Getting There

Munnar is situated in Idukki District on the high ranges of the Western Ghats and is easily accessed from the south via Periyar or the west along the main highway from Cochin. Munnar is situated 130 kms from Cochin International Airport. From Thekkady, situated 100 kms away, the journey will take up to four hours. There are no direct flights from UK to Cochin, but there are connection services from Colombo or major Indian hubs.

Sights

Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. At 1600m above sea level, this hill station was once the summer resort of the British during the colonial period. Sprawling tea plantations, gushing waterfalls, untouched wilderness with exotic flora and fauna, makes this an adventurous holiday destination. Munnar is surrounded by rows of jagged peaks, including the highest peak in South India - Anamudi, which stands at 2695 metres. With spectacular scenery, reservoirs, and tea covered hills, Munnar is perfect for trekking, mountain climbing, bird watching, boating, trout fishing, and cycling. Rich in bio-diversity, the surrounding forests are home to more than 300 species of birds, wild elephants and Sambar. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and Eravikulam National Park which is home to the famous Nilgiri Tahr - a rare species of mountain goat, is worth a visit.

Accommodation

We recommend staying at KTDC’s Tea County on the outskirts of Munnar. Away from the town on a hill amidst a tea estate is the family run Windermere Estate with charming cottages and home-cooked food. Tall Trees, an eco-friendly resort with comfortable individual cottages set amidst 66 acres of woodlands and cardamom plantations, provides a great holiday escape especially for nature lovers.

Tall Trees: Tall Trees is an eco-friendly holiday resort situated 1500m above sea-level in the upper reaches of the Western Ghats, a short drive from Munnar. A holiday at Tall Trees is a treat for nature lovers: 66 acres of woodland and cardamom plantations. You can rest amidst tranquil surroundings, or amble through unspoilt country, an area of rock formations, gurgling streams, more than 600 trees, cardamom bushes, and wild flowers, a habitat for numerous species of birds and butterflies. [More]

Tea County: Tea County lies in the upper Western Ghats in Munnar, an old hill station in the tea-growing hills. Government-run hotels normally conjure up images of tasteless décor and grumpy service, but Tea County is a revelation -- a spotless and well-managed hotel with a beautiful setting on the outskirts of Munnar. Rooms are spacious, décor smart, if floral. [More]


Windermere Estate: Windermere Estate is run by an Indian family that has owned this property for generations and still manages the 60-acre Cardamom, coffee and tea plantation as well as the holiday retreat. The bedrooms and restaurant is a charming blend of ethnic Indian touches and English country feel. Life on Windemere Estate is unhurried. Wake up to bird song and spectacular mountain views. [More]

Events

Thrissur Pooram: Thrissur, situated midway between Cochin and Palakkad, is known for its traditional arts and heritage. The Thrissur Pooram, held in April/May, is Kerala’s largest annual festival: a celebration involving elephants, drums and fireworks. The Pooram – or Puram – was introduced towards the end of the 18C and involves two rival temples which meet in competition like ancient armies on a battlefield. After two long processions in which the rivals attempt to outshine one another with sights and sounds, the clamour reaches its pinnacle when the two trains meet at the entrance to the Vaddukanatha temple. Two lines of fifteen majestically caparisoned tuskers stand face to face, unfazed by the thundering rhythms of chenda melam. This quintessentially Keralan music, which on this occasion features over a hundred hard-skinned, cylindrical chenda drums, crashing cymbals and woodwind instruments mesmerises the crowd. As drummers drum faster to prove their prowess and trumpeters join the cacophony the noise and tempo builds to the climax: the kudamattan. In a dazzling display of strength, agility and timing those astride the elephants perform the synchronised and highly stylistic removal of headdresses. Amidst such scenes of splendour, celebrations continue well into the night until a spectacular fireworks display takes place in the early hours of the morning. Accommodation must be booked well in advance.

Activities

Performing Arts

Kathakali dance:  A live performance of Kathakali is an eye-opening experience for any newcomer to Kerala.  Combining facets of ballet, opera, masque and pantomime, this is a highly-technical skill and performers will have undertaken years of rigorous training.   Go early and catch the dancers putting on their make-up before their performance.   Kathakali dance performances are held at Whispering Glade - Kerala Arts & Cultural Munnar Centre.

Sports & Adventure

Cycling:  Variety of biking trips can be planned in the local area, including off-road journeys through some of the estates.

Boating:  Boating facilities are available in the town scenic Kundala Lake and Mattupetty dam situated about 13 kms from Munnar.

Mountain Trekking:  Amid the spectacular scenery of the Western Ghats, with its tea-covered hills, spice plantations, and tropical forests, Munnar is ideal for trekking.  Popular trekking areas include Rajamala, Meesapulimala, Kundala, and Devikulam.    The challenging Anaimudu mountain climb with amazing panoramic views is hair-raising in parts and only those with a head for heights should consider the adventure. For breathtaking views over Tamil Nadu’s dry plains, you can climb 34kms up to the border of Kerela and Tamil Nadu to the Cheeyappara Top Station.

Golfing:  Golfing is available at the Kundala Club situated about 20 kms from Munnar.    The Golf course at Kundala belongs to Tata Tea Ltd. and is located close to the scenic Sethuparavthipuram Dam and the Anuvikkad waterfall. The High Range Club is another golf club dating back to the colonial period.

Trout fishing:  With several pristine streams with gravel banks, Munnar is one of few places in India that offers trout fishing. The Sita Devi Lake situated in Devikulam, with its mineral waters and picturesque surroundings, Nyayamakad with breathtaking waterfalls and stream are good for trout fishing.

Tea experience:  Learn of Munnar’s famous tea with a fascinating visit to a Tea factory and tea museum run by Tata Tea which traces the evolution of the tea industry in Munnar beginning from the 1880s.

Spice trails:  Innovative plantation owners have successfully created additional income by opening up their estates to tourists. Spice tours can be fascinating. A wide range of spices are grown in the area, including pepper, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves, as well as tea, rubber and coffee.

Wildlife & Nature

Neelakurinji: An exotic species of flora found in the forests and grasslands in Munnar, the blue Neelakurinji flower blooms once in every twelve years and is a spectacular sight to sea.  The flower is expected to bloom next in the year 2018 when meadows of Neelakurinji will once again cover the hills of Munnar.

Waterfalls of Munnar:  Scenic waterfalls in and around Munnar include Cheeyappara located off the Cochin-Madurai Highway, Thommankuthu situated around 17 kms from Munnar, Keezharkuth which is know as the Rainbow waterfall.  The surrounding forests and mountains are ideal for trekking and boating.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary:  Situated on the Tamil Nadu border, the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is inhabited by most of the Southern Indian wild animals including wild elephants, the grizzled giant squirrel, champal squirrel and sambar deer.  The forest is also home to a variety of birds.

Eravikulam National Park:  Situated 15 kms from Munnar, the Eravikulam National Park consists of dense forests and grasslands and is at the crest of the Annamalai Range.  Established in 1978, it engulfs the spectacular Anaimudi Peak, the highest in South India. The sanctuary is home to the largest population of the beautiful and frisky nilgiri thar, a friendly mountain goat that so narrowly escaped extinction due to hunting. The park's grassy hills, strewn with boulders and sprinkled with colourful wildflowers, makes for beautiful hill-country walks and those staying in Munnar should consider a day-visit. The nilgiri thar shares the park with the elephant, lion-tailed macaque, tiger, leopard, nilgiri langur, malabar giant squirrel, gaur, dhole (wild dog), sambar and the barking deer.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary:  The wildlife sanctuary is one of the most popular in India, attracting 300,000 visitors per year. It is situated around a British-engineered reservoir designed to supply water to Kerela's dry neighbour, Tamil Nadu. The park was first declared a forest reserve by the Maharaja of Travencore over a century ago. It was also incorporated into Project Tiger in 1973. Tigers are rarely seen, although they can occasionally be heard hunting at night. Elephants, occasionally seen wading happily in the cool waters, are much more common and bison, sambar, barking deer and wild boar can also be seen, as can 246 species of birds and 112 species of butterfly. The Forest Department has successfully co-opted the support of the indigenous Mannan community who now conserve the reserve in exchange for money from eco-tourism. The best time to visit is from September to May when the dry season draws animals out of the forest to the lake.