✈️ Best Kerala Itinerary for North Indian Travellers (5–7 Day Plan)

Why Kerala is Perfect for North Indian Travellers

If you are from Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Lucknow, Pune, or Bangalore and looking for a holiday that feels like a different country without leaving India, Kerala is it. The landscape, food, culture, and pace of life are completely different from anything in North India.

Prefer Hindi? Read this guide in Hinglish here

Kerala packs an incredible variety into a small state — misty hill stations with tea plantations, wildlife sanctuaries with wild elephants, backwater canals with houseboats, and beaches with cliffs and lighthouses. And the best part? Everything is 3 to 5 hours apart by car. No 12-hour drives between destinations like in Rajasthan or Himachal.

This guide is written specifically for travellers coming from outside Kerala — covering how to get here, where to go, what to eat, and how to get around without any confusion.

How to Reach Kerala

Kerala has three international airports. Your choice depends on your itinerary:

• Cochin International Airport (COK) — best if starting with Munnar, Thekkady, or Alleppey. Most flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore land here. This is the most popular entry point
• Trivandrum International Airport (TRV) — best if starting with Kovalam beach, Varkala, or heading south to Kanyakumari. Good connections from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Gulf countries
• Calicut International Airport (CCJ) — best if heading to Wayanad or North Kerala. Fewer direct flights but growing fast

Direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Kochi take about 2.5 to 3 hours. From Bangalore it is just 1 hour. Budget airlines like IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India Express operate multiple daily flights.

The 5-Day Itinerary (Most Popular)

This is the classic Kerala circuit that most North Indian travellers follow:

Day 1: Arrive Kochi → Drive to Munnar

• Flight lands at Kochi Airport
• Your cab picks you up at arrivals
• Drive to Munnar: 130 km, 4–5 hours via Kochi to Munnar route
• Stop at Cheeyappara Waterfalls on the way
• Check into hotel by evening
• Explore Munnar town market for fresh tea and chocolate

Day 2: Munnar Sightseeing

• Eravikulam National Park (Nilgiri Tahr, mountain grasslands)
• Tea Museum and tea garden walk
• Mattupetty Dam (boating)
• Top Station (panoramic views of Tamil Nadu plains)
• Echo Point and Kundala Lake

Your cab stays with you all day for short hops between viewpoints.

Day 3: Munnar → Thekkady

• Drive: 110 km, 3.5 hours via Munnar to Thekkady route
• Landscape changes from tea gardens to spice plantations
• Afternoon: Spice plantation tour (cardamom, pepper, vanilla)
• Evening: Periyar Lake boating inside the tiger reserve
• Night: Kadathanadan Kalari martial arts show

Day 4: Thekkady → Alleppey (Houseboat)

• Drive: 140 km, 4 hours via Thekkady to Alleppey route
• Descend from hills through rubber plantations to flat backwater country
• Arrive Alleppey by noon for houseboat check-in
• Cruise through palm-lined canals on a traditional Kettuvallam
• Fresh Kerala meals cooked onboard
• Overnight on the houseboat

Day 5: Alleppey → Kochi Airport

• Houseboat check-out by 9 AM
• Drive to Kochi Airport: 85 km, 2 hours
• Optional stop: Fort Kochi (Chinese nets, colonial streets) if flight is evening
• Drop at airport for departure

The 7-Day Itinerary (Recommended)

If you have 2 extra days, add these:

Day 1: Arrive Kochi — Explore the City

Instead of rushing to Munnar on arrival day, spend a night in Kochi:

• Fort Kochi and Chinese fishing nets
• Mattancherry Palace and Jewish Synagogue
• Marine Drive evening walk
• Kerala dinner at a local restaurant

Days 2–5: Same as the 5-day plan above

Kochi → Munnar (2N) → Thekkady (1N) → Alleppey houseboat (1N)

Day 6: Alleppey → Kanyakumari

• Drive: 230 km, 5 hours via Trivandrum and NH 66
• Leave Alleppey after houseboat checkout (9 AM)
• Reach Kanyakumari by afternoon
• Visit Kumari Amman Temple, Gandhi Memorial, seafront walk
• Evening: Watch the sunset at India's southernmost tip — where the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Bay of Bengal meet
• Overnight at Kanyakumari

This is the moment most North Indian travellers remember forever — standing at the last point of India, watching the sun disappear into the ocean. Book your Trivandrum to Kanyakumari cab as part of the trip.

Day 7: Kanyakumari Sunrise → Kovalam → Trivandrum Airport

• 5:45 AM: Watch the sunrise over the ocean from the Kanyakumari shore
• 7:00 AM: Ferry to Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar Statue
• 9:30 AM: Depart for Trivandrum (90 km, 2.5 hours)
• Optional stop: Kovalam Beach for a quick swim or Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum
• Drop at Trivandrum Airport for evening flight

This version gives you the complete Kerala experience — hills, wildlife, backwaters, India's southernmost tip, AND beaches. You fly into Kochi and fly out of Trivandrum — no backtracking.

Smart Tip: Fly Into One Airport, Fly Out of the Other

Many travellers do not realize you can land at Kochi and depart from Trivandrum (or vice versa). This is the best way to see Kerala without wasting a day driving back to where you started.

• Kochi in, Trivandrum out — start with hills (Munnar, Thekkady), then backwaters (Alleppey), then Kanyakumari, exit from Trivandrum
• Trivandrum in, Kochi out — start with beaches (Kovalam) and Kanyakumari, then backwaters (Alleppey), then hills (Munnar), exit from Kochi

One-way flights between Kochi and Trivandrum are cheap. Or skip the second flight entirely — your cab drives you the whole way. We offer one-way cabs between the two airports: Trivandrum to Kochi or Kochi to Trivandrum (210 km, 4 hours).

For a detailed comparison of all airport combinations with 3, 5, and 7-day itineraries, read our Kochi vs Trivandrum airport guide.

Tips for North Indian Travellers in Kerala

Kerala is very different from North India. Here is what you need to know:

Language

Malayalam is the local language. Most people in tourist areas speak basic Hindi and decent English. Your cab driver will speak enough Hindi or English to communicate. In smaller towns, use Google Translate or ask your driver to help.

Food

Kerala food is rice-based, coconut-heavy, and uses a lot of curry leaves and mustard seeds. It is very different from North Indian food.

• Kerala meals (sadya) — rice with sambar, rasam, avial, thoran, and payasam on a banana leaf. Eat with your right hand
• Appam and stew — lacy rice pancakes with coconut milk vegetable stew. A must-try breakfast
• Puttu and kadala curry — steamed rice cylinders with black chickpea curry
• Parotta and curry — the closest thing to North Indian paratha, but flakier
• Filter coffee — South Indian filter coffee is different from chai. Try it

Vegetarian food is widely available everywhere. If you eat non-vegetarian, Kerala's fish curry and prawn dishes are legendary, but this guide focuses on the vegetarian options.

North Indian restaurants exist in Munnar, Thekkady, and Kochi tourist areas if you need familiar food. But try the local food at least once — it is part of the experience.

Weather

• October to March — best time. Pleasant weather everywhere. Munnar can be cold at night (10–15°C)
• April to May — hot in the plains but hill stations are still pleasant
• June to September — monsoon. Lush green but heavy rain. Some activities may be closed

Pack light layers for Munnar even if you are visiting in winter. The rest of Kerala is warm year-round.

Money

• UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe) works at most shops, hotels, and restaurants
• Carry some cash for small shops, temple donations, and entry fees
• ATMs are available in all towns

Clothing

• Casual and comfortable. Kerala is relaxed about dress code
• Temples require traditional attire — mundu for men, saree or long skirt for women. Rental available outside major temples
• Carry a light rain jacket if visiting during monsoon
• Comfortable walking shoes for Munnar viewpoints and Thekkady treks

Safety

Kerala is one of the safest states in India for tourists. Solo women travellers, families with kids, and elderly travellers all feel comfortable here. Petty crime is rare. People are generally helpful and honest.

Why Book a Cab for the Entire Trip

Many North Indian travellers ask about buses, trains, or self-drive options. Here is the honest comparison:

• Buses — exist between cities but involve multiple transfers, fixed schedules, crowded during holidays, and no flexibility for sightseeing stops
• Trains — limited routes in Kerala. No train to Munnar, Thekkady, or Wayanad
• Self-drive — risky on ghat roads (Munnar, Thekkady) if you are not familiar with hairpin bends and narrow mountain roads
• Cab with driver — door-to-door, flexible, same driver for the whole trip, local knowledge, luggage stays in the car

A dedicated cab with an experienced Kerala driver is the smartest way to do this trip. The driver becomes your local guide — suggesting restaurants, timing temple visits, finding the best viewpoints, and handling the tricky ghat roads.

Vehicle Options

• Sedan (Swift Dzire) — couples or small families (2 adults + 1 child)
• SUV (Innova Crysta) — families of 4–6 with luggage. Best for hill roads
• Tempo Traveller — groups of 7–12. College trips, friend groups

All vehicles are AC, GPS-tracked, and well-maintained.

How to Book

Use our interactive trip planner to build your itinerary step by step, or check our Kerala tour packages for ready-made options.

Planning your first Kerala trip? WhatsApp us your travel dates, number of passengers, and interests — we will suggest the perfect itinerary and send you a quote within minutes. Clean AC vehicles, experienced drivers who speak Hindi, no hidden charges. 📲 94465 13129