Category: kerala

This is the first part of the series of posts on our recent winter trip to the state of Kerala. The itinerary will be shared with you all city-wise.

In this post, I would like to share my experience of visiting Munnar, popularly known as the Kashmir of South India. We travelled from Hyderabad and reached Kochi first. We took a cab (which was a part of our pre booked tour package) and travelled all the way to Munnar from Kochi. It took us almost 6hrs to reach Munnar due to the breaks in between and also due to the heavy tourist rush.

Day 1:

Our first day was largely spent on travelling from Kochi to Munnar. On the way, we visited two waterfalls, which were located just by the roadside. They were Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls. They were small and beautiful cascades. There were many small shops nearby these waterfalls offering, fresh coconut water, pineapples and watermelons. Later in the day, we checked into our hotel and freshened up. Our driver suggested us about the cultural shows at The Raga, a theatrical group. So, we decided to give it a try and went to watch the show. The place was some 20min drive from our hotel. Initially, we booked the show for Kalaripayattu but we were so enthralled by the spectacle that we decided to witness the Kathakali fusion show too.

Kalaripayattu, the traditional martial art form was performed by trained individuals, and it was a one-hour show. Kathakali fusion showcased the South Indian dance forms of Odissi, Kathakali and Bharatanatyam. Both these shows are a must watch for everyone to learn and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of our country.

Finally, we called it a day after having our dinner at the hotel.

Day 2:

The sight-seeing of Munnar was largely done on the Day 2. Firstly, we took the off-road jeep safari. The ride was for around 3hrs and we visited 5 places like the Hanging bride, Echo point, Ponmudi Dam, Nadukani viewpoint and a waterfall. The ride was largely bumpy. However, the driver was quite experienced and made us feel safe. It gave us a unique experience. Next, we went to the famous Eravikulam National Park.

Hanging Bridge

View from the Echo point

Eravikulam National Park:

Eravikulam national park is home to the Nilgiri Tahr. However, we were a bit disappointed with the waiting time. We had to wait for our bus for around two hours in a hall. The buses of the park ply up and down for picking up and dropping the tourists. Since, there was a heavy flow of tourists that day, we had to wait for such a long time. After we boarded the bus, it took us around 10min to reach the dropping point at the top. The views from the bus window were breathtaking. We were dropped at the top and were left on our own to explore. It was great watching Nilgiri Tahr in their natural habitat. We walked around the place for some time and later went down to the pick-up point and waited for our bus. There is a coffee shop at the waiting stop and one can get coffee and other beverages there. It was almost evening by the time we finished our visit of the national park. Without further wasting our time, we went to the Mattupetty dam.

Mattupetty Dam:

It is a storage dam, the water of which is being used for irrigation purposes and hydro electricity generation. One can have a relaxing stroll on the road built across and also go for boating in the water. Since, we were less on time, we didn’t opt for a boat ride. It is said that elephants are usually spotted nearby this water body since it is considered as one of their visiting grounds. From there, we went to another echo point and heard the talk back from the hills. On the way, we saw the Rose Garden and Tea plantations too.

Finally, we went to our hotel and ended our Munnar trip with lots of beautiful memories to cherish.