When we first told people that we were planning a Kerala trip in August, almost everyone had the same reaction.
“Why August? It’s peak monsoon.”
Honestly, that’s exactly why we wanted to go.
We weren’t looking for blue skies and beach vacations. We wanted lush green mountains, overflowing waterfalls, mist-covered roads, and endless rain. Kerala during monsoon feels completely different from what you usually see on Instagram, and after completing the trip, I can confidently say that August is one of the best times to experience the state if you don’t mind getting wet.
One thing we also decided very early was that we would self-drive.
Instead of depending on taxis or drivers, we wanted the freedom to stop wherever we wanted. Looking back now, this turned out to be one of the best decisions of the entire trip.
Why we planned the route differently
Most Kerala itineraries follow a very predictable route.
Kochi → Munnar → Thekkady/Alleppey → Varkala
We almost booked the same route before realizing something.
Our flight was returning from Kochi. Yes, we didn’t book return flight from Trivandrum because it was costing more and then Car Rental agency was charging more too for dropping car at different location.
If we followed the traditional itinerary, we’d still have the longest drive on the last day before catching our flight. Nobody enjoys rushing to the airport after several days of travelling.
So we flipped the entire trip.
Our route looked like this:
Kochi → Varkala → Thekkady → Munnar → Athirappilly → Kochi Airport
The idea was simple.
Finish the longest drives at the beginning of the trip while we still had the energy. After that, every destination would slowly bring us closer to Kochi.
It turned out to be the right decision.
Every drive after Day 1 started feeling shorter, more relaxed, and less stressful.
Flying from Jaipur to Kochi
Our journey started early in the morning from Jaipur.
The flight wasn’t direct. We had a short one-hour layover in Hyderabad, although technically we didn’t have to change aircraft since it was the same Indigo flight continuing onward to Kochi.
Before boarding, we used our Axis Horizon credit card lounge access at Jaipur Airport.
The lounge was decent. Nothing extraordinary.
The food was perfectly fine, enough to start the day without rushing around the airport looking for breakfast.
One thing worth appreciating throughout this trip was Indigo’s punctuality.
All four of our flights stayed almost perfectly on schedule.
In a trip where every hotel, drive, and check-in depends on timing, that reliability matters much more than people usually realize.
Landing in Kerala… and straight into the monsoon
We landed in Kochi around noon. And, the first thing that welcomed us wasn’t coconut trees. It was rain.
Not light rain. Proper Kerala monsoon.
Visibility was low, roads were soaked, and it immediately felt like we had entered a completely different world compared to Rajasthan.
Our rental car had already been booked weeks earlier.
We had reserved a Maruti Fronx Automatic Petrol through IndusGo because driving across Kerala in an automatic simply sounded far more relaxing than constantly changing gears in traffic and hill roads.
Unfortunately, the pickup experience wasn’t smooth. Our scheduled pickup time was 12:30 PM. Even after landing around 11:35 AM, there was no assigned driver. Calling customer support didn’t help much because nobody answered.
Eventually, after trying multiple numbers, we somehow reached the airport team. Even they weren’t entirely sure what was happening. The only response was, “Sir, please wait. Someone will come.”
Around 12:45 PM, we finally received a call from the assigned driver saying he was ten minutes away.
Overall, the delay was only around twenty minutes. Not a huge issue. Things happen. Once the car arrived, the process became much smoother.
We carefully inspected every scratch, recorded a complete video of the vehicle, clicked photos from every angle, paid the ₹5,000 security deposit, completed the paperwork, and finally started what would become one of the most memorable road trips we’ve ever taken.
Kochi to Varkala
Instead of staying in Kochi, we immediately left for Varkala. This was our longest drive of the trip. The rain continued almost throughout the journey.
Somewhere along the route, we stopped for lunch at Hotel Haridwar. Nothing fancy. Just good, satisfying food before getting back on the road.
As we got closer to Varkala, the weather became even more challenging. Heavy rain had blocked several roads. Google Maps struggled to keep up with the closures. More than once, we had to stop and ask local residents for directions because navigation simply wasn’t reliable anymore.
By the time we finally reached Varkala, it was already around 8 PM. It had been a long day. A flight, A delayed rental pickup, and Five hours of driving through heavy rain. At that point, all we wanted was a shower and sleep.
Stay in Varkala: Skylar Seaview Beach Resort
We stayed at Skylar Seaview Beach Resort for two nights. I’d describe it as a perfectly decent hotel.
Not luxurious. Not disappointing. Just a good value stay for what we paid.
The biggest downside was parking. The hotel doesn’t have parking right outside the property. Instead, guests have to park roughly 100 metres away in a separate area. Normally this wouldn’t matter much. During heavy monsoon rain, however, every walk between the car and hotel became an adventure with umbrellas.
Breakfast was average. There weren’t many options, and the taste wasn’t particularly memorable. On the positive side, our room was comfortable, and the swimming pool area had a nice sea-facing view. Since we had reached quite late, we didn’t explore anything that evening.
Day one officially ended the moment we collapsed into bed.
Day Two started with Jatayu
The next morning looked far more promising. Interestingly, despite being a Sunday, Jatayu Earth Center was almost empty.
Before arriving, I had expected huge queues because it’s one of Kerala’s biggest attractions. Instead, maybe because of the off-season or the monsoon, there were hardly any visitors.
Buying tickets took barely five minutes. The cable car tickets were equally quick. We paid ₹555 per person for the cable car experience.
The ride itself was smooth, and within minutes we were standing beside the massive Jatayu sculpture overlooking the surrounding hills. The visibility was surprisingly clear. Clouds floated around the mountains without completely covering the view. It created exactly the kind of dramatic scenery we’d hoped to see during a monsoon trip.
After spending plenty of time taking photographs and simply enjoying the view, we had some snacks inside the complex. Prices were reasonable, which was a pleasant surprise because tourist attractions often overcharge visitors.
By afternoon, we headed back towards Varkala.
An evening on the Varkala Cliff
After resting for a while at the hotel, we spent the evening exploring the famous Varkala Cliff. This was probably the most relaxed part of the trip so far.
No rushing. No long drives. Just walking.
The cliff is filled with cafés, souvenir shops, clothing stores, and small local businesses. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s enjoyable to simply stroll around. We ended up doing a little shopping before stopping at San Francisco Café.
We ordered smoothies along with Gobhi Manchurian. The smoothies were nice. The Gobhi Manchurian, unfortunately, was one of the worst dishes we had during the entire trip. Sometimes even the most beautiful locations produce very average food.
After spending a few peaceful hours watching the sea, browsing shops, and soaking in the atmosphere, we returned to our hotel. The next morning would begin another long drive.
Our destination… Thekkady.
Thekkady: Elephants and Spices
The next morning, it was time to leave Varkala and begin the drive towards Thekkady. This was another drive I had been looking forward to because Kerala’s roads had already started showing us why people love road trips here so much. The highways slowly gave way to greener landscapes, small villages, rubber plantations and countless little waterfalls that appeared almost every few kilometres. During the monsoon, even the smallest stream turns into something beautiful, so the drive itself never felt boring.
We started around 9 in the morning and reached Thekkady in roughly four hours. The roads were in good condition and despite occasional rain, the drive was comfortable.
Our main reason for staying in Thekkady wasn’t Periyar National Park. It was elephants.
Before the trip, I had spent quite a bit of time looking for different elephant camps, reading reviews and comparing experiences. Almost every recommendation pointed towards Elephant Junction, so that was our first stop after reaching Thekkady.
There was just one problem.
While driving, I checked their website and noticed a message saying that bookings should ideally be made a day in advance. For a moment, I genuinely thought we had messed up. Since we hadn’t pre-booked anything because of the unpredictable weather, I assumed we’d have to skip the experience completely.
Still, we decided to try our luck. And that turned out to be the best decision. The place was almost empty. Not just less crowded. Literally empty.
We walked to the ticket counter expecting to hear that everything was sold out, but instead they simply asked us which package we’d like to book. Sometimes travelling during the off-season has unexpected advantages.
After looking through the available options, we chose the package that included the elephant ride, elephant shower and elephant feeding experience for ₹1,700 per person.
The ride itself was… fine. If I’m being completely honest, it wasn’t the highlight.
The elephant shower, on the other hand, was genuinely fun. Standing next to such a massive animal, scrubbing it while it happily sprayed water everywhere, felt like one of those experiences you rarely get to have. Feeding the elephant afterwards was also enjoyable and made the interaction feel much more personal than just sitting on its back for a ride.
The entire experience lasted around forty minutes.
Now comes the honest review. Did we enjoy it? Yes.
Did we think it was worth ₹3,400 for two people? Not really.
It felt overpriced for what was offered. If this package had been around ₹800 to ₹1,000 per person, I would have called it excellent value. At ₹1,700, it started feeling like we were paying almost double for the same experience.
Even small things added to that feeling.
The package proudly mentioned complimentary tea or coffee. Naturally, we assumed there would be a café voucher or something similar. Instead, they clarified that only the plain ₹20 tea was included. Anything else had to be paid for separately.
It wasn’t about the money. It just felt like an unnecessary marketing addition that didn’t add any real value.
Would I still recommend Elephant Junction? Yes.
But I’d also tell people to go in with realistic expectations. You’re paying for a memorable experience, not necessarily for value for money.
After spending the afternoon with the elephants, we headed back towards town.
Thekkady is famous for its spices, and no trip here feels complete without buying at least a few. After checking online reviews, we visited a shop called Lords.
The store had good ratings and a huge collection of spices, teas and local products.
We picked up a few things without comparing prices elsewhere, so I honestly can’t say whether we got a great deal or paid the tourist price. The staff didn’t negotiate at all, but since we weren’t buying large quantities, it didn’t really matter.
Sometimes it’s easier to pay a little extra and save yourself hours of running around from shop to shop.
Oh we forgot mention that before going to Elephant Junction, we checked into Sterling Thekkady. This hotel ended up becoming one of the pleasant surprises of the trip.
We had booked it mainly because it was affordable. I think we paid somewhere around ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 for the night, and honestly, I wasn’t expecting much at that price. Instead, we got a spacious room, excellent service and a property that was much nicer than expected.
Dinner wasn’t included in our booking, but we decided to eat at the hotel anyway. One item that stood out was their bowl meal. It came with multiple dishes, was filling, reasonably priced and tasted surprisingly good. Sometimes these simple combos become much more memorable than elaborate buffet dinners.
The staff throughout our stay were warm, polite and genuinely helpful.
Looking back, Sterling Thekkady probably offered the best value-for-money stay of our entire trip. If someone is simply looking for a comfortable hotel to spend the night before heading to Munnar, I’d happily recommend it.
The next morning, we finally began what we had been waiting for since the day we planned this trip.
The drive to Munnar.
In many ways, this three-hour drive felt like the real beginning of our Kerala holiday.
The roads slowly climbed into the hills, the temperature dropped, clouds drifted across the mountains and waterfalls appeared around almost every bend. Every few kilometres, we’d slow down just to admire another stream crashing down the rocks.
The funny part was that even before reaching Munnar, we had already seen so many beautiful waterfalls that we stopped trying to count them. Some were huge. Some were barely visible from the road. Yet every single one made us want to pull over for a few minutes.
This is exactly why self-driving Kerala is so rewarding. No taxi driver is waiting impatiently. No fixed itinerary is forcing you to move. You simply stop whenever something catches your eye.
By noon, we reached our hotel. And this wasn’t just another hotel. This was the property I had been most excited about throughout the entire planning process.
Scenic Munnar, a Taj/SeleQtions property where we would spend the next three nights. The best part of the trip was finally about to begin.
Munnar: Three Days That Made the Entire Trip Worth It
Out of every destination on this itinerary, Munnar was the one we were most excited about.
That’s also why we started from Varkala so that we can keep the best for the last and why we had deliberately kept three nights here. Most itineraries only give Munnar one or two days, but I didn’t want to rush through it. If there was one place where I wanted to slow down, wake up without alarms and simply enjoy the surroundings, it was here.
We reached Scenic Munnar around noon. Since we were slightly early, our room wasn’t ready yet. Instead of making us wait in the lobby, the staff suggested we spend some time in their recreation area. We played a few indoor games, walked around the property and honestly didn’t even realize when our room was ready.
From the very first interaction, the service felt different. Not forced. Not overly formal. Just genuinely warm.
That feeling stayed with us throughout our three-night stay.
The property itself is huge. It’s surrounded by greenery, beautifully maintained and has the kind of atmosphere where you don’t mind spending an entire day without stepping outside. We had originally planned to explore Munnar on the day we arrived, but after seeing the hotel, we changed our minds almost immediately.
Sometimes the best decision while travelling is to do absolutely nothing.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the property, exploring different corners, enjoying the complimentary evening high tea and simply relaxing after three consecutive days of travelling.
Since we weren’t particularly hungry that night, dinner was simple. We ordered paneer tikka along with a couple of mocktails and called it a day.
It felt like the holiday had finally begun.
Day Five: The Day Didn’t Go According to Plan
The next morning started with one of the best hotel breakfasts I’ve had in a long time.
There was an impressive variety of dishes, and what made it even better was that several items could be ordered fresh from the kitchen without any additional charge. Everything we tried was genuinely delicious, and the staff constantly walked around asking if anyone needed anything.
It was one of those breakfasts where you unintentionally spend almost an hour because you keep wanting to try one more thing.
Our first destination for the day was Eravikulam National Park. This had been on top of my Munnar checklist.
Unfortunately, the monsoon had other plans. After driving almost two hours from our hotel, we reached the entrance only to find out that the park was closed due to heavy rains.
Of course, we were disappointed. But at the same time, this was something we had mentally prepared for even before booking the trip. Visiting Kerala during August means accepting that nature decides your itinerary.
Instead of wasting time feeling frustrated, we simply opened Google Maps and looked for the next destination.
Top Station.
And honestly, sometimes unexpected changes lead to even better experiences. The drive towards Top Station was breathtaking.
On the way, we crossed Mattupetty Dam and Echo Point, but since the weather looked clear, we decided not to stop. Visibility in the hills can disappear within minutes, so we wanted to reach Top Station before the clouds rolled in.
As soon as we arrived, we knew we had made the right decision. The place was almost empty. No tour buses. No crowds. Just mountains stretching endlessly into the distance. Clouds drifting slowly through the valleys. Fresh, cool air. And complete silence.
We spent a long time simply standing there, taking photographs and enjoying the view. There are moments during a trip when you stop thinking about itineraries and just appreciate where you are. This was one of those moments.
On the way back, we finally stopped at Echo Point.
Like almost every attraction we’d visited so far, it was surprisingly empty. Naturally, we couldn’t leave without shouting across the valley to test the echo.
Did it work? Yes.
Did we behave like excited kids for five minutes? Also yes.
Mattupetty Dam was our final stop before heading back. It was nice enough, but compared to everything else we’d seen throughout the day, it didn’t leave much of an impression.
By around 4 PM, we were back at Scenic Munnar. This became our routine over the next few days. Evening high tea. A few snacks. Some time in the recreation area. Then the swimming pool.
The pool deserves a special mention because swimming while surrounded by mist-covered hills is an experience that’s difficult to describe. There was no rush to leave. We ordered a few snacks by the pool, spent a relaxed evening there and then returned to our room.
Dinner that night included paneer makhani, naan, bhindi and phulkas. Every single dish was excellent.
At this point, we had almost stopped looking for restaurants outside because the hotel’s food had consistently been that good.
Day Six: The Most Beautiful Place in Munnar
If someone asked me to recommend just one place in Munnar, my answer would probably surprise them.
Not Top Station. Not Eravikulam. Not Mattupetty.
It would be Door of Heaven.
We started the day after another fantastic breakfast and drove towards what looked, on paper, like just another tea estate viewpoint. It turned out to be my favourite place in Munnar.
The weather wasn’t ideal. It had been raining since morning. But somehow, the rain made the entire landscape even more beautiful.
Once again, there were hardly any tourists. Just a handful of people scattered across the property.
Entry cost around ₹50 per person, and interestingly, they only accepted UPI payments. Unfortunately, there was almost no network at the entrance. Seeing us struggle, one of the staff members simply turned on his personal hotspot so we could complete the payment.
We ended up spending nearly three hours here.
The rolling tea gardens, the walking trails, the mist drifting across the hills and the complete silence made it feel less like a tourist attraction and more like a place where time had slowed down.
If you’re someone who enjoys photography, don’t skip Door of Heaven.
In fact, I’d happily recommend spending more time here than at several of Munnar’s more famous attractions. After leaving Door of Heaven, the rain became much heavier. We decided it was time for indoor activities.
Our first stop was Ripple Tea Museum. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side again. The museum was closed. Not because of the rain this time. Apparently, there had been some technical breakdown inside the factory.
Since we were already there, we decided to browse their tea shop instead. We sampled a few varieties before buying several packs of green tea. Surprisingly, we didn’t buy any regular milk tea. Back home, we almost exclusively drink Taj Tea, and maybe we’re just too used to that flavour. None of the milk teas here really stood out to us. The green tea selection, however, was excellent.
Our final stop for the day was the Munnar Chocolate Factory. This was much more successful.
The staff encouraged visitors to sample almost everything before buying, which immediately made the experience more enjoyable. We must have tasted half a dozen different chocolates before finally deciding what to take home.
The clear winner was their Premium Gold chocolate.
We liked it so much that we ended up buying almost half a kilogram of just that variety, along with several other flavours.
By the time we returned to the hotel, it had started feeling less like a hotel and more like home.
We explored the property one last time, enjoyed another evening high tea, had dinner and quietly accepted the fact that the next morning we’d have to say goodbye.
Honestly, three nights didn’t feel enough. If there’s one place in Kerala where I’d happily spend an extra day, it would be Munnar.
The next destination on our itinerary was Athirappilly.
At that point, we thought Munnar would remain the highlight of the trip. We had no idea that the best experience of the entire holiday was still waiting for us.
Athirappilly: the Best Experience of Our Kerala Trip
Leaving Scenic Munnar wasn’t easy.
For the first time during the trip, we genuinely wished we had booked one more night. Three days had gone by surprisingly quickly, and the hotel had become one of those places where you actually look forward to coming back after a day of sightseeing.
After one final breakfast, we checked out and started driving towards Athirappilly. Google Maps showed a journey of around three hours. It took us much longer. Not because of traffic. Because we simply couldn’t stop pulling over.
The drive from Munnar towards Athirappilly is stunning. Dense forests slowly replace tea plantations, streams run right beside the road, and every few kilometres you’ll come across another waterfall. Some are famous, most don’t even have names, but that’s the beauty of driving through Kerala during the monsoon. Water is everywhere.
Instead of treating the drive as a way to reach the destination, we treated it as part of the destination itself. We stopped whenever something looked interesting. Sometimes for photographs. Sometimes just to stand beside a stream for a few minutes.
By the time we finally reached Athirappilly, it was already around 3 PM.
Sterling Athirappilly
Our hotel for the final night was Sterling Athirappilly.
Unlike Sterling Thekkady, this one left us with mixed feelings right from the beginning.
The rooms were decent. Not bad. Not memorable either.
The property itself felt fairly ordinary, and the main premium seemed to come from its location near the river rather than from the overall experience.
We quickly checked in because we had a bigger concern. The waterfall. It was already around 3:30 PM, so we asked the reception about the timings. They told us the falls remain open from 8 AM to 5 PM.
That immediately changed our plans. Instead of resting after the drive, we dropped our luggage, grabbed the car keys and left almost instantly.
Looking back, that was absolutely the right decision.
Athirappilly Falls Completely Blew Us Away
Nothing had prepared us for what we were about to see.
Entry tickets cost ₹60 per person along with a small parking fee ₹40 for the car.
One mistake we made was parking at the first parking area we saw. Later we realised there’s another parking lot much closer to the actual entrance, so if you’re visiting, keep driving until you reach the official entrance gate before parking.
From there, it’s about a fifteen-minute walk to the top viewpoint. Another fifteen minutes takes you down to the base of the waterfall.
Neither trail is particularly difficult. We saw children, elderly visitors and families comfortably making the walk. Even though it had been raining, the path wasn’t dangerously slippery.
Since we were short on time, we skipped the upper viewpoint and headed straight to the bottom.
The moment we reached… Everything else disappeared. The waterfall was in full force. This is where visiting Kerala during August completely changes the experience.
Athirappilly isn’t just a waterfall during the monsoon. It’s an event. The amount of water crashing down is unbelievable. The wind carries the spray so far that you become completely drenched within seconds without even stepping close to the water.
Everyone was soaked. And nobody cared.
Around a hundred people were there, but somehow it never felt crowded. The authorities have marked safe viewing areas, so people naturally spread out instead of gathering at one single spot.
We spent nearly an hour there. No rush. No itinerary. Just watching the waterfall and getting wetter every minute.
By the time we climbed back up, it had actually started raining again. Normally that would ruin a sightseeing stop. Here, it somehow made everything even better.
We grabbed a cup of tea near the top viewpoint, spent a few minutes overlooking the Chalakudy River and finally headed back to the hotel.
At that point, we were convinced Athirappilly had already become the highlight of our entire Kerala trip. Little did we know we’d return the next morning and enjoy it even more.
A Disappointing Dinner
Unfortunately, the hotel couldn’t match the waterfall. Dinner at Sterling Athirappilly was easily the worst meal we had throughout the trip.
I’m usually not someone who complains about food unless it’s genuinely bad. This time, it really was.
The dishes lacked flavour, the quality didn’t match the prices and we ended up leaving most of the food unfinished.
What made things more disappointing was that the staff simply listened to the feedback without offering any immediate solution.
Service also felt noticeably slower compared to every other hotel we had stayed in. For example, after taking a shower, we requested fresh towels and handwash for the room.
Nothing arrived. After waiting almost three hours, I finally had to walk to the reception myself and ask again.
Small things like these don’t ruin a holiday, but they definitely affect your impression of a hotel, especially when it’s positioned as a premium property.
If I compare both Sterling hotels we stayed at, Thekkady was comfortably the better experience. Athirappilly felt average. The location is fantastic. The hotel itself isn’t.
One Last Visit Before Flying Home
The next morning, our flight was in the afternoon. Originally, we thought we’d simply have breakfast, check out and drive to Kochi Airport.
Instead, we did something much better. We went back to Athirappilly Falls. Yes, we bought another ticket. And yes, it was completely worth it.
This time we skipped all the viewpoints and walked straight down to the base. Morning turned out to be an even better time to visit. There were probably only fifty people around. The atmosphere felt calmer.
Instead of taking photographs, we kept our phones inside our bags. That turned out to be the best decision. The water spray was so intense that using a phone would have been almost impossible anyway.
For nearly an hour, we simply stood there getting soaked. No selfies. No videos. No checking notifications.
Just enjoying one of the most powerful waterfalls we’ve ever seen. Sometimes the best travel memories are the ones you never record.
They simply stay with you. If I had to choose just one experience from the entire Kerala trip, this would be it without thinking twice.
Not Munnar. Not Jatayu. Not the elephant camp. Athirappilly in the middle of the monsoon. Nothing else came close.
Heading Back to Kochi
After returning to the hotel, we took a shower, packed our bags and checked out around 11 AM. Before leaving, I decided to speak with the manager regarding our experience. I explained the issues we had faced with the food and housekeeping.
To their credit, they handled the conversation professionally. They apologised and removed our dinner bill from the final invoice as a goodwill gesture.
I genuinely appreciated that response. It didn’t change the experience we had, but it showed they were at least willing to acknowledge the problem.
From Athirappilly, Kochi International Airport is only about ninety minutes away. It made for a relaxed final drive.
After spending the previous week driving across Kerala, this last stretch almost felt too short. The trip was coming to an end. We just didn’t realise it yet.
Returning Home and Everything We Learnt After Eight Days in Kerala
After dropping the car, we finally walked into Kochi International Airport.
Our flight was scheduled for 4 PM, and we reached the airport almost exactly at our planned drop-off time. Despite the small delay during the car return, we still had plenty of time before boarding.
Just like our departure from Jaipur, we used our Axis credit card lounge access. This time, we visited the Travel Club Lounge at Kochi Airport. Compared to the lounge in Jaipur, this one was definitely better.
The food selection wasn’t huge, but everything we tried tasted good. More importantly, the lounge itself had a premium feel. One of my favourite parts was the large glass windows overlooking the aircraft parking bays. If you enjoy watching planes, it’s a surprisingly relaxing place to spend an hour before your flight.
We stayed there for around ninety minutes before heading to our gate. Our flight departed almost exactly on time.
The journey back involved a short connection in Bengaluru. We had barely an hour between flights, so we ended up walking… and then jogging… and eventually running through the airport to reach our next gate. Thankfully, everything worked out, and we boarded just before the gate closed.
The final flight to Jaipur was once again perfectly on time. In fact, we landed about ten minutes earlier than scheduled.
Across all four Indigo flights during this trip, we didn’t face a single delay that affected our plans. We had also pre-booked meals on every flight, usually ordering sandwiches, snack boxes, beverages and buttermilk. Everything was fresh, and considering airline food standards, surprisingly good.
It might sound like a small thing, but when every flight in a trip goes exactly according to schedule, it removes a lot of unnecessary stress.
So yes, credit where it’s due. Indigo made the travel days incredibly smooth.
Was Self-Driving Kerala Worth It?
Absolutely. In fact, I don’t think I would plan this trip any other way. Driving yourself completely changes the experience.
Some of our favourite moments weren’t actually destinations. They were random stops beside unnamed waterfalls. Small roadside tea breaks. Driving through mist-covered tea estates. Pulling over because a stream beside the road looked beautiful. Stopping just because the clouds suddenly opened up and revealed an incredible valley.
None of those moments happen if you’re constantly worrying about taxi timings or trying to explain to a driver why you want to stop every fifteen minutes.
Kerala is one of those places where the journey genuinely becomes as memorable as the destination.
Is August a Good Time to Visit Kerala?
After experiencing it ourselves… Yes.
But only if you know what you’re signing up for.
If your dream holiday involves sunny beaches, swimming in the sea and perfect blue skies, August probably isn’t the right month.
However, if you want overflowing waterfalls, incredibly green landscapes, almost empty tourist attractions and some of the most scenic road trips you’ll ever do, monsoon is magical.
Of course, there are compromises. Some attractions may close because of heavy rain. Road closures are possible. Google Maps won’t always have the latest information. Your clothes will probably stay damp for half the trip.
And yes, you’ll get wet. A lot.
But somehow, those things become part of the experience instead of becoming problems.
Hotels We Stayed At
Since a lot of look for hotel recommendations, here’s my honest opinion after staying at all of them.
Skylar Seaview Beach Resort, Varkala – ⭐⭐⭐
A decent budget-friendly stay. The sea view is nice, the rooms are comfortable, but breakfast is fairly average. The biggest drawback is the parking, which is located a short walk away from the hotel. During the monsoon, that becomes slightly inconvenient. And the last 200 meters to the hotel is a narrow street.
Sterling Thekkady – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Probably the biggest surprise of the trip.
We booked it because it was affordable and ended up loving it. The rooms were spacious, the staff were excellent, dinner was surprisingly good and everything felt much better than the price suggested.
If you’re simply looking for a comfortable place to spend a night in Thekkady, I’d recommend this without hesitation.
Scenic Munnar – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Without any doubt, the best hotel of the trip:
- Beautiful property.
- Excellent food.
- Fantastic breakfast.
- Warm and genuinely helpful staff.
- Well-maintained rooms.
- Peaceful surroundings.
Three nights somehow didn’t feel enough. If your budget allows, this is one hotel I wouldn’t think twice about booking again.
This one was disappointing. The location is excellent because it’s close to the waterfall, but that’s where the positives mostly end.
The food was easily the weakest we had during the trip, housekeeping was slow, and overall the hotel felt quite average.
The management did handle our complaint professionally by waiving the dinner charges, which I appreciated, but if I ever return to Athirappilly, I’d probably look for another hotel.
Based on your actual bookings, here’s a natural Budget section that would fit nicely near the end of the blog.
Trip Budget
“How much did the entire trip cost?”
For two people, our Kerala trip cost approximately ₹1.25 lakh, including almost everything except shopping and a few personal expenses.
Here’s the breakdown.
| Category | Amount |
| Return Flights Jaipur to Kochi (with seats, meals & baggage) | ₹33,530 |
| Hotels | ₹48,550 |
| Self-drive Car (Maruti Fronx AT for 8 days) | ₹17,075 |
| Total Pre-booked Cost | ₹99,155 |
On top of this, we spent roughly another ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 on things like:
- Fuel for the self-drive car – ₹7900
- Food – ₹8500
- Entry tickets (Jatayu, Athirappilly, Door of Heaven, etc.) – ₹2000
- Elephant Camp experience – ₹3400
- Shopping, mainly chocolates, spices and souvenirs – ₹5000
That brought our total trip cost to around ₹1.25 lakh for two people, or roughly ₹62,500 per person.
Considering we stayed in a luxury Taj property for three nights, rented a self-drive automatic car for the entire trip, flew with checked baggage and meals, and didn’t really compromise on experiences, I personally feel the trip offered excellent value for money.
Could this trip be done for less? Absolutely.
If you stay in budget hotel in Munnar instead of Scenic, that alone will save you ₹30,000 so similar itinerary can comfortably be done in ₹90,000 to ₹100,000 for two people.
On the other hand, if you choose premium resorts throughout the trip and dine at luxury restaurants every day, the same itinerary can easily cross ₹2 lakh.
For us, this felt like the sweet spot. We spent where we knew we’d enjoy it the most, especially on Scenic Munnar, and saved money where luxury wouldn’t have added much to the experience, like in Thekkady. Looking back, I wouldn’t change that balance at all.
The Three Experiences I’d Never Skip
If I had to plan this trip again, these three experiences would stay exactly the same.
- Athirappilly Waterfall if you’re visiting in July-August
This wasn’t just the highlight of Kerala. It became one of my favourite travel experiences ever. Visit during the monsoon if you can. Stand at the bottom. Get completely drenched. Forget your phone for a while.
You’ll understand why everyone talks about this place.
- Door of Heaven, Munnar
This place completely exceeded my expectations. Beautiful tea gardens, peaceful walking trails and hardly any crowds.
It deserves to be much more famous than it currently is.
- Simply Driving Around Munnar
Sometimes the destination doesn’t matter. The roads themselves become the attraction. Take the smaller roads. Stop wherever you feel like. Watch the clouds move through the hills.
Those are the memories you’ll remember long after you’ve forgotten ticket prices and itineraries.
Would I Change Anything?
Very little. Reversing the itinerary worked perfectly.
Skipping Alleppey turned out to be the right decision for us because it gave us more time in Varkala and avoided an extra hotel change.
Three nights in Munnar also felt absolutely justified. If I had to change just one thing, I’d probably choose a different hotel in Athirappilly.
Everything else worked almost exactly as planned.
Final Thoughts
Every trip leaves you with a few photographs. A few souvenirs. Maybe a fridge magnet or two. Kerala gave us something else.
It reminded us that the best trips aren’t always the ones with perfect weather. They’re the ones where plans change, roads flood, attractions close, you get soaked in the rain, and somehow those imperfect moments become the stories you keep telling later.
When I think back to this trip now, I don’t immediately remember hotel check-ins or flight timings. I remember:
- Standing at the base of Athirappilly while water sprayed across my face.
- Empty roads cutting through endless tea plantations.
- Stopping beside random waterfalls that didn’t even have names.
- Walking through Varkala Cliff without checking the time.
And I remember leaving Munnar wishing we had booked one more night. That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give Kerala. Eight days felt nowhere near enough.
I know we’ll be back someday. Next time, hopefully, for even longer.
Thank You for Reading
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading.
I hope this blog helped you plan your own Kerala trip or at least gave you a realistic idea of what to expect, especially if you’re visiting during the monsoon.
If you think I’ve missed something, have any questions about the itinerary, hotels, self-drive car, budget, or simply need help planning your own trip, feel free to reach out. I’ll be more than happy to help if I can.
📧 Email: Lmangyani@gmail.com
Safe travels, and I hope you fall in love with Kerala just like we did. ❤️