Munnar
Munnar is breathtakingly beautiful – an oasis of peace and tranquilly – the ultimate travel destination in God’s own country.
Munnar is a town in Kerala, India, located in the Western Ghats mountains. It’s a hill station and former retreat for the British Raj aristocracy, surrounded by undulating hills filled with tea plantations built in the late 1800s. Eravikulam National Park, which protects the endangered mountain goat Nilgiri tahr, is home to the Lakkam Waterfalls, hiking paths, and the 2,695-meter-tall Anamudi Peak.
Munnar, located at an elevation of 6000 feet in the Idukki district, was a favourite summer resort of previous British rulers on pilgrimages. Unending expanse of tea estates, perfect valleys and mountains, unusual forms of foliage in its wild havens and woods, and the fragrance of zest-scented chilly air – yes! This amazing aim includes all of them, and that’s only the beginning. It’s the spot you’d love to visit and never want to leave.
Munnar is a lovely area in Kerala that cannot be captured in a single painting. Everything here will make us feel energised. The mountains, the fog, the valleys, the streams, the cascades, tea farms, unusual vegetation and fauna…. The tea town in the Idukki district of Kerala is easily accessible from Kochi and Coimbatore. The magnificent slope station is situated in an ideal location, the South Western Ghats of India. Munnar in Devikulam Taluk is Kerala’s largest panchayat, covering around 557 square kilometres.
Munnar derived its name from the intersection of three streams: the Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni, and Kundala rivers. In Malayalam, ‘Moonu’ means ‘three’ and ‘Aru’ means’stream’. The location is estimated to be 1,500 to 2,695 meters above sea level and was once the British late spring capital in South India. Later, it was used to grow tea plants. The nourishing vistas of rich green tea manors will make us realise that we have finally arrived in Munnar, which is well-known for its iridescent greenery and tea farms. It mainly conveys the remains of Kerala’s tea development history. Neelakurinji, also known as Strobilanthus, holds a special place in the tourism guide for this captivating destination. The flower, which appears only every twelve years, attracts visitors from all around the world.
Eravikulam National Park and the Nilgiri Tahr are considered Munnar’s tourism emblems. The national stop is also well-known for its Neelakurinji population. In 2006, the area saw an increase in both local and international visitors looking for unusual flowers. Currently, we must wait until 2018 to see a comparable rise and the spectacular blossoming of the petals after 12 long years. Anamudi, South India’s most spectacular peak, is visible from here. Trekking to this summit will undoubtedly invigorate you. When you stand alone at the highest point of this peak, you will feel magnificent, as if you are standing beneath the sky and will soon be able to touch it. Munnar is the home of nature, with the gorgeous Devikulam Lake, Kolukkumalai (the most notable tea manor in the country), cascades such as Lakkam, Attukal, Nyayamakad, Chinnakkal, Kuthumkal, Cheeyapara, Valara, and Thoovanam, and the ‘cows town’ or Mattupetty, among other things.
Mattupetty, a hill station at an elevation of 1,700 meters, is nestled within the hills of Munnar and quite close to the Anamudi peak. Mattupetty is approximately 13 kilometres from Munnar. Here, you can appreciate the verdant valleys and feel the wonderful climate. Mattupetty’s primary attractions are its dam and lake.
Mattupetty Dam is a storage concrete gravity dam. The dam was built in the late 1940s as part of the Pallivasal Hydroelectric Project to conserve water and generate electricity. The dam is now a significant source of electricity generation in Munnar, as well as a home for many wild animals and birds due to its constant water supply.
The most appealing feature of Mattupetty Dam is its calm water, which reflects the surrounding tea gardens. You can participate in water sports activities such as speed boating, which are organised by the Idukki District Tourism Promotion Council (Munnar), while also enjoying the magnificent natural surroundings of this dam. Adventurers can also go trekking through the Shola forest.
A picturesque lake nestled in the hills, surrounded by tea gardens, Shola forest, and steep woodlands, is only a few miles from the Mattupetty dam. The beautiful atmosphere of the lake will transport you to a world of tranquilly. You have limitless options: you can go boating in the lake or relax on the bank and enjoy the tranquilly. Tourists can choose a speed boat, pedal boat, motor boat, or row boat.
Mattupetty is also known as ‘cattle village’, a name derived from the well-known Indo Swiss agricultural project or livestock project. The project was begun in 1963 as part of a bilateral agreement between the Indian and Swiss governments. This farm contains hundreds of different high-yielding cattle kinds. The sight of cattle grazing freely on the large farm’s hills is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any traveler.
The farm is located approximately three kilometres from the Mattupetty Dam and is dedicated to cattle development and research, as established by the Swiss government. Currently, the initiative is managed by the Kerala Livestock Development and Milk Marketing Board.
The best months to visit Mattupetty are August to May, and it is easily accessible from Munnar.
This objective is a dream come true for shopaholics, regardless of whether they prefer tea or flavours. You may get various flavours from here, such as ginger, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, espresso, clove, nutmeg, and so on. Don’t miss the handcrafted chocolates here. Appreciate the white, dim, alcohol-filled chocolates with nuts. Munnar is endowed with a plethora of resorts and lodges that will supply you with all of the food you could ever want while also meeting your basic needs. Among these resorts, you may also look for moderate and modest lodgings that meet your needs. Every one of these accommodations and resorts will provide you with various packages such as wedding trips, family vacations, and so on, which will greatly assist you in experiencing Munnar.
Facts & Statistics about Munnar
The city of Munnar is located in an elevated area at a height of roughly 1600 meters to 1800 meters above sea level. The best time to visit Munnar is between August and May, as the magnificent views will leave you stunned and mesmerised. Despite the cold weather, Munnar receives a great number of tourists throughout the year, and it is recommended that visitors dress warmly and bring raincoats in case of an emergency. The temperature in and around Munnar ranges from 0°C to 25°C.
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