Kodanad Elephant Training Centre in Kerala

Kodanad is a village located near Perumbavoor on the banks of the river Periyar in the Ernakulam District. Kodanad is one of the largest Elephant training centres .

In the ealier days Elephants captured in the Malayattoor forests used to be trained at Kodanad. Since the capturing of the Elephants are banned , Kodanad has become just the training centre for the Elephants  to be used in the Safaris. These Elephants are provided with saddles to make the seat comfortable for the tourists and visitors. 

You can also find a mini Zoo at Kodanad where the animals unfit for the jungle life are being looked after. 

How to Reach Kodanad Elephant Training Centre?

If you are travelling by air, you have to reach Kochi international airport at Nedumbassery.  Kodanad  is located at about 65 kilometers from the  airport at Nedumbassery. 

If you are travelling by Rail,you can get down either at Ernakulam Junction or at Ernakulam  Town, according to the stopping of the train. The Training centre is located at about 30 kilometers from the city. 

If you are travelling by road  you can reach Perumbavoor in the Ernakulam district and from there tothe training centre. You can also get state run transport buses from Aluva and Ernakulam to go to Perumbavoor  and from there to Kodanad. 

Kodanad Elephant Training Centre Entry Details 

Entry timings - 8 am to 6 pm

Elephant Safari -Rs 200 for 4 persons ( rates can change over time )

Safari Timings - 9 am to 12.30 pm and 3 pm to5 pm

Entry Fee - Rs 2 for adults and Re 1 for children between 5 and 12 years 

Parking FeesCar and Jeep - Rs 10

Two wheeler - Rs 5

Heavy Vehicles - Rs 30

Still Camera - Rs 25

Video Camera - Rs 100

Monday is a holiday  

Contact Details 

Divisional Forest Officer - 0484 2649052 / 9447979053

Range Office - 0484 2281833

Accommodation Facilities at Kodanad

Forest IB 2 rooms are available 

Hotel Ritz International

OppositeSeem's Textiles 

A.M.Road, Perumbavoor

Cochin, Kerala 

Tel :   0484 2138379 / 2594914

Fax :   0484 2594915

Mob : 9447145408 , 9447059568

E-mail : reservations@ritzinternational.in , info@ritzinternational.in

Kumar Residency

Kalady Road ,Perumbavoor, 

Ernakulam, Kerala - 683542 

Tel : 0484-2528905/ 2523407 

Anjali International

Oushadhi Junction

MC Road, Perumbaoor

Ernakulam, Kerala

Tel : 0484 2523161

EMail : contact@hotelanjalyinternational.com

Places to visit in the nearby area 

Malayattoor Church - 22 kms

Eringol forest - 13 kilometers

Kallel Temple - 25kms

Panayeli Poru - 9 kms

Kalady Sankaracharya Temple 14 kms.

Best Places to visit in Thrissur

The post has been shifted to https://sites.google.com/site/keralatourdestinations/districts-of-kerala/Thrissur

Mattancherry Palace in Kochi

Mattancherry Palace, also called ss the Dutch Palace, is located in Mattancherry of the ErnakulamDistrict of the state of Kerala in India. The Palace has  Kerala murals depicting Hindu temple art, portraits and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi. The Mattancherry palace is located at the Palace Road in Mattancherry in Kochi and was built by the Portuguese and presented to Veera Kerala Varma who was the rajah of Kochi  in the year 1555 AD. 

The Dutch carried out renovations in the palace in the year 1663  and from then onwards the palace was called Dutch Palace.  Nowadays you can see a portrait gallery of the Kochi rajahs  and some of the notable mythological murals in India. 

 

Construction and the design of the Mattancherry palace

 The Palace has a quadrangular structure which has been built in the Nalukettu style with a courtyard in the middle. There is small temle for the goddess Pazhayannur Bhagawathy in the middle of the courtyard. here are two more temples on either side of the palace  one of Lord Krishna and the other of Lord Shiva. 

There is a dining hall carved with wooden ornate ceiling  which is decorated with a series of brass cups.  There are also some rare examples of the tradtional Kerala black polished flooring   which is made from a mixture of burned coconut shells, charcoal, lime, plant juices and egg whites.

The whole glory of the Dutch / Mattancherry palace lies on the large number of murals  which are executed in the best tradtions of the Hindu temple art. There are photos of rajahs of Cochin from the year 1864 onwards  are displayed in the coronation hall of the mattancherry palace.  There is an ivory palanquin, a howdah, royal umbrellas, ceremonial dress which were used by the royalty as well as coins, stamps and drawings. 

At present the palace is under Archaeological survey of India  and has been declared a protected monumnt. 

Vagamon, a hill station of Kerala

Vagamon, a well known tourist Attraction and a hill station, is located on the borders of the Idukki and Kottayam districts  of the state of Kerala in India. Vagamon has a cool climate  with the temperatures between 10* - 23* C even during a midday of the summer and is located at an altitude of 1100meters above sea level.

Places to visit in Vagamon
Kurisumala Monastery is a well known pilgrimage center  for the Christians, where cross is put up in all the 12 mall or sub hills. Pilgrims enjoy trekking in this area and visig all the crosses there saying that it is a sacrifice.  The Kurisumala Ashram is place of calm and spiritual delight.  The whole area is surrounded by Tea Estates, lakes and the three hills  namely Thangal Hill, Murugan Hill and Kurisumala.
The other attractions of the region  are tea estates, pine forests, grass lands, shola forests, mist, grass lands and meadows.
Other well known hill stations in this area are Munnar, Peermade and Thekkady. Reaching one of these places you can stay at one place and visit all the others in easy day trips.

Accommodation facilities  at Vagamon
Green Meadows Vagamon
XXVII/288, Panampilly Nagar, Cochin, Kerala, India. Pin-682 032
Ph: 93872 21915 / 94465 04890 / +91-484-2319165
Email:molcyrojo@gmail.com
info@greenmeadowsvagamon.com
www.greenmeadowsvagamon.com

Ananya Hill Resort
Vagamon , Idukki, Kerala
Mob : 9446863916
E-Mail : ananya.vagamon@gmail.com

How to Reach Vagamon
Vagamon is located in the Idukki district, at about 33 kilometers from Palai and 65 kilometers from Kottayam. Kochi international airport is the nearest  and the Kottayam is the nearest railway station.

Athirappally Vazhachal, twin waterfalls of Kerala

Waterfalls are always liked by people who like to go for picnics to restore themselves from the day to day fatigue and drudgery. They are very pleasing to the eyes and so serene and tranquil in their surrounding environment, freshens you up in no time.

These two waterfalls in Kerala - Athirapally and Vazhachaal - are just beautiful to look at with all the natural beauty of forests and greenery around them. Athirapally waterfalls is located at the entrance of the Sholayar forest Ranges. These forest rages are the famous rainforests of Kerala and a famous picnic and tourist spot on its own.

Athirapally waterfall is perched at a height of 80 meteres above the ground level. the falling water and the rippling sound it makes while flowing are the only sounds along with flora and fauna of the area. As long as you stand there time stands still for you, entrances you and takes you to another world which is your own. It brings calmness around you and takes away all the tensions and worries of the concrete jungle and leaves them somewhere behind.

Vazhachaal is just 5 kilometers away from Athirapally waterfalls. It's very picturesque natural beauty and scenery around is very entrancing and you can spend as many hours/days /months/ years there without wanting to know anything of what is happening in the outside world.

Both the waterfalls are on the road to Valparai, another hill station in the area. The area is well known for the highest number of Elephant habitats. This is in the crucial corridor between Paramikulam and Malayatoor sector.

Accomodation can be arranged by calling and booking at these hotels:

Pleasant Residency

Rainforest

Riverok Villas

For all details visit here