Kerala: One Week in God’s Own Country

PLANNING THE ULTIMATE 7-DAY KERALA ITINERARY

There is a reason Kerala is nicknamed “God’s Own Country.” From the mist-covered tea plantations of Munnar to the emerald backwaters of Alleppey, this coastal state in South India feels like a world away from the hustle of Delhi.

This past November (2025), Rishab and I, along with his parents, packed our bags for a week of lush greenery, spice-scented air, and total relaxation. If you’re looking for the perfect blend of adventure and “slow travel,” this 7-day Kerala itinerary is for you.

Our Detailed 7-Day Kerala Itinerary:

Day 1: Kochi (Arrival) $\to$ Munnar

Day 2: Munnar (tea plantation tour)

Day 3: Munnar (Eravikulam National Park)

Day 4: Munnar $\to$ Alleppey

Day 5: Alleppey (house boat)

Day 6: Alleppey $\to Kumarakom$

Day 7: $Kumarakom \to Kochi (departure)$

Essential Kerala Travel Info & Need-to-Know

Currency: Indian Rupee

Check conversion here

Language: Malayalam, English

Airports:

COK – Cochin Airport

230 volts and 50 hertz, Type D (three round pins), Type M (large three round pins), and Type C (two round pins)

Kerala Transportation:

We flew from Delhi (DEL) to Kochi (COK) and hired a private driver for the duration of the trip. The winding roads are stunning but best left to a professional! We got a driver from Kamath Cabs.

Specifically, with drivers – make sure you negotiate your price up front, be super clear about what you need and put it in writing, when you give them a departure time (if you plan to be actually on time) re-emphasize that you are leaving at that time or tell them 30 mins early.

Driving up to Munnar is quite a journey. They are small, bumpy, and windy roads. It took us at least 5 hours to get from the airport to our hotel in Munnar – so be prepared for a long day!

Accommodation:

My father-in-law has a timeshare through Club Mahindra so we mostly stayed at Club Mahindra properties. If we didn’t have this timeshare, I would have definitely recommended different spots that I’ll share below.

Munnar: Club Mahindra Mount Serene – This place is about 50 minutes outside of the main town of Munnar and you have to cross Lockhart Gap Road (which some drivers don’t want to do in the dark).

While the rooms were nice enough and the view was stunning, it is quite a journey to get there. The road up to the hotel is one lane dirt road, SUPER bumpy. It took about 20 minutes once you were off the main road, just to get up to the hotel. Alternatively – I would recommend staying at Isaac’s Residency in Munnar.

Alleppey: Club Mahindra Arookutty – This Club Mahindra was nicer, right on the backwaters with nicer rooms. The downside of this resort is that it is about an hour outside of Alleppey. If you’re looking for an affordable resort-style option, this is a good choice. If you don’t want to drive an hour to Alleppey each way, then I’d recommend something closer to Alleppey town.

Kumarakom: Gokulam Grand Resort – this was by far our favorite stay! The resort is absolutely stunning from the rooms to the pool, from the backwater views to the complimentary high tea. I’d definitely come back here and stay longer next time!

Munnar: Top Sights and Activities

Tea Estate Tour: This is a top activity in Munnar and there are many ways to do it. There are plenty of group tours that take you to the Lockhart Tea Museum and around the outside of the tea plantations. I HIGHLY recommend a private tour with Route49 Adventures. We went with Revti (+91 96337 45288 on WhatsApp) and had the best experience. This is one of he only tours where you get to go into the actually tea plantations, wander through the fields, and get to the insta famous “Door of Heaven.” Reach out to Revti to coordinate!

Punarjani Traditional Village: This performing arts company has two locations in Munnar. They offer similar shows such as Kathakali (classical dance) and Kalaripayattu (one of the oldest martial arts in the world). We booked a Kathakali show that was wonderful! The theater is nice and air conditioned and the tickets are reasonably priced.

Spice Garden: For instance, there are tons of spice gardens in Munnar. The main intent of spice gardens is to sell you spices. So any spice garden you go to will give you a guided tour to show you the different spices growing and then mostly push you to the gift shop to buy stuff. If you do want to buy spices – this is usually a good spot to do so! Our driver included free entrance to Ayur valley spices. This is right across the street from one of the Punarjani Traditional Village locations – so we went here before the show!

Wildlife In Munnar

Eravikulam National Park: Another highlight for us! Catch a park safari bus through the misty highlands for a chance to spot the rare, endangered Nilgiri Tahr grazing along the rolling “shola” grasslands. From the drop-off point, you’ll do a gentle 2-km trek with panoramic views of Anamudi Peak, the highest point in South India.The entrance timing and ticketing was a little confusing. I read a bunch of blogs saying you should arrive at 7am – but nothing opens until 8am. What I would recommend is to buy your tickets online ahead of time – then arrive around 7:45 am. This gets you in line for one of the first buses up and you’ll beat most of the crowds on the mountain.

Make sure you bring an umbrella/poncho/rain jacket, warm layer, and binoculars!

Mattupetty Dam & Echo Point: These two sights were highly recommended, but personally I’d say you can skip. This is a lake and a dam that have become completely overrun with tourists. This area is very dirty, full of street vendors, and packed with cars. I would say it’s fine to do if you have extra time, but I wouldn’t prioritize it.

Alleppey

The thing you MUST do in Alleppey is a houseboat. Many people like to spend a night on the houseboats, but we opted for a hotel and a full day houseboat tour.

Houseboat: We booked a 6 hour tour with Beautiful Alleppey Houseboats. We chose an A/C premium houseboat and had an incredible day. In addition to the scenery, the tour included an amazing lunch cooked on the boat. Furthermore, the vessel was indoor/outdoor and included a bedroom.

Marari Beach: This is the most popular beach in the area. It was a great place to watch the sunset. The beach is full of different vendors – we grabbed some roasted peanuts and coconuts to walk along the beach. There are also a handful of little beach restaurants – we stopped at Cafe Dolphin for a drink. A couple things to note – there are quite a few stray dogs on the beach. Although they’re not aggressive, but they definitely follow you around. Additionally, there are paid bathrooms at the beach.

Alappuzha Lighthouse: In downtown Alleppey, there is an iconic red and white striped lighthouse. You can climb the lighthouse (pretty steep!) for a great view of the city. It costs ₹20 for Indian adults, ₹10 for children, and ₹50 for foreign tourists.

Pulickattil Handicrafts: We didn’t have time to stop here, but this is haven for traditional Kerala artistry, specializing in beautiful hand-carved wood pieces and sustainable coir products. It’s the perfect place to find a meaningful, high-quality souvenir that supports local artisans and captures the spirit of the region.

Kumarakom

Because Kumarakom is a resort region, this is a perfect place to splurge on a nice resort, slow down a bit, and enjoy the beautiful backwaters.

Relax at the Resort: The main thing we did in Kumarakom was just enjoy our time at Gokulam Grand Resort. We relaxed by the pool, played games in the activity center, went to the cultural dance performance, and attended a yoga class.

High Tea: Gokulam Grand Resort had a high tea included at sunset. This included chai and phenomenal filter coffee, along with snacks out by the water.

Backwaters Cruise: This was also included at our resort, but make sure you get out on the water and see the beauty of the backwaters. This was also fun to see the waterside of all the resorts.

Restaurants We Tried in Kerala:

Rasatantra Restaurant (Kochi):Delicious spot right by the airport. Very clean and affordable.

Isaac’s Residence Restaurant (Munnar): Nice sit down restaurant with many good options. Very safe and clean for foreigners. Service was a little slow, but a good comfortable spot.

Restaurant Chef Pillai (Kochi): Delicious, upscale Kerala cuisine. The restaurant is beautiful and food was nicely done. Service was a little clueless and knew nothing about allergies, including the allergy menu being incorrect – so be careful if you have allergies!

Gokulam Grand Resort Restaurant (Kumarakom): We ate dinner, lunch, and breakfast here when we stayed at the resort – and it was some of the best food we had the whole trip!

Can’t Miss Kerala Experiences

Houseboat Drifting through the emerald backwaters on a private houseboat is the ultimate ``slow travel`` experience, offering a front-row seat to local life and the most peaceful sunset you’ll ever witness.

Eat Fish Curry and Appam You haven't truly tasted Kerala until you’ve paired a lacy, fermented rice Appam with a spicy, coconut-infused clay pot fish curry—it’s a literal flavor explosion.

Jeep Tour Trading the paved roads for a rugged Jeep tour through the tea estates is a total rush, taking you deep into the vibrant green ``carpets`` of Munnar where the views are infinitely better.

Spotting a Nilgiri Tahr Keep your eyes peeled for the rare Nilgiri Tahr at Eravikulam National Park; seeing these majestic, mountain-dwelling goats against the backdrop of the misty Western Ghats is a core memory in the making.

Buy a Saree The traditional dress for women in most of South India - you will find beautiful sarees in Kerala. We went to a co-op store near Munnar called Kasavu Aalayam.