Kerala—India’s “God’s Own Country”—has been welcoming sailors and storytellers for over two millennia. Arab traders, Portuguese navigators, and the Dutch and British left their stamps on Kochi, a port city scented with pepper, cardamom, and the sea. In the hills, Munnar’s emerald tea estates ripple like corduroy along the Western Ghats, home to rare wildlife and cloud-scraped viewpoints.

In six days you’ll trace this arc: wander Fort Kochi’s frescoed churches and spice godowns, breathe crisp mountain air among tea gardens, and glide past coconut palms and village life on the Alleppey backwaters. Along the way, taste Kerala’s layered cuisine—from karimeen (pearl-spot) wrapped in banana leaf to appam with coconut-milk stew—plus fragrant filter coffee and chai.

Practical notes: Winter (Nov–Feb) is coolest; the southwest monsoon (Jun–Sep) paints everything emerald but brings daily showers. Distances are modest but roads are winding; plan 4–5 hours Kochi–Munnar by car, and 1.5–2 hours Kochi–Alappuzha (Alleppey). Book popular activities and national park permits in advance, and carry cash for small eateries and boat tips.

Kochi

Once a crown jewel of the spice trade, Kochi (Cochin) blends Portuguese-built basilicas, Dutch-era homes, and Indian markets into a vivid port-city tapestry. Fort Kochi’s breezy promenade frames Chinese fishing nets—shore-operated contraptions introduced by traders centuries ago—especially photogenic at sunset.

Today’s Kochi is creative: art cafés, converted godowns, and boutique stays sit steps from centuries-old synagogues and warehouses bulging with pepper and ginger. Between strolls, break for fresh toddy and seafood, then cap the evening with a Kathakali dance or Kalaripayattu (martial arts) show.

• Top sights: Chinese Fishing Nets, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace), Paradesi Synagogue, Jew Town spice markets, Princess Street.
• Where to stay: Browse character stays near Fort Kochi or island-view hotels on Willingdon Island.
• Cafés & eats: Kashi Art Café (cold coffee, grilled fish), Qissa Café (all-day eggs, shakshuka), Ginger House (heritage courtyard; prawn moilee), Fusion Bay (home-style Syrian Christian seafood), Kayees Rahmathulla (legendary biryani), The Rice Boat at Taj Malabar (fine seafood on the water), Mullapanthal Toddy Shop (rustic, spice-forward fish curry).

Find accommodations: Kochi stays on VRBO | Kochi hotels on Hotels.com

Getting there: Fly into Cochin International (COK). Check fares on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. For trains to Ernakulam Jn./Town, compare on Trip.com Trains.

Recommended tours in Kochi:

• Fort Kochi Half Day or Full day City Tour

  

• Adventure Tuk Tuk Tour in kochi - A Private Guided Tour with Hotel Pick up

  

Munnar

Munnar’s allure is tactile: tea leaves shaken by morning breezes, eucalyptus on the air, and ridgelines that blush at sunrise. Established as a hill retreat by the British, it’s now a gateway to Eravikulam National Park, habitat of the endemic Nilgiri tahr and the rare neelakurinji flower that blooms every 12 years.

Spend days weaving through plantations, tasting fresh orthodox tea, hiking to waterfalls, and jeeping up to sky-high viewpoints like Kolukkumalai—home to one of the world’s highest tea estates and a vintage tea factory.

• Top sights: Tata Tea Museum, Eravikulam National Park, Kolukkumalai Sunrise, Top Station, Mattupetty Dam, Kundala Lake, Lakkam Waterfalls.
• Food to try: Kerala parotta with beef/chicken roast, peppery fish fry, vegetarian thali on banana leaf, and chai brewed with local leaves.
• Where to eat: Rapsy Restaurant (aromatic Kerala and Arabian plates), Hotel Sri Saravana Bhavan (pure veg; dosas and meals), The Fig at Parakkat Nature (view-deck dining), Copper Castle Restaurant (tea-valley vistas).

Find accommodations: Munnar stays on VRBO | Munnar hotels on Hotels.com

Getting there from Kochi: 125 km by road via NH85; allow 4–5 hours with scenic stops (Cheeyappara and Valara Falls). A private car with driver typically runs about ₹4,500–7,000 one way depending on vehicle class. Consider this guided transfer for the day you move to the hills:

• kochi to munnar A Private guided fullday tour with hotel pickup

  

Day 1: Arrive in Kochi (Fort Kochi sunsets and spice-scented lanes)

Morning: In transit to Kochi. If you land early, refuel with a South Indian breakfast—puttu and kadala curry or appam with stew—near Fort Kochi at Kashi Art Café (great espresso) or at Pai Dosa in MG Road for a crisp ghee roast.

Afternoon: Check in and decompress. Start with an orientation walk: St. Francis Church (Vasco da Gama’s first burial site), Santa Cruz Basilica’s pastel interiors, then the Chinese Fishing Nets on the foreshore. Pop into Pepper House and David Hall for rotating art exhibits and iced coffee.

Evening: Catch a traditional Kathakali performance (arrive at least 45 minutes early to watch the elaborate makeup ritual). Dinner at Fusion Bay for Syrian Christian specialties—try the prawn mango curry—or book The Rice Boat at Taj Malabar for a candlelit seafood dinner over the channel.

Day 2: Kochi to Munnar (tea hills calling)

Morning: Depart Kochi by 7–8 am for Munnar. En route, stop at Cheeyappara and Valara Waterfalls for photos, and at a spice garden to sniff cardamom pods and cinnamon bark. For a guided transfer with scenic stops, consider this private Kochi–Munnar day tour.

Afternoon: Check in and head to the Tata Tea Museum to trace plantation history and taste fresh brews. Swing by Blossom Park for a gentle stroll along the river if time allows.

Evening: Dinner at Rapsy Restaurant—peppery chicken roast with flaky parotta is a crowd-pleaser—or go vegetarian at Hotel Sri Saravana Bhavan for crisp masala dosas and a hearty thali.

Day 3: Munnar (sunrise, national park, lakes)

Morning: Pre-dawn jeep to Kolukkumalai for one of South India’s grandest sunrises. Tour the old tea factory, sip smoky mountain chai, and return by late morning. Alternatively, hike to Top Station if you prefer a leg-stretch over a jeep ride.

Afternoon: Visit Eravikulam National Park (book permits early; closed in parts of Feb–Mar for breeding) to look for the Nilgiri tahr and panoramic shola grasslands. Continue to Mattupetty Dam and Kundala Lake for paddle boating or a short nature walk.

Evening: Unwind with tea tasting at your resort. Dinner at The Fig (Parakkat Nature) for grilled freshwater fish with mountain views, or Copper Castle Restaurant for North–South Indian classics with a valley panorama.

Day 4: Munnar to Kochi (markets, palaces, and alleys of Mattancherry)

Morning: Drive back to Kochi (4–5 hours). Check in and grab a light Kerala lunch—meen pollichathu (pearl-spot fish baked in banana leaf) at Fort House Restaurant, or Kayees Rahmathulla’s famed mutton biryani if you’re hungry.

Afternoon: Explore Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace) with murals of the Ramayana, then the Paradesi Synagogue—believed to be the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth—with hand-painted Canton tiles. Browse spice and antiques in Jew Town; smell sacks of pepper, cloves, and dried ginger.

Evening: Cover more ground with a local: choose either a compact city circuit or a lively tuk-tuk safari through hidden lanes.
• Fort Kochi Half Day or Full day City Tour

• Adventure Tuk Tuk Tour in kochi - A Private Guided Tour

Night: Dine al fresco at Ginger House (waterfront, museum-restaurant vibe; try the ginger prawns) or reserve a table at The Rice Boat for coastal tasting plates. Night stroll along the Fort Kochi promenade for the breeze and street snacks.

Day 5: Alleppey Backwaters Day Cruise (houseboat heaven)

Today is dedicated to Kerala’s famous backwaters—palm-fringed canals, mirror-still lagoons, and glimpses of village life. Kochi to Alappuzha is about 1.5–2 hours each way by car. Board a traditional kettuvallam (houseboat); a crew cooks onboard while you drift past paddy fields, toddy shops, and fishermen poling narrow canoes.

Recommended experience: Kochi Private Tour: Kerala Backwater Houseboat Day Cruise in Aleppey

Prefer a longer, deeper canal experience? Consider the 21-hour option if you have flexibility: 21hrs Houseboat Tour through Alleppeys Serene Canals & Local Life

Return to Kochi by evening. Dinner at Mullapanthal Toddy Shop for rustic tapioca and spicy fish curry, or keep it light with grilled catch-of-the-day at Fort House.

Day 6: Kochi slow morning and departure

Morning: Coffee at Qissa Café or Teapot Café (antique kettles and fluffy omelets). Pick up last-minute spices in Jew Town—Malabar pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon make excellent gifts. If time allows, browse boutique textiles and handloom at Princess Street.

Afternoon: Transfer to COK for your flight. Check live options on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. If you’re continuing by rail within Kerala, see Trip.com Trains.

Alternate or add-on ideas (time permitting): Half-day village punted canoe cruise for quiet canals and coir-making demos—Half Day Village Backwater Eco Country Boat Cruise

Where to stay recap: base near Fort Kochi for walkable heritage sights; up in Munnar choose a tea-estate view or nature-forward resort. Compare options here: VRBO Kochi, Hotels.com Kochi, VRBO Munnar, Hotels.com Munnar.

How this 6-day Kerala itinerary flows: 2 nights Munnar for altitude and tea heritage; 3 nights Kochi for history, markets, and a full-day Alleppey backwaters cruise. Travel days are mornings to maximize afternoons and evenings for strolling, shows, and meals.

Summary: In under a week you’ll collect Kerala’s essential trio—heritage harbor, highland tea country, and slow-motion waterways—balanced with flavorful meals and unhurried walks. Expect generous hospitality, layered history, and landscapes that unfurl like a long, green poem.