Kerala Complete Circuit: Bekal to Kanyakumari — 9 Nights / 10 Days
The full length of Kerala in one run, from Bekal Fort and the Valiyaparamba backwaters down to Munnar, an Alleppey houseboat, Kovalam and a Kanyakumari day trip, with nothing on the route retraced. Hotels, a private AC vehicle, sightseeing, entry tickets, a full board houseboat night and the Tamil Nadu inter-state permit are included, with a Mangalore pickup and a Trivandrum drop.
About this itinerary
This 9 nights and 10 days Kerala tour package covers Bekal, Valiyaparamba, Wayanad, Kochi, Munnar, Alleppey, Kovalam and Kanyakumari, based on a night at Bekal, two nights in Wayanad, a Fort Kochi night, two nights in Munnar, a full board houseboat night and two nights at Kovalam. Day 1 is Bekal Fort at sunset, Day 2 is the Valiyaparamba backwater cruise and the climb to Wayanad, Day 3 covers the Edakkal Caves and Wayanad sights, Day 4 descends to Fort Kochi, Day 5 crosses to Munnar through the waterfall country, Day 6 is the Munnar tea hills, Day 7 is the Kuttanad houseboat, Day 8 drives south to Kovalam, Day 9 is the Kanyakumari day trip, and Day 10 is a Trivandrum heritage morning before the drop.
The route runs roughly 1,300 km from the Kasaragod coast to the southern tip of mainland India, spread across two-night halts at Wayanad, Munnar and Kovalam so you are not packing every morning. The inter-state permit for Tamil Nadu is covered in the vehicle cost, so the Kanyakumari day trip carries no extra paperwork, and the ferry queue there gets long on weekends and holidays, so we start early. You fly into Mangalore and out of Trivandrum, so nothing on the route is retraced.
Everything below is included unless it is listed under Add-ons.
Day-by-day itinerary
Every day below can be moved, shortened or swapped. Replanning is free — you only pay the difference in what you change.
- Day 1BekalArrival day
Arrival at Bekal and Sunset at the Sea Fort
Pickup at Mangalore airport or railway station and the drive to Bekal, then Bekal Fort at sunset and a stop at Kappil Beach.
The highlight of this day is Bekal Fort at sunset, a 300-year-old laterite headland fort with the Arabian Sea on three sides.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 1.5 hrs from Mangalore airportStay: Bekal - Day 2WayanadTransfer day
Valiyaparamba Backwater Cruise and the Climb to Wayanad
A Valiyaparamba backwater cruise on the Kasaragod coast, then the drive south and up into Wayanad to check in.
The highlight of this day is a backwater fed by four rivers, with almost none of the houseboat traffic you get further south.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 5 hrs to WayanadStay: WayanadBreakfast included - Day 3WayanadSightseeing
Wayanad: Edakkal Caves, Waterfalls and Banasura Dam
A full day around Wayanad covering the Edakkal Caves, the Soochipara waterfalls, the Banasura Sagar Dam and Pookode Lake.
The highlight of this day is the rock carvings inside Edakkal, thousands of years old.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: Full day local sightseeingStay: WayanadBreakfast included - Day 4KochiTransfer day
Down the Thamarassery Ghat to Fort Kochi
The descent down the Thamarassery ghat and the drive to Kochi, an evening Fort Kochi walk and a Kathakali show.
The highlight of this day is the valley opening up at Lakkidi after the ninth hairpin bend.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 6.5 hrs to KochiStay: KochiBreakfast included - Day 5MunnarTransfer day
Mattancherry in the Morning, Then Up to Munnar
Mattancherry Palace and Jew Town in the morning, then the drive to Munnar through the waterfall country and check in.
The highlight of this day is the Cheeyappara and Valara falls stretch, where the road runs right past the water.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 4 hrs to MunnarStay: MunnarBreakfast included - Day 6MunnarSightseeing
Munnar: Dams, Viewpoints and Tea Estates
A full day around Munnar covering Mattupetty, Echo Point, Kundala Lake, Top Station and the Tata Tea Museum.
The highlight of this day is Top Station, with its long view across two southern states.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleStay: MunnarBreakfast included - Day 7AlleppeyHouseboat night
A Full Board Houseboat Night on the Kuttanad Backwaters
The drive down from Munnar to Alleppey to board a private houseboat, with all meals served on board as it cruises Kuttanad.
The highlight of this day is Kuttanad's paddy fields, farmed below sea level behind earth bunds, seen from the water.
Transfer: HouseboatTransfer duration: About 4.5 hrs to Alleppey, then cruiseStay: AlleppeyBreakfast, Lunch, Evening tea, Dinner included - Day 8KovalamTransfer day
Off the Houseboat and South to Kovalam Beach
Breakfast on the water and disembarkation, then the drive south to Kovalam and sunset at Lighthouse Beach.
The highlight of this day is breakfast on the water before you step back onto land.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 3.5 hrs to KovalamStay: KovalamBreakfast included - Day 9KovalamSightseeing
Day Trip to Kanyakumari, Where Three Seas Meet
A day trip across the Tamil Nadu border to Kanyakumari for the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, the Thiruvalluvar Statue and the three-seas confluence, then back to Kovalam, with the Tamil Nadu permit covered in the vehicle cost.
The highlight of this day is standing at the southern tip of mainland India with the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean in front of you.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 2.5 hrs each way to KanyakumariStay: KovalamBreakfast included - Day 10Departure
A Trivandrum Heritage Morning Before the Drop
A Trivandrum city round in the morning, then the drop.
The highlight of this day is Kuthiramalika Palace, with 122 carved wooden horses running along the eaves.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: Local sightseeing, then Trivandrum dropBreakfast included
Hotels on this package
Rooms are held on twin sharing with daily breakfast. Switch the category to see the properties it puts you in — the tab you pick here also sets the price shown at the top of the page and on the enquiry form.
The base category — comfortable, well-run properties in walkable locations, picked for reliable power, water and staff more than for the view.
| Stop | Nights | Standard category | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bekal | 1 | Balaji Regency | |
| Wayanad | 2 | Hotel Bonita Banasura | |
| Kochi | 1 | Emerald Inn | Deluxe, twin sharing |
| Munnar | 2 | Emerald Inn | Standard, twin sharing |
| Alleppey | 1 | Alappuzha Boat house | AC bedroom, 21:00–06:00 |
| Kovalam | 2 | Hotel Beach Flora Inn |
Notes
- This package is available with or without flights. To add flights or trains, call us for current fares.
- Customization option is available.
- Extra bed, child with or without bed, and single supplement are quoted separately. Upgrades to deluxe, 4-star or premium and to MAP or AP are re-quoted.
- Quoted on the Bed and Breakfast (BB) plan: room with daily breakfast, twin sharing, land only. The Day 7 houseboat night is on full board: welcome drink, lunch, evening tea with snacks, dinner and the next morning's breakfast. Any meal not listed for a day, including on the arrival day, is on request and payable directly.
- The inter-state permit for Tamil Nadu is covered in the vehicle cost, so the Day 9 Kanyakumari day trip carries no extra paperwork. The ferry to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial is run by the local authority and its queue is long on weekends and public holidays, so we set out early.
- Pickup is at Mangalore and the drop is at Trivandrum, so book an open-jaw ticket and skip retracing the route.
- Entry rules and dress codes at temples, and permit rules inside forest areas, are set by the authority concerned and can change at short notice.
Popular add-ons
Priced per person unless noted, and added to your quote only if you want them. Everything below can also be booked on the ground once you are there.
| Add-on | Price | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Ayurveda spa | ₹999/- onwards | Wayanad — Day 2 or 3 |
| Ziplining, Wayanad | ₹400-1100/- per person | Wayanad — Day 2 or 3 |
| Ayurveda spa | ₹999/- onwards | Kochi — Day 4 |
| Kathakali Show/Kalari Show | ₹300-600 per person per ticket | Kochi — Day 4 |
| Ayurveda spa | ₹999/- onwards | Munnar — Day 5 or 6 |
| Ziplining, Munnar | ₹450-600 per person | Munnar — Day 5 or 6 |
| Alleppey shikara cruise | ₹800-1000 per person | Alleppey — Day 7 |
| Ayurveda spa | ₹999/- onwards | Kovalam — Day 8 or 9 |
| Yoga sessions | ₹999/- onwards | Kovalam — Day 8 or 9 |
What’s included
Included
- Hotel or resort stay on twin sharing, BB (CP) plan: room plus daily breakfast
- Private AC vehicle for all transfers as per the itinerary
- Airport or railway station pickup and drop
- Experienced local driver cum guide who knows the routes
- All fuel, toll, parking, inter-state permit and driver allowance
- Sightseeing as per itinerary
- Houseboat night on full board: welcome drink, lunch, evening tea with snacks, dinner and next-morning breakfast, which is standard practice on Kerala houseboats
- 24x7 on-ground assistance from the trip2keralam team in Kerala.
Not included
- Air and rail fare
- Lunch and dinner except where houseboat full board is stated
- Any site, ride or activity not named in the day-by-day itinerary, including wildlife safaris, bamboo rafting and adventure activities
- Ayurveda treatments and spa unless listed, camera fees, tips and personal expenses
- Extra bed, child with or without bed, and single supplement, all quoted separately
- Travel insurance
- Early check-in and late check-out beyond standard hotel timings
- GST as applicable on tour packages
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Good to know before you book
- 50% of the package amount confirms the booking. The balance is due before departure or on arrival.
- Prices are per person on twin sharing, land only, and do not include air or rail fare. Adding flights or trains will move the price up.
- Rates move during peak dates: 20 December to 5 January, Onam, Christmas, New Year, festive holidays and long weekends.
- Quoted rates hold for the hotel category confirmed at booking. Room and meal plan upgrades are re-quoted.
- Standard hotel check-in is around 2 PM and check-out by 11 AM or 12 noon. Early check-in and late check-out depend on availability and are not guaranteed.
- Guests must carry a valid government photo ID at every hotel. Foreign nationals must carry a passport and visa.
- Houseboats stop cruising by evening and anchor for the night, as required by Kerala government rules, with air-conditioning running for fixed night hours. This is standard across all operators.
- The itinerary may be re-sequenced on the ground for weather, traffic, forest department closures or temple and festival restrictions. Inclusions stay the same.
- Entry rules and dress codes at temples, and permit rules inside forest areas, are set by the authority concerned and are not within our control.
- Costs arising from events beyond our control, including hartals, floods, landslides, roadblocks and other natural calamities, and from any delay or change they force, are borne by the guest and are not refundable.
- The vehicle is provided as per the itinerary. It is not at disposal for unplanned running.
Cancellation and Payments
- Payment by bank wire transfer to our account. Confirmation follows receipt.
- Confirmed dates may be changed, shortened or cancelled with 30 days' written notice to the company, subject to availability.
- Eligible refunds are processed to the original bank account within a reasonable period after cancellation. Bank or wire transfer charges are deducted from the refunded amount.
- Inside 30 days, the reservation cannot be changed, postponed or cancelled, and the package amount is retained in full.
- No-shows are not eligible for any refund.
- No credit is given for unused nights or an early departure.
- Peak-date bookings (20 December to 5 January) may carry stricter hotel cancellation terms, which we confirm at the time of booking.
Traveller reviews — 4.9 average from 412 trips
Questions about this package
What does the Kerala Complete Circuit package cover?
A night at Bekal for the sea fort, the Valiyaparamba backwaters, two nights in Wayanad, a Fort Kochi night, two nights in Munnar, a full board Kuttanad houseboat night, two nights at Kovalam and a Kanyakumari day trip, from a Mangalore pickup to a Trivandrum drop. Hotels, a private AC vehicle, sightseeing, entry tickets and the Tamil Nadu permit are all included.
How much driving does a 1,300 km route actually involve?
More than a Kochi loop, and that is the honest answer. The distance is spread across ten days with two-night halts at Wayanad, Munnar and Kovalam, so you are not moving every morning. The longest single runs are Wayanad to Kochi on Day 4 and Munnar to Alleppey on Day 7, both around six hours, and the rest are shorter hops between stops.
Which airports does this itinerary use?
Mangalore for arrival and Trivandrum for departure. Bekal sits at the top of Kerala, closer to Mangalore than to any Kerala airport, and the trip ends near Trivandrum at the bottom of the state. That open-jaw routing is what stops you retracing a full day of driving back up the coast, so book your inbound and outbound into different cities.
Is the Kanyakumari day trip included, and what about the Tamil Nadu permit?
Yes to both. Day 9 runs from Kovalam to Kanyakumari and back, and the inter-state permit for Tamil Nadu is covered in the vehicle cost, so there is no extra paperwork for you. The ferry to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial is operated by the local authority and the queue runs long on weekends and public holidays, so we set out early.
How is Valiyaparamba different from the Alleppey backwaters?
Valiyaparamba is fed by four rivers and sits far enough north that the houseboat crowd has not reached it, so you get the same palm-lined water and village life with almost none of the boat traffic. Alleppey is still on this itinerary, with the full board houseboat night on Day 7, so you get to see both ends of the backwaters.
When is the best time to do this trip?
October to March. The Bekal and Kovalam coasts are driest then, the Munnar mornings are clearest, and the Kanyakumari sunrise and sunset reward the early start. Monsoon travel is possible, but the coastal stretches and the Wayanad ghat can be slow going in heavy rain, so we run this route mainly through the dry months from October to March, when the skies stay clear.
Can this itinerary be customised?
Customization option is available, with or without flights. Room category and meal plan stay open, nights can be shifted between stops, and the Kovalam close can be extended or trimmed. 50% of the package amount confirms the booking and the balance is due before departure or on arrival. Send us your dates and rough group size and we will re-quote it for you.
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Want this trip on your dates?
- The same day-by-day plan, priced for your dates and hotel category
- Your houseboat blocked the moment your trip is confirmed
- Free replanning — swap Thekkady for Kumarakom, add nights, upgrade the boat