For an expatriate living and working far away in Jeddah, the word "family" often vibrates with a bittersweet frequency. It is a word defined by WhatsApp video calls, looking at grainy photos of younger cousins growing up far too fast, and the quiet, sad ache of missing another Eid festival, another family wedding, or another spontaneous weekend drive. We live our lives in parallel to the people who know us the absolute best back home in Kerala. So, when the stars finally aligned for me to travel back home and join our grand, massive family expedition to Kodaikanal, it wasn’t just a simple "trip"—it was a beautiful, emotional reclamation of my true belonging.
ISHABIL TRIP AT A GLANCE
- 📍 Destination: Kodaikanal, India
- 📅 Date of Journey: November 25 , 2023
- 🚆 Transport Mode: Bus
- 👥 Companions: Valiathodi Family Group Tour
Our magical destination for this big family reunion was the famous "Princess of Hill Stations," a royal title that Kodaikanal has worn very gracefully for many decades. But to be totally honest with you, the true destination for me was not just a specific coordinate on a map. The real destination was hearing the loud, happy laughter of nearly 40 close relatives echoing through a moving bus in the middle of the night. It was about packing our bags together, sharing simple snacks, and feeling like we were part of one big, beautiful unit again.
The Midnight Caravan: From Kerala to the Border
Our exciting family journey began under the dark, quiet veil of 10:00 PM. While the rest of the world was turning off their lights, locking their doors, and winding down for a long night of sleep, our group—a vibrant, chaotic, and beautiful spectrum of nearly 40 people—was just powering up! We had everyone on board this special bus. There were tiny, energetic toddlers who viewed the long bus aisle as a giant rolling playground, and there were our respected family elders who brought with them the calm, peaceful grace of seasoned travelers.
As the big bus hummed smoothly through the familiar, twisting roads of Mannarkkad and Palakkad, a wonderful sense of peace settled over the cabin. Most of my family members slowly drifted into a comfortable sleep, lulled by the gentle motion of the vehicle, but I stayed wide awake. There is a very specific, quiet magic in the Palakkad gap at night. I remember peering closely through the cold glass window as our bus crossed the border line into the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu. The dark landscape outside slowly began to shift.
💡 ishabil fact
The Palakkad Gap is a low mountain pass in the Western Ghats between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Because of its unique geography, it funnels high-speed winds continuously. If you look closely out the window at night, you can see the massive, gargantuan silhouettes of wind turbines spinning rhythmically in the dark. They look like giant white guardians guarding the passage into a completely different world!
Watching those giant windmills through the darkness made me reflect on how far I travel for work, and how wonderful it felt to be moving toward a mountain retreat instead of an airport terminal. The empty night highway allowed our driver to maintain a smooth pace, keeping everyone safe and comfortable as we pushed deeper into Tamil Nadu.
The Golden Crown and the Daylight Ascent
By 4:00 AM, the outside air had turned very crisp, cool, and sharp as we finally reached the bottom foothills of Palani. In the far distance, looking high up into the misty sky, the famous hilltop temple shined with a beautiful, ethereal glow. Against the pitch-black night sky, it looked exactly like a bright golden crown resting gently on the brow of the black mountain. We paused our bus here for some much-needed morning refreshments. The thick steam from our cups of hot, sweet milk tea rose up to meet the cool, fresh morning air, waking everybody up completely.
Our official "Travel Captain" for this trip, my relative Siddique, made a very strategic, smart, and important call right here that defined the safety and beauty of our entire journey. He strictly insisted that we must begin the steep mountain ascent up the ghat road only after the bright sun broke through the sky. It was a true masterstroke of trip planning.
📌 ishabil tips
When traveling up steep mountain ghat roads with a large group or a big bus, always try to schedule your climb during daylight hours! Not only is it much safer for the driver to navigate the sharp, narrow hairpin bends, but you also get to witness the incredible scenery waking up around you instead of missing it in the dark.
As the sun finally came up over the horizon, the bus began to carefully navigate the sharp hairpin bends of the mountain roads. The world outside literally opened up beneath us. To the beautiful background score of soulful Malayalam Mappila songs playing softly on the bus speakers—melodies that felt exactly like home—we watched the deep valley transform. A large lake far below us, which initially looked vast and wide from the bottom, began to shrink with every single turn of the bus until it was nothing more than a tiny silver speck, eventually swallowed entirely by the rising white mist.
The Perfect VIBGYOR Moment
As we climbed higher, we saw beautiful, tall waterfalls in the far distance. They looked like delicate white threads stitched neatly into the thick emerald fabric of the high mountain cliffs. A light, gentle drizzle of rain started to tap softly on the bus windows. But this light rain did not dampen our happy spirits at all; it only made the lush greenery outside look much more vivid, clean, and alive, as if the mountains had been freshly washed and painted just for our arrival.
Then, the most incredible thing happened. A massive rainbow arched perfectly across the entire mountain range. This was not a fleeting, faint bow that you can barely see; it was the largest, brightest, and most vibrant spectrum of light I have ever witnessed in my entire life. It had every single color shining brightly against the green background. It felt like a warm, celestial welcome home, a true masterpiece of nature that instantly silenced even the most energetic, noisy toddlers in our group. Everyone just stared at the windows in pure awe.
Silver Cascades and Terraced Roses
Our very first official stop on the mountain was the spectacular Silver Cascade Waterfall. Plummeting down from an impressive height of 180 feet, the cold mountain water crashes onto the dark rocks below with a loud roar that completely clears your mind of any lingering travel fatigue. The sheer force of the cold water spray was incredibly refreshing and invigorating. We happily turned the small roadside area into a temporary family banquet hall, enjoying a hearty, delicious breakfast together with the loud, musical sound of the falling water as our natural background soundtrack.
From the raw, wild power of the falling water, we smoothly transitioned to the neat, curated beauty of the famous Kodaikanal Rose Garden. Stretching beautifully across 12 massive acres of meticulously maintained land built in stepped terraces, it felt exactly like stepping right into an old, romantic Victorian painting. There were fresh roses of every conceivable color you can imagine—deep velvet reds, soft pale yellows, bright pinks, and even unique bicolors that seemed almost too perfect to be real flowers.
😂 ishabil fun
While exploring the roadside stalls, my cousin Fousiya spotted a strange, exotic-looking local hill fruit called the "wooden tomato" (known locally as Mara Thakkali). Intrigued by its unique appearance, she bought it with incredibly high expectations, expecting a sweet, rare mountain treat. However, after taking her first bite, her expression changed instantly—the taste was not good at all! Instead of quietly throwing it away, Fousiya hilariously decided that she could not suffer alone. She walked around the entire group, forcing every single family member to take a bite just so we could fully share in her deep disappointment! It became the running joke of the entire afternoon.
For a massive family of 40 people, this huge open rose garden was the absolute perfect "breathing room" after the long bus ride. We wandered slowly through the green stone terraces, enjoying the cool mountain air and snapping endless photos that would surely be shared and discussed in our family WhatsApp groups for many months to come.
Lost in the White: Moyar Point and Guna Caves
By high noon, our bus reached the famous viewing area called Moyar Point. We expected to look far across the deep valleys, but the bright sun was nowhere to be found. Instead, we were happily greeted by a complete "white-out." A thick, heavy blanket of cold mountain mist had rolled in over the green trees. It was so incredibly dense that family members standing just five feet away from me became blurry, ghostly silhouettes moving in the white air.
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The temperature suddenly plummeted within minutes, and the warm jackets, heavy shawls, and thick sweaters we had packed in our bags were no longer just decorative travel items. This was the exact version of Kodaikanal I had dreamed of while sitting in my warm office in Jeddah—the biting cold, the damp air, and the fun thrill of exploring the unknown mist together with the people I love.
The Devil's Kitchen and Hidden Pine Forests
We bravely moved on from Moyar Point to visit the famous Guna Caves, which are also historically known as the Devil’s Kitchen. The deep, narrow, and dark rock ravines combined with the massive, twisted roots of the giant trees created a very strong atmosphere of ancient mystery. Walking carefully through the nearby Pine Forests, with their towering, perfectly straight wooden trunks reaching high up into the thick fog, felt exactly like walking through a scene from a magical fantasy epic movie. The fresh, crisp smell of pine needles on the wet ground was simply wonderful to breathe in.
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The Sweet Scent of Kodaikanal
No proper visit to this wonderful hill station is ever truly complete without indulging in its bustling commercial soul. In the afternoon, our family group descended upon the local town markets like a friendly, happy storm. While most of the family quickly gravitated toward the famous local shops selling sweet homemade chocolates—buying large boxes full of delicious milk, dark, almond, and fruit-filled treats—I found myself looking for something a bit more permanent to take back with me.
I happily settled on buying a simple, small "Kodaikanal" fridge magnet. To some people, it is just a cheap tourist trinket; but to an expatriate, it is a magic portal. Every single time I open my fridge in a distant land across the sea, that small magnet will instantly remind me of the beautiful day I stood freezing in the mountain mist, laughing happily with my beloved brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles. Of course, I did also buy a massive box of assorted chocolates, because some sweet things are simply too good to pass up!
The Final Lap: Cycling by the Star-Shaped Lake
Our final grand stop of this amazing day was the iconic Kodaikanal Lake. This beautifully man-made, star-shaped lake is the true beating heart of the hill station. While it looks very quaint and quiet from a distance, the wide 4-kilometer perimeter road surrounding the blue water is a bustling, energetic hub of fun holiday activity.
Our huge family finally split up here into smaller groups to enjoy different activities. Some of the kids and uncles opted for the rhythmic, bumpy charm of horse riding along the designated mud paths, while others, myself included, decided to rent small bicycles. Pedaling fast along the water’s edge with the incredibly cool mountain wind blowing in my face, surrounded by the joyful sounds of my family playing around me, I felt a profound, deep sense of freedom. The long distance of my expatriate life felt smaller than it ever had before.
The Descent: A Celebration on Wheels
As the evening slowly fell and the sky turned a dark, beautiful indigo color, we boarded our bus and began the long journey back down the winding mountains. If the morning journey up was all about looking out the window at the beautiful scenery, the night journey down was all about celebrating our wonderful people. Our tourist bus literally transformed into a moving performance stage! We had loud singing competitions, impromptu clapping and dancing in the aisles, and amazing storytelling sessions from the older generation.
To top it all off beautifully, we held a small, funny prize distribution ceremony right there on the moving bus seats. We joyfully celebrated the "Best Singer," the "Most Energetic Kid," and the "Most Patient Elders" who put up with all our noise. It was not about the physical value of the simple prizes; it was purely about celebrating the beautiful spirit of family togetherness. After stopping for a final, delicious hot dinner in Palani town, we crossed the border back into the state of Kerala, finally reaching our quiet homes by 3:00 AM.
Reflections from a Returning Heart
As I sit quietly today and look back on those magical 24 hours, the vivid images that stick most clearly in my mind are not just the famous "Must-See" tourist spots listed in guidebooks. It is the heartwarming sight of my elderly uncle laughing so hard at a silly joke told by a seven-year-old child. It is the sweet, strong taste of hot roadside tea warming my cold hands in the drizzling rain. It is the exact, refreshing way the wet mist felt on my skin.
For those of us living and working far abroad, these big family trips are our vital "recharging stations" for the soul. Kodaikanal gave us its stunning natural beauty, but my loud, loving family gave me my true identity back. The beautiful "Princess of Hill Stations" will always have a very special place in my travel heart, but it is truly the 39 amazing people I traveled with who made this journey legendary. Thank you for following along with our family adventure, and be sure to stay tuned to Ishabil.com for more simple, honest, and budget-friendly travel stories from around the globe!
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Welcome to my travel stories
Ikbal Valiyathodi is the founder of Ishabil.com, a travel blog sharing budget-friendly travel stories, stopover hacks, and real experiences from around the world. He believes travel should be simple, honest, and possible for everyone.
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