Kodaikanal
Tamil Nadu · 410 km from Bangalore
- Distance
- 410 km
- Ideal duration
- 3 days
- Best season
- Oct–Jun
- Avg cost
- ₹6,000
About Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal is built around a man-made star-shaped lake at 2,100 m in the Palani hills, with pine forest, shola valleys and a set of viewpoints — Pillar Rocks, Coaker's Walk, Dolphin's Nose — that stack up on a clear morning. Vattakanal, the small settlement below town, is where backpackers actually stay. The road up from Palani or Batlagundu has 60-odd hairpins; the Guna caves, Bear Shola falls and Berijam lake (permit required) fill two easy days. **Getting there.** About 460 km from Bengaluru (9–10 hours overnight) via Salem and Dindigul; a 3-hour climb from Coimbatore or Madurai. **Where to stay.** Guesthouses in Kodaikanal town and backpacker stays in Vattakanal.
Things to do
- • Coaker's Walk and Pillar Rocks
- • Dolphin's Nose and Echo Point trek
- • Kodai lake cycling and boating
- • Vattakanal falls and Devil's Kitchen
- • Berijam lake permit drive
- • Pine forest and Bryant Park
Best time to visit
October to June. December to February gets genuinely cold at night; April and May are busiest.
How to reach
About 460 km from Bengaluru (9–10 hours overnight) via Salem and Dindigul; a 3-hour climb from Coimbatore or Madurai.
Where to stay
Guesthouses in Kodaikanal town and backpacker stays in Vattakanal.