Hill Stations in Kerala

Kerela has a long chain of lush, mid-clad hill stations that are home to exotic wildlife. All the hill resorts in Kerela offer the most enchanting experience of nature in all its virgin beauty. The major Hill stations in Kerala are Munnar, Ponmudi, Peerumade, Neliyampathy, Peruvannamuzhi, Tusharagiri, Wayanad, Ezhimala, Ranipuram, Devikulam, Wagamon etc.

Munnar
Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nasllathanni and Kundala. 1600 m above sea level, this hill station was the summer resort of the British Government in South India.

Sprawling tea plantations, picture-book towns, winding lanes and holiday facilities make this a popular hill station. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji. This flower which bathes the hills in blue once every twelve years, will bloom next in 2006 AD. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi, which towers over 2695 m Anamudi is an ideal spot for treakking. Tea factory visits: Permission to visit any of the 26 factories of Tata Tea Ltd. Can be had from the Regional Office at Munnar.

Idukki
Idukki literally means a narrow gorge. It is a small hill town surrounded by a spread of beautiful, wooden valleys and meandering streams. Idukki is 121 km. away from Kottayam, along the way to Munnar.A landlocked district, Idukki is one of the most nature rich areas of Kerala. The high range and wooded valleys are girded by three main rivers - Periyar, Thalayar and Thodupuzhayar - and their tributaries.

The river Pamba also has its origin here. As a tourist destination, Idukki offers diverse attractions like wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations, spice plantation tours, mountain treks, elephant rides etc.

Idukki has a large population of tribals who have unique customs and beliefs and maintain an ethos which an ethos which is distinctly different from that of the mainstream culture.

Wayanad
The hills of Wayanad are blessed with luxuriant plantations of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber. This north eastern tip of Kerala has the fast flowing rivers Panamaram, Mananthavady and Kabini giving the whole region a picture-postcard look

Nelliyampathy
Nelliyampathy is a range of hills cut off from one another by valleys of dense evergreen forests and orange plantations. The height of the hills range from 467 metres to the tallest peak Padagiri looming at 1572 metres. It is two and a half hours drive from Palghat. The journey is a sensation of its own with a dozen hairpin curves on the ghat road passing through the fascinating jungles of the Sahya Ranges. On the way is the Pothundi reservoir, an ideal stop over.

Wagamon
Surrounded by the greenery of tea gardens, beautiful meadows, valleys and dales lies Wagamon at an altitude of 1100 metres. This, trekker's paradise, is only 64 km. from Kottayam. Thangal para, Indo-Swiss project and Kurisumala Ashram are other attractions.

Lakkadi
Lakkadi, one of the highest locations in Wayanad, with picturesque hills, streams and luxuriant vegetation, registers the second highest degree of rainfall in the world. It is surrounded by meadows and hills on all sides. The natural fresh water lake, Pookode Lake, is only 3 km. from here. Mattupetty
Thirteen km. away from Munnar lies Mattupetty, at an altitude of 1700 m. above the sea level. The Indo-Swiss Dairy Project with the green meadows and the exotic cattle and the rose garden also attracts tourists.

Devikulam
With its irresistibly green slopes touching the sky at a thousand metres and the silent clusters of slender red and blue gum trees, Devikulam creates its own space in the tourist map of Kerala. It is 16 km. southwest of Munnar.Devikulam, meaning the lake of the goddess, has a lovely little lake hidden within the rolling hills. According to legend, Sita Devi, the holy consort of Lord Rama, came down to frolic in the lake and the place came to be known as the present name ever since.

Peerumade
On the way to Thekkady lies this small hill station at an altitute of 914 metres. Peerumade was one the summer palaces of Tranvancore Rajas. This fertile land is full of rubber, tea, coffee, pepper and cardamom plantation, interspersed with waterfalls and open grasslands.