# Kerala Kerala's interconnected backwaters, winding through a network of lakes, canals and rivers, form one of India's most distinctive natural landscapes. Kerala's backwaters form a network of interconnected lakes, canals, rivers and deltas along the state's 580-kilometre coastline. This intricate watery landscape, fed by 44 rivers descending from the Western Ghats, stretches from the far north near Kozhikode down to the southern tip at Thiruvananthapuram. The largest and most visited stretch lies around Alappuzha and Kottayam, where broad lagoons and lakes are joined by narrow canal channels winding through coconut groves and paddy fields. ## The Western Ghats The Western Ghats run parallel to Kerala's coast, rising steeply from the coastal plain to form a mountain chain that acts as a biodiversity boundary. The range is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with sections in Kerala including the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Montane forests at higher elevations, known as shola grasslands, shelter endemic plant and bird species found nowhere else. The contrast between these cool, misty highlands and the warm humid coast creates markedly different landscapes within a relatively small area. ## Water and Greenery Kerala receives some of the heaviest rainfall in India, concentrated during two monsoon seasons that replenish its rivers, waterfalls and rice paddies. Athirappilly Falls, located in the Chalakudy River area, drops through forested rocky gorge. Further north, the backwaters near Kumarakom and Ashtamudi Lake offer the most extensive wetland scenery, with waterbirds including kingfishers, cormorants and herons common along the canal banks. The Periyar River and its reservoir provide drinking water to much of the region and support populations of Asian elephants that move through the surrounding forest. ## Vegetation and Agriculture The lowlands between coast and hills are heavily cultivated, with rice paddies the dominant crop in the wetter southern districts. Spice plantations—cardamom, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg—grow in the mid-elevations of the Western Ghats and have shaped Kerala's trade history for centuries. Cashew processing along the coast adds another layer to the agricultural landscape. These cultivated areas, framed by palm trees and interrupted by waterways, give the backwater regions their particular visual character, where the boundary between natural and farmed land is fluid. ## Tours that visit Kerala No tours visit this place just yet. ## Before you book you should know ### Is this trip right for you? Our groups are capped at eight travellers, which is about a third of what the industry calls a small group. Eight people share one vehicle, one table at dinner and one guide's attention, and the day can change on the road without anybody being left behind. If you are looking for a coach, a fixed script and a microphone, this is not that. Most days involve real walking, often on ground that was laid two thousand years before walking shoes: marble worn smooth, cobbles, uneven steps and long site paths with little shade. Bring shoes you can spend a morning in. Some days move between regions and are largely a drive, with stops along the way. Summers are hot — well over 35°C inland — and winters are colder than most people expect, so layers, a hat and sunscreen earn their place in the bag whatever the month. How demanding a particular trip is, is written on the trip itself: the physical rating in the header, and the day-by-day itinerary above. ### Rooms, and travelling on your own Trip prices are per person, sharing a twin room. Each traveller picks their own room while booking, so a party can mix the three: - **Twin share** — two single beds, shared with someone you are travelling with or with a traveller of the same gender. - **Travelling as a couple** — one double room. - **Individual room** — a room of your own, for a single supplement on top of the trip price. Availability is limited, and the supplement for a given date is shown next to the option when you book. Solo travellers are welcome on every departure, and most of our groups have one or two aboard. ### Accommodation The hotels named in an itinerary are a guideline rather than a guarantee. Where one is full, or has dropped below the standard we booked it for, we substitute a property of a similar standard in the same area — we would rather change the hotel than the trip. Check-in is usually mid-afternoon. If you arrive early we will ask for the room, but no hotel can promise one before its own check-in time; luggage can normally be left at reception in the meantime. If you want the room from the night before, ask us and we will add the extra night to your booking. ### Passports, visas and insurance Entry requirements depend on your nationality and change without much notice, so the only reliable source is the official one: the government of the country you are travelling to, and your own foreign ministry's travel advice. Check both before you book a flight. Many countries ask for a passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, and for blank pages. It is worth looking at yours now rather than at the airport. We ask every traveller to carry travel insurance covering medical treatment and repatriation, and we would strongly encourage cover for cancellation and for your luggage as well. ### Your departure is guaranteed — the day can change Once a departure is on the calendar it runs. We do not cancel a trip for want of a minimum number of bookings, so a booked date is one you can plan flights and leave around. What can move is the shape of a day. Museums and archaeological sites change their hours, roads close, weather turns, a local holiday lands in the middle of the week. Where that happens your guide reorders the day, or swaps a stop for one of the same weight, and tells you why. Changes to a booked itinerary are covered by our Booking Terms & Conditions. --- Full page: https://www.smallvoyage.com/destination/kerala/