Kerala, December 2024: Backwaters, misty hills, and breathtaking sunsets. Nature’s magic at its best—serene, stunning, unforgettable.

The tour and the food were phenomenal. Our tour guide Arithy easily gets 5 stars. She was very knowledgeable about the birds we were hearing/seeing, the plants around us, and life in Kerala. She is a native of the village, and she was a great conversationalist. The vegetarian lunch was out of this world. The food is made by a local cook from the village and incredibly tasty. The host of the lunch was also very kind and told us a lot about the food we were eating. Very relaxing and informative experience overall. The only reason I give this review 4 instead of 5 stars is that the booking company, Carnival, had some miscommunication (over a rescheduled bank holiday) because of differences in English over WhatsApp messaging. We cleared it up once we talked on the phone with the company.

Well worth a visit. Cochin is a charming place. The fishing nets are a must see. You do have to barter with the tuk tuk drivers at the port, aim to pay no more than half of the first price. Bear in mind that the driver’s main aim will be to get you to shops that give him “commission “. Be firm if that’s not your idea of sightseeing. Like the rest of India, it is filthy, which is so sad in such a beautiful country.

Amazing experience. Boat navigator and guide were professional. Yummy delicious keralite food. Private car driver Mr. Lalit is excellent. Overall fiver start exxperience.

It was a bit too long, the guide did not give us information about the scenery, most of the time we had to ask questions and she would answer

A very relaxing way to enjoy the backwaters of Kerala if you do not have the time to go on a houseboat journey. The canal afternoon with Kerala vegetarian lunch was such a unique experience. We saw the versatile way the coconut has been used in a local village from stringing coconut hemp cord to making coconut leaf roof and, making coconut broom sticks. Seeing the simple way of life reminds us to cherish nature. It is very relaxing and educational even for a iPad loving 6-yr old. Gladly recommend this for families who need a tech time out afternoon.

A wonderful experience, the operator was communicative and organised, the transfer and programme smooth. The route the boat took was lovely and quiet, and the guide gave interesting information about the local wildlife and culture. It was great to watch coconut husk rope making and palm leaf weaving too. Lunch was fun too!

We booked this trip after reading all the great reviews on trip advisor. We had a fantastic day out. Very relaxing to be on the backwaters and lovely to see how they use the coconut shells for making rope. The tour was topped off with a lovely keralan lunch.

Our tour guide was experienced and the backwater was excellent. Pickup/drop off was very convenient. Lunch provided was very good

Great experience with a very knowledgable guide- incredibly friendly people - nothing was too much trouble - well worth it.

Prompt pick up from meeting point by cab took us to the boat about an hours journey. There we were met by the lovely Arithy who was our guide for the trip. We boarded the boat and were able to take the prime seats as we were the only guests. The boat was then punted down the river and canals expertly by the two pole handlers. It was such a wonderful peaceful experience and gave us a chance to relax after the hustle and bustle of the past week. We saw lots of birds including the beautiful bee eaters. We stopped at a small village where we were treated to lessons on palm leaf weaving and rope making. This was very interesting and we were able to purchase a bag of nutmegs and some hand made potato crisps. We then punted back and had amazing lunch served on a banana leaf. Time then to head back by cab to our starting point. We had a marvelous day and would definitely recommend this experience.

We were picked up from the cruise port by Santhosh who expertly drove us to Aleppey. Upon arrival we met Dinesh who was our guide for the day. We loved having the private houseboat for our party of 4. It was a beautiful time gliding along the river seeing how people live and make a living. We learned about the customs of this area and what life is like for the farmers and fishermen. Dinesh shared so much for us - even pointing out his home when we went by. He was an incredible guide. On board we were served a traditional lunch and then taken back to Cochin at the end. A superb day in the countryside. Such a different side to see from the busyness of the city.

This was the perfect introduction to the Kerala backwaters and great for us as we were short on time in Kochi. It was so relaxing and worth a visit to see the beautiful backwaters.

Our ship was late to port then immigration took ages. They waited for us Jude was an excellent guide, lots of information. Bus and rickshaw rides gave a true Kerala feel.

Fantastic. Shared car to the boat although you can book a separate car but it's costs more. Beautiful, and the lady was so helpful and had lots of knowledge. I went solo and felt very comfortable. The lunch was served on a banana leaf, and it was so tasty I highly recommend this experience.