KOLLAM: The KSRTC Budget Tourism Cell has announced a range of special tour packages for Sabarimala and other popular destinations during the Mandala-Makaravilakku season.
For devotees visiting Sabarimala, the trip will start from Kollam KSRTC bus stand at a fare of Rs 490 per person. The trips are scheduled for November 16, 22 and 29.
KSRTC has also arranged several sightseeing and pilgrimage tours across the state covering destinations such as Mookambika, Guruvayur, Vagamon, Rosmala and other scenic locations. Trips to Vagamon will be conducted on November 30, while tours to Rosmala are scheduled for November 9 and 23. The Illikkal Kallu trip will start at 5 am, at a fare of Rs 820 per person.
A tour to Pournami Kavu in Thiruvananthapuram district will be held on November 5, with the fare fixed at Rs 600 per person. The popular Gavi forest tour – which includes bus travel, boating, entry and guide fees, and lunch – will be conducted on November 7, 11 and 26. The fare for this package is Rs 1,750 per person.
KSRTC has arranged three tours to Munnar, Ambanad and the Ayyappa temples on November 8. The Munnar tour will begin at 5 am and return by midnight on November 9. The Rs 2,380 package includes accommodation, a jeep safari and lunch. The Ambanad trip, starting at 6 am and returning by 9 pm – covering Chaliyakkara, Mambazhathara, Palaruvi, Kanankunnu and the Ambanad estate – will be Rs 550 per person. The Nefertiti luxury cruise will be held on November 9. The cruise will start from Kollam at 10 am and return by midnight. The fare, inclusive of all expenses, is Rs 3,840 per person.
The Kollur Mookambika pilgrimage will start at 2 pm on November 13. The tour will cover Vadakkunnathan Temple and Uthralikkavu Temple en route. Devotees will reach Mookambika the next morning and spend the day there before beginning the return journey. On the way back, the group will visit Udupi Sree Krishna Swamy Temple, Ananthapura Lake Temple, Madhur Sree Siddhi Vinayaka Temple and Parassinikkadavu Muthappan Temple, reaching Kollam on the morning of November 16. The fare is Rs 3,480 per person.
Two other tours are planned for November 16. One will cover Paniyeli Poru, an ecotourism destination in Ernakulam district, along with visits to the Tripunithura Hill Palace Museum and Kaprikkad Sanctuary. The fare is Rs 1,050 per person. The other tour is to Kanyakumari, starting from Kollam at 4.30 am and covering Tirparappu waterfalls and Padmanabhapuram Palace before reaching Kanyakumari by noon. The group will return after watching the sunset, with the fare fixed at `810 per person.
The Guruvayur Darshan Yatra will start at 9 pm on November 20. After visiting the Guruvayur Temple, the group will proceed to Mammiyur Temple, Anakotta, Triprayar Temple and Paravur Dakshina Mookambika Temple before returning at night. The fare for this trip is Rs 1,240 per person.
Guruvayur Yatra
The Guruvayur Darshan Yatra will start at 9 pm on November 20. After visiting the Guruvayur Temple, the group will proceed to Mammiyur Temple, Anakotta, Triprayar Temple and Paravur Dakshina Mookambika Temple before returning at night
