Kerala 8-Day Tour Package: Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey Houseboat and Kovalam

Our Kerala 8-day tour package is the complete Kerala 7 nights 8 days package, from north to south. Begin in old Fort Kochi, climb to the tea gardens of Munnar, walk the spice plantations of Thekkady, spend a night on a private houseboat on the Alleppey backwaters and finish with two nights on Kovalam beach near Thiruvananthapuram. It is a private tour with your own car and driver, hotels of your choice and a local guide in Kochi.

Shamrock Journeys is a trusted India tour operator. Since 2002 we have planned private holidays across India for couples, families and groups.

Tour at a Glance

Here are the key facts of our Kerala 8-day tour package.

Tour name: Kerala Delight
Duration: 8 days and 7 nights
Route: Kochi (1 night), Munnar (2 nights), Thekkady (1 night), Alleppey houseboat (1 night), Kovalam (2 nights)
Starts: Kochi airport. Ends: Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) airport
Tour type: private car with driver, local guide in Kochi, private houseboat night
Highlights: Fort Kochi, Kathakali, Munnar tea gardens, Eravikulam National Park, Periyar Lake, spice plantations, an Alleppey houseboat cruise and Kovalam beach
Best for: first-time visitors, honeymooners and families who want to see all of Kerala
Best time: September to March

Why Choose This Tour

All of Kerala in one trip: the Kochi Munnar Thekkady Alleppey package with a beach at the end.
No backtracking: the Kerala 8-day tour package flies in to Kochi and out of Thiruvananthapuram.
A night on a houseboat: a private houseboat with all meals on board.
Two nights at Kovalam: the best-known beach in Kerala, with a lighthouse and calm bays.
Private and flexible: change hotels, add Varkala or Ayurveda.

Kerala 8-Day Tour Package Itinerary

This is the day-by-day plan of the tour.

Day 1: Arrive in Kochi and Fort Kochi Sightseeing

Your Kerala 8-day tour package begins at Kochi airport, where we meet you and take you to your hotel. In the afternoon, your guide shows you Fort Kochi: the Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church, the Mattancherry Palace with its murals, and the spice shops and Paradesi Synagogue of Jew Town. In the evening, watch a Kathakali dance show.

Overnight: Kochi. Read our Kerala travel guide.

Day 2: Kochi to Munnar

Drive about 130 km, four hours, up into the Western Ghats, stopping at the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls and the first tea gardens. Spend the evening in the cool air of Munnar.

Shamrock travel tip: the hill roads to Munnar and Thekkady have many bends, so carry travel-sickness tablets if you need them, and a light jacket for the cool evenings. For more advice, read our Shamrock India Travel Tips.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Munnar

Day 3: Munnar Sightseeing

Visit Eravikulam National Park, home of the rare Nilgiri tahr, with views towards Anamudi, the highest peak in South India. See how tea is made at the Tea Museum, then visit Mattupetty Dam, Echo Point and Kundala Lake.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Munnar

Day 4: Munnar to Thekkady

Drive about 90 km, around three hours, to Thekkady. Walk through a spice plantation of cardamom, pepper and cinnamon, and in the evening watch a Kalaripayattu martial arts show.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Thekkady

Day 5: Periyar Lake and the Alleppey Houseboat

Day 5 is a highlight of the Kerala 8-day tour package. Take an early boat ride on Periyar Lake in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, or go bamboo rafting. Then drive about 140 km, four hours, to Alleppey and board your private houseboat. Cruise the backwaters past villages and paddy fields, with a Kerala lunch and dinner cooked on board.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight: houseboat, Alleppey

Day 6: Alleppey to Kovalam

After breakfast on board, drive about 160 km, four hours, south to Kovalam. Spend the evening on Lighthouse Beach and watch the sunset.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Kovalam

Day 7: Kovalam at Leisure

Spend the day as you like on the Kerala 8-day tour package: swim at Hawa Beach or Samudra Beach, take an Ayurveda massage, or make a short trip to the red cliffs of Varkala.

Shamrock travel tip: the sea at Kovalam can have strong currents, especially from May to September, so swim only between the lifeguard flags. See our Shamrock India Travel Tips.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Kovalam

Day 8: Thiruvananthapuram and Departure

After breakfast, if time allows, see the Padmanabhaswamy temple area (the temple is open to Hindus only) and the Napier Museum, then transfer to Thiruvananthapuram airport, about 30 minutes away. Your Kerala 8-day tour package ends here.

Meals: breakfast

What Is Included

Your Kerala 8-day tour package includes:

Six nights in hotels of your choice with breakfast
One night on a private houseboat with lunch, dinner and breakfast
A private air-conditioned car with driver for all transfers and sightseeing
A local English-speaking guide for Fort Kochi
Airport pickup and drop, tolls, parking and driver costs

What Is Not Included

Flights to Kochi and from Thiruvananthapuram
Lunch and dinner on land
Entry tickets, the Periyar boat ride, bamboo rafting, shows and Ayurveda treatments
Personal expenses and travel insurance

Best Time for This Tour

September to March is the best time for our Kerala 8-day tour package, with cool days in Munnar, calm backwaters and sunny beaches. December and January are the busiest. June to August is the monsoon, with green hills and rough seas. Eravikulam National Park closes for a few weeks each year, usually in February and March, when the tahr calves are born.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the tour end in Thiruvananthapuram?

Ending in the south saves a long drive back to Kochi. Thiruvananthapuram airport has direct flights to many Indian cities and the Middle East.

Is the houseboat private?

Yes. You have your own houseboat with a crew and cook, and we can arrange a deluxe or luxury boat.

Is this a good honeymoon package?

Yes. A tea estate resort, a private houseboat and a beach resort at Kovalam make it a classic Kerala honeymoon package. See our honeymoon packages.

Can I stay at Varkala instead of Kovalam?

Yes. Varkala is about an hour from Thiruvananthapuram, and we can change the beach nights.

Can you add flights?

Yes. We can book flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune or your city.

How much does the Kerala 8-day tour package cost?

The price depends on your hotels, the houseboat, the number of travellers and the season. Tell us your dates and we will send a clear quotation.

More Kerala Tours

Want a shorter or longer trip than our Kerala 8-day tour package?

Kerala 6-day tour package: Kochi, Kumarakom and Marari, with no hill drives.
Kerala 7-day tour package: Munnar, Thekkady, a houseboat and Marari.
Kerala 9-day tour package: Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarakom and Marari.
Kerala Kovalam tour: nine days, with two nights in Kumarakom before Kovalam.
Kerala Taj Mahal tour: Kerala with Delhi, Agra and the Taj Mahal.

See all our Kerala tour packages, our South India tour packages, all our India tour packages and the best North India tours. Request your free quote

Plan Your India Holiday with Shamrock Journeys

Shamrock Journeys is a trusted India tour operator and holiday planner. Since 2002 we have designed private India tour packages, family tour packages, honeymoon tours and cultural tours for travellers from around the world.

Recognised and trusted: Recognised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Member of PATA, TAAI, IATO and ADTOI.

Tell us your travel dates and we will send you a personal itinerary. Request your free quote