viewpoints.
• Moir Point is one such viewpoint and nothing special on this.
• The important thing is that in case you are going to the forest area sightseeing, from this place you will be changing the route and you need to have good from here.

Departure back to Kodai city for Lunch.  After lunch, we have planned Kodaikanal Lake and Bryant Park.

8) Kodaikanal Lake:

Know Brief About Kodaikanal Lake-

• Kodai lake is one of the attractions in Kodaikanal and a must-visit place.
• This is located within Kodai city and has been artificially made.
• It’s a star-shaped lake and there are many activities available in and around the lake.
• Pedal or rowing boats, cycling, horse riding, etc are interesting for tourists who come with family and kids.

Two agencies offering boating in the lake and its rates are below:

1) Tamil Nadu Tourism-

• They offer pedal and rowing boats. The pedal boat is for a minimum of 2 adults for 30 mins will cost you Rs 100. A rowing boat is for 6 adults and you will get a boatman also for maneuvering. It cost Rs 330 for 30 mins.

2) Kodai Municipality-

• They also offer pedal boating. It cost you Rs 120 for 2 adults for 20 mins.

Kodai Lake Travel Tips-

• Boating starts at 09:00 hrs and entry close at 17:30 hours.
• Bicycle rental is available and it cost Rs 50. You can make a round of this lake by cycle to see and enjoy the place.
• Horse riding is also available on the side of the lake.
• Early morning walking or cycling is highly recommended.

9) Bryant Park:

Know About Bryant Park-

• This is a botanical garden located very close to Kodai Lake.
• The main attraction is sprawling lawns, well-planned flower beds, a 170-year-old eucalyptus tree, kids play area, restrooms, etc.
• This place gives you good experience during the flowering season as the park is having different varieties of flowers.
• Good place for walking and spending time.
• The best time to visit is the afternoon or evening from Mar to Jun.
• Entry fee applicable is Rs 30 per adults

Kodaikanal Travel Tips-

1. Kodai is the coolest hill station in South India. Keep your warm clothing while visiting.
2. Keep an umbrella or a raincoat if you are visiting monsoon time ie from Jun to Aug.
3. Most of the sightseeing are viewpoints, lakes, waterfalls, etc.
4. Kodai is a touristy place. Weekends and holidays most of the hotels are booked and all the sightseeing places are crowded.
5. Kodai is the most sought after destination during summer from Mar to Jun. During this time, hotel rates are higher than normal.

Note: Overnight stay in Kodai Hotel.

Day 5: Kodaikanal to Thekkady (Periyar).

Today your trip is to Thekkady (Periyar).  It takes approximately 6 hrs to cover 155 km.  Since it’s a long journey, we recommend you to start by 08:00 hours so that you can reach Thekkady by 2 pm. Check-in and relax at the hotel for some time and refresh.  Afternoon planned sightseeing at Thekkady is below.

1) Spice Plantation Tour or spice walk:

About Spice Plantation Tour-

• Many private owners cultivate ayurvedic medicinal plants in their courtyard either for selling these to companies or for passion.
• Most of them have either three or max ten varieties of plants with them.
• When the tourism, as well as Ayurveda, was growing, some of these planters start growing more varieties of plants and then this courtyard or cultivation area has been converted to a spice plantation tour and start allowing the tourist to know about the different variety of medicinal as well as other plants available in India.
• Entry is restricted with entry fee and on entry, you will be provided with a personal guide to explain to you about each plant and its medicinal value.
• At the end of the spice walk, the guide will take you to a small hall where they explain about the medicine available for different ailments.

Travel Tips for Visit Spice Plantations-

• Since all these spice plantations own and operated by private parties, you need to pay an entry fee of minimum Rs 200 each.
• Open at 7 am, you can visit any time. Approximate time for this tour is minimum an hr and a maximum of 1.5 hrs.
• The main aim of these spice walk or plantation visits is to sell ayurvedic medicins. Therefore, your guide may be insisting on buying these ayurvedic products. It’s well-advised that better you consult a doctor before buying the medicines from spice plantation.

2) About Periyar National Park & Boating in Wildlife Sanctuary:

Information About Periyar National Park:

• Periyar national park is famous for elephants and tigers.
• The sanctuary surrounds Periyar Lake which was formed when the Mullaperiyar Dam was constructed.
• You cannot go inside the forest in a jeep or any other transport to see wildlife animals.
• Periyar National Park is surrounded by Periyar Lake
• forest department conducts boat safari in this Periyar Lake to see wildlife animals.

What to do in Periyar National Park-

• The boat trip starts at 07:30 hrs which is for 2 hrs and all other trips are for 1.5 hrs only.
• There are 4 boats available for a trip to the lake.
• One needs to book an online ticket for the safari.
• The interesting thing to note that till now except elephant, birds and wild gaur, etc, none of the visitors have seen a tiger.
• Therefore, if you are coming to Periyar national park to see tigers, sorry to inform you that this is hardly possible.

Travel Tips to Visit Periyar National Park:

• You need to book a boat safari ticket online in advance. Otherwise during peak time, getting a ticket is difficult.
• Since you are staying just one night, we recommend booking a ticket on a 15:30 hrs trip.
• The boat trip starts at 16:00 hrs and ends at 17:00 hrs.
• Apart from the boat safari in the Periyar Lake, the forest department conducts many activities like an overnight stay in the forest with armed guards, night trekking, bamboo rafting, etc.
• If you are interested in these activities, it’s always recommended to stay a minimum of two nights in Thekkady.
• Apart from the above, you can also go for elephant safari, Jeep safari and plantation tour, etc.
• If interested, these can be experienced the next day also.

Note: Overnight stay in the resort.

Overall Travel Tips to Visit Thekkady-

• It’s always recommended to book your stay very close to the wildlife sanctuary. Srees Tours provide a very comfortable close by hotel for our all guests.
• As per this program, the best suitable boating is at 15:30 hrs as you need to travel at 09:00 hrs to Houseboat. But the best boating is at 07:00 hrs which ends at 09:30 hrs. So if you choose the morning boating, you will be reaching houseboat by 14:00 hrs ie late for 2 hrs. Though it’s a private boat that will wait for you, some of the backwater sightseeing may not be able to cover.
• If you are interested in hiking or trekking, staying in the forest with armed guards, bamboo rafting, etc, there are many such programs organized by the Forest Department for which you may need to stay one or two more days in this destination.
• Thekkady market is very close to where you are staying. This is the best and cheapest shopping place for all types of spices, Kerala traditional saree for ladies, etc.

Day 6: Thekkady to Alleppey

In case you could not do the boating in Thekkady wildlife sanctuary on the previous day, today morning at 07:00 hrs is the next idle time to experience this.  It starts at 07:30 hrs and ends at 09:30 hrs.

After b/f departure for Alleppey.  It takes 150 kms and 3.5 hrs to reach. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.  Relax for some time. We have arranged a 3 hrs shikara trip from 14:30 hrs through the Alleppey backwaters to experience the canals and village life.

Experience Alleppey Backwaters by Private Shikara Trip for 3 hours: 

Your boarding is at Alleppey jetty at 14:30 hrs.  During the three hrs shikara trip, you will be visiting below the best small and big canals in Alleppey backwaters.

1. Punnamada lake. This is the lake where the annual snake boat regatta is being conducted every year.
2. SNDP Canal. You can see local villages, temples, etc while making a trip through this canal.
3. Panakkal Thod and Muttethod. A very narrow canal where you can see the local villages, paddy fields, etc.
4. Meenappally Kayal – a small lake in the middle of the beautiful Kainakari village. A good place for photography.
5. Irumbanam Thod – Another narrow canal where you can see lots of local villages, paddy fields, etc.
6. Vilakkumaram – This is an icon of old age time. This is the place where Maharaja of wresting while of Travancore kingdom established a Vilakkumaram (this is a word in Malayalam and the meaning is – “light on the tree” which gives direction for the boat which carries material in the night).

Alleppey Travel Tips:

1. The shikara offered is a private trip and in case you delay you can be extended. Shikara cannot operate after 18:30 hrs.
2. You can also chose a houseboat overnight stay or houseboat day trip instead of a shikara with extra cost.
3. In case you come early and the shikara trip is over by 5 pm, you can visit Alleppey beach also.
4. In case your train or flight is a little early morning, you can do this shikara and then proceed to Kochi for overnight stay. Its just 2 hrs drive from Alleppey to Kochi.

Day 7: Alleppey to Fort Kochi to Kochi

Kochi Itinerary:

Today is your last day of the trip. In case you are leaving by the afternoon or evening, you can go for below sightseeing and shopping at Kochi.  Otherwise, we will drop you directly to Kochi airport or Ernakulam railway station.

1) Fort Kochi:

Fort Kochi is a fishing village that becomes the first European township in India.  The town shaped by Portuguese, the Dutch, and later the British.

2) Jewish Synagogue:

Constructed 1568, this is the oldest synagogue in the commonwealth.  It is noted for its mid-18^th century, hand-painted, willow-patterned floor tiles from Canton in China, a clock tower, Hebrew inscriptions on stone slabs, old scrolls of the Old Testament, etc.

3) Dutch Palace:

Built by Portuguese in 1557 and presented to Raja of Kochi, the palace was renovated by the Dutch in 1663.

4) Vasco da Gama Square:

The huge cantilevered fishing nets are the legacy of one of the first visitors to the Malabar Coast. Erected here between 1350 – 1450 AD by traders from the court of  Kabul Khan. The best place to watch the nets being lowered into the sea and the catch being brought in is the Vasco da Gama Square.

5) Kodar House:

Constructed by Cochin Electric company in 1808 example of Indo-European architecture.

6) Chinese Fishing nets:

This shows the Chinese presence in Fort Kochi dates back

Other attractions are Bolgaty palace, Pierce Leslie Bungalow, Santa Cruz Basilica, etc are located in the same area. After Fort Kochi sightseeing, you can go straightway to Kochi airport, which is approximately 45 mins drive in normal traffic. It may take up to 1.5 hrs during heavy traffic time.

Important Points to Know for Fort Kochi Visit-

• All the tourist entry points except Fort Kochi Beach will be closed down at 5 pm.
• Jewish synagogue will be closed on Fridays. But they now start opening after 2 pm on Fridays.
• Dutch Palace is closed on Friday and Saturdays.
• In case your flight is at 15:00 hrs or before, this sightseeing is not possible.

Drop at Kochi Airport or Railway station.  Tour ends.

Important Travel Tips to Know for this Package:

1. If you want to select this package and customize it according to your choice of hotels, it’s possible.
2. We have mentioned different sightseeing options. In case you are not interested in visiting any particular sightseeing point, we can modify this itinerary to suit your requirement.
3. In case you want to add any other sightseeing or a religious temple tour, we can do the same for you. Please contact us.
4. In case if you have any other mode of arrival, we are open to provide the service.
5. If your arrival is in the afternoon or evening, its advisable to stay at Kochi and start your trip the next day morning.
6. In case you reach early morning before 6 am, proceeding immediately to Munnar is not possible. It’s advisable to have a Non-ac fresh up room for an hr or two for which a minimum of Rs 500 will be charged extra.
7. Considering the road travel, minimum of 2 nights’ stay at Munnar and Kodaikanal is required to have a relaxing trip and to see most of the good places. If you are staying only 1 night, then you just get a half-day to enjoy the place.
8. This program is inclusive of a private houseboat. You can also choose a resort instead of a Houseboat.
9. You can also start this package on a reverse order without any increase in prices.
10. This is a private trip for the booking guest and not shared with any other guest. Some of the common sightseeing is on sharing basis like boating in Periyar wildlife, Rajamali national park, etc
11. You can also start this trip at Coimbatore and end at Kochi. This is a different package.  More details about the Kerala Kodaikanal package.
12. Most of the sightseeing and even travel in the hill station may face difficulty during monsoon.

Things to Shop in Kerala:

Since Kerala basically is a consumer state, the best options for shopping are below.

• Banana Chips – if you want to buy freshly packed chips, you can buy this from a couple of chips shops located prior to reaching the airport.
• Souvenirs – many handmade artifacts about Kerala and its culture is available from most of the souvenirs shops located at Munnar, Thekkady, and Trivandrum.
• Coffee & tea – The best available place is shopping at Munnar.
• Spices – All types of spices are cheaper in Thekkady shops rather than Munnar.
• Ladies’ traditional sarees are available from any clothing shops. It cost approx Rs 600 onwards per piece.
• Ayurvedic products – Oils, soaps, and many ayurvedic products are recommended.
• Best homemade chocolates at Kodaikanal.

Ways to Reduce the Package Cost: 

Below are the three tips as to how you can reduce this package price

1. Travel as a group:  Try to travel as a group like two couples or three couples; this will reduce the price considerably.
2. Use similar hotels: If you choose a similar hotel outside of the main center, it will reduce the price. These are the hotels located in good places or close by attractions.
3. To reduce the cost you can still join a group. But unfortunately, there are no conducted tours or group tours operates by tour operators in Kerala.

Tour Cost Includes:

• A/c Accommodation except for Hill Station (Munnar & Thekkady) on twin sharing basis with Daily Breakfast.
• Private houseboat with lunch, dinner, and B/F included.
• AC car for all the transfers and local sightseeing as per the given itinerary.
• Well experienced and bilingual driver till the departure
• All the expenses related to the vehicle (toll, tax, parking, permits, driver batta, etc)
•  
• Hotel Check-in at 12pm and check out at 10 am.
• The driver is available from Morning 7 am to evening 6 or 7 pm.
• Entry and boating in Periyar wildlife sanctuary and one plantation tour at Thekkady.
• Entry for Kathakali and Kalaripayattu at Munnar or Thekkady.
• 3 hrs private shikara trip at Alleppey.
• All the applicable taxes.

Tour Cost Does Not Includes:

• The packages do not include Air/Train tickets, Airport tax, Entry fees, Monuments, Guide fees, Camera Charges, Massages, Elephant Safaris, Personal expenses like laundry, tips and telephone calls, Optional Tours, Travel Insurance, etc.
• Optional activities mentioned in the itinerary & anything not mentioned in the above package.
• Taxi cost inclusive of pick up from Kochi airport and Drop at Trivandrum airport. In case of back to Kochi airport, Extra Rs 1000 will be charged.
• In case of payment made by credit card or debit card service charge of 2.5% and 1% will be charged extra.

Important Points:

• Strike in Kerala. Due to strikes called by political parties, safe driving of car and driver is difficult. In that case, alternative arrangements with the permission of guest will be made and expenses incurred due to the same is not included and will be charged additionally.
• The Hotels you selected according to your budget.
• We recommend you to check reviews and location of hotels in the Trip advisor to make sure it is as per your preference and on arrival in case you want to change the hotel, retention charges or additional charges for the new hotels needs to be paid.
• Taxi used to revisit the same place already visited will be charged extra.
• No portion of the tour will be refunded in case of any sightseeing place not visited due to any particular reason.