Munnar

The hills surrounding Munnar is a wild life watchers' delight, -with a sizable population of elephants, lbisons, langurs and macaques roaming free in herds. Further, Munnar offers the best opportunity you are ever likely to have to see the tea plantations, to watch tea being picked, to learn how tea is processed and to buy tea directly from the gardens.

SIDELIGHTS :

The Kundale Tea Plantation :
An area surrounding a lovely lake that offers some of the most stunning views of the region. If you arrive on a Sunday, make sure to drop in at the small Kundale Club in the afternoon, where the local planters gather with their family.

Eravilkulam National Park ( Rajmalai)
2695 metres high, Anamudi -the highest peak in South India looms here. Fifteen km from Munnar, the famous hill station of Kerala, is the beautiful Rajamala. The natural habitat of the Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragas hylocres), the Eravikulam - Rajamala region is now home to half the world population estimated at around 1300 - of this endangered mountain goat. But the Tahr is only one of the reasons to make a visit to Rajamala. The picturesque beauty of this mountain will make you want to tent here forever!

The High Range Club:
Charmingly colonial in style, this wicker-and -old-teak club still serves as a social centre for the far-flung farmers of the region around Munnar. Housing an elegant lounge, a delightful dining room, the obligatory gentlemen's bar, billiards room and a library.

Tea Museum- Munnar

Munnar is perhaps the choicest of places to preserve and showcase some of the exquisite and interesting aspects on the genesis and growth of tea plantations in Kerala's high ranges. With special emphasis to Munnar, and to the delight of tea lovers and tourists, Tata Tea recently opened a Tea Museum which houses curious, photographs and machineries, each depicting a turning point that contributed to a flourishing tea industry, as seen today in the region.


Timings: 10:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. (open 7 days a week)

Entry Fee:
Adults: Rs.50
Children below 12 years: Rs.10

GETTING THERE

Munnar is accessible only by road- a scenic four hour drive from Cochin (132 kms)

SIDELIGHTS :

The Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary:
Sprawling over 285 sq.kms, this neighboring sanctruary shelters the largest population of wild Gaur ( Bison) The Cannimare Teak Tree, said to be the largest in the Asian continent towers roughly 5kms away from Thunakadavu-the headquarters of Parambikulam. Other wildlife Such as the Nilgiri langur, sloth nbear, the lion-tailed macaque and spotted deer abound along with a handful of tigers and leopards.

Malampuzha:
The garden complex around the dam at malampuzha draws a large holiday and weekend crowd to itself. A small garden done in Japanese style adds a touch of exotic charm to the landscape. So does the hanging bridge across the canal.

GETTING THERE
The hills of Nelliyampathy lie at a distance of 75 kms from Palghat ( travel time: 2 ½ hours) and 225 kms from Cochin ( travel time: 5 1/2 hours).

Luxuriant plantations of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber stretch over the hills of Wayanad as far as the eye can see., With the fast-flowing rivers- Panamaram, Mananthavady and kabini- cutting across the undulating panorama and lending picture-postcard look to the whole region.

The north eastern tip of Kerala. Its pretty image notwithstanding, perhaps what the visitor finds most endearing about this quaint little hill station is its large tribal population and their fascinating lifestyles.

Including revered monarchs of barely fifty -strong tribes. An in -vogue barter system. And ancient rituals. Not surprisingly, based on evidences still found on these hills, historians contend that civilization existed in these parts at least a thousand years before Christ.

SIDELIGHTS :

Edakkal Caves:
The two rock Waves at Ambukuthy Hills, 12 kms south of Sultan's Battery (travel time: 20 min), contain ancient carvings and pictorial writings with human and animal figures in puculiar headdresses along with geometric from and symbols.They speak of a highly civilized people at an early centre of human habitation.

Thirunelly:
At just 32 kms from Mananthavady (travel time; 1 hour ), the eye-catching backdrop of Brahma -giri hills lend an idyllic charm to Thirunelly where the Vishnu Temlple touched by the soothing streams of Papanasini provides eternal bliss to the searching pilgrim.

Pookot Lake:
With its own dream-like serenity, this natural fresh water lake surrounded by meadows and trees on all sides is a haven for peace-seeking travellers. You'll find it on your way from Calicut half an hour ahead of kalpetta.

Kalpetta:
A stronghold of the jains in the past Two historic jain temples-one of which, through a network of mirrors bedazzle the visitor with a thousand inkages of the icon-are found here.

Mananthavady:
Historicallly important as the last resting place of Pazhassirajah who fought a guerilla war against the British.

GETTING THERE
An enjoyable climlb of about 1100 metres through a distance of 90kms ( time taken: 2 hours) from Calicut and 6 ½ hour from Cochin,brings you to the cool comforts of Wayanad.