Hill Stations Of Kerala

Hill stations in Kerala are a traveller’s paradise and are gifted with cooler and comfortable climate, verdant mountains, green valleys, dense and misty woods, frothing rivers, waterfalls, azure lakes and flower-filled meadows and are a part of Western Ghats. Misty, Mystical and serene hill stations of Kerala are a perfect holiday option for any traveller.

Munnar

Munnar is a beautiful hill station, and was a summer resort for the British during the British Raj. 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 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.

The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 1,500 m (4,900 ft) to 2,695 m (8,842 ft) above mean sea level. It is pronounced “Moon-aar” short for “moonu aar” meaning 3 rivers. Three rivers – Madupetti, Nallathanni and Periavaru — 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 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 m.

Eravikulam national park is one of the main tourist attraction, where you can find the endangered species of Nilgiri Tahr (mountain goat called “varayadu” in Malayalam). A trek 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 m- 2,000 m above sea level.

Places To Visit –

Atukkad Waterfalls / Echo Point, Munnar / Pothamedu View Point / Photo Point / KDHP Museum / Eravikulam National Park / Top Station / Kundala Dam & Lake / Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary / Elephant Arrival Spot / Chinnakanal Waterfalls / Lock Heart Gap / Chokramudi Peak / Marayoor / Mattupetty Dam / Kolukkumalai Tea Estate / Rose Garden Munnar / Wonder Valley Adventure and Amusement Park / Indo Swiss Dairy Farm / Blossom Park / Meesapulimala / Lakkom Water Falls / High Range Club / Mattupetti Indo-Swiss Farm / Chithirapuram / Floriculture Centre / Anamudi Peak / The Christ Church / Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary / Cheeyappara Waterfalls / Valara Falls / Kalari Kshethra / CSI Christ Church / Pallivasal Falls / Nyayamakad Waterfalls / Kuthumkal Waterfalls / Kuthumkal Waterfalls / Sevenmallay Tea Estate / Pallivasal Tea Garden / Elephant Lake

Wayanad 

Wayanad is known for it’s waterfalls, historical caves, comfortable resorts and home stays. This popular town is famous for its spice plantations and wildlife.

Among the prettiest areas of Kerala, Wayanad has a multiple options for its visitors. Part of a forest reserve, Wayanad is located on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The entire region is completely green with hilly ranges and wildlife including Tholpetty in the North, Muthanga in the east bordering with Tamil Nadu, Kalpetta in the south, Mananthvadi in the north-west and Sultan Bathery (Sultan Battery) in the east. Walking through the sprawling spice plantations, taking that trek into the pre-historic caves and experiencing a resort holiday are one of the many thing you can do to get a taste of Wayanad. A great place to spot wild elephants, cool breeze, beautiful scenery, Wayanad is guaranteed to please your travel senses.

Places To Visit –

Banasura Sagar Dam / Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary / Edakkal Caves / Chembra Peak / Soochipara Falls / Vythiri / Kuruva Dweep / Sulthan Bathery / Pookode Lake / Chain Tree / Pakshipathalam Bird Sanctuary / Lakkidi Viewpoint / Banasura Hill / Neelimala Viewpoint / Wayanad Heritage / Museum / Chethalayam Waterfalls / Palchuram Waterfalls / Thirunelli Temple / Meenmutty Falls / Karapuzha Dam / Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary / Pallikunnu Church / Kalpetta / Puliyarmala Jain Temple / Koottamundu Glass Temple / E3 Theme Park / Seetha Devi Temple

Kumily

Kumily is the largest Gram Panchayat in the Idukki district of Kerala. It is a town in Cardamom Hills near Thekkady and Periyar Tiger Reserve. Kumily is gateway town in Kerala to Tamil Nadu.

Kumily is best known for its plantation walks, diverse wildlife, boating and trekking and its Ayurvedic massages.

The present-day Kumily has roots in the colonial period of British. The area was once owned by the Thekkumkoor rajas in central Travancore and later when Marthanda Varma conducted his campaigns in central Travancore, regions including Kumily came under Travancore kingdom. Till the end of the 19th century, the area was given under control of Poonjar kings. But the drastic and significant changes occurred in the region by the advent of British powers. They obtained these regions from the local rulers and transformed the forestlands into cultivatable one. Large-scale production of cash crops like cardamom, pepper, coffee, cinnamon etc. were begun in the hilly terrains. Many people from in and outside Kerala were brought to work in these plantations.

Places To Visit –

Periyar National Park / Abraham’s Spice Garden / Thekkady Lake / Kadathanadan Kalari Centre

Idukki

Idukki district is a densely forested, mountainous region in the south Indian state of Kerala. In the north, Anamudi mountain towers over Eravikulam National Park, where the rare, blue Neelakurinji flower blooms every 12 years. Nearby, Munnar is a hill station known for its sprawling tea plantations and Tea Museum. Farther south is the vast, curved Idukki Dam and Periyar National Park, a tiger and elephant reserve.

Places To Visit –

Gavi / Hill View Park / Kulamavu Dam / Idukki Arch Dam / Painavu / Nadukani / Anakkara / Keezharkuthu Falls / Periyar National Park / Thommankuthu Falls / Mangala Devi Temple / Murikkady / Thumpachi Kalveri Samuchayam / Meesapulimala / Ayyapancoil Hanging Bridge / Malankara Dam / Valara Waterfalls / Anchuruli Waterfalls / Cheruthoni Dam / Panchalimedu / Ramakkalmedu / Anamudi Shola National Park / Power House Falls / Mathikettan Shola National Park / Pampadum Shola National Park / Anamudi Peak / Mattupetti Dam / Pothamedu View Point / Eravikulam National Park / Cheeyappara Waterfalls / Vagamon / Parunthumpara / Kanthalloor / Vattavada / Kuttikkanam / Kalvari Mount

Peermade

Peermade, also spelt Peerumedu is a hill station in the state of Kerala, India. It lies 915 metres above sea level in the Western Ghats some 85 kilometres east of Kottayam on the way to Thekkady through the nearby city of Kanjirappally.

Grampi / Thrissanku Hills / Peeru Hills / Pattumala / Vagamon / Sahyadri Ayurvedic Center

Devikulam

Devikulam is a small hill station about 5 kilometres from Munnar in the Idukki District of the southern state of Kerala, India. It lies 1,800 metres above sea level.

Devi Lake / Pallivasal Falls / Thoovanam Falls / Tea & Spice Plantations /