Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
Kodaikanal Backpacking Trip
- Duration
- 2D / 1N2 days · 1 night
- Starts from
- Bangalore
- Trip type
- Mountains
Two days in the Princess of Hills: pine forest, Pillar Rocks, Kodai Lake and the Dolphin's Nose trek out of Vattakanal.
- Mountains
- Heights
- Nature
- Adventure
Dates
- 30 Oct 20262 days₹5,599
See 4 more datesShow fewer dates
- 6 Nov 20262 days₹5,599
- 13 Nov 20262 days₹5,599
- 20 Nov 20262 days₹5,599
- 27 Nov 20262 days₹5,599
Prices are per person.
The trip
Kodaikanal sits in the clouds on the Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu's Dindigul district - the 'Princess of Hills', laid out in 1845 as an escape from the heat of the plains, and still one of the easiest hill stations to reach from Bengaluru for a weekend.
This is the two-day backpacking version of it, paced to be slow rather than packed. You drive up the misty ghat roads overnight, check into a nature stay on the outskirts of town, and spend the first day between the pine forest, Guna Caves, the Pillar Rocks viewpoint and Kodai Lake, with real free time in between. Day two goes to Vattakanal for the walk out to Dolphin's Nose, a late lunch at Altaf's Cafe, and the Vattakanal waterfalls before the drive home.
Good to know: the stay is triple or quad sharing at a nature property outside Kodaikanal, at around 7,000 ft, so the nights are cold - carry warm layers. The trip suits first-timers, families and solo travellers alike, and the hill station is at its best in winter, December to February.
Highlights
Day 1 · 12:00 PMStroll Through the Pine Forest
Day 1 · 4:00 PMPillar Rocks Viewpoint
Day 2 · 10:00 AMTrek to Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint
Day by day
Misty Ghat Roads, Pine Forest & Pillar Rocks
The trip starts the night before, in Bengaluru. Board at your pick-up point, meet the group over a few ice-breakers, and sleep through the drive south into Tamil Nadu. Pick-up locations & timings: 08:30 PM: New Udupi Grand, HSR Layout 09:00 PM: KLM Fashion Mall, Marathahalli Day one opens on the winding ghat roads up into the Palani Hills. You check in at a nature stay on the outskirts of Kodaikanal, eat breakfast, and then take the morning slowly - the itinerary deliberately leaves room to do nothing. The afternoon covers the pine forest, Guna Caves and Devil's Kitchen if the day is running to time, and the Pillar Rocks viewpoint, before an evening at Kodai Lake and dinner back at the stay. At around 7,000 ft the nights are cold, so carry warm layers.
- 8:00 AMArrival in Kodaikanal & Check-In at the Nature StayThe bus climbs the last of the misty ghat roads into the Palani Hills. Check in at the nature stay on the outskirts of town and drop your bags.
- 9:00 AMBreakfast at the StayA hot breakfast at the property, eaten looking out at the hills, before the day opens up.
- 10:00 AMLeisure Time Amidst NatureDeliberate downtime at the stay: a book, a nap, or a wander around the property. This trip is built to be slow rather than packed.
- 12:00 PMStroll Through the Pine Forest (a highlight)The famous Kodai pine forest, planted in dead-straight rows and endlessly photographed. An easy flat walk under very tall trees.
- 2:00 PMGuna Caves & Devil's KitchenThe boulder chasms above Pillar Rocks, viewed from the fenced walkway. Fitted in if the day is running to time.
- 4:00 PMPillar Rocks Viewpoint (a highlight)Three giant granite pillars standing 400 ft over the valley. On a clear afternoon you can see for miles; on a misty one you see the mist.
- 6:00 PMEvening at Kodai LakeThe star-shaped lake in the middle of town. Walk the bund, rent a cycle or a rowboat, and watch the light go off the water.
- 8:00 PMDinner & Overnight at the StayDinner back at the property, then an early night. At around 7,000 ft it gets properly cold once the sun is down.
Vattakanal Trails & Dolphin's Nose
Day two heads down to Vattakanal, the small settlement below Kodaikanal that most weekend crowds miss. After breakfast and check-out you walk out to Dolphin's Nose - a flat rock ledge hanging over the valley, with sheer drops on either side and views down to the plains on a clear morning. The walk back up is the harder half, and it ends where every Vattakanal day ends: a late lunch at Altaf's Cafe, then the waterfalls just below the village, where the flow depends entirely on the season. The bus leaves in the evening and reaches the Bengaluru drop points at around 6:00 AM. Timings are indicative and the order can shift with weather and traffic, but everything listed gets covered.
- 8:00 AMFreshen Up & Breakfast at the StayA slow start in the cold hill air, then breakfast at the property before checking out and heading down towards Vattakanal.
- 9:00 AMDrive to VattakanalA short run down to Vattakanal, the small settlement below Kodaikanal that most weekend crowds never reach.
- 10:00 AMTrek to Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint (a highlight)An easy downhill walk to the flat rock ledge jutting out over the valley. Sheer drops on both sides and, on a clear morning, views right down to the plains.
- 1:00 PMReturn Trek to VattakanalThe walk back up is the harder half. Take it slowly and keep water handy.
- 2:00 PMLate Lunch at Altaf's Cafe (Self-Sponsored)The old backpacker cafe at Vattakanal, known for its view and its lemon tea. Lunch is not part of the package, so carry some cash.
- 4:00 PMVattakanal WaterfallsA short stop at the falls just below the village. How much water there is depends entirely on the season.
- 6:00 PMEvening Departure to BengaluruBoard in the evening for the overnight drive back down the ghats. The bus reaches the Bengaluru drop points at around 6:00 AM.
What’s included
6 items · extras
Gear & extras, 6 items
- Entry fees for the sightseeing listed in the itinerary
- Accommodation in triple or quad sharing rooms at a nature stay
- Round-trip transport from Bangalore in a tempo traveller or minibus with push-back seats
- Meals: breakfast on both days and dinner on Day 1
- Trained outdoor leader and a local guide with the group
- Inter-state taxes, road permits and tolls
Not included, 6 items
- Anything not expressly mentioned in the inclusions
- Jeep hire or extra vehicle costs to explore Kodaikanal
- GST @ 5%
- Insurance of any kind (health, medical, life or accidental)
- Any meals beyond those listed, including lunch on both days
- Personal expenses of any kind
Questions about this trip
What should I carry?
A soft copy of your Aadhaar card, a small backpack for the day, sturdy shoes with good grip for the Dolphin’s Nose walk, comfortable trekking bottoms and quick-dry t-shirts, flip-flops for the stay, two litres of water, sunscreen, a cap and sunglasses, a personal medical kit, a power bank, polybags for wet clothes, and cash for the meals not included. Warm layers matter most - the stay sits at around 7,000 ft.
How hard is this trip, and who can join?
It is a leisure trip rather than a trek. The only real walking is the easy downhill path to Dolphin’s Nose at Vattakanal and the climb back up, which is the harder half but still short. Anyone aged 8 and above with basic fitness can do it, and it suits first-timers, families and solo travellers.
What are the stay and meal arrangements?
You stay one night at a nature property on the outskirts of Kodaikanal, on triple or quad sharing. Meals covered are breakfast on both days and dinner on Day 1. Lunches are on you, including the late lunch at Altaf’s Cafe on Day 2. At around 7,000 ft the nights are cold, so carry warm layers.
How closely is the daily timeline followed?
Timings are indicative. Kodaikanal gets busy on weekends and the Pine Forest, Guna Caves and Pillar Rocks sit on one narrow road, so the order can shuffle with traffic and weather. Guna Caves and Devil’s Kitchen are fitted in only if the day is running to time. The Vattakanal waterfall flow depends entirely on the season.
Are the trips safe for women and solo travellers?
Yes, and a lot of people on this trip come solo. Rooms are allotted separately for men and women, the stay is vetted before the group arrives, and a trained outdoor leader plus a local guide are with the group throughout. Every traveller completes ID verification before joining.
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