Kerala Tour Packages for NRI and OCI Families: Backwaters, Tea Hills and Ayurveda in 7 Days

Kerala is a long, green strip on the south west coast of India. People call it God's Own Country. You come here to slow down. You want tea hills, calm backwaters, spice gardens, and warm sea air. This page plans that trip for your whole family in about 7 days. It gives you honest timings, dress rules, food names, and clear advice for elders. Where a fee or a fixed time can change, we tell you to confirm it on the official site. We never guess a number.

Why Kerala works for NRI, OCI and foreign families

Kerala is easy to reach and easy to travel. The main airport is Cochin International Airport, near Nedumbassery. It is about 25 km north east of Kochi city. Direct flights link it with the Gulf, and one stop routes bring you from the UK and the USA. Many families in Dubai, London, and New York keep Kerala close to their heart. Some come home to see parents. Others come to show their children where the family began. The roads are good, the people are gentle, and English is widely spoken. That makes your trip soft and safe for elders and first time visitors alike. You feel at home fast.

Fort Kochi, where three empires met

Your trip starts in Fort Kochi, the old harbour town. Here you see the famous Chinese fishing nets by the shore. Fishermen have used these large shore nets for over five centuries. You also visit St Francis Church, one of the oldest European churches in India. Tradition and record agree on one story here. The explorer Vasco da Gama died in Kochi in 1524. He was buried in this church. After 14 years his body was taken back to Portugal. Portuguese, Dutch, and British rulers all left their mark on these streets. You can walk to the Santa Cruz Basilica and the Dutch Palace at Mattancherry. The Dutch Palace holds old murals from the Ramayana on its walls. Photography is not allowed inside, so you keep your camera away there. In nearby Jew Town you find the old synagogue and quiet antique shops. The whole town is flat and small, so you can see much of it on foot. A slow morning walk here suits elders well.

Munnar and the tea hills

From Kochi you drive up to Munnar. This hill town sits in the Kannan Devan Hills of Idukki district. Green tea gardens roll over every slope around you. The air turns cool and clean as you climb. You can visit a tea museum and learn how the leaf is picked and dried. Fresh cardamom and pepper grow all around. The drive up is full of bends, so take it slow. For elders, this cool weather is a real comfort after the coastal heat.

Eravikulam National Park and the Neelakurinji bloom

Just outside Munnar is Eravikulam National Park. This is the home of the Nilgiri tahr, a rare mountain goat. The Rajamala area is the only part open to visitors. Above the park rises Anamudi, at 2,695 m. It is the highest peak in all of South India. People call it the Everest of South India. You will not climb it, but you can see the high green ridges from Rajamala. The park closes every year in February and March. That is the calving season, when the tahr give birth. Kerala is also famous for the Neelakurinji flower. This blue bloom covers the hills only once every 12 years. The last big bloom was in 2018. The next one is expected in 2030. So most years you will not see it, and that is honest to know.

Thekkady and the Periyar Tiger Reserve

Next you reach Thekkady, home of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The heart of this reserve is a large lake. The lake is not natural. The Mullaperiyar dam, finished in 1895, created it. The most loved activity here is a boat trip on this lake. The boats are run by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation. A trip lasts about two hours. From the boat you may see elephants, wild boar, and many birds at the water. In the hot months of March and April, animals come to drink more often. A tiger sighting is rare, so keep your hope calm and your eyes open. Thekkady is also spice country, with cardamom, pepper, and clove gardens to visit.

The backwaters of Alappuzha and Kumarakom

The backwaters are the soul of Kerala. From Thekkady you come down to Alappuzha, often called Alleppey. This is the backwater district. You board a houseboat, called a kettuvallam. Long ago these boats carried rice and spices. Builders made them from planks of jack-wood tied with coir rope. They coated the wood with a black resin from boiled cashew kernels. One kettuvallam could hold up to 30 tons of goods from Kuttanad to the Kochi port. Today they are slow, calm homes on the water. Alappuzha alone has around 500 houseboats. You drift past paddy fields, coconut palms, and small village homes. Kumarakom, on Vembanad Lake, is a quieter option for the same peace. A houseboat needs early booking, so plan this leg well ahead.

Kovalam and Varkala, the two beaches

To end your trip, you go to the sea. Kovalam is a calm beach town near Thiruvananthapuram. Its Lighthouse Beach takes its name from the red and white Vizhinjam Lighthouse. That lighthouse was built in 1972 and stands about 36 m tall. Varkala is the other choice, with its high red cliff above the sea. The Papanasam beach at Varkala is a sacred spot. Devotees believe its water washes away sins. Both towns are gentle places for you to rest, swim in the safe hours, and try fresh seafood. You end your Kerala trip with sand under your feet.

Ayurveda, the honest way

Kerala is the true home of Ayurveda. But you should choose with care. The traditional treatment season is the monsoon month of Karkidakam. In the Malayalam calendar this is the last month, in July or August. Old texts say the body takes medicine best in the rains. This is when families take Karkidaka chikitsa and drink a medicinal gruel. The gruel is called karkidaka kanji. It is cooked with njavara rice and many medicinal herbs. Oil therapies and the Panchakarma cleansing are common in this month too. The peak tourist season is different, from September to March. In those months you can still take treatment, but the classic cure season is the monsoon. Pick a Kerala Tourism classified Ayurveda centre, not a plain spa massage. The state tourism department grades real centres under its own scheme. A true treatment starts with a doctor's advice, never with a walk in massage. Confirm a centre's current classification on keralatourism.org before you book.

Kathakali and Kalaripayattu evenings

Two great art forms of Kerala are worth an evening. Kathakali is a classical dance drama with grand face paint and slow, strong gestures. Kalaripayattu is the old martial art of Kerala, with a legacy of more than 3000 years. Many people call it the oldest martial art in the world. You can watch short evening shows in Kochi and Thekkady. The artists arrive early to paint their faces, and you may watch that too.

Best season and the monsoon truth

The main tourist season in Kerala runs from October to March. In these months the plains and coast feel cool and pleasant. Summer, from March to May, is hot and damp on the coast. The south west monsoon comes from June to August, with heavy rain and deep green hills. The monsoon is the cheapest time and the true Ayurveda season. But many boat trips and hill activities slow down or close in the rain. For a first family trip, October to March is the safe and easy choice.

Getting there and getting around

Cochin International Airport is your main entry point. It is well known as the world's first fully solar powered airport, since 2015. It won a United Nations Champions of the Earth award for this work in 2018. From here a car takes your family across the whole loop with ease. You end near Thiruvananthapuram, which has its own airport too. So you can fly into Kochi and fly out of Trivandrum. That saves you a long drive back. Roads in the hills are winding, so keep motion sickness tablets ready for elders and children.

For NRI, OCI and elder travellers

Kerala is kind to older parents and young children. Keep the pace slow and rest between long drives. The Kochi to Munnar road has many bends, so break the journey with tea and snacks. On the houseboat, watch the steps, as the deck can be wet. At Varkala, the cliff has steep stairs, so use the easier ramps where you can. Carry any daily medicines, since hill towns have smaller shops. Book your houseboat early, as the good ones fill fast in season. A calm plan turns a busy trip into a real rest.