--- title: "Kodaikanal Backpacking Trip" description: "Pine Forest, Pillar Rocks and Guna Caves, an evening at Kodai Lake, the Vattakanal trek to Dolphin's Nose and Echo Point with lunch at Altaf's Café." url: "https://www.goweekender.in/escapes/kodaikanal-backpacking-trip" --- # Kodaikanal Backpacking Trip Pine Forest, Pillar Rocks and Guna Caves, an evening at Kodai Lake, the Vattakanal trek to Dolphin's Nose and Echo Point with lunch at Altaf's Café. - Destination: Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu - Departs from: Bangalore - Duration: 2D/1N (2 days, 1 night) - Price: from ₹5,599 - Categories: Relaxation, Heights, Culture, Waves, Nature, Adventure - Booking: in the GoWeekender app (iOS and Android), run by a verified host ## Upcoming departures - 30 Oct 2026: ₹5,599 - 6 Nov 2026: ₹5,599 - 13 Nov 2026: ₹5,599 - 20 Nov 2026: ₹5,599 - 27 Nov 2026: ₹5,599 ## About this trip Kodaikanal or the Princess of Hills in Tamil Nadu is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South India. Often considered for a romantic weekend retreat, the quaint little town is blessed with a perfect temperature at any given season. If you are seeking time alone in the laps of nature, with your dear ones, Kodai is the place to go. Adorned with cascading waterfalls, shimmering lakes and undulating green hills, the town leave you awestruck with its natural beauty. We leave Bangalore on Friday night at 8:30 PM for the 500 km, roughly 10-hour overnight drive through the ghats. Day 1 takes in the iconic Pine Forest, the Pillar Rocks viewpoint and, subject to traffic and time, the Guna Caves (Devil's Kitchen), followed by a relaxed evening at the star-shaped Kodai Lake with boating, cycling and local chocolates before dinner at the stay. Day 2 heads to the village of Vattakanal for the nature trek down to Dolphin's Nose and Echo Point, a late lunch at the famous Altaf's Cafe a stop at Vattakanal Falls and a quick market run before the overnight drive back to Bangalore, arriving early Monday morning. ## Itinerary ### Day 1: Overnight Departure, Pine Forest, Pillar Rocks, Guna Caves & Kodai Lake Leave the city noise behind on Friday night as we head for the Princess of Hill Stations. Board the coach at your pickup point for the 500 km, roughly 10-hour overnight drive through the scenic ghat roads into the misty hills of Kodaikanal. Pickups: 8:30 PM Udupi Grand (Teacher's Colony, HSR Layout), 9:00 PM KLM Fashion Mall (Marathahalli), 9:30 PM Domlur Sky Walk (Old Airport Road), 10:00 PM Govardhan Theatre (Yeshwanthpur, Tumkur Road). Welcome the crisp mountain air and cloud-covered hills of Kodaikanal. After checking in at our serene property on the outskirts and a hot breakfast, we step out into nature: walk under the tall canopy of the iconic Pine Forest, marvel at the giant rock pillars at Pillar Rocks and, subject to traffic and time, explore the mystery of the Guna Caves (Devil's Kitchen). In the afternoon we head into the heart of town for a relaxed evening around the star-shaped Kodai Lake with local snacks, cycling or a peaceful boat ride, before dinner and a chilly night under the stars at the stay. Kodaikanal gets crowded in the holiday season, so please stick to the captain's timings. - 6:30 AM Reach Kodaikanal, check in & breakfast: Arrive through the winding ghat section, check into the stay (early check-in subject to availability), freshen up and enjoy a hot South Indian breakfast amid nature. - 9:00 AM Pine Forest: Drive to the forest circuit and stroll under the giant pine trees of Kodaikanal's iconic Pine Forest, with plenty of photo stops. - 10:30 AM Pillar Rocks & Guna Caves: Take in the giant rock pillars from the Pillar Rocks viewpoint, then explore the mysterious Guna Caves (Devil's Kitchen), subject to traffic and time on this crowded circuit. - 1:30 PM Lunch in town: Lunch break at a local restaurant in Kodaikanal town (self-sponsored). - 3:00 PM Evening at Kodai Lake: Relax around the star-shaped Kodai Lake: boating, tandem cycling around the lake or sampling the famous homemade Kodai chocolates (self-sponsored). - 6:30 PM Back to the stay: Return to the property and freshen up before dinner. - 8:00 PM Group dinner, bonfire & musical night: Group dinner at the stay (included), then a bonfire (subject to weather), music, storytelling and relaxing under the chilly night sky. ### Day 2: Vattakanal Trek, Dolphin's Nose, Echo Point, Altaf's Café & Return Wake up to the soothing mist and morning chill. After breakfast and check-out we head to the picturesque village of Vattakanal for a scenic nature trek down to Dolphin's Nose and Echo Point, where dramatic cliff edges overlook endless valleys of cloud. After hiking back up, treat yourself to a late lunch at the famous Altaf's Café, known for its bohemian vibe and Middle Eastern food, then stop by Vattakanal Waterfalls (water flow is seasonal) and the town market for spices, tea and homemade Kodai chocolates before the overnight return drive to Bangalore, arriving early Monday morning refreshed and recharged. - 7:30 AM Breakfast & check-out: Wake up to the mist, freshen up and pack. Breakfast at the stay is included; complete check-out before we leave for Vattakanal. - 9:00 AM Drive to Vattakanal: A short scenic drive to the trek starting point in the village of Vattakanal. - 10:00 AM Trek to Dolphin's Nose & Echo Point: Trek down through the forest to Dolphin's Nose and Echo Point for edge-of-the-cliff views over endless valleys of cloud, then hike back up to Vattakanal. - 1:30 PM Late lunch at Altaf's Café: A wholesome late lunch at the legendary Altaf's Café in Vattakanal, known for its bohemian vibe and Middle Eastern food (self-sponsored). - 3:00 PM Vattakanal Waterfalls: Visit Vattakanal Waterfalls nestled in dense greenery (water flow is seasonal). - 4:30 PM Town market stop: A quick stop at the local market for fresh spices, tea leaves and the famous homemade Kodai chocolates. - 6:00 PM Return journey to Bangalore: Board the coach for the overnight drive back to Bangalore with highway dinner and tea breaks (self-sponsored). Expected arrival early Monday morning at the Bangalore drop points. ## What's included - All toll and driver night charges. - Entry fees to the places mentioned in the itinerary. - Meals: breakfast on Day 1 and Day 2, dinner on Day 1. - Accommodation in rooms on a triple and quad sharing basis. - Entire travel as per the itinerary by AC Tempo Traveller / Mini Bus. - Experience of group travel and a lifetime of memories. - Trip captain throughout the trip. ## Not included - GST @ 5%. - Anything not mentioned under inclusions. - Boating and cycling at Kodai Lake, personal expenses and tips. - Costs arising from uncontrollable circumstances like bad weather, landslides or public protests. - Travel, accidental, health and medical insurance. - Any activities or entry charges not mentioned in the itinerary. - Lunch on both days and dinner on Day 2. ## FAQs ### What should I carry? Soft copy of your Aadhaar card, a warm jacket for the chilly evenings, cargo or track pants and shorts, T-shirts, sunscreen, good-traction shoes for the trek, two water bottles, cap and sunglasses, a personal medical kit, flip-flops for lazing around the stay, polybags for wet clothes, extra cash for meals not included in the itinerary, a power bank, a small backpack for the Vattakanal trek, and most importantly your sense of humour and spirit of adventure. ### What is the check-in policy and how strictly is the daily timeline followed? Activity & daily timeline: the hourly schedule is tentative and designed to give you the best experience. The order of places visited or the timings may change because of weather, traffic, local government restrictions or road conditions. Kodaikanal gets crowded in the holiday season, so please follow the timings set by the trip captain. Early check-in: standard check-in times apply as per the stay's policy, and early check-in is strictly subject to room availability on arrival. Where it isn't available, common washrooms and freshen-up areas will be provided so you can get ready for the day's plan without delay. ### How does group travel make adventures more accessible? Simple math: split accommodation, shared transport and group rates on activities. What costs ₹15,000 solo often drops to ₹6,000-8,000 when you're travelling with your tribe. Beyond money, you also get shared planning effort, safety in numbers and, honestly, way better photos. ### How does GoWeekender match travellers? Our Vibe Check algorithm goes beyond basic preferences. We analyse your travel pace (relaxed explorer vs packed itinerary), adventure appetite (chill vibes vs adrenaline junkie), budget comfort zone, and interests like photography, street food or trekking. The result? You get matched with travellers who genuinely get you, not just people heading to the same place. ### Is it safe to travel with strangers? Safety is built into everything we do. Every member completes ID verification before joining. Our community review system means travellers build reputation through completed trips. Plus, tribes typically form through chat and video calls before any trip happens, so by the time you meet, they're not really strangers anymore.