North of Kochi, the tour buses stop. This seven-day route runs from Calicut into Wayanad’s spice hills, then to Kannur for dawn Theyyam performances between November and May, the four-kilometre drive-in beach at Muzhappilangad, and finally Bekal Fort and the Valiyaparamba backwaters — flying in via Calicut and out via Kannur. From ₹18,999 per person.
Your driver meets you at Calicut airport and you head inland, climbing the nine hairpin bends of the Thamarassery ghat — about two and a half to three hours, with the plains falling away behind you and the air cooling as you reach the plateau. Wayanad sits at around 700 to 2,100 metres and feels immediately different from the coast. Check in and take the evening slowly. Overnight in Wayanad.
The Edakkal Caves are the reason most people come — Stone Age petroglyphs carved into a rock cleft, reached by a short but genuinely steep climb of around forty-five minutes. If the climb is not for you, we substitute the Banasura Sagar dam and a working cardamom and coffee estate instead. Wayanad is also one of the few places in Kerala where you can walk in a spice plantation that is actually being farmed rather than staged for visitors. Overnight in Wayanad.
Down from the hills to the coast, roughly three to three and a half hours, with two stops that make the drive the point rather than the price. Thalassery gave Kerala its biryani and India one of its first cricket grounds; we stop for lunch where the dish actually comes from. Then Muzhappilangad — four kilometres of firm sand you are allowed to drive along, the longest drive-in beach in India. Arrive Kannur in the late afternoon. Overnight in Kannur.
Between November and May we arrange a Theyyam performance at a village kavu — a shrine, not a stage. These begin before sunrise, and the performer, in towering ornament and body paint, is understood during the ritual to be the deity rather than an actor. It is not a show put on for visitors, which is precisely why it is worth getting up at four in the morning for. Later, a handloom weaving cooperative — Kannur cloth has been exported for over a century — and St Angelo Fort on the headland at sunset. Overnight in Kannur.
Two and a half hours north along a coast that stays green all the way to Karnataka. Bekal Fort is the largest in Kerala, a laterite keyhole sitting directly above the Arabian Sea, and it is at its best in the last hour of light. If the name feels familiar, this is where the “Tu Hi Re” sequence from Bombay was filmed. Overnight near Bekal.
The northern backwaters are wider, emptier and almost entirely undiscovered compared with Alleppey — a river system fed by four rivers and separated from the sea by a long thin island. We use a country boat rather than a houseboat here, which suits the scale of the place. Afternoon free at the beach or the resort. Overnight near Bekal.
Kannur International Airport is about two hours south, and it is worth checking fares there before defaulting to Calicut or Kochi — it is newer, quieter and often cheaper. If you would rather continue, this route joins the classic southern circuit neatly, making a fourteen-day Kerala trip that covers the whole state.
The season runs roughly from November to May, and performances happen at village shrines on dates set by each temple’s own calendar — not on a schedule anyone can publish in advance. Tell us your travel dates and we match you to a genuine performance nearby. Dawn ceremonies are the most powerful and the least crowded. We will not promise you a specific date months ahead, because nobody honestly can.
Usually not on its own. If this is your first time in Kerala and you have a week, take the classic Kochi–Munnar–Thekkady–Alleppey circuit instead; it covers what most people picture when they think of Kerala. The Malabar trail is where you come second time, or as the first half of a two-week trip covering the whole state. We would rather tell you that now than sell you the wrong trip.
Muzhappilangad is famous for driving on, not swimming in. Currents along the Malabar coast are noticeably stronger than at Kovalam or Varkala, and lifeguard cover is thinner. Swim only where guards are posted, take red flags seriously, and treat May to September as off-limits regardless of how calm it looks.
Fly into Calicut (CCJ) and out of Kannur (CNN) if you can. Both handle international traffic from the Gulf, and Kannur in particular is newer and quieter than Kochi. Booking it as a single multi-city ticket usually prices within a small margin of a standard return, and it saves you a four-hour drive back to where you started on your final day.
Yes, and it is the combination we would recommend for anyone with a fortnight: Malabar first while your energy is high, then south to Munnar and the backwaters at a slower pace. Ask us to join this trail to any of our southern itineraries and we will rebalance the nights so nothing feels rushed.
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Amazing service. Communication excellent both before and during holiday.
All hotels excellent.
Sree, our driver absolutely superb.
Our 10 day tour around Kerala was perfect.
Our 5-day Kerala trip with Troper Tours was a lovely experience from the moment we arrived until the final day. My friend and I travelled from the UK and everything was organised smoothly, which made the journey comfortable and easy. We enjoyed the changing scenery, local food, tea hills, backwaters and the relaxed pace of the trip. One of our favourite moments was reaching Munnar, where we could enjoy the cool weather, plantations and peaceful mountain views. The vehicle was comfortable, our driver was punctual and helpful, and the team was always easy to contact whenever we needed anything. What we appreciated most was that the trip never felt rushed or overly planned. We had enough time to enjoy Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey and Trivandrum properly. Troper Tours took good care of us throughout the five days. A memorable Kerala holiday, and we would happily recommend them to other travellers visiting from the UK.
Our 6-day Kerala trip with Troper Tours was a wonderful experience from beginning to end. My brother and I travelled from Australia and everything was arranged very smoothly, which made the journey comfortable and stress free. We enjoyed the changing scenery, local food, backwaters and the relaxed pace of the trip. One of our favourite moments was the houseboat experience, where we could simply sit together, enjoy a nice meal and watch the peaceful water and village life around us. The vehicle was comfortable, our driver was punctual and helpful, and the team was always easy to contact whenever we needed anything. What we appreciated most was that the trip never felt rushed or overly planned. We had enough time to enjoy each place properly. Troper Tours took very good care of us throughout the six days. A memorable Kerala holiday, and we would happily recommend them to other travellers coming from Australia.