Fort Kochi & Mattancherry Tuk-Tuk Tour Private Autorickshaw Pickup

Skip the navigation puzzle and see Fort Kochi on your own schedule

A private tuk-tuk tour of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry in Kochi, India, with hotel pickup and an English-speaking driver who takes you to the Chinese Fishing Nets, Mattancherry Palace, Paradesi Synagogue, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, Dutch Cemetery and other colonial-era sites. You customize which stops matter to you. The tour runs 3 to 4 hours and includes bottled water and all fees and taxes.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each7 stops

1. Chinese Fishing NetsEntry included20m
2. Dutch Cemetery15m
3. St. Francis ChurchEntry included20m
4. Santa Cruz Cathedral BasilicaEntry included20m
5. Indo-Portuguese MuseumEntry included20m
6. Mattancherry Palace20m
7. Paradesi Synagogue and Jew TownEntry included20m

Explore Fort Kochi and Mattancherry

• Hotel pickup by tuk-tuk
• Visit Chinese fishing nets
• Stop at Fort Kochi beach
• Explore Dutch cemetery
• Tour St. Francis Church
• See Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica
• Visit Indo-Portuguese Museum
• Explore naval history museum
• Tour Mattancherry Palace
• Visit Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town
• Shop for spices
• Visit Jain place of worship and pigeon feeding
• See Bastion Bungalow

The experience

Getting around Fort Kochi without a car means either negotiating with taxis at each stop or walking distances that add up fast in the heat. A private tuk-tuk solves that: the driver picks you up from your hotel, and you move between sites in the autorickshaw itself, which means no waiting for transport and no haggling over fares. You decide which attractions matter: the Chinese Fishing Nets where teams of six fishermen operate mechanical nets that have worked the same way since Chinese explorers brought them in the 14th century, the Mattancherry Palace with its Kerala murals of the Rajas, the Paradesi Synagogue built in 1568 and still the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth, the spice markets of Jew Town, or the colonial churches that line the waterfront.

St. Francis Church, built in 1503, is one of the oldest European churches in India and the place where Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was originally buried before his remains were moved to Lisbon fourteen years later. The Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, one of eight basilicas in Kerala, sits nearby with its ornate stone facade. The Dutch Cemetery, consecrated in 1724, holds the graves of colonial administrators who left Europe centuries ago to build empires and never went home. Between the major sites, the driver knows the smaller stops: the spice shops with their bulk displays, the Bastion Bungalow with its Indo-European architecture, the naval museum. You're not locked into a fixed itinerary, so if a street or a view pulls you, you can linger or skip ahead.

The tour runs between 3 and 4 hours depending on how long you spend at each stop. Bottled water is included, and all fees and taxes are built into the price, so there are no surprises at the end. Infants sit on an adult's lap, and the pace suits all fitness levels. You're riding in the tuk-tuk between stops and walking at your own speed once you arrive.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private tuk-tuk with English-speaking driver.
• bottled water.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Lasts 3h–4h, runs every day with no fixed time, from US$ 11 per person, with a live guide in English, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (30 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Youth (12 to 29 years) · Child (4 to 11 years): free · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cochin Royal Tuk-Tuk Tours

Is this one for you?The tuk-tuk does the navigation between stops, so you're not walking across Fort Kochi in the heat or figuring out which taxi to flag down next. You move at your own pace and choose which sites to linger at, which matters if you want to spend time in the spice markets or photograph the fishing nets without rushing to the next checkpoint.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 29 years); Child (4 to 11 years): free; Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly are the Chinese Fishing Nets and why are they in Kochi?

The Chinese Fishing Nets are stationary lift nets: huge mechanical structures at least 10 meters high with nets of 20 meters or more stretched over the water, held up by counterweights of large stones. Chinese explorers brought this fishing method to Kochi in the 14th century, and it's now almost unique to India, found mainly in Kochi and Kollam. Each net is operated by a team of up to six fishermen and has become a major tourist attraction because the technique is so unusual here.

Can I choose which sites to visit, or is the route fixed?

You customize the entire tour to suit your interests. The driver will take you to the major sites (Chinese Fishing Nets, Mattancherry Palace, Paradesi Synagogue, the colonial churches and cemetery), but you decide which ones matter to you and how long to spend at each. If you want to skip a stop or add time somewhere, you can adjust on the day.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs 3 to 4 hours depending on which stops you choose and how long you spend at each one. The time includes travel between sites in the tuk-tuk and walking time at the attractions themselves.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup, the private tuk-tuk with driver, bottled water, and all fees and taxes are included. The driver speaks English and will guide you through the sites and answer questions about what you're seeing.

What's the difference between Mattancherry Palace and the other colonial buildings?

Mattancherry Palace, also called the Dutch Palace, was built by the Portuguese and is famous for its interior Kerala murals depicting the Rajas of Kochi. It's been nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status. The other churches and the cemetery are also colonial-era sites but serve different purposes, St. Francis Church is where Vasco da Gama was buried, and the Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica is one of Kerala's eight basilicas.