Alleppy Backwaters Houseboat Trip: Overnight Stay

Sleep on the water between two villages and wake to paddy fields

A private overnight houseboat cruise on the Alleppy backwaters near Kochi departs in the afternoon, passes through Kainakari Village and Kuttithod, and includes a one-hour country boat detour into the narrow Kuttamangalam canal where larger boats cannot reach. The houseboat anchors between 5:30 and 6 p.m. for the night, and returns the next morning after breakfast.

Step-by-step itinerary

Houseboat trip through Alleppey backwaters

• Board houseboat in Alleppey
• Travel through Kainakari Village and Kuttithod
• Stop for 1-hour lunch break
• Visit Kuttamangalam
• Take 1-hour country boat trip on Kuttamangalam canal
• Enjoy scenic views of village and paddy fields
• Return to houseboat and move to overnight halt location
• Halt houseboat between 17:30 and 18:00 for overnight stay

The experience

The route threads through some of the widest and narrowest waterways around Alleppy. The houseboat carries you past paddy fields and local villages, then stops for an hour-long country boat ride into Kuttamangalam canal: a passage too narrow for the main vessel, where the water narrows and the village closes in around you. This detour is the reason many travelers choose this itinerary: it reaches places the larger boats skip. After that, the houseboat resumes toward its overnight mooring, arriving between 5:30 and 6 p.m.

You stay aboard for the night, anchored in the backwaters. Meals are built into the booking: welcome drink and lunch on the first day, evening refreshments and dinner, then breakfast the next morning, plus a fruit basket and bottled water throughout. WiFi is available on board. The boat has a live English-speaking guide, so the stops and the landscape have context as you move through them. The itinerary includes the lake famous for the Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race and a church believed to date to AD 400, one of the oldest Catholic churches in Alleppy.

Public transportation options are nearby if you need to arrange your own arrival at the departure point. Taxis and transfers are not included in the booking. Specialized infant seats are available if you're traveling with a baby. The overnight format means you pack light and settle in rather than rushing between hotels, and the 22-hour span gives the backwaters time to shift from afternoon light to dawn.

What’s included

• WiFi on board.
• welcome drink, lunch, evening refreshments, dinner and next-day breakfast.
• fruit basket and bottled mineral water throughout the cruise.
• live English-speaking guide.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 12:00Last departure this season: 19 Dec

GroupUp to 6 · max 2 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by SreesTours

Is this one for you?Book this overnight option if you want to sleep on the water and wake to the backwaters rather than rushing between hotels. The country boat detour into Kuttamangalam canal is what sets this route apart. It reaches the narrow passages and village views that day trips from larger boats cannot access.

Traveler reviews

4.70★★★★★★★★★★

37 verified traveler reviews

5 ★29

4 ★5

3 ★3

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What is Kuttamangalam canal and why does the houseboat switch to a country boat there?

Kuttamangalam canal is a narrow waterway too shallow and tight for the main houseboat to navigate. The one-hour country boat ride takes you into this passage to see the local paddy fields and village up close, a perspective the larger vessel cannot reach.

What meals and drinks are included on the overnight houseboat?

Welcome drink, lunch, evening refreshments, dinner, and breakfast the next morning are all included, along with a fruit basket and bottled mineral water. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are not included but can be brought aboard or arranged in advance if you notify the operator before boarding.

Does the houseboat have WiFi and a guide?

Yes, WiFi is available on board throughout the cruise. A live guide who speaks English is included to explain the stops and the landscape as you travel.

What time does the houseboat anchor for the night?

The boat reaches its overnight mooring between 5:30 and 6 p.m. and departs the next morning after breakfast.

Can I arrange a taxi pickup from my hotel to the houseboat departure point?

Taxi pickup and drop-off are not included in the booking. Public transportation options are available near the departure point, or you can arrange your own transfer separately.