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Sabarimala Darshan Yatra via Erumeli

1 Nights 2 Days Pathanamthitta tour package from Kochi

1N / 2D
Pathanamthitta (1N)
From ₹6,839 per person

Pickup and drop in Kochi.

401 km

by road

11 h

driving

places

night

meals

Pick the hotels that suit your budget

Private car with driver from Kochi

Pay 50% to confirm, the rest when you board

Overview

A short, focused pilgrimage for Ayyappa devotees who want the car, the night stop and the timing handled for them. Day 1 follows the old pilgrim custom of praying at Erumeli's Vavar mosque and Sastha temple, then evening darshan at Aranmula and an early night in Pathanamthitta. Day 2 starts at 4 AM: your driver parks at Nilakkal, you take the KSRTC bus to Pamba, climb about 5 km to Sannidhanam for darshan and come back down, and we drive you back to Kochi by night. The temple is open only in the Mandala Makaravilakku season (mid November to about 20 January, with a short break after Mandala Pooja) and for about five days at the start of each Malayalam month, so we sell this trip only on those dates. Honest part: Day 2 is long and tiring, a free virtual queue booking on sabarimalaonline.org is a must, and by long custom women aged 10 to 50 do not make this pilgrimage.

Full itinerary ~~₹199~~ ₹99OFFER

Your route

Real road route from Google. Tap a day to zoom in. Numbers match the places in each day below.

Is this trip for you?

Active

Day 1 has about 5.5 hours in the car. Day 2 starts at 4 AM with a 5 km climb up and down a steep forest path, a queue of 1 hour to several hours, and about 6 hours in the car. Plan to rest the day after.

Great for

Ayyappa devotees who want darshan without driving themselves
Groups and families with an older pilgrim who needs a car waiting at Nilakkal
First timers who want Erumeli and Aranmula on the way

Think twice if

Women aged 10 to 50 in your group: by long custom they do not go up to Sabarimala, and the Supreme Court review is still open, so talk to us first
Knee, heart or breathing trouble, as the Neelimala climb is steep and the day is long
You can only travel on fixed dates, as the temple opens only in the season and for about five days each Malayalam month

Day by day

Tap a day to see the full plan. Tap again to close it.

We meet you at Kochi airport or Ernakulam railway station and drive south via Perumbavoor and Pala to Erumeli, where pilgrims pray at the Vavar mosque and the Sastha temple before Sabarimala. In the evening, darshan at the old Aranmula Parthasarathy temple on the Pamba river, then an early night in Pathanamthitta. About 200 km and 5.5 hours of driving.

9:00 AM
Pickup at Kochi airport or Ernakulam railway station
Your driver meets you when you land or arrive. Times below assume a 9:00 AM pickup. If yours is later, we move the day to fit.
1 h 20 min · 40 km
10:30 AM
Breakfast at Perumbavoor
Puttu and kadala curry, appam or a dosa on MC Road before the long drive south. Pay as you eat.
2 h 30 min · 97 km
1:30 PM
Lunch in Erumeli
About 2.5 to 3 hours from Perumbavoor via Muvattupuzha and Pala. Erumeli is full of simple pure veg meals places in the pilgrim season. Pay as you eat.
2:30 PM
1
Vavar Mosque, Erumeli
30 min here
Ayyappa pilgrims traditionally pray at this mosque of Vavar, Ayyappa's Muslim companion, before going on to Sabarimala. Visitors of all faiths walk in. Dress modestly and follow the mosque staff.
3:15 PM
2
Erumeli Sree Dharma Sastha Temple
45 min here
The Petta Sastha temple faces the mosque across the road, and the bigger Valiyambalam is a short walk away. In the season you see pilgrims with painted faces dancing the petta thullal between them. Free entry.
54 min · 34 km
5:00 PM
3
Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple
1 h here
About 1.5 hours from Erumeli via Ranni. A grand old Krishna temple on the Pamba river that opens again at about 5 PM. Hindus only inside, men remove shirts. Aranmula's famous metal mirrors are sold nearby.
23 min · 15 km
6:30 PM
Check in at your hotel
Have an early dinner and sleep by 8:30 PM. We leave at about 4 AM for Nilakkal. Keep your virtual queue pass and the same photo ID ready tonight.

A 4 AM start to Nilakkal base camp, where your driver parks and you ride the KSRTC bus to Pamba. After a dip in the Pamba river you climb about 5 km to Sannidhanam for darshan at the Ayyappa temple, walk back down and take the bus to your car. Then about 4.5 hours back to Kochi, reaching late evening. A long day: about 6 hours in the car and 4 to 5 hours on foot.

3:45 AM
Early tea and check out
Hotels here are used to pilgrims leaving early, but a full breakfast is not served at this hour. Carry fruit, biscuits and water. We leave by 4:00 AM.
1 h 12 min · 45 km
5:15 AM
1
Nilakkal base camp and KSRTC bus to Pamba
45 min here
In the season private cars park at Nilakkal. Your driver parks and you take the KSRTC chain bus to Pamba, about 22 km. Fare is paid on the bus (Approx Rs 50 non AC, Rs 80 AC, each way). Your driver waits here for you.
36 min · 20 km
6:45 AM
2
Pamba river and Pamba Ganapathi Temple
45 min here
Pilgrims take a dip in the Pamba river and pray at the Ganapathi temple before the climb. Police check your virtual queue pass and ID around here. Use only the marked bathing ghats.
7:30 AM
3
Trek from Pamba to Sannidhanam
2 h 30 min here
About 5 km uphill through forest via Neelimala, Appachimedu and Sabari Peedam. Most people take 2 to 3 hours with rests. There are drinking water points on the way. Dolis (carried chairs) are available at Pamba for those who cannot walk, at a fee.
10:00 AM
4
Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple darshan
3 h 30 min here
Queue time depends on the crowd and your slot, from under an hour to several hours on peak days. Only pilgrims carrying an irumudi climb the 18 holy steps; others use the northern side. The temple closes from 1 PM to 3 PM. Time includes the walk back down to Pamba.
1:30 PM
Lunch at Pamba
Simple veg meals and snacks near the Pamba bus stand. Pay as you eat.
37 min · 20 km
3:00 PM
5
KSRTC bus back to Nilakkal
20 min here
Take the chain bus back to Nilakkal and call your driver, who brings the car to the pickup point.
1 h 37 min · 64 km
5:45 PM
Evening tea in Pala
A tea and snack break on the way back. Pay as you eat.
1 h 54 min · 68 km
8:30 PM
Drop at Kochi airport or Ernakulam railway station
Book a flight or train at least 3 hours after this time.

Full itinerary ~~₹199~~ ₹99OFFER

Best time to go

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Best Good Heavy rain This month

What to pack

Your printed virtual queue pass and the same photo ID you booked with
Light cotton clothes, a small towel and a spare set for after the Pamba dip
Good walking sandals or shoes with grip, and a torch for the early start
A water bottle, glucose or ORS and any medicines you take

Not one rupee more
Once you pay the full amount shown, we never ask you for anything else. Tolls, parking, permits, driver costs and taxes are all in it.
We call you every day
Early every morning with your plan for the day, and every night to check everything was okay.
Customer care 24/7
Any question, any hour, day or night. Call +91 91085 88279.

Hotel check-in

Early check-in is not available as standard. If you need it, please tell us in advance. It costs extra, and is only possible if the hotel has empty rooms.

Included

1 night stay in Pathanamthitta in the option you pick (or one of the same class if it is full, we tell you before you pay)
Private AC car with driver for both days, sized to your group, with pickup and drop at Kochi airport or Ernakulam railway station
Fuel, tolls, parking at Nilakkal, driver allowance and driver stay
Kerala state permits and taxes for the car
Help with your free Sabarimala virtual queue booking, if you want it
GST

Not included

All meals. Hotel breakfast is not served before the 4 AM start on Day 2
KSRTC bus fare Nilakkal to Pamba and back (Approx Rs 50 non AC or Rs 80 AC, each way, per person)
Doli (carried chair) on the trek, porters and cloak rooms
Irumudi kit, ghee for neyyabhishekam, offerings and prasadam such as aravana and appam
The car does not go beyond Nilakkal in the season. Our driver does not walk up with you
Tips, personal shopping and anything not listed above

Your hotels

Loading the hotels for your dates...

Full itinerary ~~₹199~~ ₹99OFFER

Plans change, we understand. Read our cancellation policy to see how changes and refunds work.

Sabarimala Darshan Yatra via Erumeli

Overview

Your route

Is this trip for you?

Day by day

Kochi to Pathanamthitta via Erumeli and Aranmula

Pickup at Kochi airport or Ernakulam railway station

Breakfast at Perumbavoor

Lunch in Erumeli

Vavar Mosque, Erumeli

Erumeli Sree Dharma Sastha Temple

Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple

Check in at your hotel

Nilakkal, Pamba trek and Sabarimala darshan, back to Kochi

Early tea and check out

Nilakkal base camp and KSRTC bus to Pamba

Pamba river and Pamba Ganapathi Temple

Trek from Pamba to Sannidhanam

Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple darshan

Lunch at Pamba

KSRTC bus back to Nilakkal

Evening tea in Pala

Drop at Kochi airport or Ernakulam railway station

Best time to go

What to pack

Hotel check-in

Included

Not included

Your hotels