Aquilla Hikes
Kerala Backpacking – Munnar to Varkala (6N/7D)
6 Nights / 7 Days · from Kochi
Stay: 6 nights on sharing basis (Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey houseboat, Varkala)
Meals: 11 meals – 6 breakfasts, 4 dinners and 1 Kerala lunch
Transport: Tempo Traveller or cab from Kochi to Trivandrum for the whole trip
Day-wise itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Kochi
- Drive to Munnar
- Reach Kochi by about 9:30 am and drive up to Munnar
- Stop at Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls on the way
- Check in and take an easy evening walk around town
Meals: Dinner · Night: Munnar
Day 2: Munnar Tea Country
- Morning among the tea estates
- Rose garden, Photo Point, Echo Point, Mattupetty Dam and the 'Chennai Express' shooting point
- KDHP Tea Museum with tea tasting, and Eravikulam National Park when open (closed in season)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner · Night: Munnar
Day 3: Munnar to Thekkady
- Drive to Thekkady and check in
- Guided spice plantation walk
- Periyar National Park (safari optional, at own cost)
- Kathakali or Kalaripayattu show at Kadathanadan Kalari if time allows
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner · Night: Thekkady
Day 4: Thekkady to Alleppey
- Houseboat
- Drive to Alleppey, the backwater capital
- Board the houseboat and cruise the narrow canals past paddy fields and villages
- Traditional Kerala lunch on banana leaf on board
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner · Night: Alleppey (houseboat)
Day 5: Alleppey to Varkala
- Drive to Varkala, known for its red cliffs above the sea
- Papanasam beach and the Sivagiri Mutt of Sree Narayana Guru
- Sunset on the cliff
Meals: Breakfast · Night: Varkala
Day 6: Munroe Island & Jatayu Earth Centre
- Two-hour country boat ride through the canals of Munroe Island
- Jatayu Earth Centre at Chadayamangalam with the cable car and the giant Jatayu sculpture
- Drive back to Varkala
Meals: Breakfast · Night: Varkala
Day 7: Varkala to Trivandrum
- Departure
- After breakfast, check out and drive to Trivandrum
- Drop at Trivandrum airport
Meals: Breakfast
Inclusions
- Transport: Tempo Traveller or cab from Kochi to Trivandrum for the whole trip
- Stay: 6 nights on sharing basis (Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey houseboat, Varkala)
- Meals: 11 meals – 6 breakfasts, 4 dinners and 1 Kerala lunch
- Entries: KDHP Tea Museum with tea tasting, spice plantation tour, KTDC boating and forest entry
- Houseboat ride with Kerala lunch on banana leaf
- Munroe Island boat ride (2 hours)
- Jatayu Earth Centre cable car and sculpture visit
- Guided walks at viewpoints
- Driver allowance, tolls, parking and state taxes
Exclusions
- 5% GST
- Flights or train tickets to Kerala
- Meals and stays not listed under inclusions
- Entry tickets, boating, jeep safaris and other optional activities unless listed
- Travel insurance, tips, porterage, laundry and other personal expenses
- Costs from weather, landslides, road blocks, strikes or anything else outside our control
- Anything not listed under inclusions
Price per person
| Triple sharing (3 per room) | ₹27,500 |
| Double sharing (2 per room) | ₹30,500 |
5% GST extra. Booking advance ₹10,000 per person (non-refundable). Balance before boarding.
Things to carry
Valid government photo ID · Comfortable walking / trekking shoes · Warm layers or jacket (mountain evenings get cold) · Rain jacket or poncho · Sunglasses, cap and sunscreen · Personal medicines · Reusable water bottle · Power bank and charger · Toiletries and personal essentials · Small backpack for day trips
Cancellation policy
- The booking amount / advance is non-refundable in any case.
- 30 or more days before departure: 80% refund (excluding the advance).
- 15–29 days before departure: 50% refund (excluding the advance).
- 7–14 days before departure: 25% refund (excluding the advance).
- Less than 7 days before departure: no refund.
- No-shows and late arrivals: no refund.
- If Aquilla Hikes cancels or reschedules for unavoidable reasons, you get another date or a trip of equal value (no cash refund). Rescheduling credit is valid for 12 months.