3 Day Kodaikanal Backpacking Trip!

Short review: We went on a 3 days trip to Kodaikanal with Tripbae during Christmas. Our trip lead Mr Manoj and co-lead Ms Brinda ensured we made the most of the trip by taking us through the itinerary without much hurry. Overall, the trip kept upto our expectations with little hitches here and there which I hope can be controlled in your next trips. Coming to the positives, we could visit all the places listed in the itinerary; the accommodation at the homestay booked was extremely good in terms of the clean room, bed & mattresses, and washroom; polite behaviour by the TT driver. Few things which I believe can be improved are in terms of organisation and coordination, and what I mean by this is that when the TT was supposed to transfer some of us from Goraguntepalya to Trinity on Day 0, intimation beforehand would be appreciated. We were standing looking around for the TT whose details were shared, and when I called Mr Manoj to enquire if they were late, he didn't mention anything, but told me that he was on the way, and will be there shortly. However, he directly came to Trinity in the TT assigned. Second, the food options throughout the trip can be taken care of. The restaurant we had breakfast & dinner on Day 1, Sunrise Cafe restaurant, was unsatisfactory for most of us. We could have probably stopped by & ate our meals at better restaurants in the Kodaikanal centre if some time management was done. For people to be up and about on a 3 days trip, it's important to have sufficient energy as we were either on foot or in the TT most of our journey, which is why eating proper meals, be it self sponsored or the ones taken care of by Tripbae, is important. Ms Brinda suggested we try the restaurant next door, Arasi Shop which offered us delicious dosas and idlis. Please ensure to look into this because as per my personal research, Kodaikanal has n number of restaurants offering quality and tasty food. Some of us in this group are vegetarians and sitting right in front of grilled chicken in the open kitchen can be uncomfortable. Third, I wish the trip lead Mr Manoj was a little more prepared about the places to visit, in and around, alternatives in case of delays or traffic, etc. I believe it was his first time here and he was also clueless lots of times. If I were going to a new place, I would research beforehand to try to avoid unnecessary situations which are controllable. In this sense I have to commend Ms Brinda. Her preparedness in terms of carrying water bottles and snacks, and constantly checking with the group if all is well, if anyone's tired and in need of something; these made her reliable and more like a friend to us. I wholeheartedly thank her being a solid support despite being an intern during our trip. Thanks for arranging this trip and answering my queries pre and post booking. I hope to see more places with Tripbae, keep it going!

Kodai is a favorite travel destination for many, celebrated for its stunning landscapes, peaceful atmosphere, and a variety of attractions that captivate visitors from around the globe.