Munnar - Queen of the Misty Malabars

Munnar :
Kerala's own Kashmir, Munnar entices every traveler with its ethereal charm and nature's glory. An all year tourist destination, Munnar offers breathtaking views of Tea plantations spread over acres of hilly area. The city offers a kaleidoscopic panorama of tranquil surroundings and forested hills. Known popularly as a Queen of the Misty Malabars, Munnar truly represents Kerala as God's Own Country.

Climate :
Summer : 16 °C (Max) - 8 °C (Min)
Winter : 10 °C (Max) - 0 °C (Min)
Rainy Season : June to September, 1600 mm rainfall, Heavy tropical rainfall
Best time to visit : Throughout the year.

Main Attractions: Eravikulam National Park, Mattupetty, Tea Museum, Chinnar wildlife sanctuary.

Location :
Geographic : Located in the Malabar range of the Western ghats is Munnar, laden with lush green forests & tea estates.
Famous for: Being a home to some of the highest tea gardens & estates.

How to Reach Munnar :
By Air: The nearest airport is the Cochin International Airport.
By Road: : Kochi - four hours, Kottayam - five hours, Madurai - six hours.
By Railways: The closest train connectivity is through Kochi.

Attractions :
Munnar is a popular hill-resort in Kerala, the town located amongst the heady climes of the Western Ghats, overflowing with natural bounty. Munnar is a great place to visit all round the season, especially in the rainy season when numerous waterfalls & jungle streams adorn this place & enhance its enticing charm. Munnar provides panoramic views to the surrounding countryside & also is home to several rare & endangered species are found in the surrounding forest tracts as a part of Munnar city tour.
Some of prime tourist places in Munnar are -

Eravikulam National Park:
This reserve is an excellent opportunity for an adventurous face off with the wild & for trekking, with the park providing glorious vistas of surrounding tea plantations and the rolling hills covered by veils of mists. The park is also host to a wide variety of flora & fauna including: Gaur, Indian Muntjac, Sambar Deer, Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat, Wild Dog, Dhole, Leopard, Tiger, Elephants & as many as 132 species of birds. The national park is most attractive tourist places in Munnar.

Mattupetty:
Mattupetty is a beautiful town situated near Munnar at a height of 1700 metres above sea level, enabling visitors to enjoy the surrounding countryside with its panoramic vistas. Mattupetty is also has a scenic storage masonry dam and a picturesque beautiful lake. The dairy farm run under the Indo-Swiss Livestock Project is also worth a visit, as are its lush green tea plantations and the adjoining forest & hill tracts full of verdant beauty.

Tea Museum:
Munnar has an age old tradition when it comes to the science of tea plantations. A concerted effort to preserve this legacy and highlight some the journey of tea plantation in these hill tracts has been undertaken through the Tea museum. The museum houses curios, photographs, machineries & other items of interest. The location of the museum is itself resplendent with scenic beauty.

Chinnar wildlife sanctuary :
Chinnar is a golden opportunity for trekkers to enjoy the bounty of nature. The park has stunning biodiversity with 34 species of Mammals, including Panthers, Spotted deer, Elephants, Gaur, Tigers, Sambar Deer, Common Langur, Bonnet Macaque, Hanuman monkey, Nilgiri Tahr, Rusty-spotted Cats and the amazing Grizzled Giant Squirrels, along with 245 species of birds, 52 species of reptiles, 29 species of snakes, & 156 species of butterflies. Trekkers may also go to the solemn Dolmens, the megalithic burial sites of tribal communities or to the beautiful Thoovanam falls deep inside the jungle.

Cities near Munnar :