5 Nights / 6 Days · From Dubai & the UAE
Kerala Family Holiday — Kochi, Yendayar, Thekkady & Alleppey, 6 Days
The six-day Kerala family holiday from the UAE where children swap screens for rivers — an easy Fort Kochi landing, shallow bathing pools at Yendayar, elephant country by boat in Thekkady and a whole houseboat to yourselves on Alleppey’s backwaters.
The journey
Six days where children swap screens for rivers
This is Kerala with kids as it should be: a gentle six-day loop where the entertainment is the Manimala’s clear, shallow bathing pools, a boat gliding through elephant country on Periyar Lake, and a night spent on your own houseboat as the backwaters go quiet. Every leg is a short drive, every evening ends early, and the pace belongs to your children rather than a tour-bus timetable — built for the UAE school holidays from the first day to the last.
Ideal for: UAE families with children of any age — the drives are short, the pools are shallow and the days bend to whoever is smallest.
Duration
5 nights / 6 days
Route
Kochi → Yendayar → Thekkady → Alleppey → Kochi Airport
Flights from the UAE
Direct flights from Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi to Kochi (COK) take about 4 hours — short enough that even the youngest travellers arrive fresh.
Book this trip
Customisable to your dates & budget. Enquire on WhatsApp →
Highlights
What you’ll experience
Day by day
Your 6-day itinerary
Land in Kochi & an easy first afternoon
Met at Cochin International Airport after the short flight from the UAE, then the gentlest possible start in Fort Kochi — the Chinese fishing nets creaking at golden hour, an ice-cream stroll along the seafront promenade and an early dinner, so everyone is fresh for the days ahead.
To Yendayar — your riverside village
An easy morning drive through rubber-country hills brings you to Yendayar, a village on the Manimala River. Settle into your homestay, then head straight for the reason you came — a first dip in the river’s clear, shallow bathing pools.
Yendayar day — waterfalls, jeeps & village life
Older children can take on a gentle off-road jeep spin into the foothills or the walk to a nearby waterfall; younger ones stay happily in the shallows. In between comes village life at its unhurried best, and the evening belongs to the riverbank.
Over the hills to Thekkady
Climb to Thekkady on the edge of the Periyar reserve. A fragrant spice-garden walk fills the afternoon, then the famous boat ride on Periyar Lake — everyone scanning the shoreline for elephants and deer, though the forest keeps its own schedule.
Alleppey & your family houseboat
Descend to Alleppey and step aboard a houseboat that is yours alone for the night. Cruise palm-lined canals past paddy fields and village jetties, sit down to a Kerala lunch cooked on board, and watch the sunset from the deck as the backwaters turn to gold.
Houseboat breakfast & fly home
Breakfast on board as the boat drifts back to its mooring, then disembark for the easy drive of around two hours to Kochi airport and the flight home — six days of rivers, wildlife and backwaters behind you.
Tailor-made & flexible
Plan your family’s Kerala holiday
Your dates, your children’s ages, your pace — planned over WhatsApp in minutes.
On this journey
Destinations you’ll explore
Go deeper into each stop on this route.
Good to know
Your family holiday — frequently asked
Is Kerala good for a family holiday from Dubai?
Few destinations are easier. Direct flights from Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi reach Kochi in about four hours, the time difference is minimal, and Kerala’s rivers, wildlife and houseboats feel like another world entirely. It’s why Kerala family tour packages from Dubai fill up around the UAE school holidays — and why this route is built for exactly those windows.
Is the houseboat safe for young children?
Yes, with the usual common sense. Alleppey houseboats are run by an experienced crew, life jackets are available on board, and the backwaters are calm, slow-moving waters rather than open sea. As on any boat, young children should be supervised on deck at all times — share their ages when you enquire and we’ll pace the cruise accordingly.
What ages suit the Yendayar river and jeep day?
The river’s bathing pools are shallow and gentle, so with adult supervision they suit children of every age. The off-road jeep trail is bumpier and better kept for older children and teenagers — younger ones can happily stay by the river with one parent while the others ride. We’ll split the day however your family works best.
When are the best months for a family trip?
October to February is the easiest window — dry, sunny and comfortable, and it lines up neatly with the UAE winter school break. Summer and the monsoon months are greener and quieter, with warm rain showers many children love, though you’ll plan days around the weather rather than through it. Tell us your school-holiday dates and we’ll shape the route to the season.
More journeys
More Kerala trips from the UAE
Every route below is designed around Gulf flight times and holiday calendars — see them all on our Kerala from the UAE page.
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Munnar’s misty tea hills, Thekkady’s spice forests and a romantic Kumarakom lakeside finale — five days made for two.
View itineraryKerala Monsoon Escape
Swap the UAE summer for the green season — waterfalls, misty meadows and rain-washed backwaters over seven days.
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