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Getting There
By Air
Kochi is located 130 kms from Munnar and Madurai at 142 kms. Hire a private vehicle or take the bus shuttle to reach Munnar.
By Rail
Ernakulam Junction at 127 kms is the closest railhead. Hire a taxi to reach Munnar.
By Road
Munnar is connected to Kochi by NH49 and the drive promises to be extremely scenic and pleasant.
Tourist Spots in Munnar
Attukal
Located 9 km from Munnar, this scenic picnic spot offers gushing waterfalls, rolling hills and long trekking options to travelers.
Chithirapuram
This is one of the few areas that still exude a colonial charm with its rows of old-world cottages and bungalows. It is also home to the Pallivasal Hydel Power Project and famous for its picturesque tea plantations.
Power House Waterfalls
Cascading down 2000 mts, these waterfalls are the perfect place to catch views of the scenic western mountain ranges.
Pothamedu
Located 6 km from Munnar, Pothamedu offers excellent views of the tea, coffee and cardamom estates and is ideal for adventure trekking.
Devikulam
7 km from Munnar, this hill retreat with its lush green hills and several exotic floras & fauna is a perfect picnic spot. The Sita Devi Lake here is known for its rich mineral content and is ideal for trout fishing.
Nyayamakad: En route Rajamala, visit Nyayamakad to catch fantastic views of waterfalls gushing from a height of 1600 meters. The lush surroundings make it an excellent picnic and trekking spot.
Lock Heart Gap
13 km from Munnar, this is another hot-spot for adventure lovers and offers breathtaking views of misty hills and green mountains.
Top Station
Almost 1700 mts above sea-level, this is the highest spot on the Munnar-Kodiakanal road. The rare Neelakurunji flower blooms in this region once every 12 years and turns the hills completely purple. Another interesting sight here would be the ruins of the old ropeway station that linked the foothills to the tea estates. This aerial ropeway was used to transport tea chests out and provisions in.
Meenuli
This is noted for its 2 acres of evergreen forests located on a huge rock, which is more than 500 acres in area and an ideal spot for mountaineering.
Thommankuthu Waterfalls
Also known as the seven-step waterfall,this is a popular picnic spot. Every step has a cascade and pool beneath and is extremely exciting for adventure tourism. Remember to exercise caution though when stepping here.
Tourist Spots Near Munnar
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary : (70 km)
This sanctuary is further on the Munnar-Udmalpet road, this wildlife park is home to most of the South Indian wild animals This road cuts through the sanctuary. The best time for animal sightings is in the evenings and early mornings. Common wild life sightings are Elephants and Gaur besides some rare birds. There are watch towers erected in the forests, with permission from the authorities one can use it to spend a night watching wildlife. Among popular birds are jungle fowl, myna, laughing thrush, black bulbul and peafowl.
Anayirangal
Located 22 kms from Munnar, this is a beautiful picnic spot, with the Anayirangal Dam surrounded by the Tata Tea Estates located closeby.
Eravikulam National Park
Rajamalai in the Eravikulam national Park is about 17 km from Munnar. The sanctuary provides close viewing of the Nilgiri Thar, an endangered species. More than half of the Nilgiri Thar is found in this sanctuary, which can be seen in small groups here. The other interesting sight is the flowering blooms only once in 12 years.
The next bloom is expected in 2006 AD only. The other animal sighting commonly reported are Panther, Sambhar, Barking Deer, Gaur, Giant Malabar Squirrel etc. The sanctuary is 4 km from the Munnar-Marayoor (Udmalpet) Road. the highest peak in Kerala and is easily one of the best mountain ranges in the world.
Marayoor(36 km)
This small town is famous for the sandal wood forest in the surrounding region, it is the only place in Kerala that has naturally growing sandalwood trees. Permission is required from the forest authorities to venture into the forest and there are caves located nearby which have murals and relics from the new Stone Age civilization and a children's park spread under the canopy of a single banyan tree.
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Languages: Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi & English
Best Time to Visit: September - May
Clothing: Cottons during summers & woolens during winters
Altitude: 5000 to 8000 ft. above sea level.
Population: 1,520 (1991)
Rainfall: 275 cm.
STD code: 0486 |
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