North Kerala Discovery: Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Bekal — 6 Nights / 7 Days
Two nights in Wayanad, a Kozhikode night, a Kannur night and two nights at Bekal, a north Kerala route the big operators do not sell, so far fewer crowds. Edakkal Caves, the Beypore uru shipyard, Kannur handlooms, Theyyam when the shrine calendar allows and the Valiyaparamba backwater without the houseboat traffic of the south.
About this itinerary
This 6 nights and 7 days tour package covers Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Bekal, based on two nights in Wayanad, a Kozhikode night, a Kannur night and two nights at Bekal. Day 1 climbs to Wayanad on the Thamarassery ghat, Day 2 is Edakkal Caves, waterfalls and Banasura, Day 3 descends to Kozhikode for the Beypore shipyard and the food streets, Day 4 is Kannur for the fort, handlooms and Theyyam, Day 5 is Bekal Fort and the Kasaragod coast, Day 6 is the Valiyaparamba backwater cruise, and Day 7 is the Mangalore drop.
This is a route the large operators do not sell, so the traffic is a fraction of the classic circuit and the craft and ritual side of Kerala takes centre stage. The one thing not to bank on is Theyyam: the season runs roughly December to April but is tied to individual shrine calendars, so we confirm only after checking with the local kavu.
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 1WayanadArrival day
Kozhikode Pickup & Drive Up to Wayanad Through the Thamarassery Ghat
Pickup at Kozhikode, the Thamarassery ghat climb with its hairpin bends and the Lakkidi viewpoint, then check in at Wayanad.
The highlight of this day is the valley opening up at Lakkidi after the ninth hairpin bend.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 2.5 hrs from KozhikodeStay: Wayanad - Day 2WayanadSightseeing
Wayanad: Edakkal Caves, Waterfalls and Banasura
Edakkal Caves, the Soochipara waterfalls, Banasura Sagar Dam and Pookode Lake.
The highlight of this day is the figures cut into the rock at Edakkal, from a period long before any temple, fort or palace on this trip.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleStay: WayanadBreakfast included - Day 3KozhikodeTransfer day
Kozhikode, Beypore Shipyard and the Food Streets
The descent to Kozhikode, the Beypore uru shipyard, Kozhikode Beach and an SM Street food walk.
The highlight of this day is the Beypore yards, where uru dhows are still built by hand using centuries old techniques.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 2.5 hrs to KozhikodeStay: KozhikodeBreakfast included - Day 4KannurTransfer day
Kannur: Fort, Beach, Handlooms and Theyyam
The drive to Kannur, St Angelo Fort and Payyambalam Beach, the handloom weaving centres and a Theyyam performance if the season and shrine calendar permit.
The highlight of this day is Theyyam, if the shrine calendar allows it, ritual rather than performance and unforgettable when you catch it.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 2.5 hrs to KannurStay: KannurBreakfast included - Day 5BekalTransfer day
Bekal Fort and the Kasaragod Coast
The drive to Bekal, Bekal Fort at sunset and 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 to BekalStay: BekalBreakfast included - Day 6BekalSightseeing
Valiyaparamba Backwater Cruise
A Valiyaparamba backwater cruise, Nileshwar and beach time.
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 vehicleStay: BekalBreakfast included - Day 7Departure
Departure
The drop to Mangalore airport or railway station after a relaxed final morning.
The highlight of this day is a relaxed final morning before the transfer, with no early checkout rush.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 1.5 hrs to Mangalore (nearest airport)Breakfast 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayanad | 2 | Hotel Bonita Banasura | |
| Kozhikode | 1 | Hotel De Calicut Gate | |
| Kannur | 1 | Hotel Benale International | |
| Bekal | 2 | Balaji Regency |
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. Any meal not listed for a day, including on the arrival day, is on request and payable directly.
- Theyyam season runs roughly December to April, but each *kavu follows its own calendar, so we check with the local shrine before confirming rather than print a date we cannot honour. Kavu refers to the sacred groves across the Malabar Coast in Kerala.
- Pickup is at Kozhikode on Day 1 and the drop is at Mangalore on Day 7, so you can book inbound and outbound travel into different cities and skip the backtrack.
- If you would rather fly out of Kochi than Mangalore, tell us when you book. Bekal to Kochi is a long haul of about 8 to 9 hours by road, so we can only make it work if you have a flight from Kochi (COK) that leaves late in the evening or at night.
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 1 or 2 |
| Ziplining, Wayanad | ₹400-1100/- per person | Wayanad — Day 1 or 2 |
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 North Kerala tour package cover?
Two nights in Wayanad, a Kozhikode night, a Kannur night and two nights at Bekal, from a Kozhikode pickup to a Mangalore drop. It covers Edakkal Caves, the Beypore uru shipyard, Kannur's handlooms and St Angelo Fort, Theyyam when the shrine calendar permits, Bekal Fort and the Valiyaparamba backwater. Stays are on bed and breakfast, a private AC vehicle covers all transfers and sightseeing, and our team in Kerala is reachable 24x7.
Will we actually see a Theyyam performance?
Only if the shrine calendar allows it on your dates. Theyyam season runs roughly December to April, but each kavu follows its own calendar, so we check with the local shrine before we confirm anything. We would rather tell you honestly that your dates do not work than print a date we cannot honour.
Where does this trip start and end?
Pickup is at Kozhikode on Day 1 and the drop is at Mangalore on Day 7. Both are covered in the package, so you can book your inbound and outbound travel into different cities and skip the backtrack.
What is included in the package?
Hotel or resort stay on twin sharing with daily breakfast, a private AC vehicle for all transfers and sightseeing, all fuel, toll, parking, inter-state permit 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. Anything not named in the day plan is not included.
Is North Kerala worth it over the usual Munnar and Alleppey circuit?
It is if you want the craft, ritual and food side of Kerala and fewer crowds. Beypore still builds uru dhows by hand, Kannur weaves on handlooms, Bekal is a 300-year-old laterite fort on the sea, and Valiyaparamba is a backwater without the houseboat traffic of the south. For a first Kerala trip the classic circuit is the safer pick.
Can this itinerary be customised?
Yes. Customization option is available. Room category and meal plan stay open, upgrades to deluxe, 4-star or premium and to MAP or AP are re-quoted, and the package works with or without flights.
How do I book, and what happens if 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