Hi there 🙂 For little background – Jatayu Earth’s Center is Kollam’s latest tourist attraction which hosts the World’s Largest Bird Sculpture spanning over 65 acres across four hills. The sculpture is 60m long, 45m wide and 21m tall, making it the largest bird sculpture in the world and it also has a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. This is the State’s first ever BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) tourism. Jatayu is a legendary bird from the Indian epic Ramayana. The visiting hours are 1000 to 1700 hours
I was visiting varkala and happened to spot it on my way. This place is 28km from Varkala beach/Cliff. You can comfortably visit this place within three hours at max. From Varkala to Jatayu, I spoke to an auto rickshaw person who agreed in 1200 bucks (to and fro along with waiting time) which i thought was reasonable mode of commute. You can also opt for bus incase you have a longer stay duration and that will definitely cost you way less.
Once you arrive at this place you can buy the cable car tickets which will enable you reach the hilltop. The to and fro cable car ticket costs you 667 rupees per person. They also have wheelchair facility if required. The cable car gives a unique experience and as you are reaching the top you can more closely see the sculpture. Upon reaching you see the picturesque beauty and the view from the top is mind-blowing as well as memorable. You can roam around the Jatayu sculpture which offers a 360-degree observation deck that boasts incredible views of the beautiful surrounding countryside of Kerala. Also, there is a snack counter where you can buy snacks, water, soft drinks and so forth. Washroom facility is also available. As you will walk around you will also see a footprint that is said to be of Lord Ram.
Additional things you can do here – This place has a multitude of experiences which await the travelers namely the museum and the 6D theater inside the sculpture. You can also have a heli-taxi experience from here! (The charge is Rs.2400/ per person + GST. This 10 mins ride gives an aerial vista of the spot). This is also a great place for perfect weekend getaway! You can engage in adventurous games (Burma bridges, commando nets, log walk, paintball zone etc) in the backdrop of breathtaking views of nature. (PS: I did not do any of these)
I hope this was informative and helpful. Cheers!
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