Ashtamudi to Vembanad Backwater Cruise
Route Covered
Overnight stops in day orderOverview
This five-day private tour of Kerala starts with a Kollam to Alleppey backwater cruise of about eight hours, then spends two nights in Alleppey and one in Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake. It suits travellers who want slow water, birds and short drives. November to February is the best time to go.
Travellers who want slow water, birds and short drives, and are happy to spend one full day on a boat
Highlights
Good to know
Long boat day
Day 2 is about eight hours on the water, so carry a hat, sun cream and waterBoat timings
Sailing days and times can change, so the operator confirms them before you travelPeak weeks
December and January are busy, so the boat and houseboat are best booked earlyRain
Both monsoons bring rain, and showers can still fall in October and NovemberDay-by-Day Itinerary
- Thangassery Lighthouse
- Ashtamudi shore at dusk
Arrive in Thiruvananthapuram and drive to Kollam
- 1Your driver is waiting at Thiruvananthapuram airport
- 2The road runs roughly 71 km north to Kollam
- 3Settle into a hotel by Ashtamudi Lake and unwind
- 4With time to spare, stroll through Thangassery, the old port quarter, and look at its lighthouse
- Kollam to Alleppey backwater cruise
- Village and paddy-field views
- Punnamada Lake approach
Eight hours on the water from Kollam to Alleppey
- 1Short transfer to the boat jetty in Kollam
- 2Board for the day's cruise from Ashtamudi Lake towards Alappuzha
- 3Pass villages, paddy fields and narrow channels between the Ashtamudi, Kayamkulam and Vembanad waters
- 4Reach Alleppey in the early evening and check in
- Alleppey houseboat day cruise
- Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy Temple
- Alappuzha Beach pier
Alleppey canals, Vembanad Lake and the beach pier
- 1Start with a morning houseboat trip along the town canals that leads out to Vembanad Lake
- 2Eat lunch on the boat or on land
- 3The Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy Temple, famous for paal payasam, comes next
- 4End the afternoon on Alappuzha Beach beside the old pier
- Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
- Vembanad channels by boat
- Pathiramanal island
Alleppey to Kumarakom and the Vembanad shore
- 1Drive about 33 km east to Kumarakom
- 2Check in on the lake bank
- 3Afternoon walk at the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
- 4Boat ride on the Vembanad channels, with Pathiramanal island as an option
- Early bird walk at Kumarakom
Last morning at Kumarakom, then Kochi airport
- 1Slow breakfast by the lake, or an early bird walk if your flight allows
- 2Check out
- 3Drive about 2 hours to Cochin International Airport for your flight
Indicative — varies with season and hotel category.
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Trip Facts
Local Activities & Events
Updated Oct 3, 2026Alleppey (Alappuzha) — Days 2-4 of this trip
Mullakkal Chirappu
festivalUsually runs from mid-November into late December; the Chirappu days are the final 11 of the festival
Alappuzha's Mullakkal Rajarajeswari Temple holds a 41-day festival whose last 11 days, the Chirappu, bring elephant processions and fireworks.
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesKerala — across your trip
Vettukadu Feast
festivalMadre de Deus Church in Thiruvananthapuram marks the feast of Christ the King over ten days, with worshippers of several faiths attending.
Champions Boat League: Kayamkulam
sportsA snake-boat race at Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district, a round of the 2026 Champions Boat League.
Kalpathy Ratholsavam
festivalChariot festival in Kalpathy, Palakkad, where decorated chariots are pulled through the village streets from the Viswanatha Swamy Temple.
Sabarimala Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season
festivalPilgrim season at the Ayyappa temple in Pathanamthitta district, from the Mandalam opening through Mandala Pooja and Makaravilakku to closing in January.
Champions Boat League final and President's Trophy Boat Race
sportsThe league's closing round on Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam, held together with the President's Trophy Boat Race.
Guruvayur Ekadasi
festivalEleventh-day observance at the Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple in Thrissur, with strict fasting and elephant processions.
Bekal International Beach Festival
culturalBeach festival at Bekal in Kasaragod district with music, dance and arts; the state calendar lists it for December to January.
Events are reviewed by our team before publishing and drop off after they end. Please confirm timings and availability with us before your trip — local schedules can change without notice.
What's Included & Excluded
Quick Answers
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