Kerala with beaches and spice gardens

Trivandrum – Varkala – Alleppey – Kumarakom – Periyar – Munnar – Cochin

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Tour Highlights

  • Discover the cultural heritage and historic landmarks of Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), Kerala's capital city.
  • Relax on the beautiful beaches of Varkala, famous for its dramatic cliffs overlooking the Arabian Sea.
  • Experience the laid-back coastal atmosphere and stunning sunsets along Kerala's coastline.
  • Cruise through the tranquil backwaters of Alleppey, often referred to as the "Venice of the East."
  • Explore the serene waterways, coconut groves, and traditional village life of Kerala's backwater region.
  • Enjoy the natural beauty of Kumarakom, nestled on the shores of picturesque Vembanad Lake.
  • Discover the spice plantations and lush forests of Periyar, one of South India's most scenic nature reserves.
  • Learn about Kerala's famous spices, including cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, and cloves.
  • Explore the breathtaking hill station of Munnar, renowned for its rolling tea plantations and mist-covered mountains.
  • Visit tea estates, scenic viewpoints, waterfalls, and spectacular landscapes in the Western Ghats.
  • Discover the historic port city of Cochin (Kochi), shaped by centuries of international trade and cultural influences.
  • Experience a perfect blend of beaches, backwaters, wildlife, tea gardens, spice plantations, and Kerala's warm hospitality.

Tour Overview

Experience the timeless charm of Kerala on this privately guided journey through palm-fringed coastlines, tranquil backwaters, misty hill stations, and historic port cities, while staying in a carefully selected collection of boutique and heritage hotels that reflect the region's unique character and hospitality.

Your journey begins in Trivandrum, Kerala's elegant capital, where cultural heritage, ancient temples, and colonial influences offer a fascinating introduction to God's Own Country. Continue to the coastal retreat of Varkala, renowned for its dramatic cliffs overlooking the Arabian Sea, golden beaches, and relaxed atmosphere.

Travel onward to the enchanting backwaters of Alleppey and Kumarakom, where serene waterways, coconut groves, and traditional villages create one of India's most beautiful landscapes. Here, you will experience the gentle rhythm of life on the water while enjoying charming heritage properties and intimate boutique accommodations set amidst nature.

From the backwaters, journey into the lush highlands of Periyar, famous for its spice plantations, tropical forests, and rich wildlife. Continue to Munnar, where rolling tea gardens, mist-covered mountains, and breathtaking viewpoints provide a refreshing escape into the Western Ghats.

Conclude your journey in historic Cochin, a captivating port city shaped by centuries of trade between India, Arabia, Europe, and China. Explore the charming streets of Fort Kochi, colonial buildings, spice warehouses, art galleries, and the iconic Chinese fishing nets that have become symbols of the city.

Travelling with your own private vehicle and driver, you will enjoy complete flexibility, personalized service, and the freedom to explore at your own pace. Combined with stays in distinctive boutique and heritage hotels, this journey offers a more intimate and authentic experience of Kerala, blending culture, nature, history, and relaxation in one of India's most beautiful regions.

Itinerary

On arrival at Trivandrim airport our representative having a placard displaying your name will meet you to pick you up and transfer to your hotel. Today only an airport transfer is included and no sightseeing or any other visit is planned or included. If you arrive in the early morning and wish to do sightseeing then kindly let us know and we shall do the needful and include a visit to few attractions. Overnight at hotel in Trivandrum.
 

Breakfast at the hotel visit Trivandrum city. Visit Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Covering an area of about 2,400 sq. metres, the temple of Sri Padmanabhaswamy is believed to be around 260 years old. The temple with its gopuram (tower) soaring majestically upwards is believed to be one of the 108 shrines sacred to the Vaishnavites in India. Also visit Napier Museum. Dating back to 1880, the Napier Museum building is a combination of the Kerala, Mughal, Chinese and Italian architectural styles. The building has a unique natural air-conditioning system. A visit to this museum gives you glimpses of Kerala’s rich cultural heritage.

Later drive to Varkala. Arrive and check in to the hotel. Evening free at the beach.

Overnight at the hotel in Varkala.

Morning visit the Portugese church of Anjengo dated to the time of occupation, which maybe the Elanchoros of the geography of Ptomempee (2nd century A.D.). Also visit the English Fort constructed in 1695 A.D. by the English 'East India Company'. Rest of the day is free at leisure.

Drive towards Alleppey. On arrival check in to traditional Kerala house boat for a cruise, which is totally a delightful experience. Cruise through the palm fringed canals, watch the paddy fields and village folk, while relaxing on board hearing the lullaby of the wind & waves. This mysterious strip of emerald green land is stuffed with endless miles of placid backwaters that appends to its charm. Freshly cooked local food is served onboard. Dinner and overnight stay at the houseboat.

Breakfast at houseboat and then check out from the houseboat. Your houseboat will drop you at Kumarakom. Directly drive to Periyar. The most renowned destination in Kerala, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary at Thekkady is one of India’s major sanctuary areas. Arrive and check in to the hotel. Rest of the day is free to explore the local spice market. Overnight at the hotel in Pariyar.

Early morning we take boat ride over the Lake Periyar to watch animals in their natural habitat on the water's edge. While cruising on Lake Periyar, you are likely to see animals like wild boars, sambars, wild dogs, Langur monkeys and wild elephants. Late afternoon again visit the park by boat. Overnight at the hotel in Pariyar.

After breakfast, we leave Periyar for a scenic drive to Munnar – Kerala’s tea garden hill station. Reach Munnar in the afternoon and check in to the hotel. Later proceed to visit Tea Museum and Tea Garden. Evening free for shopping some Tea & Spices from the busy markets of Munnar Town.

Morning free at the hotel or to explore the surroundings. Later in the afternoon drive to Cochin. Arrive in the evening and check in to the hotel. Later there will be a cultural show of Kathakali dance of Kerala to give you the glimpse of tradition and culture of Kerala. Overnight at the hotel in Cochin.

After breakfast visit of Cochin including The Dutch Palace at Mattancherry, renowned for its wall murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana. Visit the Jewish Synagogue at the heart of what is locally called the Jew Town, and the St. Francis Church, the oldest European church in India. In the late evening transfer to the airport to board the flight for your onward destination.

Location Map

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Duration
9 Days / 8 Nights
Tour Type
Private Guided
Hotels
Luxury Hotels
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Katja S
22 Jan 2026
5/5
A wonderful journey that will be remembered
  Our seven-day trip with India Personal Tours through northern India – with stops in Jaipur, Agra and Delhi – was a very special experience in every respect. From the warm welcome by our great guide Kunal Singh Shekhawat at the airport to the departure day we felt superbly looked after and accompanied by our guide as well as our friendly driver Vipin. From the very beginning, a very personal, warm atmosphere was created. It didn’t feel like a classic guided tour, but rather like traveling with a good friend. This openness, cordiality and attention has marked our journey from the beginning and has given it a special lightness. In addition to the many exciting insights into history, culture and architecture, it was above all the personal exchange that made this trip so enriching. The conversations, the small details and the fine sense of what interests us made every day special. We look back on this trip with great gratitude and can recommend India Personal Tours with complete conviction. It was an all-round successful experience and we very much hope that in the future there will be another opportunity to travel together.  ...Read More
jillhorwitz22
02 Feb 2026
5/5
Highly recommend India Personal Tours
  Our first time in India was an amazing experience thanks to Manu for planning it all and our wonderful guide Hariom who really shared his country, culture and wisdom with us. Our driver Arvind was also very kind. We had another guide in Varanasi who made those days wonderful also so thank you to Pankaj too! Their generosity and warmth made our trip stress-free and meaningful!  ...Read More
Todd H
06 Jan 2026
5/5
A Great First Trip to India
  India Personal Tours made our first trip to India exceptional. We visited six cities over two weeks, most in Rajasthan, and our guides and drivers -- all friendly and caring -- made sure we got the most out of every site, including some unplanned stops. The hotels Manu and his team chose for us were all also first rate. The company met all our expectations, and we're already planning a trip back!  ...Read More
Simon J
02 Jan 2026
5/5
What a ride through Rajasthan!
  Far beyond anything we could have ever imagined for our first trip to India. We joined India Personal Tours, and a small group of like-minded folks, for an amazing 14-day ride through Rajasthan. An unbelievable itinerary took us to places we would never have found under our own steam, from the wonderful chaos of Dehli to small rural villages like Narlai and so many more mind-blowing towns and cities in between, there were unforgettable experiences at every turn. Each new hotel we arrived at seemed better than the last, and we often found ourselves awestruck at where we were staying. Our expert guide, Gudu was absolutely brilliant. Always on hand to share his wealth of knowledge and tips on each location - covering everything with a broad historical, cultural, architectural, gastronomical and spiritual perspective that made each new experience all the richer. Not a bad singing voice either! Gudu also had an uncanny knack for ‘herding the kittens’ of our group, his bright green beret and big smile became a beckon for us as we wandered through crowded temples, havelis and bazaars. He created a warm family atmosphere among our group, was flexible enough to tailor days for our group and even welcomed us into his own family home when we visited the Golden City of Jaisalmer. Big shout out to our unflappable driver, Dev too. The bus rides were super comfy, but I think we managed every to sample every other mode of transport possible too, from crazy rickshaws and tuk-tuk rides, to camels, elephants and even bullock drawn carts!I could go on and on, but we would thoroughly recommend India Personal Tours whether you’ve been to India before or it’s your first time. Halfway through our travels we were already planning our next trip.  ...Read More

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