Thattekad Birds Song Homestay

Stayed two nights in February and we absolutely loved it! Don't expect a fancy hotel, but the experience is so worth it. The rooms are simple but comfortable and ours had AC. The food is homemade and so delicious! Vinod took us on some great birding walks. We saw so many cool birds and he was a wealth of information. Highly recommend!

We had an amazing time at the Birdsong Homestay! This was our second time staying there. Vinod is a great birding guide with an immense knowledge of the local wildlife. We saw over 70 bird species, many of which were new ones for our group. The rooms were comfortable. One can sit on the patio and watch Malabar giant squirrels and hornbills. Last but not the least, the food prepared by Vinod's mother was spectacular.

My online research paid off! I consider myself so lucky to have found Birds Song Homestay in Thattekad Sanctuary for a weekend birding adventure while on a work trip to Kochi. Vinod Narayanan is THE preeminent guide and naturalist in the area, having studied for most of his life under renowned Kerala ornithologist, Dr. Salim Ali, aka the"Birdman of India." In just two day's time, I hit my goal of 100+ life birds thanks to Vinod's expertise on the vast avian diversity and top hot spots for viewing. Many of the birds were rare, migratory, endemic, or simply elusive, and I was able to see them, including the Great Hornbill, Sri Lankan Frogmouth, Malabar Trogon, Indian Pitta, White-bellied Woodpecker, and Spot-bellied Eagle Owl. (It is so hard for me to stop listing, but the review must go on...) As for the accommodations, the room was very clean and comfortable, with air conditioning and a hot shower. I could hear and see birds right out my window and off the balcony. Vinod's family provided wonderful local dishes at every meal and made me feel most welcome. Truly, my stay at Birds Song was the highlight of my trip to India, and I cannot wait to go back!

I strongly suggest Bird Song homestay , if you are hungry for birding. Vinodbhai (the owner) has tremendous knowledge about birding. My 11 years son who is a birder, became a fan of him. The family served the delicious food with great love. The room is neat and clean. The room service is excellent. The location is really nice. We loved it. We went there with the purpose of birding only. And Vinodbhai helped us to reach our target. Actually he had planned everything very nicely. He is doing really the best to satisfy his customers. If you are planning to visit Thatekkad , must visit this lovely homestay. I will give 5 for all his services and highly recommend Bird song homestay.

Bird's Song Homestay Thettekad was superb and excellent stay. Located right inside the sanctuary, its surrounded by nature. Vinod Narayanan's ( owner) hospitality was warm n memorable. Highly recommended for birders and wildlife lovers. Also suitable for family outing.

We spent 6 nights with Vinod and his family in November 2024. The ladies in the family provided very generous portions of tasty vegetarian food for the first few nights. On the last 2 nights we had chicken as there were no other guests. We were provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner with tea in the afternoon. Bottled water was freely available. Vinod is an excellent bird guide and we had the privilege of being guided on our own. On only 1 occasion were we joined by another couple but that was inside the sanctuary and a "watcher" was required to check the route ahead was safe. We saw over 90 species of bird, some of them endemic. Vinod is extremely knowledgeable and spotted birds we found it hard to spot until he positioned us correctly. My wife has had ankle surgery twice and Vinod took extra care to ensure she was safe especially when clambering up steep rocks or through difficult forest areas. His help was invaluable in keeping my wife happy and safe. We did not have a car so Vinod used his own with a small contribution towards diesel charged. There were no boat rides available when we were there as the dam was at the wrong setting. The accommodation was very comfortable. The shower is not heated but the water was certainly not cold as we have endured elsewhere. We slept so soundly each night that we didn't even hear an elephant knock down a palm tree just behind our room at 4am. Highly recommended stay. Bring sturdy waterproof shoes or boots. Be prepared for walking through forests with tree roots etc and some uphill climbs. Enjoy. Price is extremely reasonable.

Great location. Simple warm staff. The host Vinod is an experienced naturalist. The food was wonderful! The property has loads of visiting birds! Very happy with my stay!

Stayed here for 2 nights in the month of June. Excellent location. You will be able to spot many birds around the property itself. Clean and simple rooms. Yummy home cooked food, nice view of the lake from the balcony. Overall a great place to stay in thattekad.