10 OF THE BEST AUTHENTIC TOURS AND ACTIVITIES IN KERALA

Of course Kerala is a place that thousands of people flock to each year in search of the well known lush green landscapes, flowing backwaters, beaches and hill stations. Travellers are not just keen to see existing attractions but also travel experiences that focus on immersion into local cultures and but like us wanting to add add value to local communities, inwhatever way they can.

Here are a few things to recommned thinking about when looking at local things to do:

• Delve into local culture and heritage – ‘authentic/local’ tours and activities in Kerala will do a deep dive into traditional customs such as visiting temples, opting for Homestay accommodation.
• Chatting with locals – we think this is the best way to learn about particular insights such as the way of life of those communities that live in Kerala, like the fishing families of Marari Beach and the Alleppey backwaters.
• Off the beaten path or locations that are not as obvious to visitors – the aim of this is primarily to choose alternatives to busy mass touristy spots but also discover areas which locals reside in yet are infreqiemtly visited by others outside of the locale.
• Responsible & sustainable tourism – helps with preservation of the local environment as a priority and we as travellers should not disrupt or make a negative impact on their livelihoods.

How to Find Authentic Tours and Activities in Kerala

From our experience, this takes some work in the travel planning stage but it can be extremely rewarding.

• Research local traditions and heritage – We did plenty of online searches, books and documentaries can all help with demystifying the custom of Kerala. Hopefully this article can be a starting point.
• Connect and converse with local communities, tour operators and private guides – try chat with local community initiatives, search for tour agencies that work with local communities and are based in Kerala or ones in your country of residence that may have a onground team in Kerala.

Be-lavie Tip: Where possible try and find a local guide in each destination who knows the area inside out. You can search for guides online or go through a local tour operator who use local guides. Our top recommendation for Fort Kochi is Mr Lalan, who can be contacted at lamonca201@yahoo.com. He is excellent at tailoring trips to lesser explored areas and activities based on your preferences. 

• Ask locals and others who have travelled to Kerala for their recommendations – Join facebook groups and forums where members have also lived and worked here or are natives.
• Opt for non-touristy or not so busy/obvious activities – mix up the tourist sights with  visits to local markets, cultural shows, like the Kathakali dance performances and Kalari martial arts insights. Head to local festivals and partake in Onam if you are in Kerala in September. Find out what is on at your destination and try and experience if it it is possible and safe.
• Look at accommodation options – Kerala is full of great eco-friendly places to stay which are provide a more local authentic experience than staying at international hotel chains, which encourages monet to leave the local area and country. Explore homestays, guest houses, locally owned hotels , eco-lodges and resorts. Experiences are more immersive and staff are generally recruited from the local communities. 

Tips to Help Plan Things to Do in Kerala

• Customs – we always do what we can to make ourselves aware of local customs and traditions. For example, in Kerala before entering someone’s house, you should take off your shoes at the front door. Also dress appropriately, Kerala is quite a conservative state don’t wear hot pants and string vests, cover shoulders and knees at temples. 

• Language – We tried to learn a few phrases in Malayalam (the local language of Kerala) which will impress the locals for sure. It also shows you have a genuine interest in their language and culture.

• Respectful – Take clothing which is suitable to wear to things like temples and places of culture and heritage to be respectful. We always make sure we pack shawls, long trousers not shorts and of course opt for long skirts or dresses. If you’re unsure about what to take with you, our comprehensive packing guide is a great place to start for all seasons in Kerala.

• Research – Communicate with the local Tourist Board. We discovered that Kerala has a very good tourism board who have a great website packed full of lots of resources and suggestions. The have a priority to introduce a lot of sustainability in the state too as they have a dedicated programme to deliver on responsible tourism. 

Which Activity is Right for you at a Glance

When looking at a list of tours and activities with such a diverse choice that Keraral has, we put together this table as a quick reference summary, to help at a glance – perfect if you’re short of time or can’t decide!

** Please note, not all activities have been included here as things like tasting local cuisine is something you can easily do in all parts of Kerala. Boat races are not activities that can be booked in advance but it is possibel to see if you are in Kerala along teh backwaters and larger waterways.

Activity/Tour	Perfect For	One click booking
Kathakali & Kalari Show	Kathakali shows are great for culture explorers, photography and history lovers as the performances relies entirely on eye movements, hand gestures, and facial expressions rather than spoken words that transcends language barriers. Kalari Show are for martial arts lovers due to the Keralan martial art showcasing incredible agility, weapons training, and traditional performances.	An evening Kathakali & Kalari performance in Cochin
Fort Kochi bespoke tour	Those who want to see more unique, personal highlights of the city as well as the usual historical charms of the port city. The tour can be tailored to suit your party’s interests.	Contact Lalan: lalmonca207@yahoo.com
A Keralan homestay & cookery class	Curious foodie travellers and home cooks you want to learn more about South Indian spices as well as delve into vegetarian and vegan food. Keralan cuisine is naturally plant based and contains fresh coconuts, lentils, vegetables, and rice instead of meat.	Book in a homestay with Sheba in Fort Kochi which can include a cookery class
Canoeing on the Kerala Backwaters	Tailored towards slow travellers, nature enthusiasts, and culture seekers. The narrow waterways and small canals are sheltered from strong currents, that provide an intimate way to experience rural Indian village life.	Immerse yourself in Kerala’s stunning backwater landscapes with this local-led backwater kayak experience
Visiting a local temple	Although suited to practicing hindus, it is possibel to enter for culture and architect lovers. Ensure that appropriate dress code is followed when visiting (explained further down in the article).	Let a local expert show you a spiritual side of Trivandrum in Kerala that most visitors skip with this walking temple tour
Take a Full Day or Half Day Tour to Visit Back2Village in Viakom	Nestled in Kerala’s backwaters, is perfect for experiential, cultural and nature travellers, who want a quiet, sustainable, and local-focussed Indian getaway. Free from tourist crowds, it lets visitors authentically engage with local artisans and rural livelihoods.	Book directly with Suresh at Back2Village
Take a 4WD Jeep Ride in Eravikulam National Park	Wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, and visitors with limited mobility who want to comfortably explore the park’s rugged terrain, rolling mist-covered grasslands, and spot the endangered Nilgiri Tahr	Reserve the Munnar: Anakulam Jeep Safari with Waterfall and Elephant
Stay in an Eco-resort, Homestay or Tree house	Eco-resorts, homestays, and treehouses are perfect for nature lovers, eco-conscious travellers and those seeking a digital detox. They offer an ideal escape for couples looking for a romantic getaway, solo travelers wanting peace and quiet, and families interested in an immersive, educational, and nostalgic experience	Stay in a tree house in remote surroundings with occasional wild elephant sighting and incredible views over the tea plantations and forest.

Tours and Activities in Kerala

#1. Hire a Local Guide

This is the best advice we can give you for locating and taking part in authentic experiences in Kerala. Either go through a travel agency/tour operator or search on social media or online for private tour guides in whichever destinations in Kerala you are headed to. 

Make sure to read reviews and if you can get personal recommendations that’s even better. Guides who have lived their lives in a certain place will have the best knowledge of the hidden gems and local spots.

Our guide in Fort Kochi, Lalan was booked to give us a city tour but as well as the usual hotspots we asked if he could take us to some places where the locals hung out. Places like local factories and spice mills that are usually pretty difficult to  locate. He allowed us to have real interaction and conversations with locals who were working and allowed us to get an insight into their survival in this tourist hub of Kerala. 

This is truly something that meant so much and the photography that we were kindly allowed to capture with consent to share here is raw and real and what we remember about our 48 hours in Fort Kochi.

Contact Lalan: lalmonca207@yahoo.com

#2. Attend a Cultural show in either Kochi or Thekkady 

You will see many tourists at the Kathakali and Kalari shows, traditional Keralan dance form and Keralan ancient martial arts respectively. These are great for supporting the local economy – these are not just done as private experiences as they do take the artists over a decade and a half to train for but also applying the make-up can take several hours. They are a big part of the culture in Kerala and each show has a commentary that explains what is happening. Opt for a smaller show somewhere like Thekkady as it does feel a littel mroe personable.

Be-lavie Tip: A great tip is to go to the Kathakali show early and get an insight into how the a makeup application process is done. The dancers apply their own makeup on the stage. Ask if you can arrive an hour early to watch this.

Try to go to Kathakali and Kalari shows at the cultural centres which also teach about the local customs. There are a number of them in Fort Kochi but the Mudra Centre during our visit to Thekkady is the one we visited.

A thrilling evening show in Kochin of the traditional Kathakali show followed by a hair raising performance of Kalary martial arts

#3. Experience a Keralan Cookery Class

 Cookery classes are such a great activity. They allow you to work with a local chef or host and try making traditional Keralan dishes. There are lots of experiences you can book via tour operators as well as many homestays that run classes for 2-3 hours on  daily basis. All dietary requirements will be noted at the time of booking to ensure that menus are suitable.

A great one we can recommend in Fort Kochi is Sheba’s Homestay. As well as running her Homestay, Sheba is one of the most patient and accomplished cooks. We spent three hours with her as she taught us all bout Keralan food, we could participate as much or as little as we wanted and afterwards we could enjoy the food for lunch. 

The experience felt very authentic as we were in her kitchen where she cooks daily, the techniques that she has learnt from her family.

• Contact via telephone: +91 0378 90621
• Find it Here: Map Location

Experience a local homestay with Sheba and her family complete with a cooking class- it doesn’t get much local than this in Fort Kochi

Recommended cookery classes & food tours in locations across Kerala

#4 Canoeing on the Kerala Backwaters

If you would like to experience the Alleppey backwaters in a more authentic, as well as sustainable way, why not try a full or half day canoeing tour of the area. Its quite a personal experience and you also get to see more of the local community and initiatives as well as livelihoods around the area.

You can also stay in a Homestay on the backwaters, which will allow you to walk through the side walks along the canals and get a real taste for local life here and the fishing community.

Additionally look for sustainable houseboat companies for an unforgettable overnight cruise of the Kerala backwaters. 

The backwaters are a wonderful place to discover nature and a variety of wildlife such as birds at the Kumarakom bird sanctuary.

Immerse yourself in Kerala’s stunning backwater landscapes with this local-led backwater kayak experience

Other Memorable Canoe, Kayaking and Shikara Rides in the Kerala Backwaters (Locally-led)

#5. Dosa and Idli for Breakfast

If you don’t get to try Dosa and Idli for breakfast then have you even been to Kerala? We love South Indian food and dosa is a paper thin, savoury crepe or pancake made from a fermented batter of ground white gram and rice. Dosas are served hot, often with chutney and sambar, which is a lentil-based vegetable stew, cooked with pigeon pea and tamarind broth. One of the bets ways to try traditional Keralan food is with a local family, where you get a real taste of how important the meal is and how a varity of dishes are served on a banana leaf.

Idli is a type of spongy round savoury cake made from rice flour also served with sambar. 

These are must try foods and if you can’t get them at your hotel for breakfast, then head to a local restaurants. They are delicious. 

Dine with a local host and their family in a traditional setting on an organic farm, a truly unique experience of homemade lunch

#6. Watch a Snake Boat Race

It is quite an honour to watch the snake boat race, also known as the Vallam Kali. It usually occurs in the monsoon season or close to Onam in the months of August/September. The snake boat race originated in Alleppey and if you spend time on the backwaters, you will most probably see teams of men practicing early morning on the wider backwaters.

Around a hundred men will pull their oars in perfect synchronisation with the beat of drums as hundreds of thousands of spectators line the banks of the Alleppey backwaters to watch.

With the Snake boat races, each team has 110 players. The wooden boats they row are nearly 140 ft (42.6m) long with the stern rising 15 ft above the surface of the water. Each race has at least 20 teams. Those who are watching the race, will end up seeing 2,200 players competing at the same time.

#7. Visit a Local Temple

Hinduism is still the predominant religion of Kerala, followed by Christianity and Islam, so there  are many temples that you can visit in Kerala. You may well attend some as part of a heritage and culture tour with local guides. The most impressive temples we visited in Kerala are the Ananthankadu Shree Nagaraja Temple Trust and the Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple which are both stops on the spiritual guided walking tour of Trivandrum, which is incredibly well put together with a local from the area.

If you do plan to visit one solo, please bear in mind to respect the local culture and dress modesty. Wear trousers, long dress or skirt and be sure to cover arms with a shawl if you have a vest on. Always take your shoes off outside as a sign of respect and don’t disturb the priests and the other members of the congregation who are praying. Be discrete and observe from a distance. Try and leave a donation which is often used for the up keep of the temples.

Let a local expert show you a spiritual side of Trivandrum in Kerala that most visitors skip with this walking temple tour

#8 Take a Full Day or Half Day Tour to Visit Back2Village in Viakom

This truly is one of the best local tours that there is and definitely worth experiencing.

This is best booked from Kochi or the Alleppey area. Back2Village is an initiative that has brought together, people from different walks of life for achieving one common goal, ‘addition to the quality of life of rural people, especially farmers, through integrated ways of farming’. The initiative had taken shape with the view to achieving overall rural development by making the villages prosperous and self reliant.

This initiative was set up by Mr. Suresh, one of the pioneer tour co-ordinators in Kerala since 1997, and has been helping visitors discover a more authentic experience in Kerala. 

Back 2 village run a number of tours but we opted for the half day village tours which commences with a welcome drink at Mr Suresh’s house where you can meet his family. Next we boarded a small shikha or canoe style boat and glided through the narrow deserted canals of the area and watched as the locals went about their daily business. There is quite a lot of wildlife to spot along this route also.

After floating through the small canals you arrive at the local villages where you can see how the locals live and how they earn a living. These are not staged activities, they are real jobs and the villagers do them in between household chores and tending to other responsibilities. 

Village activities include: Coir Making, Straw Mat Weaving, Copra Processing as well as arrowroot powder making.

After spending time with the locals getting a glimpse of their trades, you head back to the main house house. Here Suresh showed us around his herbal and spices garden where he has more than 50 species of plants. Many are used in Ayurvedic medicine. You get the opportunity to see Papaya, Ginger, Turmeric, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Jackfruits, Mango, Pineapple, Basil, Giant Milkweed, Wild Kurkuma, Worm killer, Scarier, Dhurb grass, Kaemferia, Spreading Hogweed, Mimosa etc.

We ended the experience with a traditional Keralan vegetarian lunch which is served at weddings as well as the festival of Onam. Lunch concludes the trip. 

Mr Suresh also runs a homestay at his house as well as a number of other tours.

Booking: Back 2 Village website

#9. Take a 4WD Jeep Ride in Eravikulam National Park 

The ideal length of time to visit Munnar is 3 nights and the way to get to the lush green jungle, access the stunning views, spot wildlife and see sites like the Mattupetty Dam and Echo Point are by taking a 4WD jeep, its possible to reach the more remote spots like tea plantations and small farms.

It is a bit of a thrilling ride on the bumpy roads in Munnar but it is definitely a lot of fun and a great way to see the area from a different perspective.

We booked our trip through Idukki Riders Jeep Tours located in Chithirapuram, Idukki and can be contacted via their numbers 9496822212 or 9847843533. It’s best to book these once you are in Kerala, or even Munnar – best done from your accommodation so you don’t incur call charges. 

Highly recommended 4WD jeep Safari in the Munnar Mountains

#10. Stay in an Eco-resort, Homestay or Tree house

Staying in an eco-friendly hotel or lodge is a wonderful experience in Kerala. But staying in a tree house in the Munnar hills is incredible. You will be literally in line with nature and this is one memorable experiences. Eco-resorts work closely with the local communities and allow guests to partake in many activities to ensure that they  are supported. We stayed at Nature Zone Tree House Jungle Resort, Munnar.

It’s easy to see why Nature Zone Jungle Resoort is one of Kerala’s most sustainable places to stay. It’s  location is 5,700 feet above sea level. Elephants are often seen on the narrow winding roads leading up to the property together with wild boar. 

Guests can opt for safari style tents of tree houses and we’d definitely recommend these, and it does feel like you’re there amongst the clouds. There are only 15 residences at the resort in total.

There is a dining area where food is served at breakfast and dinner, these are on a buffet style basis and food is only replenished as and when required. 

Nature Zone is a very special location and has 180 and 360 degree views over Munnar – it’s a beautiful view once the mist lifts.

Activities at Nature Zone Jungle resort include jungle trekking, lush tea plantation walks, hiking to the Pulippara view point, bird watching, sunrise and sunset viewpoints as well as plantation viewpoints. There’s even a view of the city lights beneath in Munnar. 

Nature Zone Jungle resort’s remote location, is only accessible by private jeep and takes around 30 minutes from  a specified pick up and drop off point in Munnar.Resort Rating: three Star Tree Houses and safari tents.

• Details: Check-in time: 12:00. Check-out time: 11:00.
• Booking Packages Includes: Breakfast and dinner are all included due to the remote location of the resort.
• Perfect For: Couples, Solo travellers, families who may prefer safari tents if they have babies.

Don’t miss out on this close-to -nature experience of staying in a tree house in remote surroundings with occasional wild elephant sighting and incredible views over the tea plantations and forest.

• Location: Pulippara, Near KSRTC Bus Stand, Nullatanni, Munnar, Kerala 685612 I Tel, +91 9745433330. Map Location 

Authentic Activities In Kerala FAQs

Local Tours & Activities in Kerala Round-Up

This article serves as a useful resource to aid with choosing authentic things to do in Kerala. The take aways are to engage with locals, communities as well as tour operators and guides. Local guides have a wealth of knowledge and are very familiar with the lay of their land. 

Travellers should do their research before heading to Kerala and have as many things booked in advance as possible to avoid disappointment in terms of accommodation and tours. Kerala’s government puts a huge amount of effort into promoting eco-friendly and sustainable tourism which is one of the reasons that it is one of India’s most eco-friendly states.  

Next Steps: Following looking through the links of tour options we’ve included, tailor this to crafting an itinerray around these areas which will help with logistics tremendously! Read the other articles included in related posts for more inspiration in crafting your perfect Kerala itinerary.

Kerala Related Articles

• How To Plan The Best 10 day Kerala Itinerary
• Beautiful Eco-friendly Hotels in Kerala & Their Sustainability Practices
• What Makes Kerala One of India’s Most Eco-Friendly States
• How to spend 48 Hours in Fort Kochi
• A 3 Day Guide to Things To Do In Munnar
• The Best Things to do in Thekkady: A Travel Guide
• Cruise the Kerala Backwaters on a Houseboat + sustainability tips
• A guide to the best things to do on beautiful Marari Beach  
• A Guide on What to pack for Kerala 

Travel Planning Resources

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