Guruvayur itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Guruvayur

1. 01

   Day 1: Darshan, elephants and a coastal evening

   If you are Hindu and want darshan, arrive at the East Nada before dawn and dress to the temple's rules, leaving phones at your lodging. Afterwards, have breakfast and rest. Visit Mammiyoor Mahadeva Temple, then spend late morning at Punnathur Kotta. Take lunch and a break, then see the Devaswom Museum in the afternoon. In the late afternoon, drive to Palayur church and finish at Chavakkad beach for the light. Non-Hindu visitors can skip darshan and spend the morning at Punnathur Kotta and the museum instead.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Mammiyoor Mahadeva Temple	30 to 60 minutes	Easy	Early morning or early evening; Shivaratri is the major festival
   Punnathur Kotta (Elephant Sanctuary)	45 to 90 minutes	Easy	Morning, before the heat; check the day's schedule for the elephants' bathing time
   Chavakkad Beach	1 to 2 hours	Easy	Late afternoon for sunset, November to February; avoid the monsoon

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 02

2 days in Guruvayur

1. 01

   Day 1: The temple circuit

   Start with early darshan at the main temple and then walk to the Parthasarathy temple on the East Nada. After breakfast, go to Mammiyoor Mahadeva Temple. Rest through the afternoon. In the evening, walk the East Nada and see the lamps lit, and ask the Devaswom about any Krishnanattam performance.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Mammiyoor Mahadeva Temple	30 to 60 minutes	Easy	Early morning or early evening; Shivaratri is the major festival

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Elephants, art and coast

   Visit Punnathur Kotta in the morning, then the Devaswom Museum and the Institute of Mural Painting. After lunch, drive to Palayur St Thomas Church, then to Chavakkad beach for sunset.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Punnathur Kotta (Elephant Sanctuary)	45 to 90 minutes	Easy	Morning, before the heat; check the day's schedule for the elephants' bathing time
   Palayur St Thomas Church	30 to 60 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon; the main feast is in July and draws large crowds
   Chavakkad Beach	1 to 2 hours	Easy	Late afternoon for sunset, November to February; avoid the monsoon

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 03

3 days in Guruvayur

1. 01

   Day 1: Temple and East Nada

   Early darshan at the Sri Krishna temple if you are Hindu, followed by the Parthasarathy temple and a rest. In the evening, walk the East Nada and have a simple vegetarian dinner.

2. 02

   Day 2: Mammiyoor, museum and murals

   Go to Mammiyoor Mahadeva Temple in the morning, then to the Devaswom Museum and the Institute of Mural Painting. Rest in the afternoon, then visit Punnathur Kotta if you have not been.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Mammiyoor Mahadeva Temple	30 to 60 minutes	Easy	Early morning or early evening; Shivaratri is the major festival
   Punnathur Kotta (Elephant Sanctuary)	45 to 90 minutes	Easy	Morning, before the heat; check the day's schedule for the elephants' bathing time

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

3. 03

   Day 3: Palayur, the beach and onward travel

   Visit Palayur church in the morning, then Chavakkad beach. Leave in the afternoon for Thrissur, about 26 km away, or onward to Kochi.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Chavakkad Beach	1 to 2 hours	Easy	Late afternoon for sunset, November to February; avoid the monsoon

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Guruvayur trip for parents and children

• Go for darshan early on a weekday, when queues are shorter and the stone is cooler. Ask at the counter about any separate senior citizens' queue.
• Book a lodge on or near the East Nada so you can walk to the temple and rest between visits.
• Plan one main outing in the morning and keep afternoons free; heat and humidity are tiring even in winter.
• Avoid Guruvayur Ekadasi, Vishu and Janmashtami unless you want the festival; crowds are heavy and rooms are scarce.
• Carry water and a light towel; temple stone and sand can be hot underfoot, so wear socks where it is allowed.
• Hire a taxi for Punnathur Kotta, Palayur and Chavakkad; they are short drives but not easy walks.

Guruvayur with elderly parents: the full guide →