A village named after a river
Yendayar sits in the foothills of Vagamon, in Kottayam district, where the tea and rubber country begins to climb toward the Western Ghats. The village grew around plantations established in the 1800s by the Irish planter John Joseph Murphy, and the old estate roads he left behind are part of what makes this place special today. The name itself — Yendayar — is said to come from "my mother's river," and once you've spent an evening beside the Manimala, you understand why the river gets maternal billing.
Most Kerala itineraries rush past this corner entirely, funnelling travellers along the Munnar–Thekkady–Alleppey highway loop. That's exactly why we built a two-day experience around it.
Day one — three waterfalls and a slow river evening
The day starts early, with check-in at The Riverside Bliss Stays — our family-run, Kerala Tourism–approved Silver homestay right on the riverbank. A welcome drink, breakfast, and then we head out.
Three waterfalls sit within a short drive, and each has its own character. The first is a proper bathing waterfall — cold, clean water dropping into a natural pool where you can stand under the flow and let it hammer your shoulders. Bring swimwear; you will not want to stay dry.
The second stop is the Temple Waterfall, a spot the village holds sacred. It's quieter here — this one is about standing still for a few minutes rather than splashing.
The third is the photographer's waterfall. We won't over-describe it; some places are better as a surprise. Just keep your phone charged.
By late afternoon you're back at the homestay. This is where Yendayar slows you down: evening snacks by the water, the sound of the Manimala, home-cooked Kerala dinner made in our own kitchen. No restaurant menus, no crowds — just food the way it's cooked in Kottayam homes.
Day two — the old British road to Vagamon
After breakfast, the jeeps come out. The Yendayar–Elamkadu route to Vagamon follows old plantation-era roads — rough, steep in stretches, and genuinely beautiful, with the landscape shifting from rubber to pine and grassland as you climb. This is a real off-road drive in our own jeeps with our own drivers, not a rebranded taxi ride.
Up top, Vagamon's meadows and pine forests open out, usually with mist for company. A packed lunch travels with you. By evening you're back at the river for a final round of snacks before check-out — tired in the best way.
When to come?
October to May is the sweet spot. The waterfalls are at their photogenic best just after the monsoon, from October to February, when the flow is strong but the trails are dry enough to enjoy. Summer months are quieter and warmer, with gentler falls. We run the monsoon season too for travellers who love Kerala at its greenest — just expect rain to be part of the adventure, not an interruption of it.
What to pack?
Swimwear and a change of clothes, a towel, footwear that grips on wet rock, and a light jacket — Vagamon can be ten degrees cooler than the riverbank. If you're flying in, Cochin International Airport is roughly a three-hour drive; we can arrange pickup.
Who this trip is for?
Couples who want a Kerala trip that doesn't look like everyone else's Instagram. Families with kids who'd rather swim under a waterfall than queue at a viewpoint. Small groups of friends chasing the off-road day. It's a short, complete experience — and it pairs beautifully with a longer itinerary through Vagamon, Thekkady or the backwaters if you have more days.
The Fetraco difference
Fetraco began here, in Yendayar, as a single homestay on the Manimala River. The people planning your trip are the people who grew up swimming in these waterfalls. Our jeeps, our guides, our kitchen — nothing outsourced, nothing aggregated. When you message us, you're talking to the village, not a call centre.
