A self-planned 7-day Kerala honeymoon for two typically costs Rs.55,000 to Rs.65,000 on a budget, Rs.90,000 to Rs.1,20,000 at mid-range, and Rs.1,60,000 or more at premium. Those totals exclude flights or trains to Kerala. Here is where every rupee goes.
These are per-couple totals for 6 nights and 7 days, booked yourself, excluding travel to and from Kerala. They assume the classic route: Kochi to Munnar (2 nights), Thekkady (1 night), an Alleppey houseboat (1 night), and a beach finish at Marari or Kovalam (2 nights).
| Budget tier | 7-day total for 2 | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Rs.55,000 to Rs.65,000 | Homestays, deluxe houseboat, mix of cab and bus |
| Mid-range | Rs.90,000 to Rs.1,20,000 | 3 to 4-star stays, private sedan with driver, premium houseboat |
| Premium | Rs.1,60,000 and up | Resorts, Innova Crysta, luxury houseboat, Ayurveda sessions |
For reference, current 7-day Kerala honeymoon packages start from about Rs.27,500 per person, or roughly Rs.55,000 per couple, with premium resorts and private houseboats pushing the total much higher. Those packages generally exclude flights, entry tickets, and optional activities, so a package quote is not directly comparable to a fully self-planned trip.
The mid-range band is where most couples land: comfortable without being extravagant. Every figure below is a verified going rate for 2026.
| Category | Cost for 2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels, 5 nights | Rs.30,000 to Rs.40,000 | Rs.5,000 to Rs.8,000 per night for mid-range rooms; premium resorts run Rs.10,000 to Rs.25,000+ per night |
| Houseboat, 1 night | Rs.13,000 to Rs.25,000 | Premium 1-bedroom for a couple; deluxe starts near Rs.7,000, luxury reaches Rs.30,000. Full breakdown in our Alleppey houseboat cost guide. |
| Private cab, 7 days | Rs.24,000 to Rs.35,000 | Private sedan Rs.2,500 to Rs.3,200 per day; a car with driver Rs.3,500 to Rs.5,000 per day; Innova Crysta Rs.4,200 to Rs.5,500 per day |
| Food, 7 days | Rs.7,000 to Rs.10,500 | Rs.1,000 to Rs.1,500 a day at mid-range restaurants; resort dining is Rs.2,000+ a day |
| Activities | Rs.4,000 to Rs.6,000 | Kathakali show Rs.300 to Rs.500 per person, wildlife experiences Rs.1,000 to Rs.2,500, the Periyar shared boat Rs.60 per person |
| Entries, parking, tips, misc | Rs.4,000 to Rs.6,000 | Eravikulam National Park Rs.125 per Indian adult; keep a buffer for tolls and small extras |
Add it up and you get roughly Rs.90,000 to Rs.1,20,000. The single biggest lever is the houseboat: dropping from premium to deluxe saves about Rs.10,000 in one night. The second is the cab: a sedan instead of an Innova saves roughly Rs.10,000 across the week. See our Kochi to Munnar taxi vs bus comparison for how transport choice moves the total.
Day 1: Land in Kochi, easy evening at Fort Kochi. Day 2: Drive to Munnar (about 4 hours) through the Cheeyappara waterfalls. Day 3: Eravikulam National Park and the Tata Tea Museum. Day 4: Drive to Thekkady; Periyar boating and a spice plantation walk. Day 5: Drive to Alleppey and board your houseboat by afternoon. Day 6: Disembark, drive to Marari or Kovalam for the beach finish. Day 7: Fly or train out. This is essentially the classic 7-day circuit; our 5-day Munnar to Alleppey itinerary covers the hills-to-backwaters core if you want to stretch it to seven.
Candlelight dinner on the houseboat: worth it once. Most premium houseboats will arrange one; confirm the price in writing before boarding, not after. Ayurveda couple massage: Rs.3,000+ per session, and genuinely one of Kerala's signature experiences. Honeymoon room decor (flowers and cake): most mid-range hotels do this free if you mention it is your honeymoon when booking. Sunset Kathakali performance in Kochi at Rs.300 to Rs.500 per person is cheap and memorable, while the overpriced "private shikara tours" sold on the Alleppey jetty are skippable: a shared sunset shikara does the same thing for a fraction of the price.
December and January are the most expensive months: hotels and houseboats price at the top of their ranges, while shoulder-season bookings land near the bottom. October to November and February to March are the best value window, with pleasant weather and saner prices. June to September (monsoon) is the cheapest and the most romantic in its own way, with misty hills and full waterfalls, but houseboat cruising is restricted on heavy-rain days and Munnar viewpoints often sit inside clouds.
Packages win on convenience: one payment covers hotels, cab, and houseboat, and the operator handles the routing. Self-planning wins on control: you pick the exact hotel, the exact houseboat, and skip the commission-built "complimentary" sightseeing stops that packages sneak in. For honeymoons specifically, self-planning also lets you splurge exactly where it matters to you (the houseboat night, one resort) and save everywhere else. Either way, get the houseboat's category and AC hours in writing before you pay: Kerala Tourism classifies boats as Gold, Silver, and Green Palm, and "AC houseboat" sometimes means AC only from 9 PM to 6 AM on Silver-category boats.
Yes, for a self-planned 7-day trip at mid-range excluding flights. It covers 3 to 4-star hotels, a private sedan, a premium houseboat night, and mid-range dining, with a small buffer.
October to March is the classic window: cool, dry, and reliable. October to November and February to March give you the best balance of weather and price; December and January cost the most.
Yes for the classic Kochi to Munnar to Thekkady to Alleppey to beach circuit. It is not enough to add Wayanad or a second beach town without turning the trip into a driving marathon.
The houseboat night is the one Kerala experience couples remember, and it is priced for two rather than per person on most boats, which makes it reasonable value. Book premium or above for privacy and a good onboard kitchen.
Yes. Kerala is consistently rated one of India's safest states for travellers, with good roads, reliable tourist infrastructure, and a strong hospitality culture.
It can be: lower prices, lush scenery, and Ayurveda season. The trade-off is rain-disrupted plans, restricted houseboat cruising on heavy-rain days, and cloudy hill viewpoints.
Last updated: October 2026
Keralam Travels