Guruvayur (also written Guruvayoor) is a bustling pilgrim town and a municipality in Thrissur district of the Indian state of Kerala .It lies 25 km to the northwest of Thrissur city.

Attraction is the famous elephant sanctuary (Punnathur kotta) near the temple where jumbos are trained for temple purposes. The sanctuary currently has more than 60 elephants, all of whom were offered by devotees of Lord Guruvayurappan. One of the leading names associated with the city, Guruvayur Kesavan, is a legendary elephant that has found a place in the state's folklore.

The temple is a major venue for Hindu marriages in Kerala. A record number of marriages take place each day at the temple -- sometimes crossing 100 in a single day. Devotees of Guruvayurappan think it is highly auspicious to start married life in front of the lord. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has recently started on its center and guest house for pilgrims to the town. The place has several hotels and restaurants, and is a booming upmarket pocket.

Transport:

Buses operate every few minutes from Thrissur Shaktan Thampuran Bus Stand. Buses also operate from Ernakulam,North Paravur, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Pamba/Sabarimala, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kodungallur and Trivandrum. Passenger trains operate from the station to Thrissur and Kochi, as well as an overnight express train to Trivandrum and further to Chennai. Cochin International Airport, the nearest airport, is some 80 km. from Guruvayur. if you are coming from calicut it will take approximately 2 hrs to reach guruvayoor by bus. Guruvayur has a single plat form railway station with a few daily services.