Meet Yathra Kudumbam, a tour group made up of those who have been a part of KSRTC cheap tour tours

Several members of Yathra Kudumbam at Punalur Suspension Bridge | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Strangers bonding during group tours is nothing new. But what if the friendship is so strong that they go on new journeys? This is the case with Yathra Kudumbam, a travel group made up of people who met during Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) budget trips.

The group members, more than 300 of them, were regulars on budget tourism trips run by the Budget Tourism Cell (BTC), a vertical under KSRTC that organizes group tours to tourist destinations, historical places, temples, monuments and the like across Keralam and beyond.

“This group works in conjunction with BTC. This means members choose a destination instead of following BTC’s itinerary. Once the location is finalised, we book a KSRTC bus through BTC,” Thomas TC, a veteran backpacker on a budget and member of Yathra Kudumbam, who is also a Level 10 Google Local Guide – a non-paying volunteer, photos and information about various places.

The team leader is Sajith S, Thiruvananthapuram City Depot Conductor KSRTC, who was once BTC Coordinator. “It is heartening to see how the passengers, mostly senior citizens, came together as they traveled together to different places through BTC tours. There came a point when they wanted to explore places not on the BTC itinerary, most of which are in forest areas, so they formed this group. As I have been their coordinator on many trips, they wanted me to be a part of them.”

View of Peppara Reservoir | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The first trip was to Bonacaud, the Agasthyarkoodam tourist base camp which has breathtaking greenery, waterfalls and tea plantations. The group has made over 10 such trips so far. “We have had one-day trips as well as those that lasted two or three days,” says Sajith. The places they visited include Malarikkal in Kottayam, famous for its pink water lilies, Attayar, Kumbhavurutty, Mankayam-Meenmutti-Ponmudi, Achankovil river and Kalleli Appooppankavu.

Kumbhavurutty Falls in Kollam | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The group also went to Aranmula to attend the Aranmula vallasadya, an annual ritual festival at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple. They recently gathered at Mayamkadavu, a beautiful river bank near Amboori in Thiruvananthapuram to celebrate Onam. “There were 60 of us and we had a great time with cultural programmes, games, a country boat ride, orchards and a bonfire,” says Sajith, who was praised by the group along with Thomas. He adds that Rosario, who was former president APJ Abdul Kalam’s personal secretary, was part of the group.

“The best part of the evening was witnessing the moon rise over the Puralimala range,” he says.

A trip to Podiyakkala, a picturesque tribal village under the Peppara Nature Reserve, and the 900-acre Braemore Estate was planned for September 12. A two-day trip is scheduled for September 25 to Chokramudi, where the Neelakkurinji is in full bloom.

They planned several long trips for October.

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Published – 10 Sep 2026 15:48 IST