Kerala Trip Plan for 5 Days: Munnar, Alleppey and Kochi

Quick answer

Fly into Kochi, spend two nights in Munnar, one on the Alleppey backwaters and one in Fort Kochi, then fly out. That is the easiest Kerala trip plan for 5 days because it keeps every road day short and ends where the airport is. Before you book, note three official facts: Eravikulam National Park near Munnar is closed in February and March and takes visitors only 8 AM–2 PM; Kerala Tourism classifies houseboats as Silver, Gold or Diamond Vessels and each must display its KIV number; and Mattancherry Palace in Kochi is closed on Fridays. We don’t invent fares or room rates — check current prices for your dates.

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When to go: Kerala seasons in one minute

Kerala Tourism’s own trip-planning page splits the year like this: November to February is the peak season, with pleasant weather but more crowds and higher prices; March to May and June to September are off-peak, with fewer crowds and lower prices; and June to August is the heavy monsoon. The same page advises booking stays and transport in advance, especially in peak season.

What this means for a November–February trip

You are travelling in the busiest window. Book the houseboat and the Munnar hotel first — they are the two things that run out — then the flights. If your dates are flexible, compare a weekday start with a weekend one on the flight search; our guide on the best time to book domestic flights in India explains how fares move as the date gets closer.

Monsoon and summer trips

Kerala Tourism notes that Munnar and the other high ranges stay much cooler than the coast, while March–May is humid on the coast and in the midlands. In the monsoon, keep a spare half-day in the plan; hill roads are slower in heavy rain.

The 5-day Kerala itinerary at a glance

This route starts and ends at Cochin International Airport (COK), so there is no back-tracking to a far airport on the last day.

Travel times in the table are the official estimates; real drive times depend on traffic, rain and stops, so check a live map on the day.

Days 1–2: Munnar, tea hills and Eravikulam

Kerala Tourism puts Munnar about 110 km from Cochin International Airport and its FAQ page describes the drive from the airport as roughly three hours along NH85. If your flight lands in the afternoon, plan nothing for Day 1 except reaching the hotel, ideally before dark.

Eravikulam National Park (Rajamala)

This is the park most people come to Munnar for — it protects the endangered Nilgiri tahr. The official booking portal says the park is 13 km from Munnar town, entry is from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and it is closed from February to March (the calving season). The listed fees are ₹200 for Indian adults and ₹500 for foreign nationals, plus ₹50 for an ordinary camera and ₹350 for a video camera, with a ₹50 reservation fee for counter bookings at the Munnar information centre. Book on the official portal for a time slot, and read the refund rule first: cancel at least 48 hours ahead, with 50% back if you cancel more than 15 days before and 25% between 15 days and 48 hours.

Inside the park, carrying food and plastic is not allowed and sightings are “absolutely based on chance”, as the park itself puts it. Pick a morning slot so you are not racing the 2 PM entry cut-off.

Top Station and the tea estates

Kerala Tourism describes Top Station as the highest point on the Munnar–Kodaikanal road, at about 1,700 m, with some of the best views of the Western Ghats. For walks, its adventure page lists Munnar’s nature-walk season as September to May, suggests starting at about 7 AM before the mist burns off, and notes that some trails need permission in advance — so use an accredited provider rather than wandering into private estates. The same official page gives an approximate cost of ₹500–₹1,500 per person for a guided walk.

Where to stay in Munnar

Two nights in one hotel is enough. Compare options on our hotel search (Munnar is one of the cities listed) or on MakeMyTrip Hotels, and check whether the room rate includes breakfast and parking, because you will be out early on Day 2.

Days 3–4: Alleppey backwaters and the houseboat night

Day 3 is the longest road day of the trip, so leave Munnar early. The Alappuzha district administration lists the town as 62 km south of Kochi, about an hour on NH66, and 82.8 km from Cochin International Airport, about two hours. Ask your houseboat operator for the exact boarding and check-out times when you book, and work your Munnar departure back from that.

How to pick a houseboat safely

Kerala’s Department of Tourism runs a classification scheme for houseboats. Under the 2019 revised scheme, boats are rated Silver Vessel (minimum facilities), Gold Vessel or Diamond Vessel (highest facilities). The classification is valid for two years, it is not a substitute for the Port Department licence, and classified boats must permanently display their KIV number, name and classification certificate. The checklist also requires life buoys, a first-aid kit, a GPS system and staff who can swim. Before you pay:

• Ask for the boat’s name, KIV number and classification category.
• Ask whether air-conditioning is all night or only part of the night — the checklist shows 24-hour AC is required only for the Diamond category.
• Get the route, the night-halt point and the meals included in writing.
• Read the cancellation terms; houseboats are booked for a fixed date.

Houseboat night or hotel plus a day cruise?

A night on the boat is the classic choice. If you are a light sleeper or travelling with small children, a hotel near the backwaters plus a day cruise gives you the same scenery with a regular room. Kerala Tourism also mentions Alappuzha Beach, the lighthouse and Kuttanad — the paddy belt where farming is done below sea level — for the rest of the day.

Want everything pre-arranged? Our travel page lists two Kerala packages that cover Kochi, Munnar and Alleppey: Best of Kerala and Kerala weekend getaway with houseboat stay. Open each page for today’s price, inclusions and exclusions — entry fees are usually extra.

Days 4–5: Fort Kochi and Mattancherry

From Alappuzha it is about an hour to Kochi by road. Stay in or near Fort Kochi so you can walk to most sights.

Chinese fishing nets at sunset

Kerala Tourism says the best view of the Chinese fishing nets (cheenavala) is from Vasco da Gama Square, the walkway along Fort Kochi beach. Each teak-and-bamboo net is about 10 m high and is worked by a team of fishermen; fishing usually happens in the morning and early evening, and the nets against the sunset are one of the most photographed sights in Kochi.

Mattancherry Palace and Jew Town

The Mattancherry (Dutch) Palace was built around 1545 by the Portuguese and later renovated by the Dutch; its bedchamber murals tell the whole Ramayana. Kerala Tourism lists visiting hours as 10 AM to 5 PM on all days except Fridays. If your Day 5 is a Friday, swap it: see the palace on Day 4 afternoon and keep the fishing nets for Day 5 morning. Jew Town and its antique shops are next to the palace.

Kerala Tourism says Mattancherry Palace is about 12 km from Ernakulam city. Leave a comfortable buffer for the airport run, and check your airline’s check-in cut-off — our guide to web check-in time for domestic flights covers the rules.

Key distances from official pages

How to build your Kerala trip budget

There is no honest single “₹X per person” figure for Kerala — it depends on your city, dates and how comfortable you want the stays to be. Use these five buckets and fill in live prices:

1. Flights to Kochi (COK) and back. Search on our flight search, or compare Trip.com flights and Cleartrip flights. If you are flying with only a cabin bag, check our cabin baggage rules for domestic flights.
2. Four nights of stay: two in Munnar, one houseboat or Alappuzha hotel, one in Fort Kochi.
3. A cab for Days 1, 3 and 4 (airport → Munnar → Alappuzha → Kochi). One driver for the whole loop is simpler than three separate bookings; get the quote with tolls, parking and the driver’s stay spelt out.
4. Entry fees: Eravikulam’s official fees are listed above; check other sights’ fees on the day.
5. Food, tips and a buffer. Kerala Tourism notes that tipping hotel staff, drivers and guides is common but not compulsory, so keep small notes handy.

For the hotel lines, our hotel search covers Kochi and Munnar; Trip.com hotels is another place to compare. If you are planning a beach break instead, our Goa trip budget for 3 days uses the same worksheet approach.

Practical tips before you go

• Pack for two climates. Kerala Tourism suggests an umbrella or raincoat, sunscreen, a hat, a water bottle and warm clothes for the high ranges, where Munnar has recorded temperatures close to freezing.
• Dress modestly at temples and other religious sites, as Kerala Tourism advises.
• Book Eravikulam online for a slot instead of queuing, and remember the park closes to entry at 2 PM.
• Keep one slack half-day. If rain or traffic slows Day 3, drop the Alappuzha beach and keep the houseboat.
• Consider travel insurance — Kerala Tourism’s own checklist mentions it for illness, injury or lost luggage.

We haven’t stayed at or rated any specific hotel or houseboat for this guide; it is a planning framework built from official information.

Related offers and guides

Live GrabDeals pages for this trip (open each for today’s price):

• Best of Kerala package (Munnar + Alleppey)
• Kerala getaway with houseboat stay
• Flights, hotels and tours on our travel page
• Manali trip budget and plan
• Goa trip budget for 3 days
• Best time to book domestic flights in India

Book the trip

Lock the houseboat and the Munnar stay first, then the flights to Kochi. Search both on our travel page. Prices, availability and refund rules are set by the airline, hotel, houseboat operator or booking site, so read them before you pay.

Frequently asked questions