From Backwaters to Mountains: Our Rainy Road Trip to Thekkady Was Straight Out of a Movie

Rain-soaked roads, endless tea gardens, elephants, waterfalls, a jungle safari, and an unforgettable Kalari performance—our second full day in Kerala was packed with adventure.

After spending a magical day and an equally peaceful night on the houseboat, we woke up early the next morning.

The backwaters were still calm.

The air felt fresh.

Everything around us was quiet.

It was hard to believe that just a few hours later we'd be leaving this peaceful floating home behind.

But that's the beauty of road trips.

Every morning brings a brand-new destination.

Goodbye, Houseboat!

We freshened up, packed our luggage one last time and headed towards the dining hall around 8:00–8:30 in the morning for breakfast.

Just like every meal we had on the houseboat, breakfast was simple, fresh and delicious.

Soon after finishing, we collected our bags and walked towards our cab.

Our driver bhaiya was already waiting for us with a smile.

Within minutes, all our luggage was loaded into the vehicle.

Before leaving, we couldn't resist clicking a few more photographs beside the beautiful houseboat.

After all...

Who knows when we'd get another chance to stay on one again?

We settled into our seats.

The engine started.

And just like that...

Our next adventure had begun.

Towards Thekkady

Today's destination was Thekkady, one of Kerala's most famous hill destinations.

The drive from Alleppey (Alappuzha) to Thekkady is approximately 140 kilometres and usually takes around four to five hours, depending on traffic and weather.

We expected the drive to be beautiful.

But we hadn't expected it to be this beautiful.

Initially, we drove through Alleppey's roads lined with houses, coconut trees and small shops.

Slowly, the scenery began changing.

The flat roads gave way to gentle hills.

The number of trees multiplied.

The air became cooler.

Every kilometre looked greener than the previous one.

It felt like Kerala was slowly revealing another side of itself.

When The Rain Joined Us

As if the scenery alone wasn't enough...

It started raining.

At first, it was only a light drizzle.

Tiny drops gently landed on the windshield while the wipers moved lazily from side to side.

The combination of mist, greenery and rain made the drive unbelievably beautiful.

None of us wanted to look at our phones anymore.

We simply kept looking outside.

Then...

Without warning...

The rain became much heavier.

Within minutes it was raining so hard that the road ahead almost disappeared.

The trees looked even greener.

The mountains slowly vanished behind clouds.

The sound of rain hitting the car became louder than our conversations.

Normally, heavy rain slows people down.

But somehow, it made this journey even more memorable.

We didn't stop.

We kept driving through one of the most beautiful roads we'd ever travelled.

A Stop at Pattumala Church

One of our first major stops was Pattumala Church, one of the most picturesque churches in Kerala.

By the time we reached, the rain had thankfully slowed down.

The church stood peacefully amidst rolling tea gardens and mist-covered hills.

It almost looked like something from a European countryside.

The cool breeze...

Fresh mountain air...

Clouds floating around the hills...

It was impossible not to stop.

We spent a good amount of time there, clicking photographs, recording videos and simply admiring the surroundings.

Sometimes, travelling isn't about ticking places off a list.

It's about standing quietly and appreciating where you are.

Kerala's Endless Tea Gardens

As we continued our drive, the roads became even more scenic.

Tea gardens stretched across entire hillsides like giant green carpets.

Every turn opened another breathtaking view.

Sometimes we'd ask the driver to stop.

Sometimes we'd simply slow down.

Every few minutes someone inside the car would say,

"Look outside!"

Out came the camera.

Again.

And again.

There were simply too many beautiful places to ignore.

We Couldn't Ignore The Waterfall

Then came another unexpected surprise.

A roadside waterfall.

Rainwater was pouring down with full force because of the ongoing monsoon.

Technically...

We could have continued driving.

But where's the fun in that?

We asked the driver to stop.

The rain was still falling.

The rocks were wet.

The water was freezing cold.

None of that mattered.

We clicked photographs.

Recorded videos.

Stood close enough to feel the mist on our faces.

Sometimes the best travel memories are the ones that aren't even part of the original itinerary.

Welcome to Periyar

After a beautiful drive through hills, tea plantations and waterfalls, we finally reached the Periyar area near Thekkady.

This place is famous for much more than just its wildlife sanctuary.

Visitors also come here to enjoy:

• Elephant rides

• Elephant bathing experiences

• Periyar Tiger Reserve

• Jungle safari

• Kathakali performances

• Kalaripayattu (Kalari martial arts)

• Spice gardens

• Homemade chocolates

• Ayurvedic products

There was plenty to do.

But first...

The elephants were waiting.

Our First Elephant Ride

Standing beside an elephant is very different from seeing one in a zoo.

You suddenly realise how enormous these gentle animals really are.

Soon it was our turn.

Climbing onto the elephant itself felt like an adventure.

Once seated, the elephant slowly began walking through the trail.

Its gentle swaying movement took a few minutes to get used to.

Then it simply became fun.

We laughed.

Clicked photographs.

Recorded videos.

And enjoyed every minute.

There was also an option to bathe the elephants.

As tempting as it sounded...

The weather was already cold because of the rain.

We decided not to risk falling sick.

Sometimes saying "maybe next time" is the smarter choice.

Lunch, Kerala Style

By now it was well past lunchtime.

All of us were hungry.

Our driver bhaiya took us to a nearby restaurant that served authentic Kerala food.

It turned out to be another excellent recommendation.

Our lunch included:

• Kerala Parotta

• Chicken Curry

• Fresh Fish

• Payasam

Simple.

Fresh.

Authentic.

Exactly what we needed after a busy morning.

Into the Forest

Lunch over.

Next stop...

The jungle safari.

We booked our tickets and boarded the safari bus.

Slowly the bus entered the forest.

Everyone inside became quieter.

Every pair of eyes remained fixed outside the window.

The guide occasionally pointed towards animals hiding between the trees.

We spotted several wild animals during the journey.

But the biggest surprise wasn't an animal.

It was the place where the bus finally stopped.

A View Straight Out of Childhood

Everyone stepped off the bus.

And for a moment...

Nobody spoke.

In front of us stood mountains.

A calm river.

The evening sky.

The setting sun.

It looked exactly like those nature drawings we all made in school as children—

Two mountains.

A river flowing between them.

Trees everywhere.

And the sun setting in the background.

Except this time...

It wasn't a drawing.

It was real.

We spent as much time there as possible.

Photographs.

Videos.

Quiet moments.

It was impossible to stop looking around.

Eventually, the last safari bus arrived to take everyone back.

Honestly...

None of us wanted to leave.

But staying back with wild animals for the night didn't seem like the brightest idea.

So...

We boarded the bus.

One of the Best Performances of the Trip

Instead of relaxing for the evening, we quickly checked into our hotel.

The rooms were comfortable.

But there wasn't much time to rest.

We had another experience waiting.

The Kalaripayattu show.

We reached the auditorium just before the performance started.

None of us knew exactly what to expect.

Within minutes...

We were completely amazed.

The artists displayed incredible speed, balance and discipline.

Sword fights.

Acrobatics.

Traditional combat techniques.

Every performance received loud applause.

Then came the final act.

Fire.

Sparks.

Fearless performances.

The entire audience watched in complete silence before bursting into applause.

It was one of the finest cultural performances we witnessed during our Kerala trip.

Chocolates Before Calling It A Day

No visit to Thekkady feels complete without buying its famous homemade chocolates.

Naturally...

We couldn't leave without visiting one of the local chocolate shops.

There were so many flavours to choose from that deciding what to buy became surprisingly difficult.

After shopping, we finally returned to the hotel.

Freshened up.

Changed into comfortable clothes.

And headed for dinner.

Ending The Day With Good Food

Dinner was just as satisfying as the rest of the day.

Our buffet included:

• Chapati

• Fried Rice

• Paneer

• Chicken

• Papad

• Salad

• Payasam

• Lemon soda

It was the perfect ending to an action-packed day.

Back in our rooms, everyone was tired.

Not the kind of tired that makes you complain.

The kind that comes after a truly memorable day.

As we switched off the lights, one thought crossed our minds.

If Kerala had already surprised us this much...

What would tomorrow bring?

We didn't know it yet.

But another unforgettable destination was waiting for us in the morning.