Weather information
Kodaikanal is pleasant during summers, but can get terribly cold during winters, especially at nights when the temperature takes a severe dip. Summers generally last from March through May and the temperature ranges between 10 – 20 C. During winters, the temperature ranges between 8 – 17 C. Kodai also gets a fair bit of rainfall between June and September that measures around 165 cms, on an average.

The three different weather conditions are fair indicators of what you need to carry with you on your vacation to Kodai. Make sure you take along light woolens during summers and medium to heavy woolens to keep the winter chill away. It would be advisable to carry rain gear – raincoats, umbrellas, windcheaters, etc. if you are planning to visit during monsoons.

Whatever be the weather, make sure you take along a good pair of walking shoes as Kodai is a great place to walk around. If you have sensitive skin, make sure you carry some winter lotion or cold cream to protect your skin.

Getting to Kodai             
How do you wish to get to Kodai? By train, by air or by road? Take your pick.

By Train
Kodai Road is the nearest station to Kodaikanal, so it is best to alight here and then make your way to Kodaikanal by road. The distance is about 80 kms from the station and the journey is a pleasurable one as one sees each new bend and turn bring a charming sight to view.

If you are traveling from Chennai, you could take the Pandian Express that leaves Chennai in the evening and travels to Madurai. Kodai Road is just a stop before and you could get off there early in the morning. The Palani Railway Station is around 64 kms away, but if you are arriving by train from other states, you will probably have to consider Kodai Road as your destination.

By Air
The Madurai airport is the nearest airport to Kodaikanal, located around 120 kms from Kodaikanal. If you are traveling by air, you could alight at Madurai and make your way to Kodai by road. The distance can be covered in approximately three-and-a half hours. Buses, tourist vans and taxis are available in plentiful and will take you to Kodai. However, if you are coming in from the West of India, you could land at the Coimbatore airport and travel to Kodai by road. The third option is the Trichy airport which is around the same distance from Kodaikanal as the Coimbatore airport. The distance takes roughly five hours to cover.

By Road
Kodai is well-connected by road with several key towns in Tamil Nadu. You could take a bus from Madurai, Palani, Kodaikanal Road, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumuli (Thekkady) or Coimbatore and reach Kodaikanal. The peak season also witnesses additional buses to manage the extra crowds. However, ply during the season. Taxis and vans are available for local transportation. There are no auto-rickshaws in Kodaikanal.

You can alsotake an overnight bus from Chennai and reach Kodai by morning – the distance is around 520 kms and can be covered in about 12 hours.

The journey to Kodai by road is a treasure chest of breathtaking sights. The Rock Garden, a tourist recreation area located before the ghats begin, one of the world’s highest waterfalls, Rat Tail or Thalaiyar Falls, the Silver Cascade, a tributary from the Kodai lake – so feast your eyes as you make your way to the splendid hill station.
 

Some distance by road from Kodaikanal

City/Town	Distance (increasing in Kms)
BODING	105
COIMBATORE	172
DINDIGUL	98
ERODE	190
KANYAKUMARI	360
KUMILI	165
CHENNAI	520
MADURAI	120
PALANI	65
PERIAKULAM	75
SALEM	260

 

Distance to Kodaikanal (by road)

City/Town	Distance (increasing in Kms)	City/Town	Distance (increasing in Kms)
BODING	105	MAMALLAPURAM	451
COIMBATORE	175	MUDUMALAI	293
DINDIGUL	98	MYSORE	312
ERODE	190	NAGORE	421
KANYAKUMARI	360	PICHAVARAM	374
KUMILI	165	POINT CALIMERE	335
CHENNAI	520	POOMPUHAR	387
MADURAI	120	PONDICHERRY	358
PALANI	80	RAMESHWARAM	278
PERIAKULAM	75	TRICHY	197
SALEM	260	SITTANNAVASAL	183
OOTY	264	THANJAVUR	341
TRICHY	197	THEKKADY	147
BANGALORE	500	TIRUNAELVELI	258
COCHIN	330	TIRUCHENDUR	321
COURTLAM	271	TIRUPATHY	540
CHIDAMBARAM	354	TIRUVANNAMALAI	376
COONOOR	223	TIRUVANDRUM	366
GURUVAYUR	224	TUTICORIN	318
HOGENAKAL	358	VEDANTHANGAL	392
HYDERABAD	1013	VELANKANNI	430
KANCHEEPURAM	430	YERCAUD	277

 

Places to see
Kodaikanal is a tourist’s paradise. There’s so much to discover, behold and experience. The mind becomes a canvas as the eyes click numerous images that are firmly etched in one’s memory bank. Walk, trek, climb steep slopes or go boating – you could explore the magic of Kodai in myriad ways.

| Kodai Lake | Bryant Park | Chettiar Park | Coaker’s Walk | Kurinji Andavar Kovil |
| Other places of worship | Solar Physical Observatory | Silver Cascade |
| Bear Shola Falls | Pambar Falls  | Thalaiyar Falls | Kukkal Caves | Pillar Rocks |
| Dolphin’s Nose | Vembadi Peak |
 

	Kodai Lake Located 3kms from the bus stand, the lake was created from what was once a marshland and makes a spectacular view, with its star shaped glittering water body set in the backdrop of evergreen lush slopes. Spread over 60 acres, the lake is bordered by a tarred road of 5 kms length. The tourists can walk around the
lake in about 45 minutes at a brisk pace. You can also take a boat for hire from the adjoining boat club. Or just walk around, ride on horses and cycles, or sit there on one of the cement benches or on the grass, to admire the delightful sight and the wonderful colors and textures of the landscape. If you have prior permission, you can also go fishing.

 

Bryant Park While Bryant Park is a very popular tourist locale, it is best known for its annual horticultural show that is held every May. A wide range of vegetables, the most exotic flowers and vast hordes of people from neighboring villages – the show is never short of numbers.

 

Chettiar Park
Chettiar Park is on the way to the Kurunji Temple, 3.2 kms from the bus stand and offers a quiet, pleasing ambience for those who love to unwind in a world of calm.
 

	Coaker’s Walk A walk filled with wonders that runs for a kilometer along the edge of steep slopes and provides a spectacular view of the plains. On a cloudless, clear day, it is possible to set sight upon other tourist locales like Dolphin's nose, the valley of the Pambar River, a
bird’s eye view of Periyakulam or even Madurai. And when the clouds are on, one can get to see one’s shadow on the clouds, a phenomenon called 'Brachem Spectre'!

 

Kurinji Andavar Kovil
This is a renowned temple dedicated to Lord Muruga and is located 3 kms from the lake. In Tamil, Kurinji means hill region and Andavar refers to God. By this reference, Lord Muruga is referred as the 'God of the hills'. This temple is also associated with the Kurinji flowers, which bloom once in 12 years and spread a purple carpet across the hills.

Other places of worship
The other places of worship include:
Temples: The Mariamman Temple, Murugan Temple and Vinayagar Temple
Mosques: Two mosques at Ellis Villa and Munjikal
Churches: The Sacred Heart Church, Munjikal, Francis Xavier Church, Gorapur, St. Mary's Church, Lassalette, St. Joseph's Church and Luthern Mission Church, Lake End.

Solar Physical Observatory
One of the oldest institutions in the world, this observatory was built in 1898 and is located around 6 kms from the bus stand. The observatory, true to its heritage, stands proud and tall at the highest point in Kodai hills, located 7700 ft above sea level. It has a well-equipped productive laboratory that facilitates quality research work.

 

Silver Cascade The silver cascade is a waterfall located 8 kms from Kodai Road. The cascade is a resultant of the Kodai lake flowing over a steep cliff and merging with a pool beside the ghat road. This 180 ft journey is what causes the cascade.

Bear Shola Falls
It used to be a place where, once upon a time, bears used to convene to have a drink of water – and hence the name! But today, it is an ideal picnic spot, located 1.6 kms from the bus stand and 2 kms from the lake. The falls look their best during monsoon, so you can plan your trip accordingly.

Pambar Falls
"Grand cascade" is another name for this magnificent falls. It can be reached by a steep, precipitous path behind Pambar house. Racing down Pambar Ravine is Zig-zagging leaving stream that cascades over a series of rock formations. It is 4kms away
from Kodaikanal
 

Thalaiyar Falls
Also called Rat tail falls, it is one of the highest falls in the country with a sheer drop of over 975feet.

 

Kukkal Caves
The way to Kukkal Caves is straight out of a fantasy movie – a walk through geranium plantations and through a pine and wattle forest, an experience that can be described as pure magic. Located 40 kms from Kodaikanal, the caves are formed by actually overhanging slabs of rocks at an altitude of 1500 m. A beautiful guest house is available if you wish to stop over here. The added perk for doing so would be an early morning hike from here that will take you to the land of beautiful shola trees and gorgeous orchids.
 

	Pillar Rocks A True to their name, three granite boulders stand tall, their craggy outlines looming against the skies. Located 8 kms from the lake tower, each of the boulders stretch 400 feet into the sky and cast delightful shadows that avid picnickers make good use of. There is a chamber between two pillars called Devil's kitchen.

Dolphin’s Nose A flat rock that juts out of the hillside that leaves below a chasm that is 6600 feet deep. You are at Dolphin’s Nose, 8 kms away from the bus stand. As you follow the turn and take a turn, you reach this tourist destination. Asis the case with the rest of
Kodai, it is not only the destination that is worth seeing, but also the journey towards it that seems like a ride through a picture book.

Vembadi Peak
One place from which you can have a magnificent view of all of Kodai’s bounties - Berijam lake, Vandaravu range, Mannovanur sheep farm, Poombarai valley and so many other places – is Vembadi Peak, the second highest peak measuring 2466m.
 

Things to do
| Boating | Cycling | Horse Riding | Trekking |

Boating
The Kodai lake is a haven for those who love boating and sailing. This makes the lake the center of attraction for most tourists around which the other scenic spots are structured. While the view is magnificent from any point around the lake, it is truly spellbinding from the middle of the lake when you are in a boat. You will get a 360 degree view of the woods around.

Cycling
The long stretch of road around the lake makes for a great cycling track – this has made cycling a very popular activity. Cycles are easily available for hire. You can also explore some parts of Kodai on a cycle and take short excursions to nearby places.

 

Horse Riding
The best place in Kodai to do horse riding, or pony riding, to be more specific is around the lake. But horses can be found for hire near Bryant Park and near Carlton Hotel. If you wish to ride on your own, Sterling has some good soft riding tracks right next to it, that lead up to the lake.

Trekking
There are many memorable trekking routes in and around Kodai. Various routes and maps are available for you to chalk your own trek.