Varkala Cliff and Ayurveda Reset — 2 Nights / 3 Days
Two nights is the right length for Varkala, a cliff sunset, a morning of temples and backwater. Varkala is the only place on the Kerala coast where laterite cliffs drop straight into the Arabian Sea, with the path along the top lined with cafes, yoga shalas and Ayurveda centres.
About this itinerary
This 2 nights and 3 days package covers Varkala over two nights on the cliff. You take the North Cliff sunset walk on Day 1, spend Day 2 at Papanasam Beach, Janardanaswamy Temple, Sivagiri Mutt and Kappil Lake, and finish Day 3 with a morning yoga session and an optional Anjengo Fort visit before the drop.
The pacing keeps it slow, which is the point of Varkala. Most of the cliff businesses shut through the heavy monsoon, so November to March is the window that works for this itinerary, and off season the strip is quiet and half closed.
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 1VarkalaArrival day
Varkala and the North Cliff
Pick up at Trivandrum and then drive north to Varkala. Check in near the North Cliff, then out for the sunset from the cliff walk.
The highlight of this day is the sunset from the cliff path, the best free view on the Kerala coast.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 1 hrStay: Varkala - Day 2VarkalaSightseeing
Papanasam Beach, Sivagiri and Kappil Lake
Papanasam Beach in the morning, then Janardanaswamy Temple and Sivagiri Mutt, and on to Kappil Lake where the backwater meets the sea. The afternoon is kept free for an optional Ayurveda spa, payable direct.
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 3Departure
Departure
A morning yoga session and an optional visit to Anjengo (Anchuthengu) Fort, then the airport or railway station 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 hrBreakfast 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varkala | 2 | Black Beach Resort |
Notes
- Most of the Varkala cliff businesses, the cafes, yoga shalas and treatment centres, shut through the heavy monsoon, so November to March is the reliable window. Off season the strip is quiet and half closed.
- Papanasam Beach is used for ancestral rites and is treated as sacred, so dress and move accordingly. Janardanaswamy Temple and Sivagiri Mutt have dress and entry rules set by the authority concerned, and our team briefs you before the visit.
- The Day 2 Ayurveda spa and the Day 3 morning yoga are optional and payable directly, so neither sits inside the starting price. Tell us at the time of booking and we quote the spa charges upfront.
- This package is available with or without flights. To add flights or trains, call us for current fares.
- Every itinerary is customisable.
- 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. A full meal plan or an all-inclusive plan can be arranged on request. Any meal not listed for a day, including on the arrival day, is on request and payable directly.
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.
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
How much does the Varkala tour package cost?
The standard package starts from ₹3,943 per person on twin sharing, land only, on BB (CP), as of August 2026 and subject to approval. Rates move during peak dates: 20 December to 5 January, Onam, Christmas, New Year and long weekends.
Is the Ayurveda spa included in the price?
No. The Day 2 Ayurveda spa and the Day 3 morning yoga are written into the plan at a certified centre, but they are shown as optional and payable direct, so they are not inside the starting price. Tell us what you want at the time of booking and we quote the spa charges upfront rather than leaving it to the centre's counter rate.
When is the best time to visit Varkala?
November to March. Most of the cliff businesses, the cafes, shalas and treatment centres, shut through the heavy monsoon months, so the strip is quiet and half closed if you come off season.
Can anyone visit Papanasam Beach and Sivagiri Mutt?
Papanasam Beach is used for ancestral rites and is treated as sacred, so it does not feel or behave like a resort beach and you should dress and move accordingly. Janardanaswamy Temple and Sivagiri Mutt are both on the Day 2 plan, and our team briefs you on dress and entry rules beforehand, since those are set by the authority concerned and not by us.
Varkala or Kovalam, which suits a short trip better?
Varkala if you want the cliff setting, yoga and Ayurveda, and a slower crowd that tends to stay longer. Kovalam if you want easy swimming, more hotels and restaurants, and a twenty minute transfer from Trivandrum airport. Varkala is the more interesting place to walk; Kovalam is the easier place to do nothing.
How do I book and pay?
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, and confirmation follows receipt.
Can I change or cancel my dates?
Yes, with 30 days' written notice to the company, subject to availability. 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 a refund, and there is no credit for unused nights or an early departure.
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