Deep in the Hills — Five Nights with Two Nights at Thekkady
Most Kerala itineraries give Thekkady a single night, which is enough to reach the Periyar sanctuary but not to do anything with it. This one gives it two, and drops the city entirely to make room.
- Duration
- 5 Nights / 6 Days
- Destinations
- Munnar · Thekkady · Alleppey
- Travel style
- Cultural
- Stays
- 3★ accommodation
- Meals
- Daily breakfast, from Day 2 to Day 6.
Journey overview
Most Kerala itineraries give Thekkady a single night, which is enough to reach the Periyar sanctuary but not to do anything with it. This one gives it two, and drops the city entirely to make room.
Photographs: A landscape comprising of lake Periyar and mountains at Thekkady by Jigyasu, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Why you'll love this journey
- Five nights inland, with two nights each at Munnar and Thekkady.
- Two full days in the Periyar spice and wildlife hills.
- Munnar's working tea estates and misty valleys.
- A night aboard a houseboat on the Alleppey backwaters.
- Private airport transfers and daily breakfast.
Day-by-day itinerary
You are met at Kochi airport and driven up to Munnar, the road climbing through hairpin bends with tea gardens on the slopes, valleys opening below and small waterfalls beside the road. You check in and the remainder of the day is free.
No touring is scheduled today. Munnar is a hill station built around working tea estates, and the day is yours to walk the gardens, visit a viewpoint or simply sit above the cloud line. Anything you choose to arrange locally is at your own cost.
You drive to Thekkady, check in, and spend the afternoon at the Periyar wildlife sanctuary — dense evergreen forest declared a tiger reserve in 1978, set around a large lake formed by the Mullaperiyar dam. Cardamom, pepper, tea and coffee plantations surround the town.
A boat trip on Lake Periyar, which is the usual way to look for elephant and other wildlife along the shoreline. The rest of the day can be given to the spice plantations around Thekkady — cardamom, pepper, tea and coffee all grow here. Boating charges are not included.
You descend from the hills to Alleppey, where the landscape changes completely — the misty green of the hills gives way to still water, paddy fields and coconut groves. You board a houseboat for an overnight cruise through the canals, with meals cooked and served on board.
After breakfast on board you leave the houseboat and are driven to Kochi airport for your onward flight. Your onward flight is not part of this package, so allow the check-in time your airline requires.
Make this journey yours
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Inclusions & exclusions
Included
- 5 nights' accommodation — two nights Munnar, two nights Thekkady and one night aboard a houseboat at Alleppey.
- Daily breakfast, from Day 2 to Day 6.
- Private airport transfer on arrival, Kochi airport to your hotel.
- Private airport transfer on departure, to Kochi airport.
- Thekkady sightseeing at the Periyar wildlife sanctuary area, by private cab.
- One night aboard a houseboat on the Alleppey backwaters.
- Lunch, evening tea and dinner aboard the houseboat, and breakfast aboard on the morning of departure.
Not included
- GST is extra and is charged on the final amount.
- TCS is extra and is charged on the final amount.
- International airfare is extra and is not included.
- Domestic and internal airfare is extra and is not included.
- Visa is extra and is not included — visa fees, associated service charges, airport taxes and any related charges.
- Travel insurance is extra and is not included.
- All meals other than the daily breakfasts listed above, and any meals expressly listed as part of a named included component. Lunches, dinners and drinks with meals are not included otherwise.
- Domestic airfare and rail fare. Travel to and from the start and end points of this itinerary is not included.
- Any optional activity, boat ride, entry ticket or excursion described as optional or recommended rather than included.
- Any sightseeing, entry ticket or excursion not specifically listed under Inclusions.
- Monument, temple and sanctuary entrance fees where charged separately, and any camera or video charges.
- Tips and gratuities.
- Personal expenses — laundry, telephone, minibar, and anything of a personal nature.
- Early check-in and late check-out charges, and any hotel upgrade.
- Anything not specifically listed under Inclusions.
Accommodation, meals & transport
What the journey covers day to day, taken from this package's own inclusions.
🏨 Accommodation
- Comfort standard
- 5 nights' accommodation — two nights Munnar, two nights Thekkady and one night aboard a houseboat at Alleppey.
🍽 Meals
- Daily breakfast, from Day 2 to Day 6.
- Lunch, evening tea and dinner aboard the houseboat, and breakfast aboard on the morning of departure.
🚆 Transport
- Private airport transfer on arrival, Kochi airport to your hotel.
- Private airport transfer on departure, to Kochi airport.
Flights, visa & practical
Arranged separately from the journey itself — listed here so there are no surprises.
✈ Flights
- International airfare is extra and is not included.
- Domestic and internal airfare is extra and is not included.
- Domestic airfare and rail fare. Travel to and from the start and end points of this itinerary is not included.
🛂 Visa
- Visa is extra and is not included — visa fees, associated service charges, airport taxes and any related charges.
🛡 Insurance
- Travel insurance is extra and is not included.
Every journey is quoted individually for your travel dates and party. Read our pricing terms for how a quotation is prepared. Cancellations and amendments follow our Refund & Cancellation Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Frequently asked
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