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Kerala Family Itinerary: 6 Days at a Child-Friendly Pace

By the Tripzoy team · 5 min read

The plan at a glance

Cochin → Munnar (2 nights) → Thekkady (1 night) → Alleppey houseboat (1 night) → Cochin (1 night). Five nights, one long drive per day at most, and something for every age group. It works with small children and with grandparents.

Day 1: Cochin to Munnar

Land in Cochin and drive about 4 hours to Munnar. Stop at the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls on the way. Check in, rest and keep the evening easy.

Day 2: Munnar

Visit the tea museum, a tea garden walk, Mattupetty Dam (pedal boats children enjoy) and Echo Point. In season, Eravikulam National Park for the Nilgiri tahr; it usually closes for a few weeks around February and March.

Day 3: Munnar to Thekkady

About 3 hours to Thekkady. In the afternoon, a spice plantation walk; in the evening, a Kathakali or Kalaripayattu martial-arts show, which children usually love.

Day 4: Thekkady to Alleppey houseboat

Morning boat ride on Periyar Lake if you start early, then about 4 hours to Alleppey. Board a houseboat with enough bedrooms for the family. Meals are cooked on board, and the boat anchors for the night.

Day 5: Alleppey to Fort Kochi

Breakfast on the boat, then about 1.5 hours to Fort Kochi. See the Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church and the Jew Town spice market, and walk the seafront in the evening.

Day 6: Departure

Transfer to Cochin airport, about an hour away.

Tips for families

Ask for connecting rooms or family rooms, and a ground-floor room for seniors. Carry motion-sickness tablets for the hill roads. Vegetarian food is easy everywhere; tell the houseboat about any food needs in advance.

FAQs

Is 6 days enough for Kerala with kids?

Yes. It covers the hills, a houseboat and Kochi without long days in the car.

Is a houseboat safe for small children?

Houseboats have railings and life jackets on board. Keep an eye on young children on deck, as you would at home near water.

Can we add a beach?

Yes. Add 1 to 2 nights in Marari, Kovalam or Varkala and fly out of Trivandrum if that is closer.

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