Private journeys in seven lands · a planner replies within one working day
Try "Udaipur", "tiger", "honeymoon", "Ladakh in July"
A ten-night family journey that keeps drives short and days varied: fishing nets and Kathakali make-up in Fort Kochi, mountain goats and tea in Munnar, boats, forest walks and Kalaripayattu at Thekkady, a lake cruise, and three nights of beach and pool at Marari.
Kerala works well for families because the distances are short, the food is gentle when you ask for it, and almost every day can include something children enjoy: fishermen hauling nets, an actor painting his face green, a herd of wild goats, an elephant at the lake, a martial-arts show with leaps through fire, a canoe and a beach. We have shaped this route so that each drive is broken by stops and each place has a pool.
We give three nights to Munnar, where the cool air is a relief and the activities are easy, and three to Marari at the end, so that the holiday finishes with rest rather than travel. Guides adapt their walks for children, and drivers carry water, snacks and a first aid kit. For families with teenagers, bamboo rafting in Periyar and a sunrise jeep ride can be added.
Highlights
Day by day
We meet you at Cochin International Airport and drive about 1.5 hours to Brunton Boatyard on the Fort Kochi harbour, where children can watch ships pass right outside the windows. After a rest and a swim, walk to the Chinese fishing nets in the late afternoon. The crews sometimes let children help pull the ropes. An early dinner at the hotel.
A shortened, two-hour heritage walk with a guide who is good with children takes in the nets, the old Dutch houses and St. Francis Church, where Vasco da Gama was first buried. Then tuk-tuk to Mattancherry for the spice warehouses and Jew Town. After a rest in the heat of the day, go to a Kathakali theatre at 5 pm to watch the actors paint their faces before a one-hour performance.
Drive to Munnar with plenty of stops: at a spice garden to smell cardamom and pepper, at the Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls beside the road, and at a viewpoint over the first tea estates. Take motion-sickness tablets before the hairpins if needed. Arrive at Windermere Estate in the afternoon, with space for children to run in the gardens and cool evenings for a fire.
Arrive at Eravikulam National Park at opening time, take the forest department bus up into the Rajamala section and walk the paved path where Nilgiri tahr graze within a few metres. After lunch, drive to Mattupetty lake for a short boat ride, and stop at the Indo-Swiss dairy farm. The park closes for calving in spring, when we replace it with a longer visit to Top Station.
Visit the Tata Tea Museum, where a short demonstration shows how leaf becomes black tea, then take an easy one-hour walk through the estates with a guide, stopping to meet tea pickers. Munnar's homemade chocolate shops are a popular stop for children. The afternoon is free at the hotel for games, reading and a nap.
Drive through the Cardamom Hills to Thekkady, about three hours, with a stop at a viewpoint over the Tamil Nadu plains. Check in at Spice Village, where thatched cottages sit in spice gardens and there is a pool. In the early evening, watch a one-hour Kalaripayattu show in Kumily, with high kicks, sword fights, flexible swords and a finale of leaps through rings of fire.
Take the first boat of the day on Periyar Lake at about 7.30 am, scanning the shores with binoculars for elephants, gaur, deer and otters. Families with children over 12 can choose full-day bamboo rafting instead. After lunch, walk through a family spice plantation, where children can pick cardamom pods and crush fresh pepper. Spice Village's naturalist gives an evening talk about the forest.
Drive down from the hills via Kottayam to Kumarakom, where a private boat takes you on a two-hour cruise across Vembanad Lake and through the backwaters, with lunch on board. Then continue across the Thanneermukkom barrage to Marari Beach, about an hour away. Check in to family villas set among coconut palms, a short walk from the sand.
Children who wake early can watch the fishing boats come in through the surf at about 6.30 am and the morning catch being sold on the sand. After breakfast, an easy cycle ride of about 8 km through the palm lanes, with children's bikes and helmets, stops at a coir-spinning house where they can try the wheel. The afternoon is for the pool and the beach.
A free day at Marari. Between November and March, the sea is usually calm enough to paddle and swim close to shore under supervision. The resort can arrange a cooking class for older children, a visit to its organic farm or a butterfly walk in the gardens. A farewell dinner by the beach in the evening.
After breakfast and a last swim, we drive you to Cochin International Airport, about 2 to 2.25 hours away, with snacks and water in the car. If your flight is late, we can arrange a late check-out. Our team in India stays in touch until you are through check-in.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
A heritage hotel on the Fort Kochi waterfront, rebuilt on the site of a Victorian boatyard, where every room faces the harbour channel and ships pass …
A working cardamom and coffee plantation at Pothamedu, about 3 km from Munnar town, with cottages and a planter's bungalow set on a hillside facing the …
A CGH Earth resort of thatched cottages among spice gardens on the edge of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, built in the style of the area's tribal …
A CGH Earth beach resort in coconut groves behind Marari beach, with thatched villas modelled on fishermen's cottages, some with private pools, an organic farm, an …
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Questions travellers ask
Yes. Distances are short, hotels are spacious with pools, and there is something for children every day: boats, animals, beaches, spice gardens and performances. Kerala is also safe and clean by Indian standards. November to March is the best season for families.
Children from about five upwards enjoy it most. Younger children manage well with a slower pace, and we can shorten activities. Teenagers can add bamboo rafting in Periyar and a sunrise jeep ride to Kolukkumalai in Munnar. We adjust every day to your children's pace.
Yes, if you ask. Kerala food can be spicy, but appam, dosa, idli, rice, mild coconut stews and fried fish are child-friendly, and all our hotels serve simple continental dishes. Drivers carry bottled water and snacks. Tell us about any allergies in advance.
The longest are about four to 4.5 hours: Kochi to Munnar, and Thekkady to Marari, which includes a two-hour lake cruise. We stop every hour or so for waterfalls, viewpoints, spice gardens and toilets. Other drives are three hours or less.
Yes, on request. Tell us your children's ages and weights when booking and we will fit appropriate child seats or boosters in the car. For larger families, we use a spacious van or two cars. There is no extra charge for child seats on our journeys.
Kerala has good hospitals and clinics in all the places on this route. The main risks are sun, heat, stomach upsets and mosquitoes. Use sunscreen, hats and repellent, drink bottled water, and consult your doctor about vaccinations before travel. We carry a first aid kit.
Yes. A one-night houseboat from Kumarakom or Alappuzha can replace one night at Marari. Choose a two-bedroom boat for a family of four. Deck rails are low, so young children must be supervised at all times. Ask for a boat with life jackets in children's sizes.
From about ₹2,75,000 per adult, twin sharing, with reduced rates for children sharing with parents, depending on age and hotel policies. This includes hotels, a private car, guides and the activities listed. School holiday dates are more expensive. Flights are extra.
October to March, which fits the autumn half-term, Christmas and Easter holidays in many countries. Christmas and New Year are the busiest and most expensive. The Indian summer holidays in April and May are hot on the coast, so we would focus on the hills then.
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