Backwaters, Beaches and Ayurveda: Kumarakom and Varkala — 5 Nights / 6 Days
A water and wellness trip with no hill station and no long drives: two nights at Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake, a full houseboat night through Kuttanad, then two nights on the Varkala cliff. Kumarakom is Kerala's leading birding spot, and Varkala is the only stretch of the coast where laterite cliffs meet the sea, with a long-standing Ayurveda and yoga community.
About this itinerary
This 5 nights and 6 days Kerala tour package covers Kumarakom, Alleppey and Varkala, based on two nights at Kumarakom, one full houseboat night through Kuttanad and two nights on the Varkala cliff. Day 1 drives to Kumarakom for a sunset shikara ride, Day 2 is the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary at first light and Pathiramanal Island, Day 3 boards the houseboat at Alleppey, Day 4 moves to Varkala for sunset on the North Cliff, Day 5 covers morning yoga, Papanasam Beach, Sivagiri Mutt and Kappil Lake, and Day 6 ends with the Trivandrum drop.
The pacing keeps it to water and wellness rather than a packed circuit, with no hill station and no long drives. The Ayurveda here is two sessions at a certified centre and morning yoga, not a full Panchakarma programme, which needs fourteen to twenty-one days and is quoted separately.
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 1KumarakomArrival day
Kumarakom and Vembanad Lake
Kochi pickup and the drive to Kumarakom, with a sunset shikara ride on Vembanad Lake.
The highlight of this day is the sunset shikara ride, when the lake goes completely still.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 1.5 to 2 hrsStay: Kumarakom - Day 2KumarakomSightseeing
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary at First Light
The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary at first light and Pathiramanal Island, with the afternoon free for self-exploration. Any boating or canoeing fee is payable directly.
The highlight of this day is watching darters, herons and kingfishers at dawn, with migratory birds arriving from November to February.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleStay: KumarakomBreakfast included - Day 3AlleppeyHouseboat night
Boarding the Houseboat at Alleppey
Transfer to Alleppey and board the houseboat for a Kuttanad cruise, with all meals on board.
The highlight of this day is lunch cooked on board as you move out into Vembanad Lake.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 1 to 1.5 hrs to Alleppey, then cruiseStay: AlleppeyBreakfast, Lunch, Evening tea, Dinner included - Day 4VarkalaTransfer day
Varkala and the North Cliff
Disembark and drive south to Varkala, with sunset from the North Cliff.
The highlight of this day is sunset from the cliff path, the best free view on the Kerala coast.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 3 hrsStay: VarkalaBreakfast included - Day 5VarkalaSightseeing
Papanasam Beach, Sivagiri and Kappil Lake
Morning yoga and an optional Ayurveda massage, payable directly, then Papanasam Beach, Sivagiri Mutt and a visit to Kappil Lake.
The highlight of this day is Kappil Lake, where the backwater runs a few metres from the sea with only a strip of sand between them.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleStay: VarkalaBreakfast included - Day 6Departure
Departure
A relaxed final morning, then the drive to Trivandrum for the drop.
The highlight of this day is a relaxed final morning before the transfer, with no early checkout rush.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 1 to 1.5 hrs to TrivandrumBreakfast 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kumarakom | 2 | Arcadia Magnet | |
| Alleppey | 1 | Alappuzha Boat house | AC bedroom, 21:00–06:00 |
| Varkala | 2 | Black Beach Resort |
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.
- Quoted on the Bed and Breakfast (BB) plan: room with daily breakfast. The 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 Ayurveda included two sessions at a certified centre, a consultation and treatment at Kumarakom and a second session at Varkala, plus morning yoga. It is not a full Panchakarma programme, which needs fourteen to twenty-one days and is quoted separately with doctor consultation, a diet plan and daily therapy.
- The optional Ayurveda massage on Day 5, and any boating or canoeing fee at the Kumarakom sanctuary, are payable directly.
- Sivagiri Mutt is an active spiritual centre rather than a sightseeing stop, so cover shoulders and knees and be ready to remove footwear. Dress codes and entry rules at religious sites are set by the authority concerned, and we brief you on the current position before the visit.
- The Kumarakom sanctuary is at its best from November to March, when the migratory arrivals are in, and at first light, which is why Day 2 starts early.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Alleppey shikara cruise | ₹800-1000 per person | Alleppey — Day 3 |
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.
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Questions about this package
What does the Backwaters, Beaches and Ayurveda package cover?
Two nights at Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake with the bird sanctuary at first light, a full houseboat night through Kuttanad, then two nights on the Varkala cliff with morning yoga and two Ayurveda sessions at a certified centre, ending with the Trivandrum drop. Hotels, the houseboat on full board, the Ayurveda sessions, a private AC vehicle, sightseeing and the entry tickets named in the day plan are included.
Is this a real Panchakarma programme?
No, and we will not call it one. Genuine Panchakarma needs fourteen to twenty-one days minimum. What this package includes is two sessions at a certified centre: a consultation and treatment at Kumarakom and a second session at Varkala, plus morning yoga. That is proper therapeutic treatment and worth doing on its own terms. If you want the full programme, we quote it separately with doctor consultation, a diet plan and daily therapy.
What is included in the package?
Hotel or resort stay on twin sharing with daily breakfast, the houseboat night on full board, two Ayurveda sessions at a certified centre, a private AC vehicle for all transfers and sightseeing, all fuel, toll, parking, permits and driver allowance, airport or railway station pickup and drop, entry tickets and ride charges for everything named in the day-by-day itinerary, and 24x7 on-ground assistance from our team in Kerala.
What meals do we get on the houseboat?
Full board. Welcome drink, lunch, evening tea with snacks, dinner and next-morning breakfast, all cooked on board. That is standard practice on Alleppey and Kumarakom houseboats. On the other nights you are on BB (CP), which is room plus daily breakfast.
When is the best time for birds at Kumarakom?
November to March, when the migratory arrivals are in. Resident darters, herons and kingfishers are there year round, but the sanctuary is at its best at first light, which is why Day 2 starts early rather than after breakfast.
Do we need to dress a particular way for Sivagiri Mutt?
Yes. Sivagiri is an active spiritual centre rather than a sightseeing stop, so cover shoulders and knees and be ready to remove footwear. Dress codes and entry rules at religious sites are set by the authority concerned, so we brief you on the current position before the visit.
How do I book, and can I cancel?
50% of the package amount confirms the booking, and the balance is due before departure or on arrival. Payment is by bank wire transfer to our account. Dates may be changed, shortened or cancelled with 30 days' written notice, subject to availability. Inside 30 days the package amount is retained in full.
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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