Destinations · Kerala
Kerala: Hills, Wildlife, Backwaters and Coast
A narrow state with four very different landscapes a few hours apart, and one of the easiest regions in India to travel privately by road. Most journeys begin in Kochi and end on the backwaters or the coast.
Why Kerala
Why Kerala works so well for a private trip
Kerala is a route rather than a single destination. From the old port of Kochi the road climbs to the tea hills of Munnar, crosses the spice country around Thekkady and the Periyar reserve, drops to the lake and canals of Alleppey and Kumarakom, and ends on the coast at Marari, Varkala or Kovalam. Each stop is different enough to justify two or three nights, and none of the drives between them needs a flight.
For international visitors it is the gentlest introduction to India; for NRIs and families it is a reliable holiday with good hotels in every category. We plan it from Bengaluru with privately arranged chauffeur-driven vehicles, with hotels included or left to you, and we are as happy to run a Kerala-only loop as to join it to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu.
At a glance
- Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) are the two international gateways
- Hills, wildlife country, backwaters and coast within a day of each other
- Hill roads are slow and winding; most transfers take 3–5 hours
- Open-jaw routes work well: arrive Kochi, leave from the coast
- Houseboats, resorts and homestays are all possible; none is compulsory
Featured destinations
Where to go in Kerala
Five regions, each with its own page. Together they make the Kerala Classic route; any of them can be the whole trip.
Wayanad, in Kerala’s north, is reached from Mysuru or Coorg rather than from Kochi and features on Coffee, Hills and Backwaters. Athirapally falls, the Malabar coast and Bekal can be added to a custom route; ask us when you enquire.
Suggested journeys
Kerala journeys to start from
One begins and ends in Kochi; the other two arrive from Karnataka and finish on the Kerala coast.
Combining Kerala with Tamil Nadu? See Temples & Backwaters, 14 nights from Chennai to Kochi, or Grand South India for all three states. Short on time? See the short private trips Kerala Backwaters & Beach, Munnar, Thekkady & Kerala Backwaters and, from Madurai, Madurai, Thekkady, Munnar & Kochi.
Private car & driver
Getting around Kerala
Every trip uses your own chauffeur-driven vehicle with an English-speaking driver, from a sedan for two to a Tempo Traveller for a family group. Vehicles are booked by category, with the exact model or similar subject to availability. Kerala’s roads are narrow and busy, and the hill sections to Munnar and Thekkady are winding, so we plan around the drive rather than the distance.
Open-jaw routing is the norm: arrive at Kochi, leave from Kochi, or finish on the southern coast and fly out of Thiruvananthapuram. Hotels are optional: travel with vehicle and driver only, or let us include hotels, a houseboat night or a resort stay by comfort level, location, budget and availability. Private guides can be added for Fort Kochi and the plantations.
Typical drive times
- Kochi to Munnar: approximately 4–5 hours (hill road)
- Munnar to Thekkady: approximately 3.5–4 hours
- Thekkady to Kumarakom or Alleppey: approximately 4 hours
- Alleppey to Kochi airport: approximately 1.5–2 hours
- Alleppey to Varkala: approximately 3–3.5 hours; to Kovalam approximately 4 hours
- Kovalam to Thiruvananthapuram airport: approximately 30–45 minutes
Times are approximate and depend on traffic, weather and stops.
Good for families, seniors and private groups
Kerala’s pace suits travellers who want comfort over mileage:
- Families with children, who can mix a tea-estate walk, a boat ride and a beach with time to rest
- Senior travellers, with two or three nights at most stops and hill roads taken slowly
- Private groups of friends or relatives travelling together in one vehicle
- First-time visitors to India, for whom Kerala is a gentle introduction
Tell us about any mobility needs; some plantation walks and viewpoints involve steps or uneven paths.
Planning a South India Trip or Need a Vehicle?
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