4-Day Kerala Itinerary: Munnar and Alleppey 2024
Are you planning an itinerary for Kerala? Here are recommendations for 4 days in Kerala.
Kerala made The New York Times “Must Visit” places in 2023. I just so happened have 4 days in Kerala the first week of 2023, making me a trend setter for the travel year ;).
Despite the New York Times’ recent recognition, a stay in a houseboat on the backwaters of Alleppey has been on my list to do since my first ever trip to India in 2017. A little over five years later, I finally got to enjoy the serene backwaters. We booked a luxury three bedroom houseboat for a one night stay after exploring the mountainous countryside in Munnar for a couple days.
4-Day Kerala Itinerary Overview
Here is the high level schedule for the 4 days. Read further to get more details.
Day 1: Cochin – Munnar
- Land at Cochin airport in the early morning
- Drive 4 hours to Munnar
- Explore Munnar highlights
Day 2: Explore Munnar
- Start your day with a visit to Eravikulam National Park
- Take a hike at a spice plantation or visit the tea museum.
Day 3: Munnar – Alleppey
- Drive 5 hours to Alleppey
- Board houseboat at 1pm
- Cruise the backwaters for the day and night
Day 4: Alleppey – Cochin
- Dock in Alleppey in the early morning
- Drive 3 hours to Cochin airport to fly out
Alternate route option: You could visit Thekkady and Periyar National Park for Day 1 and 2 instead of Munnar.
Munnar: 2-Day Itinerary
Prior to our relaxing houseboat experience we had a jam packed two days in Munnar’s rolling green hills. Below are my recommendations for top things to do in Munnar.
Visit Top Station View Point
A short fifteen minute walk up to two viewing points that fall on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Bring change with you as there is a small fee at each point.
Kundala Lake Dam / Kundale Lake
Drive down from Top Station to Kundala Lake Dam. It’s a serene lake where you can rent a kayak to paddle yourself or hire a row boat for a spin around the lake.
Stop at Echo Point
Did you know it’s only an echo if the distance the sound travels is over 17 meters and the pulse of the sound can be heard twice? While a reverberation results from a large number of reflected waves that can be perceived as a continuous sound. So technically, this is a reverberation point but that just doesn’t sound as cool.
Mettupetty Dam
Popular spot for picture taking with lots of roadside stalls nearby. You can rent out speedboats to go for a tour around the lake. In the mornings, it is not uncommon to spot an elephant along the shores.
Elephant Crossing
You’ll see signs for Elephant Crossing along your drive on Route 18 past Mettupetti Dam and up to Top Station. Unfortunately we weren’t lucky enough to spot any Elephants in the wild, but our driver did say one particularly notorious elephant had been causing a raucous with the roadside stalls in the days leading up to our visit.
Eravikulam National Park
This was easily a highlight of our time in Munnar. You take a bus up the curvy mountain roads and then enjoy 1 km walk (each way) up and down a paved road. The sweeping views of the rolling hills below are quite picturesque. If you look up instead of down, you can easily spot some grazing tahr on the rocky and grassy mountainside.
Visit the Tea Museum
We made a stop at the Tea Museum, but I’d say it’s a skippable attraction. You can watch a thirty minute history of tea in Kerala and see some historical artifacts. This was an okay (and inexpensive) stop if you have time, but I do not deem it a necessity.
Spice Plantation Hike
We did this through our hotel which was located on a spice plantation but there are other places you can hike through the rolling green hills to see the variety of spices grown here.
Alleppey: 2-Day Itinerary
Drive from Munnar to Alleppey in the morning. Here, you’ll embark on a houseboat cruise through the tranquil backwaters, a network of lagoons, lakes, and canals.
Stay on a Houseboat
Experiencing the backwaters of Kerala with a cruise in a houseboat is not to be missed in a Kerala itinerary! Alleppey has what looks like hundreds of providers of houseboats but this popular activity is worth booking ahead of time to guarantee a nice stay.
I can easily recommend Spice Routes as a clean and comfortable houseboat provider, but it was the pricier of the options we looked at because it’s classified as a luxury houseboat. One obvious benefit of the taking a luxury houseboat was the air conditioning, which we were free to run the whole time. The main area in front of the boat was enclosed so we could enjoy cooler temperatures all day. You still have the option to sit out front by the boat captain to enjoy being out on the water.
One night is plenty of time for a houseboat stay. You set sail around 1pm and return to port at 9am the next morning. This allows for plenty of time for sailing and enjoying your serene surroundings without getting bored. We had cell service for most of our route and where we docked overnight, but I have heard that is not always the case.
You can return to Cochin from Alleppey if you need to fly out from there. Otherwise, I’d recommend heading out to the beaches.
You can go to either Kovalam or Varkala – both stunning beach destinations but with distinct vibes. Kovalam is more commercialized with an array of restaurants and shops, while Varkala offers cliffs adjacent to the Arabian Sea and a more laid-back atmosphere.
Kerala Itinerary FAQs
Breaking down a few commonly asked questions about planning a trip to Kerala.
When is the best time to go to Kerala?
During the winter months the temperature is milder and humidity is low. I’d recommend planning your trip between September to March. The high season for tourists is really December to February. The weather gets hot and humid from March to May. Then the monsoon season usually starts at the end of May and runs through November.
What’s the best way to get around Kerala?
I strongly suggest hiring a driver for four days. They can pick you up from Cochin and take you around to all the places on your itinerary. The drive between Munnar and Alleppey is through windy mountain roads and it’s best to have a local driver with knowledge of the area take you around.
Is 4 days in Kerala enough?
You can easily spend a week or two exploring Kerala. You can go to tiger reserves or head out to the coast to the beautiful beaches. But if you only have 4 days that’s enough time for the must-do sights of Munnar and Alleppey.
If you have 5 days, you can plan for more leisure time; the itinerary here can be a bit rushed if you don’t enjoy go-go-go travel.
TL;DR: 4 Day Kerala Itinerary
4 days in Kerala is only the beginning of what can be explored in the South India state. With this itinerary for Munnar and Alleppey, you get a taste of the mountains, tea growing, and the unique experience of the houseboat. If you have more time, head to the coast to experience Kerala’s gorgeous beaches.
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