Self-Launched Highlights of Kerala
8 days · Kerala, India
Exodus charges £925
No-markup version: ~£328 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Kerala is India at its most laidback and enchanting — and you don't need a guided group tour to experience it. This self-launched itinerary follows the classic Kerala circuit from the colonial spice port of Kochi through the wildlife-rich hills of Thekkady, onto the legendary backwaters of Alleppey, and down to the breezy beach town of Kovalam. You'll book your own houseboat, self-navigate to Periyar National Park, and share meals with local families — all at a fraction of the Exodus price. Estimated costs are approximate and based on current budget-traveller rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Kochi — Optional Fort Kochi Harbour Cruise
Kochi (Cochin)
Fly into Cochin International Airport (COK) and make your way to your guesthouse in Fort Kochi — a quick prepaid taxi or Uber costs around £5–8. Fort Kochi is a compact, walkable neighbourhood full of colonial character. If you arrive before 2pm, hop on a public ferry (₹5, pence) across to Vypeen Island for views of the iconic Chinese fishing nets, or book a shared afternoon harbour cruise via GetYourGuide (~£8–12pp). Spend the evening wandering the waterfront and grab dinner at a local restaurant — try the fish curry thali for £2–3.
🚌Prepaid airport taxi or Uber to Fort Kochi (~£5–8)
🛏Zostel Kochi or Old Harbour Hostel, Fort Kochi (~£12–18/night in dorm, ~£25–35 in private room)
- →Arrive at Cochin International Airport (COK)
- →Take a prepaid taxi or Uber to Fort Kochi (~£5–8)
- →Optional afternoon Fort Kochi harbour cruise via GetYourGuide (~£8–12pp)
- →Explore the Chinese fishing nets along the harbour at sunset
- →Dinner at a local Kerala restaurant — try the fish curry thali (~£2–3)
Explore the Colonial Landmarks of Kochi
Kochi (Cochin)
Spend the day exploring Fort Kochi and Mattancherry on foot — both neighbourhoods are easily walkable or connected by auto-rickshaw (₹50–80, ~£0.50–1). Visit St Francis Church (free), Santa Cruz Cathedral (free), and the Chinese fishing nets. Head to Mattancherry Palace (₹5 entry, ~£0.05) and wander through Jew Town's antique shops and spice warehouses. In the late afternoon, look for a Kathakali dance performance — book directly at Kerala Kathakali Centre (~£8–10pp) or via GetYourGuide. Breakfast at your guesthouse or a local café.
🚌Walk and auto-rickshaw within Fort Kochi and Mattancherry (~£1–3)
🛏Zostel Kochi or Old Harbour Hostel, Fort Kochi (~£12–18/night dorm, ~£25–35 private)
- →Self-guided walk around Fort Kochi — St Francis Church, Santa Cruz Cathedral, Chinese fishing nets (all free)
- →Auto-rickshaw to Mattancherry (~£0.50–1)
- →Mattancherry Palace entry (~£0.05)
- →Browse Jew Town antique shops and spice warehouses
- →Optional Kathakali dance performance at Kerala Kathakali Centre (~£8–10pp, book direct or via GetYourGuide)
Kochi to Thekkady — Rubber Plantation Walk & Lunch
Thekkady
Take an early morning KSRTC bus or a shared taxi from Kochi to Thekkady (Kumily) — the journey takes around 5–6 hours and costs £4–7 by bus or £10–15 shared taxi. En route, break your journey at Kanjirappally to visit a rubber plantation. Ask your guesthouse to arrange a local plantation guide in advance, or look for tours via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£10–15pp including lunch). Alternatively, many homestays in the area offer rubber tapping walks with lunch included. Arrive in Thekkady by evening and take a short walk through a spice garden — most hotels can arrange this for free or £2–4pp.
🚌KSRTC bus Kochi to Thekkady (~£4–7) or shared taxi (~£10–15)
🛏Elephant Court Guesthouse or Spice Village Homestay, Thekkady (~£12–20/night dorm or budget private room)
- →KSRTC bus or shared taxi from Kochi to Thekkady (~5–6 hrs, £4–15 depending on mode)
- →Stop at Kanjirappally rubber plantation for a guided walk and lunch (~£10–15pp via GetYourGuide/Klook or local arrangement)
- →See rubber tapping, rambutan, mangosteen, nutmeg and banana trees
- →Evening spice garden walk near Thekkady (~£2–4pp or free via guesthouse)
Nature Walk in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary & Family Cooking Demo
Thekkady
Rise early for a guided nature walk inside Periyar National Park — book directly at the Periyar Tiger Reserve office in Kumily or online via the Kerala Forest Department website (~£8–12pp for a 2–3 hr guided border hike). The guides are excellent at spotting wildlife signs, monkeys and birdlife. Spend the afternoon exploring Kumily's spice bazaar on foot — try cardamom, vanilla and peppercorns straight from the source. For the evening, book a homestay cooking demo and dinner through your accommodation or via Klook (~£10–15pp) — many local families in Thekkady offer this. Optionally, book a boat cruise on Periyar Lake (~£5–8pp, book at the reserve office).
🚌Walk or auto-rickshaw within Thekkady/Kumily (~£1–2)
🛏Elephant Court Guesthouse or Spice Village Homestay, Thekkady (~£12–20/night)
- →Early morning guided nature walk in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary — book at the Forest Department office (~£8–12pp)
- →Look for tiger tracks, sloth bear markings, monkeys and hornbills
- →Afternoon free time exploring Kumily spice bazaar
- →Optional boat cruise on Periyar Lake (~£5–8pp, book at reserve office)
- →Evening family cooking demonstration and dinner (~£10–15pp via Klook or guesthouse arrangement)
Thekkady to Alleppey — Houseboat Cruise Through the Backwaters
Alleppey (Alappuzha)
Take an early KSRTC bus from Thekkady to Alleppey (~4–5 hours, £4–6) or a shared taxi (~£12–18). Arrive in time to board your pre-booked houseboat at midday. Book a traditional kettuvallam (rice barge) houseboat directly through operators like Alleppey Houseboat Club or via GetYourGuide/Klook — budget houseboats start from £30–50pp per night for a shared vessel, including all meals. Cruise through palm-fringed canals, watch village life unfold from the deck, spot kingfishers and egrets, and anchor at sunset over the paddy fields. All meals are included on the houseboat.
🚌KSRTC bus Thekkady to Alleppey (~£4–6) or shared taxi (~£12–18)
🛏Shared kettuvallam houseboat on the Alleppey backwaters (~£30–50pp, all meals included)
- →KSRTC bus from Thekkady to Alleppey (~4–5 hrs, ~£4–6)
- →Board pre-booked kettuvallam houseboat at noon (book via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct with Alleppey Houseboat Club — from ~£30–50pp including meals)
- →Cruise through backwater canals, lakes and palm-fringed waterways
- →Spot kingfishers, egrets, otters and village life from the deck
- →Anchor at sunset over the paddy fields — all meals included on board
Alleppey to Kovalam — Visit Mannarasala Temple
Kovalam
Disembark your houseboat after breakfast and take a KSRTC bus or shared taxi south along the Malabar Coast to Kovalam (~5–6 hours, £5–8 by bus). Ask your driver or arrange a brief stop at Mannarasala Temple near Haripad, famous for its 100,000-plus snake images and unique fertility rituals — entry is free. Break the journey further at Kollam (Quilon) for tea. Arrive in Kovalam by late afternoon. Check into a guesthouse on or near Lighthouse Beach and explore the beachside restaurants for dinner.
🚌KSRTC bus Alleppey to Kovalam (~£5–8) or shared taxi (~£14–20)
🛏Zostel Kovalam or a guesthouse near Lighthouse Beach (~£10–18/night dorm, £22–35 private room)
- →Disembark houseboat after breakfast
- →KSRTC bus or shared taxi from Alleppey to Kovalam (~5–6 hrs, £5–8 by bus)
- →Stop at Mannarasala Temple near Haripad (free entry) — see the 100,000 snake images
- →Tea break in Kollam (Quilon) en route
- →Arrive Kovalam, check in, explore Lighthouse Beach and beachside restaurants
Free Day in Kovalam — Optional Village Tour or Kanyakumari Day Trip
Kovalam
A free day to relax on the soft sands of Lighthouse Beach or Hawa Beach. Browse souvenir shops and try fresh tandoori seafood from a beachfront restaurant. For the active, book an optional half-day village tour to Mannadikonam near Balaramapuram via a local operator (~£8–12pp). Alternatively, join a shared day trip to Kanyakumari — the southern tip of India where three seas meet — via a local tour operator or shared taxi (~£12–18pp for the day trip, bookable locally or via Klook). Kanyakumari also offers Padmanabhapuram Palace (£1–2 entry) and the Suchindran Hindu Temple (free). It's a long day but well worth it.
🚌Walk within Kovalam; shared taxi to Kanyakumari if doing day trip (~£12–18pp return)
🛏Zostel Kovalam or guesthouse near Lighthouse Beach (~£10–18/night dorm, £22–35 private room)
- →Free morning on Lighthouse Beach or Hawa Beach
- →Browse souvenir shops and enjoy fresh tandoori seafood at a beachside restaurant
- →Optional half-day village tour to Mannadikonam (~£8–12pp, book locally)
- →OR optional full-day shared taxi trip to Kanyakumari (~£12–18pp, bookable via Klook or local operators)
- →Kanyakumari: visit the confluence of Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, Padmanabhapuram Palace (~£1–2) and Suchindran Temple (free)
Depart Kovalam
Kovalam / Thiruvananthapuram
Your Kerala adventure ends today. Grab a final breakfast and take in one last view of the Arabian Sea. Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) airport is just 16km from Kovalam — a taxi or Uber costs around £6–10 and takes 30–45 minutes. Alternatively, extend your stay in Kovalam or head north to explore more of India's incredible south. Consider combining this trip with a few days in Munnar or a train journey up to Goa along the spectacular Konkan Railway.
🚌Taxi or Uber to Trivandrum Airport (~£6–10)
- →Final breakfast and last walk on Lighthouse Beach
- →Taxi or Uber to Trivandrum International Airport (TRV) (~£6–10, 30–45 mins)
- →Optional: extend stay in Kovalam or continue north by train to Goa via the scenic Konkan Railway
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£328 | £925 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £597 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£328
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Highlights of Kerala cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £328 per person for 8 days in Kerala, India. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £925 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £328 — a saving of roughly £597 (65%) per person.
How long is the Kerala, India trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Kerala, India.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, backpacker, wildlife trip through Kerala, India, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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