On a rocky hill called Jatayupara in Chadayamangalam village of Kollam district, 350 metres above mean sea level, there is a sculpture so large it is visible from the highway below. The Jatayu statue — a concrete representation of the mythological vulture-king from the Ramayana, lying wounded on his back with wings spread after his battle with Ravana — stretches 200 feet long, 150 feet wide, and 70 feet tall, covering a floor area of 15,000 square feet. The Guinness Book of World Records recognises it as the world’s largest operable bird sculpture.
Sculpted by artist Rajiv Anchal over more than a decade and opened to the public in 2018, Jatayu Earth’s Center is Kerala’s first public-private partnership tourism project under the BOT model, combining the sculpture with a cable car, museum, 6D theatre, adventure activities, and helicopter taxi experience on a 65-acre hilltop complex.
All prices below are verified from jatayuearthscenter.in (official booking portal) and multiple current 2025–2026 sources.
Jatayu Earth’s Center Ticket Price 2026 — Official Entry Fee
Option 1: Jatayu Sculpture & Cable Car (Most Popular)
| Category | Price |
| All visitors (inclusive of GST) | ₹555 per person |
This ticket includes:
- Round-trip cable car (to and from hilltop)
- Access to the Jatayu Sculpture
- Access to the 6D Theatre inside the sculpture
- Access to the Museum
- Access to the hilltop complex
Option 2: Jatayu Sculpture & Walkway (Budget / Physical Option)
| Category | Price |
| All visitors (inclusive of GST) | ₹325 per person |
This ticket includes:
- Ascent and descent via the walking pathway (no cable car)
- Access to the Jatayu Sculpture, Museum, and 6D Theatre
- Available until 4:30 PM (earlier closure than cable car option)
Comparison: Cable Car vs Walkway
| Factor | Cable Car (₹555) | Walkway (₹325) |
| Access time | 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM (weekdays) / 6:00 PM (weekends) | 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Physical demand | None — scenic 8 to 10-minute ride | Moderate to high climb |
| Aerial views | Excellent (aerial perspective during ride) | Ground-level |
| Recommendation | First-time visitors; families with children; all ages | Fit walkers who prefer outdoor trekking |
Adventure Center Ticket Price 2026
| Package | Includes | Price |
| 15 Adventure Activities Only (10 AM – 4 PM) | All 15 adventure activities | ₹1,000 per person |
| Trekking + Paintball Only (Afternoon, 3 PM – 6:30 PM) | Trekking + Paintball | ₹1,300 per person |
| 15 Activities + Trekking (10 AM – 6:30 PM) | All activities + Trekking | ₹1,500 per person |
| 15 Activities + Paintball (10 AM – 4 PM) | All activities + Paintball | ₹1,800 per person |
| All Activities + Paintball + Trekking (Full Day) | Everything (10 AM – 6:30 PM) | ₹2,300 per person |
The 15 adventure activities include: Rock Climbing, Rappelling, Zipline, Burma Bridge, Commando Net, Log Walk, Vertical Ladder, Chimney Climbing, Side Joola, and other rope/adventure course elements.
Other Experiences and Pricing
| Experience | Price |
| Heli-Taxi (helicopter) — hilltop landing | Contact park for current rate (approx. ₹5,000–₹8,000) |
| Zipline (standalone) | Contact park / included in adventure packages |
| Camping (hilltop overnight) | Contact park for rates |
| Ayurveda treatments | Contact park for current rates |
Jatayu Earth’s Center — Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Jatayu Earth’s Center (Jadayupara) |
| Location | Jatayu Junction, Nature Park Road, Chadayamangalam, Kollam, Kerala – 691534 |
| Contact | +91-474-2477077 / +91-977-841-4178 |
| Website | jatayuearthscenter.in |
| Total Area | 65 acres |
| Altitude | 350 metres (1,200 feet) above mean sea level |
| Hills | Complex spread across 4 hills |
| Guinness Record | World’s largest operable bird sculpture |
| Sculpture Dimensions | 200 ft long × 150 ft wide × 70 ft tall; 15,000 sq ft floor area |
| Sculptor | Rajiv Anchal |
| Weekday Timings | 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Weekend/Festival Timings | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Distance from Kollam | ~38 km |
| Distance from Thiruvananthapuram | ~46–52 km |
| Sculpture + Cable Car | ₹555 per person (GST inclusive) |
| Sculpture + Walkway | ₹325 per person (GST inclusive) |
| Adventure 15 Activities | ₹1,000 per person |
Jatayu Earth’s Center Timings 2026
| Day | Opening | Closing |
| Monday to Friday | 10:00 AM | 5:30 PM |
| Saturday, Sunday, Public Holidays | 10:00 AM | 6:00 PM |
Walkway option closes at 4:30 PM daily. Cable car last ride depends on closing time. Arrive by 4:30 PM at the latest on weekdays for the cable car option.
The Mythological Significance — Why This Place
The location of Jatayu Earth’s Center is not coincidental. According to the Ramayana, when Ravana was carrying Sita to Lanka, the vulture-king Jatayu — a trusted friend of Dasharatha (Rama’s father) — intercepted him in flight. A fierce aerial battle ensued, but Ravana cut off Jatayu’s wings with his sword Chandrahas. Mortally wounded, Jatayu fell to earth at exactly this spot — the rocky hill of Jatayupara — where he lay dying.
Rama and Lakshmana found Jatayu here, barely alive, and he told them which direction Ravana had carried Sita before passing away. Rama performed Jatayu’s last rites here — treating him with the honour due to a father — and it is said that the dying bird’s left wing impression is still visible in the rock formations at the hill’s base.
The modern sculpture represents the exact moment described in the Ramayana — Jatayu lying on his back after the battle, wings spread, talons clenched. It is a monument to courage, sacrifice, and the protection of women — themes that resonate powerfully in contemporary India and explain why the sculpture became a cultural phenomenon well beyond its aesthetic and touristic appeal.
First public-private partnership in Kerala tourism: The project, initiated by Rajiv Anchal as a creative and cultural mission, was developed into a full tourism complex through a partnership with the Kerala government under the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) model.
The Cable Car Experience
The cable car imported from Switzerland operates 16 gondola cabins, each carrying 8 passengers, for a total capacity of 128 passengers simultaneously. The cars make the 350-metre ascent from the base station to the hilltop in approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
The views during the ascent are a significant part of the experience:
- The Jatayu sculpture becomes visible from the cable car as it rises, growing larger as the gondola approaches the hilltop
- Kerala’s characteristic green landscape — rubber plantations, paddy fields, coconut palms, and cashew groves — spreads in all directions
- On clear days (particularly October to February), the Arabian Sea is visible on the western horizon
- The rocky Jatayupara formation is itself an interesting geological feature visible during the ascent
Visitors with mobility limitations or fear of heights: The cable car cabin is enclosed and stable; not exposed in the manner of ski-resort open chairlifts. Most visitors with moderate heights tolerance manage the ride comfortably.
The Jatayu Sculpture — What to See at the Top
The Sculpture Itself
The 200-foot sculpture dominates the hilltop. At ground level, visitors can walk underneath the wings and around the body of the sculpture. The feathers are individually sculpted and detailed, each carrying distinct carving. The texture and scale of the work becomes truly apparent only when standing adjacent to it — photographs significantly underrepresent the physical presence.
The sculpture also functions as an architectural space — the interior of the bird’s body contains the 6D Theatre and Museum, accessible from within the sculpture.
6D Theatre (Inside the Sculpture)
An immersive cinema experience inside the Jatayu sculpture body. A 6D film recount of the Ramayana episode involving Jatayu plays in the motion-platform theatre with multisensory effects synced to the narration. A genuinely unusual experience — watching the myth unfold cinematically from inside the myth’s central protagonist.
Museum
A museum within the sculpture complex presenting artefacts, exhibits, and information about:
- The Ramayana story and Jatayu’s role in it
- The sculpture’s creation process — Rajiv Anchal’s creative and technical journey
- Kerala’s cultural and mythological heritage
Hilltop Viewpoints
Three distinct viewing areas across the hilltop provide panoramic views in different directions. On exceptionally clear days, Thiruvananthapuram’s urban skyline is visible to the south, and the Arabian Sea to the west.
Cave of Healing
A natural cave within the hilltop complex claimed to have healing properties. Listed as an attraction of the complex.
Helicopter Pad
The helipad at the hilltop allows heli-taxi service from the base to the summit for those who want an aerial approach as an alternative to the cable car. Contact the park for current pricing — the heli-taxi experience is the most premium approach to the hilltop.
Adventure Activities at Jatayu Earth’s Center
The Adventure Center, operating on the hillside, provides 15 structured adventure activities:
Aerial / Rope Activities:
- Zipline (across the hillside, significant length)
- Rappelling (controlled descent from rock face)
- Rock Climbing (natural rock face with safety equipment)
- Burma Bridge (elevated rope suspension bridge)
- Commando Net (cargo net traversal)
- Log Walk (balance beam)
- Vertical Ladder (rope ladder ascent)
- Chimney Climbing (narrow vertical rock feature)
- Side Joola (lateral swinging rope)
Additional Activities:
- Paintball (available in afternoon sessions and full-day packages)
- Hilltop Trekking (guided trail through the hill’s natural terrain)
- Archery
- Camping (overnight on the hilltop — book separately)
The full-day combined adventure package (₹2,300) provides the complete experience from morning through late afternoon. For pure adventure emphasis without the sculpture visit, the ₹1,000 (15 activities) package is the starting point.
Online Ticket Booking
Official website: jatayuearthscenter.in — click “Book Now” and select your package (Sculpture + Cable Car, Sculpture + Walkway, Adventure Center, Heli-Taxi, or Zipline as standalone).
Online booking is strongly recommended on weekends and public holidays — the cable car has limited hourly capacity and slots fill. Walk-in availability on busy days can result in waiting.
Alternative: Third-party platforms like Thrillophilia and Headout list Jatayu Earth’s Center tickets — prices are sometimes comparable or discounted. Verify current rates on the official site before choosing.
How to Reach Jatayu Earth’s Center
By Car/Taxi (Recommended): The complex is located 200 metres off the main Thiruvananthapuram–Kochi National Highway (NH-66), making it directly accessible. Set destination as “Jatayu Earth Center Chadayamangalam” on Google Maps.
- From Thiruvananthapuram: ~52 km, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
- From Kollam: ~38 km, approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour
- From Kochi: ~170 km, approximately 3 hours
By KSRTC Bus: KSRTC buses run from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam to Chadayamangalam. Ask for the “Jatayu Earth Center” or “Chadayamangalam” stop on the Trivandrum-Kottarakkara or Trivandrum-Kollam routes.
By Train:
- Kottarakkara Railway Station — approximately 24 km from the park; closest significant station
- Kollam Junction — approximately 35–38 km from the park; more trains from major cities
- Thiruvananthapuram Central — approximately 52–55 km; maximum train connectivity
From Kollam or Kottarakkara stations, hire a cab or auto for the final stretch to the park.
By Air: Trivandrum International Airport is approximately 52 km from the park — about 1.5 hours by road.
Best Time to Visit
October to March: Kerala’s post-monsoon and winter season. Skies are clear, the landscape is intensely green after the rains, and visibility from the hilltop is at its best. The cable car ride with Arabian Sea visible on the horizon is the premium experience.
Early morning or late afternoon: The Jatayu sculpture in soft morning or late-afternoon light creates the most photogenic conditions. Midday harsh sunlight flattens the sculptural detail.
Avoid Monsoon (June to September): The cable car and outdoor adventure activities may be suspended during heavy rain. The hilltop is frequently mist-covered and visibility is poor. Trekking activities are also curtailed. Verify operational status before visiting in June–September.
Weekdays: Shorter cable car queues and a more relaxed exploration pace on the hilltop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the Jatayu Park ticket price in 2026?
Sculpture + Cable Car (round trip): ₹555 per person (GST inclusive). Sculpture + Walkway: ₹325 per person. Adventure package: ₹1,000 (15 activities only) to ₹2,300 (all activities including paintball and trekking). Children and senior pricing may vary — verify at the counter.
Q2. What are Jatayu Earth’s Center timings?
Weekdays: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Weekends and holidays: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Walkway option closes at 4:30 PM daily.
Q3. Is the cable car at Jatayu Park safe?
Yes. The cable car was imported from Switzerland, operates 16 cabins (8 passengers each), and adheres to international safety standards. It has operated without significant incident since opening.
Q4. How far is Jatayu Earth’s Center from Thiruvananthapuram?
Approximately 46 to 52 km from Thiruvananthapuram city centre — roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes by car via the National Highway.
Q5. Can I book Jatayu Park tickets online?
Yes. Book at jatayuearthscenter.in. Online booking is recommended on weekends as cable car slots have limited hourly capacity. Third-party platforms like Thrillophilia also carry tickets.
