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Kerala Temple Yatra: Guruvayur, Chottanikkara & Padmanabhaswamy

5 Days / 4 Nights. From ₹13,500 per person (twin sharing), plus 5% GST.

A 5-day private car temple yatra through Kerala, arriving at Kochi and leaving from Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum). You stay a night at Guruvayur for darshan of Guruvayurappan, a night in Kochi for the evening deeparadhana at Chottanikkara, and two nights in Thiruvananthapuram for Sree Padmanabhaswamy and Attukal Bhagavathy. On the way south you can stop at Vaikom, Ettumanoor and Ambalappuzha. Kerala temples follow strict dress codes, which are explained day by day.

Highlights

Darshan of Guruvayurappan at Guruvayur, often called the 'Dwarka of the South'
Mammiyur Mahadeva temple and Punnathur Kotta, the Guruvayur temple elephants' home
Evening deeparadhana at Chottanikkara Bhagavathy temple
Vaikom Mahadeva, Ettumanoor Mahadeva and Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna temples on the way south (optional stops)
Ambalappuzha palpayasam, the temple's famous milk offering (subject to availability)
Darshan of Sree Padmanabhaswamy, Lord Vishnu reclining on Anantha, seen through three doors
Attukal Bhagavathy temple in Thiruvananthapuram

Day-by-day itinerary

Arrive Kochi · Guruvayur evening darshan — Our driver meets you at Cochin International Airport or Ernakulam railway station and drives about 85 km (2.5 hours) to Guruvayur. After check-in and rest, attend the evening darshan of Guruvayurappan. Only Hindus are allowed inside, and the dress code is strict: men wear a mundu (dhoti) with no shirt or vest (an angavastram over the shoulder is fine); women wear a saree, set-mundu or churidar.…
Guruvayur morning darshan · Chottanikkara deeparadhana — If you wish, attend the very early Nirmalyam darshan (the temple usually opens around 3 am) or a later morning darshan. After breakfast, visit Mammiyur Mahadeva temple, which devotees traditionally visit along with Guruvayur, and Punnathur Kotta, where the temple's elephants are kept (entry fee paid locally). Drive about 95 km (2.5–3 hours) to Kochi and check in. In the evening, drive 17 km to…
Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram · Vaikom, Ettumanoor, Ambalappuzha — Leave by 7 am and drive about 35 km to Vaikom Mahadeva temple, then 25 km to Ettumanoor Mahadeva (both optional). Continue about 60 km to Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna temple, famous for its palpayasam offering, which you can order at the counter if available that day. Most Kerala temples close from about noon to 5 pm, so plan to reach Ambalappuzha before midday. Then drive about 150 km (3.5–4 hours)…
Sree Padmanabhaswamy darshan · Attukal Bhagavathy — Go early for darshan at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, where Lord Vishnu reclines on the serpent Anantha and is seen through three doors: the face, the navel with Brahma, and the feet. The temple admits only Hindus and usually requires a mundu for men (no shirt) and a saree, half-saree or mundu-neriyathu for women; a dhoti can be hired at the gate to wear over trousers or churidar. Phones and…
Departure from Thiruvananthapuram — If you would like a second darshan, the driver can take you to Sree Padmanabhaswamy for the early-morning opening before breakfast. After breakfast and check-out, we drop you at Thiruvananthapuram airport (about 6 km) or Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station for your journey home.

Inclusions

4 nights in 3★ hotels (or similar) with daily breakfast
Private AC sedan (Dzire/Etios or similar, up to 3 guests) for all transfers and sightseeing, including fuel, tolls, parking and driver allowance
Pickup at Cochin airport or Ernakulam station; drop at Thiruvananthapuram airport or Central station

Exclusions

Flights / train tickets (not included)
GST 5% extra
Lunch & dinner
Darshan tickets, vazhipadu offerings (including palpayasam), pujas and sevas
Dhoti/mundu hire, cloakroom charges, entry fees and activities not listed
Personal expenses, tips, travel insurance

Visa & entry

No visa needed. Carry a government photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, driving licence or voter ID) for every traveller. Guruvayur and Sree Padmanabhaswamy admit only Hindus; temple staff may ask some visitors to sign a declaration of faith.

Good to know

Dress codes are strict. For men: mundu or dhoti, no shirt or vest, at Guruvayur and Sree Padmanabhaswamy (most Kerala temples follow the same rule). For women: saree, set-mundu, half-saree or churidar (Padmanabhaswamy may ask for a dhoti over churidar). Pack these clothes before you leave home.
Kerala temples usually open very early (around 3–4 am), close from about noon to 4:30 or 5 pm, and close again by 8–9 pm. Timings change on festival days, so check before travel.
Mobile phones, cameras and leather items are not allowed inside Guruvayur and Sree Padmanabhaswamy. Use the cloakrooms.
From mid-November to mid-January (Sabarimala season), many Ayyappa pilgrims travel through these temples. Expect longer queues and heavier traffic.
Most hotels near the temples serve vegetarian Kerala food. Tell us if you need Andhra-style or less spicy meals.

Questions travellers ask

Is the dress code really strictly enforced?

Yes. At Guruvayur and Sree Padmanabhaswamy, men without a mundu or women in jeans are not let in. Dhotis can be hired at the gates, but carrying your own is easier.

Can we do the Guruvayur Nirmalyam darshan?

Yes. The temple usually opens around 3 am, and queues start earlier. The driver can take you, or the hotel is usually within walking distance.

Can we add Sabarimala?

Sabarimala needs its own planning: the temple opens only in fixed seasons and for monthly poojas, and pilgrims must book through the official Virtual Queue. Ask us for a separate Sabarimala plan.

Can we add Kanyakumari?

Yes. Kanyakumari is about 90 km from Thiruvananthapuram. We can add it as a day trip on Day 4 or as an extra night.

Can we start and end at Kochi?

Yes, but it adds about 220 km of return driving. Ending at Thiruvananthapuram is simpler, and there are flights from there to Hyderabad and other cities.

కేరళ ఆలయ యాత్ర: గురువాయూర్, చోట్టానిక్కర, పద్మనాభస్వామి

కొచ్చిలో మొదలై తిరువనంతపురం (త్రివేండ్రం)లో ముగిసే 5 రోజుల ప్రైవేట్ కారు కేరళ ఆలయ యాత్ర. గురువాయూరప్పన్ దర్శనం కోసం గురువాయూర్‌లో ఒక రాత్రి, చోట్టానిక్కర సాయంత్రం దీపారాధన కోసం కొచ్చిలో ఒక రాత్రి, శ్రీ పద్మనాభస్వామి, అట్టుకల్ భగవతి దర్శనం కోసం తిరువనంతపురంలో రెండు రాత్రులు బస చేస్తారు. దక్షిణానికి వెళ్లే దారిలో వైక్కం, ఎట్టుమానూర్, అంబలప్పుళ ఆలయాల దగ్గర ఆగవచ్చు. కేరళ ఆలయాల్లో కఠినమైన దుస్తుల నియమాలు ఉంటాయి, వాటిని రోజువారీ ప్రణాళికలో వివరించాం.

To book or customise this trip, call / WhatsApp +91 96188 49933.