Day 1 – Bangalore to Kodaikanal

Date: 11-Apr-15

The journey begins

Our most anticipated day had finally arrived. On April 11, 2015, we set off on a trip that we had been eagerly looking forward to for weeks. To avoid any last-minute rush, we packed everything the previous evening. Our goal was to reach Kodaikanal and check in to the hotel before 1:00 PM, which meant an early start. We planned to leave home at 3:00 AM. Waking up at 2:30 AM is never pleasant, but the excitement of an upcoming road trip made it much easier. We got ready quickly and started exactly as planned.

Our route for the day was: Bangalore → Chamarajanagar → Sathyamangalam → Avinashi → Palani → Kodaikanal

The first target was to reach Chamarajanagar by 6:30 AM. Thanks to the almost empty roads at that hour, we reached there by 6:00 AM itself. Since no restaurants were open yet, we decided to postpone breakfast and continue driving.

Through the forests of Sathyamangalam

The stretch between Chamarajanagar and Sathyamangalam turned out to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the journey. Despite the peak summer season, both sides of the road were lined with lush green trees. The route passed through the dense forests of Sathyamangalam, an area once associated with the infamous bandit Veerappan.

The Sathyamangalam Ghat section was breathtakingly beautiful. Towering mountains stood on one side of the road, creating spectacular views throughout the drive. Although the hairpin bends were steep, the roads were wide and extremely well maintained. Traffic slowed considerably in the ghat section because of the large number of trucks navigating the winding roads. We were impressed by the skill and confidence of the truck drivers maneuvering their massive vehicles through the sharp bends.

A quick breakfast in rural Tamil Nadu

After descending from the ghat section, we entered Sathyamangalam town. The town was fairly large, but most of the signboards were written only in Tamil, making it difficult for us to locate a suitable place for breakfast. After crossing a few villages, we finally found a small roadside hotel and packed some dosas for breakfast. Though the establishment was modest, the dosas were exceptionally good. After breakfast, we continued our journey through a series of villages and scenic countryside roads.

We had often heard people praise the quality of Tamil Nadu’s state highways, and this trip proved them right. Throughout the journey, we did not encounter a single bad stretch of road. The roads were excellent, but the weather was exactly what we had expected—extremely hot.

A surprise view of Palani Temple

We reached Palani at around 11:30 AM. As we approached the town, we were pleasantly surprised to catch a distant view of the famous Palani Temple perched atop the hill. Neither of us had expected to see such a clear view of the temple during the drive.

Palani itself was quite busy and crowded. As soon as we entered the town, two individuals stopped our car and asked us to pay ₹60. The receipt they handed over mentioned ₹50, which immediately made us suspicious. We explained that we were not visiting the temple and were simply passing through on our way to Kodaikanal. However, they insisted that the payment was mandatory for vehicles using that route. The language barrier made it difficult to argue, so we eventually paid the amount and continued, though we remained uncertain about the purpose of the fee.

After crossing Palani town, we reached the base of the Palani – Kodaikanal Ghat section. At a check post, a police officer inspected our vehicle documents and collected ₹15 without issuing a receipt. Once again, the language barrier left us with little room for discussion.

The beautiful road to Kodaikanal

The Palani – Kodaikanal Ghat Road was even more enjoyable than we had imagined. Unlike the Sathyamangalam Ghat section, this road was relatively uncrowded. As we gradually climbed higher, the landscape transformed dramatically.

Massive green mountains stretched endlessly in every direction. The temperature began to drop, and the hot plains gave way to cool, pleasant weather. Clouds drifted lazily across the hillsides, creating picture-perfect scenery at every turn. The road seemed endless, but neither of us wanted the drive to end. Every bend revealed another beautiful view, making the journey as memorable as the destination itself.

Silver Cascade Falls

Just before entering Kodaikanal, we crossed a toll gate and soon arrived at Silver Cascade Falls. Although the waterfall did not carry a large volume of water, it was still more impressive than we had expected. Visitors were not allowed to go directly beneath the falls, but the waterfall could be viewed clearly from the roadside.

We spent a few minutes taking photographs before continuing towards the town.

First impressions of Kodaikanal

About 15 minutes after Silver Cascade Falls, we entered Kodaikanal town. The town immediately reminded us of Manali. The cool weather, misty atmosphere, and rolling hills gave it a similar charm. The cloudy skies made the surroundings look even more beautiful. Since it was peak tourist season, the town was fairly crowded. Google Maps was unable to locate our hotel accurately, so we called the property for assistance. They promptly sent someone to guide us to the location. The cottage exceeded our expectations. It was beautiful, comfortable, and excellent value for money. The view from the balcony was stunning, overlooking the hills and greenery around us.

What delighted us most was the weather. It was surprisingly cold, much cooler than we had anticipated. After escaping Bangalore’s intense summer heat, the cool mountain air felt wonderful.

After checking in, we rested for about an hour and had lunch around 3:00 PM. At 4:00 PM, our Kodaikanal sightseeing officially began.

Bryant Park

• Entry fee – 30 Rs/person and 50 Rs for camera

Our first stop was Bryant Park. The park was beautifully maintained and filled with colourful flowers and landscaped gardens. However, it was also extremely crowded.

The only aspect we found disappointing was the entry fee. While the park was attractive, we felt the charges for both entry and camera usage were slightly expensive. Nevertheless, we enjoyed walking through the gardens and photographing the flowers before heading to our next destination. Just outside the park, we could see the famous Kodai Lake.

Kodai Lake

Kodai Lake is undoubtedly one of the main attractions of Kodaikanal. The large, star-shaped lake was clean, scenic, and surrounded by activity. Boating is the most popular attraction here, but the queues were quite long because of the holiday crowd.

Instead of waiting, we decided to enjoy a leisurely walk along the lakeside. The pleasant weather and beautiful surroundings made the walk enjoyable enough on its own.

Coaker’s Walk

• Timings – 7 AM to 7 PM
• Entry fee – 10 Rs/person and 20 Rs for camera

Among all the places planned for the evening, Coaker’s Walk was the one I was most excited about. The photographs I had seen online had fascinated me, and I wanted to experience the place both in the evening and again the next morning under different lighting conditions.

Coaker’s Walk is a paved pedestrian pathway of about one kilometre that runs along the edge of the mountains. The views were spectacular. From the walkway, we could see layers of mountains stretching far into the distance. The evening light enhanced the beauty of the landscape and offered crystal-clear views of the valleys below. The pathway was lined with several small shops. We stopped at one of them and bought churmuri, which turned out to be delicious.

As darkness gradually settled over the hills, we decided to head back.

Floating clouds over the city

After returning from Coaker’s Walk, we had dinner at Astoria Veg Restaurant. The food was excellent, making for a satisfying end to the day. However, the most memorable moment was yet to come.

As we walked back towards our car, we noticed clouds literally floating through the town. Driven by strong winds, they moved rapidly between buildings and across the roads. It was the first time we had ever witnessed something like this. Watching clouds drift through the city streets was magical and instantly became the highlight of the day.

Travel snapshot

Our first day in Kodaikanal exceeded every expectation. The drive through the dense forests of Sathyamangalam, the scenic Palani–Kodaikanal Ghat Road, the refreshing climate, the beautiful Kodai Lake, the colourful Bryant Park, the panoramic views from Coaker’s Walk, and the unforgettable floating clouds combined to create a truly memorable beginning to our anniversary trip.

If the first day was any indication, the next two days promised to be even more exciting.

• Route Travelled: Onward: BTM Layout > Kanakpura > Malavalli > Chamarajanagar > Sathyamangalam > Avinashi > Palani > Silver Cascade Falls > Kodaikanal > Bryant Park  >Kodai Lake > Coaker’s Walk

See also:

• Kodaikanal Trip – Planning
• Day 2 – Journey through the Clouds
• Day 3 – Nature Trek to Dolphin’s Nose