Kochi to Bangalore Backwaters & Temples
New
Begin in Kochi and finish in Bangalore on this 12 day journey through South India’s contrasts. You’ll wander Fort Kochi’s colonial lanes, watch Kathakali and spot the iconic Chinese fishing nets. Drift through Alleppey’s backwaters on a private houseboat, then head to Thekkady for a tranquil Periyar lake cruise and a fragrant spice plantation visit. Continue to breezy Ramakkalmedu and the tea clad slopes of Munnar. In Tamil Nadu, marvel at Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple and evening aarti. Ride the Nilgiri Mountain Railway to Ooty and explore its gardens. Round off with Mysore’s opulent palace, Somnathpur’s carvings and Bengaluru’s Lal Bagh, markets and grand boulevards.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more.
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Tour Overview
Duration
12 daysHotel Rating
3, 4 or 5 star hotelsStarts
KochiEnds
BangaloreMinimum Age
No minimum ageMaximum Age
Tours have upper age limits for several reasons, such as but not limited to: tour pace, activity level, and accommodation standards. If you fall outside of this age limit, we do have lots of other tours in India that are suitable for all ages!
Arrival Transfer
YesDeparture Transfer
YesTour Guide
Yes - for included sightseeing.Country
IndiaPassengers
£2,100.00
£1,149.00
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Tour Style
Group Size
Min 1 / Max Private Tour
Trip Type
Private Tours
Range
On this tour, you won't be joined by other travellers, and will just be travelling with your booking party. Some transportation & sightseeing may be shared, check the Inclusions for more information.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Tour Guide
Yes - for included sightseeing.Group Size
Min 1 / Max Private TourRange
On this tour, you won't be joined by other travellers, and will just be travelling with your booking party. Some transportation & sightseeing may be shared, check the Inclusions for more information.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Trip Type
Private ToursPlaces You'll See
Kochi
Cochin
Kochi (Cochin)
Alleppey
Alappuzha
Thekkady
Munnar
Ramakkalmedu
Madurai
Coimbatore
Ooty
Ooty (Udhagamandalam)
Mysore
Mysore Division
Bangalore
Bengaluru
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Included
Not Included
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Itinerary
Day 1 - Exploring Kochi & Kathakali Dance Show
Arrive in Kochi. On landing at Kochi airport, meet our representative for assistance and a transfer to your hotel – check in and settle in. Later, we take a guided city tour of this gateway to South India, set between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea and shaped by Dutch, Portuguese and British influences. We visit Fort Kochi and St Francis Church, the Jewish Synagogue and Mattancherry Dutch Palace, and view the iconic Chinese fishing nets along the seafront. If you wish, you may opt for a boat trip – perhaps a backwater canal tour or a sunset cruise.
In the evening, we enjoy a Kathakali dance presentation, a traditional Keralan performance noted for its lavish costumes, striking makeup and masks. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 - Alleppey & Houseboat Overnight
Kochi – Alleppey (60 kilometres – approximately 1 hour 20 minutes). After breakfast we drive to Alleppey’s boat jetty to board a houseboat and begin our backwaters cruise. We drift along palm‑lined canals past paddy fields and waterside hamlets, with views of the Chinese fishing nets en route. Look out for flocks of ducks and small birds as the countryside unfolds, and later we watch the sunset from the sun deck. During the day you can try your hand at fishing from the boat.
Your houseboat has generator powered electricity, a combined sitting and dining area, a separate bedroom with an en suite western style toilet, a sun deck and a fully equipped kitchen with a chef and a driver. Breakfast is at the hotel, with lunch and dinner served on board. Overnight on the houseboat.
Day 3 - Alleppey to Thekkady
After breakfast we disembark from the houseboat and drive 130 km – around 3 hours – to Thekkady, then check in at the hotel. The afternoon is free – you can relax at the hotel or explore at your own pace. In the evening we visit the Mudra Cultural Centre to experience performances of Kathakali – Kerala’s classical dance‑drama – and Kalaripayyattu, one of India’s oldest martial art traditions. We also observe the artists’ detailed preparations before they perform, offering a clear insight into the region’s performing arts. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4 - Periyar National Park
After breakfast at the hotel, we visit Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary for a boat ride on the lake – an excellent way to look for wildlife such as elephants, bison, sambar deer, wild dogs, jungle cats, tigers and wild boar, along with snakes including cobras, vipers and kraits, and birdlife like grey jungle fowl, Malabar grey hornbill, woodpeckers and bulbuls. Later, we take a guided spice plantation tour to see cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee and tea. You may also wish to browse the local market for fresh spices. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 5 - Thekkady to Munnar
After breakfast we drive from Thekkady to Munnar – 110 km – approximately 2 hours – stopping en route at Ramakkalmedu. Named for footprints believed to be those of Rama from the Ramayana, this hilltop offers panoramic views across the Western Ghats towards villages in Tamil Nadu. We take in the striking 300 m pillar-shaped rock and the government wind farm – the area is known as one of the windiest places in Asia.
If time permits, you can also look out for formations such as Frog Rock and Turtle Rock, and the Kuravan and Kurathi twin statue. We then continue to Munnar and check in at the hotel. Once a summer retreat for British officials, Munnar is known for its cool climate, rolling tea estates, lakes, forests and tranquil hills. Overnight at hotel.
Day 6 - Mattupetty & Devikulam
After breakfast we visit Mattupetty, known as the cattle village and home to the Swiss Livestock Project – a specialised dairy farm where high yielding cattle are reared, with access to three of the cattle sheds to see operations up close.
We continue to Pothamedu, one of Munnar’s main plantation areas, for sweeping views over tea, coffee and cardamom estates and hills that meet the clouds. Later we visit Devikulam, noted for its scenic setting and distinctive flora and fauna, and see Sita Devi Lake – known for its mineral rich waters, trout fishing and adventure sports facilities. We return to the hotel for the evening and overnight.
Day 7 - Munnar to Madurai
After breakfast, we drive 160 km – around 3 hours – from Munnar to Madurai and check in at the hotel.
In the afternoon we explore the city, starting at the Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple – one of India’s largest temple complexes, built between the 16th and 18th centuries and known for its estimated 33 million sculptures, ongoing ceremonies, devoted crowds and glittering market stalls. We then visit Tiruparankundram Murugan Temple and Palamuthirsolai Murugan Temple, followed by Tirumal Nayak’s Palace – a richly decorated monument whose vast roofed arcade, supported by 48–foot–high stone pillars, still stands. In the evening we return to Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple for the aarti (prayers) to witness the rituals and ceremonies. Overnight in Madurai.
Day 8 - Madurai to Coimbatore
After breakfast, we drive 220 km – around five hours – to Coimbatore and check in at the hotel. Later, we visit the centuries-old, Dravidian-style Arulmigu Subramaniyaswami Temple, colourful and intricately carved, set about 500 ft up in the Western Ghats. We also visit the Gass Forest Museum, which houses a large collection of preserved animals and tree trunks. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 9 - Ooty & Nilgiri Mountain Railway to Coonoor
Coimbatore – Ooty (85 km – 2 hours). After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Ooty and check in. We then board the historic Nilgiri Mountain Railway for a scenic ride to nearby Coonoor, winding through lush landscapes and striking views of the Nilgiri hills. In Coonoor, you can explore the town at your own pace, and we visit the well maintained botanical gardens, home to more than 1,000 varieties of plants, shrubs and trees. Return to Ooty for an overnight stay.
Day 10 - Ooty to Mysore
After breakfast at the hotel, we drive 210 km – around 5 hours – from Ooty to Mysore and check in. In the afternoon we explore the city, heading up Chamundi Hills to visit the Chamundeswari Temple and the Nandi Bull, followed by the vast Mysore City Palace, rebuilt in 1897 by Henry Irwin in an Indo–Saracenic style and noted for its wall paintings, stained glass and ornate doors. We then take an excursion to the temple complex at Somnathpur to see the Keshava Vishnu temple, and continue to Srirangapatnam, where Tipu Sultan was killed in battle against an East India Company army that included Arthur Wellesley. Overnight at hotel.
Day 11 - Mysore to Bangalore
After breakfast we drive from Mysore to Bangalore – 140 km, around 3 hours – and check in at our hotel. Later, we tour the city, starting at Lal Bagh Garden, home to over 1,000 species of flora including rare tropical plants, trees and herbs. We continue to Bangalore Fort, begun by Kempe Gowda and later expanded by Tipu Sultan; within its walls stands the well preserved 16th century Ganapathi Temple.
We then visit Tippu’s Summer Palace – originally a mud‑brick defence erected by Kempe Gowda in 1537 and rebuilt by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in 1791. We finish at Vidhana Soudha, the imposing neo‑Dravidian granite seat of the State Legislature and Secretariat that dominates the northern boundary of Cubbon Park. Overnight in Bangalore.
Day 12 - Bangalore
After breakfast at the hotel, we arrange your transfer to Bangalore airport in line with your flight schedule for your onward journey.
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Tour Reviews
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Extras and add-ons
If you'd like to add extras or add-ons to your booking, you can do this easily during checkout. Just review the available options and select any additional services or upgrades you'd like before completing your purchase.
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Hotels
The hotels listed below are examples which we frequently use on this tour. Alternative hotels of a similar standard may be used instead.
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Prices & Dates
The prices you see below are a guide, with final prices per person being determined by the number of travellers in your booking party, desired hotel standard and the rooming arrangements required. To see an accurate price, please click "Book Dates" and enter the details for your booking party.
Can't find a date that works for you?
Looking for a date not yet released?
Similar Tours
Explore more exciting tours in India to discover even more unforgettable adventures!
On The Go Tours
Our agents are waiting to chat to you...
Are you a Travel Agent or Customer?
Do you have an booking reference?