KODAIKANAL LEISURE TOUR (FROM COIMBATORE)

At a distance of 1 km from Kodaikanal Bus Station, Kodai Lake is an artificial, star-shaped lake situated in Kodaikanal town. It is the most famous landmark of Kodaikanal & one of the top tourist places to visit in Kodaikanal town.

The lake is often represented in promoting Kodaikanal Tourism. Spread across an area of 60 acres, the Kodai Lake was built in 1863. Sir Vere Henry Levinge, the then Collector of Madurai, was instrumental in creating the lake. The lake is surrounded by beautiful valleys, a boat club, and buildings from the colonial period. There is a walkway around the lake that offers wonderful views of the place as part of Kodai tour packages. The 5 kilometers path that skirts the periphery of this lovely lake is a favorite walk for the locals and tourists alike.

Rowboats and pedal boats can be hired at the Boat Club. Horses and .....

At a distance of 700 meters from Kodaikanal Bus Station, Bryant Park is a wonderfully maintained garden situated towards the South-East corner of Kodai Lake. Along with Kodai Lake, this is one of the must visit places in Kodaikanal tour.

Occupying an area of 20.5 acres, the park was planned and built-in 1908 by a forest officer from Madurai, H.D.Bryant, and named after him. With 325 species of trees, shrubs, and cactuses, the park is a rainbow of stunning flowers during the monsoon and winter season. A large section is dedicated to nearly 740 varieties of roses. Ornamental plants are cultivated in a nursery for sale. The park organizes horticultural exhibits and flower shows every summer, to coincide with the peak season. This is one of the most scenic Kodaikanal tourist places.

There is a beautiful glasshouse inside the park with nicely organized .....

At a distance of 5 kms from Kodaikanal Bus Station, Shenbaganur Museum of Kodaikanal boasts of a vast reserve of the relics of antique pieces of art and craft of the region. It is one of the popular sightseeing attractions in Kodai.

A part of the Sacred Heart College of Kodaikanal, the museum reflects the rich traditional heritage and cultural ancestry of the region. The store house of traditional artifacts of Kodaikanal, Shenbaganur museum is easily accessible from any part of the city. A unique characteristic of Shenbaganur museum is its wide collection of rare and endangered species of birds and beautiful flowers that imparts a magical spell on the visitors.

Timings: 10 AM to 11.30 AM & 3 PM to 5 PM. Entry fee - Rs 5.

At a distance of 8 km from Kodaikanal Bus Station, Silver Cascade is a mesmerizing waterfall situated in the town of Kodaikanal. This is one of the most popular waterfalls near Bangalore and among the prime place to visit on a Kodaikanal trip.

Cascading down from a height of about 55 meters (180 ft, the Silver Cascade waterfall is formed from the outflow of Kodaikanal Lake. It is one of the most visited tourist places in Kodai. The name 'Silver cascade' is given to this fall, owing to the colour of the water which appears silver when flowing down the 55-meter high cliff.

There is a dedicated viewing platform in front of the waterfall, which serves as an excellent point to view the flowing waterfall down in a pool. One can easily reach the silver Cascade falls via local transport .....

At a distance of 0.5 km from Kodaikanal Bus Station, Coaker's Walk is a paved path situated in Kodaikanal. It is one of the most scenic places to visit in Kodai.

Constructed by Lt. Coaker in 1872, Coaker's Walk is a 1-kilometer paved pedestrian path along the edge of steep slopes on the southern side of Kodai town. It is one of the must-visit places as part of Kodai packages. The path, winding around Mount Nebo, starts in front of the Van Allen hospital, running parallel to the Van Allen Hospital Road, and joins the main road beside St.Peter's Church, providing a stunning panoramic view of the valleys and plains. On a clear day, one can view as far as Dolphin's Nose, the valley of the Pambar River, Periyakulam town, and even the city of Madurai.

The evening is the best time to experience the beauty of this place when the mystic clouds slowly .....

At a distance of 5 Km from Kodaikanal Bus Stand, Pine Forest is a reserve forest in Kodaikanal. Located near the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, it is one of the most famous tourist spots in the city.

Situated in the southwest of Kodaikanal, the Pine Forests are a cherished heritage site, believed to be several centuries old. The establishment of these forests can be attributed to Mr. Bryant, who initiated the pine plantations for timber production in 1906. This area serves as a serene retreat, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the soothing sounds of nature.

Kodaikanal is home to two distinct Pine Forests: Pine Forest 1, which is adjacent to the Solar Observatory, and Pine Forest 2, situated near Moir Point. The landscape is adorned with numerous pine trees, creating a perfect environment for travelers to explore. Additionally, the forests are surrounded by a variety of mushrooms, commonly referred to as magic mushrooms, which are thought to possess hallucinogenic properties.

These .....

At a distance of 8 kms from Kodaikanal Bus Station, Dolphin's Nose is flat rock projecting over a breathtaking 6,600 feet deep. It is an undisturbed area 1 km down a very steep rocky trail beginning soon after Pambar Bridge. It is one of the most scenic places in Kodai.

Orange juice vendors along the trail offer a welcome rest stop. Beautiful views of steep rocky escarpments rising from the plains can be seen. The old village of Vellagavi can be reached through a rugged bridle path here. A short paved walkway leads from the road here to Pambar falls.

This place demands 20-30 mins of moderate level trekking.

At a distance of 7 kms from Kodaikanal Bus Station, Pillar Rocks is a set of three giant rock pillars which stand 400 feet high from the ground. The rocks stand majestically and offer wonderful views amidst thick vegetation and cloudy mountains. This is one of the best tourist places to visit in Kodaikanal and among the most scenic places in Kodai.

Managed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, the viewpoint of Pillar Rock is situated on the Moir Point road. A small and beautifully garden, glowing in the colors of the seasonal blooms adds to the charm and the picture perfect beauty of the place. In the shadows of the pillars are shady woods that invite picnickers. The dramatic view and the scenic surroundings make Pillars Rocks a popular picnic spot among locals and tourists.

During winter and monsoons, the rocks are surrounded by thick clouds and tourists keep waiting for long time for the clouds .....

At a distance of 8.5 kms from Kodaikanal Bus Station and 1.5 km from Pillar Rocks, Guna Cave is wonderful tourist spot in Kodaikanal on Moir Point road. The cave is formed between two large Pillar Rocks. It is one of the best tourist places to visit in Kodaikanal. This large, dark and ancient cae is also called as Devil's Kitchen.

Situated amidst thick forest on hilltop behind Pillar Rocks, Guna Caves is one of the top visited places in Kodaikanal. The path to Guna Cave passes through a beautiful pine forest with roots of the trees emerged on to the ground providing unique setting to this place. Apart from the historical importance, the beauty of the nature makes it a popular tourist spot in Kodaikanal.

Visitors can view the cave from a distance as the surroundings of the cave are closed for security reasons. From the hill top, visitors can get a glimpse of beautiful valleys and Pillar Rocks on .....

At a distance of 10 km from Kodaikanal Bus Station and 3 km from Pillar Rocks, Moir Point is a historic place and beautiful view point in Kodaikanal on Berijam Lake road.

Moir Point offer breathtaking views of the highest peaks around Kodaikanal. It is one of the important view points in Kodaikanal and a beautiful tourist spot. There is a small park developed at this spot with a monument.

The site is named after Sir Thomas Moir, an engineer who constructed the Goschen Road in 1929. This point joins the Berijam Lake raod with Kodaikanal here. There is a monument remembering Thomas Moir at the viewpoint.

The park near the Moir Point was recently upgraded making it more attractive. This is a major tourist spot and attracts lot of crowd. There are several shops selling the basic needs. It is adjacent to the main road towards Berijam Lake and easily accessible.

At a distance of 3 kms from Kodaikanal Bus Station & 512 Kms from Chennai, Bear Shola Falls is a tall waterfall in a Reserve forest. It is said that bears used to drink water at top of the falls, and the falls are called so. This is one of the top places for sightseeing in Kodaikanal and one of the best waterfalls in kodaikanal.

The approach road to the falls is bumpy and hilly. The falls offer best views just after monsoon during the months of September & October. You don't find any water in summer season. The pathway from the main road follows through dense forest amidst serene location. Apart from the majestic waterfall, the walk through the forest itself is a wonderful experience.

Height of the falls is about 40 feet and the water drops into a small pool. Swimming here is safe if the water flow is not fierce. This place demands a 10 minute walk from the road point. The waterfall attracts large number of visitors during .....

At a distance of 4 kms from Kodaikanal Bus Station (on the edge of Kurinji Andavar Road), the Kurinji Andavar Temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga, the God of Hills. As per the Tamil literature, Kurinji means 'hill region' and Andavar means 'God', hence Lord Muruga is referred as 'God of hill'.

The Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple is famous for its Kurinji flower which blossoms in the area only once every 12 years. The deity here is called Sri Kurinji Easware. The temple was built by Leelavathi Ramanathan. Born as a European, she was influenced by the religion of Hinduism and adopted the religion. She patronized the construction of the temple that was erected in the year 1936. Thousands of devotees visit this temple during the summer festival to seek the blessings of Lord Muruga. It gives you beautiful views of Northern Plains and Palani Hills.

Timings: 7 AM to 7 PM

At a distance of 3 kms from Kodaikanal Bus Station (on the way to Kurinji Andavar Temple), Chettiar park is a nice park managed by the township.

This park is very quite and a large variety of exotic flowers can be seen here. Bushes cut and kept in beautiful shapes adorn the garden. The amazing purple bloom of the Kurinji Flowers can be seen here once in every twelve years. It last bloomed in 2004. A well kept grass meadow and shady trees create an atmosphere of cool calm and make the Chettiar park a pleasant resting place. It has decked floors for flowering plants, and lots of lush green lawns.

Timings: 8:30 AM to 5 PM