Attraction · Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal Lake
A star-shaped lake made in 1863 by damming a valley, with five kilometres of road round it — small enough to cycle and pretty enough that it is worth doing.
Time needed1.5 – 2 hours
Created1863
PerimeterAbout 5 km
Getting roundCycle, walk or horse
On the waterRowing and pedal boats
Best timeEarly morning
About
Kodaikanal Lake
The lake was made in 1863 when a British collector dammed a valley at the centre of what was then a new hill settlement, and the town grew around it — which is why Kodaikanal has a lake in the middle of it rather than beside it. It is roughly star-shaped, about five kilometres round, and the road that circles it is the town’s main artery and its main walk. Cycling round is the standard thing to do and bicycles are hired at half a dozen points along the shore for very little. Boats go out from the boat house, horses are available along the road, and the whole circuit takes an hour and a half at a relaxed pace. Early morning, before the traffic and with mist still sitting on the water, is when it is at its best.
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What to See
What to do
Go round it, or go on it. Both take about the same time.
Round the lake
- The five-kilometre road circuit, which is the standard cycle and a pleasant walk.
- Bicycles hired at points along the shore, including tandems and children’s bikes.
- Horses, which are available along the road and are a long-standing local option.
On the water
- Rowing boats and pedal boats from the boat house, with rowers available if you would rather not.
- The view back at the town and the hills from the middle, which is different from the shore view.
- It is calm water and the boats are stable; this is not an adventurous activity.
Around the shore
- Bryant Park on the eastern shore, immediately beside the road.
- The boat house and the Kodaikanal Boat Club buildings, which are of the period.
- The bazaar and the town centre at the northern end.
Getting There
Getting there
It is the middle of town. Everything in Kodaikanal is a short walk from some part of it.
Reaching it
- Central; every hotel in Kodaikanal is within walking distance of some point on the shore.
- Autos and taxis run along the road, though the circuit is best without a vehicle.
- Cycle hire is available at multiple points and needs no booking.
Going round
- About five kilometres, on a made road shared with traffic.
- An hour and a half by bicycle at a relaxed pace, or two hours on foot.
- It is largely level with a few gentle rises.
Combining it
- With Bryant Park, which is on the shore.
- With the afternoon, after a morning spent on the escarpment and at the Pillar Rocks — which is how both packages arrange the day.
- With the bazaar at the northern end.
Best Time
When to visit
Early morning for mist on the water and an empty road; afternoon for the boats.
Time of day
- Early morning, when the mist is still on the water and the road is quiet, which is the best of it.
- Afternoon is the standard slot in itineraries and is when the boats are busiest.
- Evening is pleasant but the road is not well lit all the way round.
Time of year
- December to March is cool, clear and quiet.
- April to June is the season, and the lake road gets genuinely congested at weekends.
- The monsoon months are green, wet and much quieter.
How long
- Ninety minutes to cycle round with stops.
- Two hours on foot.
- An hour if you are just taking a boat out.
Visitor Intelligence
Visitor intelligence
The centre of Kodaikanal life, and the simplest thing to do in the town.
Cycling
- Hire is cheap and by the hour; check the brakes before setting off, which is worth two minutes.
- The road is shared with traffic including buses. It is not a closed circuit.
- Tandems and children’s bikes are widely available, which makes it work as a family activity.
Boating
- Rowing and pedal boats from the boat house, priced by the half-hour, with rowers available.
- Life jackets should be worn and are provided; insist if they are not offered.
- The water is calm and this is a gentle activity rather than an adventurous one.
Practicalities
- It is cool at 2,130 m even in season; a layer matters more than the latitude suggests.
- Horses along the road are the usual arrangement — look at the animal and agree the price first.
- The bazaar end is where the food is.
Access
- The lake road is made, largely level and fully manageable on wheels for most of its length.
- It is shared with traffic, which is the main caveat.
- The boat house has steps down to the water.
Good to Know
Frequently asked
No — it was made in 1863 when a British collector dammed a valley at the centre of what was then a new hill settlement, and the town grew up around it afterwards. That is why Kodaikanal has a lake in the middle of it rather than beside it, which is unusual among Indian hill stations. It is roughly star-shaped and about five kilometres round, and the road circling it is the town’s main artery.
Yes, and it is the standard thing to do. Bicycles are hired at half a dozen points along the shore for very little and need no booking, including tandems and children’s bikes, which makes it work well as a family activity. The circuit is about five kilometres, largely level with a few gentle rises, and takes about ninety minutes at a relaxed pace with stops. Check the brakes before setting off.
Rowing boats and pedal boats from the boat house, priced by the half-hour, with rowers available if you would rather not row yourself. The water is calm and the boats are stable — this is a gentle activity rather than an adventurous one. Life jackets are provided and should be worn; insist if they are not offered. The view back at the town and the hills from the middle is genuinely different from the shore view.
Early morning, with mist still sitting on the water and the road quiet before the day’s traffic. That is comfortably the best time to cycle it. Afternoon is the standard slot in itineraries — both Kodaikanal packages give the morning to the escarpment and the Pillar Rocks and the afternoon to the lake — and it is when the boats are busiest. In season the lake road gets genuinely congested at weekends.
It is the afternoon. Both packages that come to Kodaikanal use the same order: Coaker’s Walk at first light for the escarpment view before the mist rises, Bryant Park after it, the Pillar Rocks next, and then the lake for the rest of the day. That works because the morning items are all weather-dependent and the lake is not — it is perfectly pleasant in any conditions short of heavy rain.
The lake road is made, largely level and fully manageable on wheels for most of its length, which makes it one of the better options in the Palani hills for anyone with limited mobility. The main caveat is that it is shared with traffic including buses rather than being a closed circuit. The boat house has steps down to the water, so getting into a boat is a separate question.
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