By Melo Tours Travel Team · Updated
What is the best way to spend 7 days in Kerala?
The best 7-day Kerala itinerary runs north to south: fly into Kochi, spend two nights in Munnar, one in Thekkady, one on an Alleppey houseboat and two on the beach at Kovalam, then fly out of Trivandrum. It covers hills, wildlife, backwaters and coast with no backtracking.
Key takeaways
- Route: Kochi → Munnar (2 nights) → Thekkady (1) → Alleppey houseboat (1) → Kovalam (2) → Trivandrum airport.
- Fly into Kochi and out of Trivandrum to avoid a long drive back north.
- The longest drives are about 4 hours: Kochi to Munnar and Alleppey to Kovalam.
- This is our Kerala Grand Tour, from ₹39,999 per couple.
- End at Alleppey for a 5-day trip, or add Varkala and Kanyakumari for 8 to 10 days.
What is the best route for 7 days in Kerala?
The best route for a week in Kerala is a one-way line from Kochi to Trivandrum in the far south. You start in the hills, come down through forest to the backwaters and finish on the beach, so each stop looks different from the last and the trip ends with rest.
This is the route of our Kerala Grand Tour: 6 Nights · 7 Days from ₹39,999 per couple, private throughout, with the same driver for the whole journey.
| Day | Route | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Kochi → Munnar (about 4 hours) | Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls, evening at leisure | Munnar |
| Day 2 | Munnar | Mattupetty Dam, Kundala Lake, Echo Point, Eravikulam National Park, KDHP Tea Museum | Munnar |
| Day 3 | Munnar → Thekkady (about 2.5 hours) | Periyar Lake boat ride, spice garden, Kalaripayattu show | Thekkady |
| Day 4 | Thekkady → Alleppey (about 3 hours) | Board the houseboat at noon, backwater cruise, sunset | Houseboat, Alleppey |
| Day 5 | Alleppey → Kovalam (about 4 hours) | Disembark at 9 am, evening on Lighthouse Beach | Kovalam |
| Day 6 | Kovalam | Lighthouse Beach, Vizhinjam fishing harbour, optional Ayurveda session | Kovalam |
| Day 7 | Kovalam → Trivandrum airport (about 30 minutes) | Morning at leisure, then departure | Journey home |
Why fly into Kochi and out of Trivandrum?
Because it saves most of a day. Kochi is the nearest major airport to Munnar, and Trivandrum airport is about 30 minutes from Kovalam. Arriving at one and leaving from the other means you never retrace the route. A return ticket through Kochi would add a drive of five hours or more from Kovalam on your last day.
Flights and train tickets are not part of the package, but we advise on timings before you book. Aim to land in Kochi by late morning on day one so the drive into the hills is in daylight. Travellers from Hyderabad, Bangalore and other large Indian cities can usually find flights to both airports.
What do the first three days in the hills look like?
The first three days belong to the Western Ghats: two nights in Munnar and one in Thekkady. On day one your driver meets you at Kochi and the road climbs for about 4 hours, past Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls, to your hill resort. The evening is free.
Day two is a full day in Munnar. The usual circuit takes in Mattupetty Dam, Echo Point and Kundala Lake along one road, then Eravikulam National Park for the Nilgiri tahr and the KDHP Tea Museum, with an optional sunrise hike for early risers. We trim the list to your pace; our Munnar guide helps you choose.
On day three you drive south through spice country to Thekkady. The afternoon is the boat ride on Periyar Lake, followed by a spice garden and an evening Kalaripayattu show. One night is enough here; our Thekkady guide explains why.
How do the backwaters fit in on days four and five?
The houseboat night falls in the middle of the trip, as the hinge between hills and coast. On day four you drive about 3 hours down to Alleppey and board at noon. The afternoon is a slow cruise with lunch on deck; the boat moors at sunset, and dinner and the night are on the water. All houseboat meals are included.
You disembark at 9 am on day five and continue south. Our Alleppey houseboat guide goes through a night on board hour by hour.
What do you do in Kovalam at the end?
Kovalam is the rest at the end of the trip: two nights at a sea-view property with very little you have to do. The drive from Alleppey takes about 4 hours, so you arrive in time for an evening on Lighthouse Beach.
Day six is yours. Walk the curve of Lighthouse Beach, visit the fishing harbour at Vizhinjam, try an Ayurveda session if you would like one (treatments are arranged and paid for separately), and watch the sunset from near the lighthouse. On day seven there is a slow morning before the 30-minute transfer to Trivandrum International Airport. Our Kovalam guide covers the beaches in detail.
How do you shorten this to 5 days or stretch it to 8 or 10?
The route is modular: stop early for a shorter trip, or keep going south for a longer one.
| Days | Package | Route | From, per couple |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Munnar Short Escape | Munnar | ₹12,999 |
| 4 | Munnar & Alleppey | Munnar and an Alleppey houseboat | ₹21,999 |
| 5 | Romantic Kerala | Munnar, Thekkady and an Alleppey houseboat | ₹29,999 |
| 7 | Kerala Grand Tour (this itinerary) | Adds 2 nights in Kovalam | ₹39,999 |
| 8 | Kerala Premium Escape | Adds a night on the cliffs at Varkala | ₹49,999 |
| 10 | Kerala Complete Circuit | Adds a third night in Munnar and a night at Kanyakumari | ₹69,999 |
With five days, end at Alleppey and return to Kochi. That is Romantic Kerala, our lead honeymoon package, and the 5-day Kerala honeymoon itinerary describes it in full. With eight days, a night at Varkala breaks the drive from Alleppey to Kovalam. With ten, you get a slower third day in Munnar, plus a sunset and a sunrise at Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India.
For what each tier covers, see the Kerala trip cost guide for couples. Whichever length you choose, we send a personalised itinerary within 24 hours of your enquiry, at no charge.
