Cochin to Munnar

You are met at the Cochin International Airport by a representative from Memorable India and briefed about your journey. The journey to Munnar takes around two hours via the road that slowly ascends to the Western Ghats. The higher the elevation, the more noticeable the tea gardens start lining along both sides of the road.

Munnar is located at an altitude of approximately 1,600 metres above sea level, which ensures that even during the summer months, the nights are pleasantly cool. The rest of the day is left at leisure after check-in. The hotels in Munnar are so well situated for viewing the hills and the first evening here tends to be a quiet one.

Overnight: Munnar

Munnar Sightseeing

Today is a full day in Munnar. The first spot is Rajamalai, the high-altitude part of Eravikulam National Park, home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr, a mountain goat found only in this region of the Western Ghats. The park is one of the few places in India where this animal can be observed in its natural habitat and often at close proximity.

From Rajamalai, the tour goes on to Mattupetty dam, a beautiful reservoir against a backdrop of slopes covered with tea. The area is also known for its Indo-Swiss livestock project, which has been running operations here for decades. The last stop of the day is at Echo Point, a lakeside area with such natural acoustics created by the hills. The name is self-explanatory, and it is still popular for exactly that reason.

The evening returns to Munnar, and the town centre provides a variety of options to taste tea and shop for locally grown produce.

Overnight: Munnar

Munnar to Thekkady

The road from Munnar to Thekkady goes down again through the hills and into the Cardamom Hills area. The landscape changes considerably: the manicured tea estates give way to dense forest cover and smaller-scale spice cultivation. Thekkady is located at the core of the spice country of Kerala, and the hills around it bear profusions of black pepper, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.

The biggest attraction here is the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and the park is run as a tiger reserve. After check-in, the afternoon can be used to explore the town, visit a spice garden or simply rest up before wildlife experiences scheduled for the following day.

Overnight: Thekkady

Thekkady Sightseeing

The boat ride on the Periyar Lake is the highlight of the day and is one of the more unique wildlife viewing experiences available in India. The lake is formed by a dam constructed during the British period, and the calm waters are surrounded by forest on all sides. Elephants, sambar deer, wild boar, and an assortment of birds appear regularly along the shoreline. Tiger sightings are very rare, but they do happen.

The park is more than 700 square kilometres of mixed forest area, and core areas are closed to park visitors. The boat ride is a non-intrusive means of observing the park’s resident wildlife in a setting that feels genuinely undisturbed.

After the boat ride, the afternoon is available for a guided visit to a spice plantation. These are working farms in which guides take visitors through growing crops that have been grown here for centuries. It is a grounding complement to the wildlife experience of the morning.

Overnight: Thekkady

Thekkady to Kumarakom

The drive from Thekkady to Kumarakom is one of the most varied stretches of the entire journey. The route goes through the Cardamom Hills, then gradually flattens out into the central Kerala lowlands. The change in the landscape from forested highlands to open paddy fields and water bodies occurs steadily on the journey.

Kumarakom is located on the eastern side of Vembanad Lake, which is the largest lake in Kerala. The town is well known for the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, a mangrove forest which is inhabited by a large number of migratory and resident bird species. The Onam boat races organized on the Vembanad Lake are one of the most well-known ones in Kerala, and a huge crowd is attracted to these races every year during the festive season.

The evening in Kumarakom is a great introduction to the pace and feeling of the backwaters belt of Kerala. The hotel here is usually with lake views, and the change from the forested terrain of Thekkady to this environment with water is quite marked.

Overnight: Kumarakom

Kumarakom to Kettuvalam (Houseboat)

This is the day that the tour becomes different from the conventional hotel-based structure. The Kettuvalam, as the traditional houseboat is known locally, is more like a rice barge converted for leisure use. The construction comprises a wooden hull, bamboo poles, and coir ropes, and the interiors are equipped with bedrooms, a sitting area, a kitchen, and an upper deck for open-air viewing.

Boarding the houseboat is a very simple procedure, and the staff consists of a captain, a helper and a chef. Once aboard, the boat moves out of the canals and lakes that comprise the larger Vembanad backwater system. The experience of a backwater ride (Kerala) in a houseboat is quite different from a shore-based visit. The boat passes by fishing settlements, paddy fields, duck farms, coconut groves and small churches. Local fishermen used narrow canoes to cast nets. Children wave from the banks.

Meals on board are cooked afresh by the crew using traditional Kerala recipes. A typical day’s food comprises appam with coconut milk, a fish curry for lunch, and a multi-dish Kerala dinner. Everything is prepared on the boat using local produce.

Migratory birds are regularly seen here along the waterways, especially between October and March. The overnight stay means that guests see both the light on the water in the afternoon and the silence at the lake in the middle of the night.

This leg is the defining experience of the tour and the reason for making it a part of the trip for most travellers who explore Kerala backwaters houseboat packages.

Overnight: Kettuvalam (Houseboat)

Kettuvalam to Alleppey to Cochin

The houseboat arrives at the Alleppey boat jetty by morning, where the Memorable India vehicle is waiting. Alleppey or Alappuzha is the most well-known town for backwater tourism in Kerala. The canal network here is extensive, and the character of the town is in turn almost entirely determined by its relationship with water.

After disembarking, the group transfers by road to Cochin. Depending on departure times, there may be some time to have a brief stop at Alleppey town or for a few sights en route. At Cochin, transfers to the airport or railway station are organized based on the onward schedule of each and every traveler.