Munnar

5 Tours

Munnar is a beautiful hill station, and was the summer resort of the British. Tourists come here to see the vast tea plantations of the area.

The town itself is typically Indian with the usual shops, guest houses and is really beautiful and traditional. It is a good place to stay to see the surrounding countryside. It is also a popular place for Indian honeymooners. The town is divided into two parts, Old Munnar, where the tourist information office is, and Munnar, where the bus station and most guest houses are located. It is pronounced “Moon-aar” short for “moonu aar” meaning 3 rivers. Three rivers - Madupetti, Nallathanni and Periavaru which flow through this town, but join some distance away from Munnar. Munnar is famous for its tea plantations, many of them started by the British. The “Kannan Devan” brand of Tea from the Tata is cultivated and processed here. The strobilanthus (“neelakurinji” in Malayalam, the local language), a blue flower which blooms only every 12 years, is found in this region. It bloomed last in December 2006. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi, at 2,695 mts. Eravikulam national park is one of the main tourist attractions, where you can find the endangered species of Nilgiri Tahr (mountain goat called “varayadu” in Malayalam). A treck to Rajamala (“King of hills” in Malayalam), in the morning is sure to spot a few friendly mountain goats. You can also find Gaur, Langur, Lion-tailed macaque, and Elephants depending on the season and time of travel. The altitude is 1,600-1.800 m above sea level. Temperature ranges from a minimum of 0⁰C to a maximum of 28⁰C. Warm clothes and rain gear is recommended. The tourist season is from Aug-Mar.

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Key Attractions

Trekking in Western Ghats

A good balanced of walking through the western ghats and trek to south India’s second highest mountain called Meesapulimala (2640 Mts). The 4 to 5 days trek can be arranged through the tea, coffee, cotton, paddy, cardamom and lots of other spices. During the trek we will cross the think forests, known as sholas rhododendron flowers etc. we will stay in overnight camps
Top Station

Great views of the Western Ghats. Top station is the "top"-tourist attraction. This place gives a real 'above the clouds' experience. Regular buses go to Top Station (1 hr.) from Munnar. A jeep costs Rs 400. The area is known for the Neelakurunji plant, which flowers only once every 12 years. The flower is violet.
Mattupetty Dam,

10 km from Munnar, this popular picnic spot activities like boating and horse riding and is a great place to spend the day e specially if visiting with children. You could take the speed boat ride which is fantastic. It costs Rs 300 if you have to hire a boat for you alone. The ride is for 15 min. The maximum capacity is 5 persons and you could save some money if you are a group of 4-5.
Atukkad Waterfalls

A scenic waterfall amidst hills and jungles. You can find a road leading to Atukkad Waterfalls on Kochi road (just about 5 km from Munnar). This road is very narrow and needs a lot of experience to drive on.
Chithirapuram

It is located at a distance of around 10 km from Munnar. Chithirapuram has old playgrounds and courts, bungalows and sleepy little cottages which all give this place an old world charm. This town is also famous for its tea plantations in the world.
Blossom Park,

It is also known as Hydel Park, (1 km from Munnar).
Pothamedu View Point

Mattupetty Dam, (10 km from Munnar), this popular picnic spot activities like boating and horse riding and is a great place to spend the day e specially if visiting with children. You could take the speed boat ride which is fantastic. It costs Rs 300 if you have to hire a boat for you alone. The ride is for 15 min. The maximum capacity is 5 persons and you could save some money if you are a group of 4-5.
Eravikulam National Park,

See Nilgiri Thar (Hemitragas hylocres) - an endangered species of mountain goats, rolling grasslands and sholas, spread over 97² km in the Rajamalai hills, rare flora and fauna, Atlas moth (largest in the world), lion-tailed macaque, leopards, tigers, The Kurichi or Neelakurinji Flowers turn the hills of Rajamalai blue every 12 years. The next bloom will be in 2018. One can actually debate if going to the high peak just to see some goats is worth all the effort or not. However, the walk along the park is very romantic and has some breath taking view. Please be aware that this park remains closed every year around February-March due to the breeding program of the Nilgiri Thar. Before visiting Munnar please check if the park is open or not. Tickets can be bought from the counter for INR 55 per adult. Please be warned that if you do not reach the counter before 8:30 AM, the queue can get so long that it may take a couple of hours to get the tickets.
Rock Climbing and Rappelling,

Munnar has a steep rock face about 30 m (100 ft).
Munnar Elephant Safari,

The elephant safari takes you through the misty forests, deep valleys and the rugged hill paths of the Munnar forests. One hour package, half day and one day tours. Features are, elephant bath, elephant shower, elephant feeding, timber dragging demonstrations and displays of elephant commands and communication.
Boating,

There are several places to go out for boating in Munnar. One can choose among paddle boats and speed boats to Kashmiri-Shikara. Young couples who travel to Munnar should not miss out on the beautiful 'Kashmiri-Shikara' boat ride. It is one of the most romantic experiences.
Bicycle.

Experience the natural beauty of Munnar by riding a bicycle through beautiful paths of Munnar and pass through a tea state called Madupatty, around 14 km from Munnar.

Nearby Places

Periyar National Park (95 Kms)

Periyar is a protected area, and a nature reserve in the South Indian State of Kerala, set high in the mountains of the Western Ghats at the border to Tamil Nadu. It lies in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta. The protected area covers an area of 777 km², out of which a 350 km² part of the core zone was made into the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve, sometimes dubbed the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
Madurai (160 Kms)

Madurai is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and Madurai Nayak kings in the Dravidian style of architecture. It is also famous for its marvelous Meenakshi temple.