MUNNAR - THEKKADY - VAGAMON (FROM KOCHI)

Hill Station | Wildlife | Lake & Backwaters

Photo Credit: Flickr

ITINERARY SUMMARY

Trip Starting Point: Kochi

Mode of Travel: Car (or Cab)

Trip Duration: 4 Days

Ideal Start Time: 8 AM:8 AM:9.30 AM:9 AM

Total Places Visited: 17

DAYS

DAY 1 : TRAVEL TO MUNNAR & SIGHTSEEING

Travel from Kochi to Munnar

At a distance of 39 Kms from Munnar, the magnificent Valara Waterfalls is located between Adimali and Neriamangalam on Munnar to Kochi highway (NH49), near Cheeyappara Waterfalls.

Valara features a chain of waterfalls falling from a height of about 1000 feet and provide a magnificent view. These waterfalls are surrounded by lush, dense forests that are home to a variety of animals and birds. It is one of the top waterfalls near Munnar.

Though the falls are visible from highway, it demands good amount of trekking to reach the bottom of the falls. The surrounding places of the Valara Falls are good for trekking. The falls offer spectacular views in monsoon and post-monsoon seasons.

This place is connected by buses running between Munnar and Kochi.

At a distance of 3.5 km from Munnar Bus Station, Tea Museum is a wonderful place to visit in Munnar town. The museum is owned by Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Limited owned by Tata Group. Visit to Tea Museum is one of the top things to do in Munnar.

The museum exhibits different equipment used in tea manufacturing from early 20th century to late 20th century. Some of the items exhibited in the museum include the tea leave cutting machines, power making equipment, etc. The process of tea manufacturing is also explained in the museum.

The museum is situated in a scenic location on Pooyankuty Road on the outskirts of Munnar town.

Timings: 10 AM to 4 PM. Monday Holiday.

Entry Fee: Rs. 75 for Adults, Rs. 35 for Children below 12 years, Rs. 20 for Camera

At a distance of 4 km from Munnar Bus Stand and 2.5 km from Top Station, Rose Garden is a well maintained flower garden situated on Munnar - Top Station Highway in Munnar, Kerala. It is one of the top places to visit in Munnar.

Munnar Rose Garden is a beautiful garden with hundreds of rare varieties of flowers and herbal plants. With large tea plantations in the background, this place can be visited during a trip to Munnar. The garden is operated by Kerala Forest Development Centre (KFDC), a Govt. of Kerala undertaking. Spread across a few acres of land, this place has an amenity center for tourists and a sales outlet, in addition to hundreds of rare varieties of flowers, cactus, shrubs, creepers and herbal plants. The amenity center inside the garden has toilets, shop, snacks, coffee etc.

Timings: 10 AM - 5 PM

Entry Fee: Rs. 30 for Person

At a distance of 3 km from Munnar Bus Station, Pothamedu Viewpoint is a spectacular vantage point situated on Bisonvalley road in Munnar. It is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Munnar and among the must-visit places as part of Munnar packages.

Pothamedu Viewpoint offers a panoramic view of the Kannan Devan Hills of the Munnar region and it also offers a great view of the surrounding tea gardens. This stunning location is perfect for tourists, who love to view the refreshing plantations of coffee, tea, and cardamom and spend some time in the lap of nature with great views. If the day is clear, you can also see the Muthirapuzha River and Idukki Arch Dam from quite a height. Watching the sun slide down the horizon in the vast expanse of the Sahyadri ranges is one perfect way of spending your vacation in this quaint town.

Counted among the most scenic Munnar places to visit, this .....

Overnight Stay in Munnar

DAY 2 : MUNNAR SIGHTSEEING

Resume Munnar Sightseeing

At a distance of 16 km from Munnar, Eravikulam National Park is a protected wildlife reserve located in Munnar. Situated on Munnar - Udumalpet Road, it is one of the popular national parks in Kerala, and among the must visit places during Munnar tour.

The Eravikulam National Park was established to protect the Nilgiri Tahr. Earlier, the area was managed as a game preserve by the Kanan Devan Hills Produce Company. The government of Kerala resumed control in 1971 and declared the Eravikulam-Rajamala Wildlife Sanctuary in 1975 and became a National Park in 1978.

The national park is spread across an area of 97sq. km and is a protected area. The park is extended into Tamil Nadu and is known as Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary. This region is famous as the natural habitat of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. Nearly half the world's population of this rare species is found in the area. Other .....

At a distance of 4 km from Munnar Bus Station, Photo Point is a beautiful spot on Mattupetty road lined up with tea gardens on both sides. As the name suggests, this place is a famous photography point in Munnar due to its breathtaking background of mountains surrounded by lush green tea gardens. Photo Point is one of the best tourist places to visit in Munnar.

The tea gardens are owned by Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Limited owned by Tata Group and it is a private property. Visitors can take photographs at the entrance of garden without disturbing the plantations.

This place is situated on the main road with running traffic and tourists are advised to be careful while taking pictures standing close to the road.

At a distance of 10 km from Munnar Bus Station, Mattupetty Dam is a storage Concrete Gravity dam situated on Top Station Road in Munnar. It is one of the best Munnar places to visit to experience the beauty of Munnar along with boating.

Constructed in 1953, Mattupetty Dam was constructed under the Pallivasal Hydro-electric project for water conservation and power generation. Now the dam is a vital source of electricity generation in Munnar and also a haven for many wild animals and birds due to its constant water availability.

The most attractive part of Mattupetty Dam is its still water which reflects the tea garden around. Visitors can engage themselves with water sport activities like speed boating organized by the District Tourism Promotion Council of Idukki (Munnar) and enjoy the pretty natural surroundings of this beautiful dam as part of Munnar holiday packages. Adventure .....

At a distance of 15 kms from Munnar, Echo Point is a beautiful place situated on the way to Top Station between Mattupetty Dam and Kundala Lake. This is one of the major tourist places to visit in Munnar. Echo point is situate on the main road towards Kundala Lake on the backwaters of Mattupetty Dam amidst rolling hills.

This scenic place gets its name from the natural echo phenomenon here. Every loud call made from a spot on the lake embankment is returned manifold by the echo from the surrounding hills. Trekking and nature walks are popular activities in this scenic destination with beautiful views of the green hills. The fresh mountain air, the mist-clad hills and panoramic view make it worthy of a visit.

This is a wonderful place for photography. Boating is also available at Echo Point.

At a distance of 20 km from Munnar, Kundala Lake is a picturesque lake situated on the way to Top Station from Munnar. It is one of the scenic places to visit in Munnar.

The lake is formed by Kundala artificial dam, which is a small dam in cured shape. The lake offer boating facility. The unique experience of boating in Kashmiri boats in this lake is a special attraction. These boats are also known as Shikara Boats. Kundala Lake is one of the best places for sightseeing in Munnar. The tea estates spread across Kundala are a real feast to the eyes.


There is also a golf course which belongs to Tata Tea Ltd in Kundala village.

Boating Timings: 9 AM to 5:30 PM

Boating Fee (30 minutes): Shikara Boat - Rs 200 for 2 persons, Row Boats - Rs 150 for 4 persons, Pedal Boat - Rs 100 for 2 persons

At a distance of 32 Kms from Munnar, Top Station is a breathtakingly beautiful place on Kerala - Tamilnadu boarder. From here, one can get 360 degrees view of the Western Ghats. This is one of the best Munnar tourist places and among the prime place to visit on a Munnar tour.

At an altitude of 2200 meters, this place is also known for the Neelakurunji Plant, which flowers only once every 12 years (next flowering year is 2018). The view point is at a distance of 2 kms from the road point and has to be trekked down. The trek path is very steep with deep valleys one side. One should be very careful while trekking to the view point, which offers lifetime memories. Top Station is the highest approachable road in South India.

The viewpoint at Top Station offers breathtakingly beautiful views of Kannan Devan Hills. The valleys all around, the misty mountains and distant waterfalls all .....

Overnight Stay in Munnar

DAY 3 : TRAVEL TO THEKKADY & SIGHTSEEING

Travel from Munnar to Thekkady

Boat Cruise is the best mode in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary to watch the wildlife from a close distance. Boating in Periyar Lake is arranged by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) and is one of the most popular things to do in Thekkady. The lake was formed by Mullaperiyar Dam constructed in 1895. The land surrounding the lake is commonly frequented by wildlife.

Elephants are the most common wildlife you can see on the shores of the reservoir while boating in the lake as part of Thekkady holiday packages. Apart from Elephants, the sight of Wild Boar and Sambar Deer is also possible. The upper deck in the boat is best for wildlife viewing. The tickets for boating is issued at Thekkady Boating Point which is 4.5 Km from Kumily Bus Stand. The boats are mostly crowded and better to come early and allocate a good amount of buffer time for boating. .....

Elephant rides are famous in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The elephant rides through the spice gardens are arranged by Elephant Junction. This park is situated 4 Km away from Kumily Bus Stand. It offers a rare opportunity to experience the safari on an Elephant through a Spice Plantation where the gentle breeze refresh ones, with the spice scented air.

Elephant Junction is a place where one can actually interact with the elephants getting indulged into activities such as bathing elephant, elephant ride and enjoying getting around with playful elephants. Elephant safaris are equipped with a howdah on the back of the elephant on which two tourists sit, with an umbrella over the riders head. Elephant trainers will be at side, walking along with the elephant.

Package Cost:

30 minutes elephant safari: Rs.350 per person
60 minutes elephant safari: Rs.750 per person
90 minutes elephant safari: Rs. 1500 per person

Elephant Safari Timings: 6 AM to 5 PM.

Overnight Stay in Thekkady

DAY 4 : VAGAMON SIGHTSEEING & TRAVEL TO KOCHI

Travel from Thekkady to Vagamon

At a distance of 6 km from Vagamon Bus Stop, Vagamon Pine Forest is a manmade forest located at Vedikuzhi in the quaint hill town of Vagamon, Kerala. Situated on Vagamon - Elappara Road, it is one of the top places to visit in Vagamon.

Vagamon Pine Forest is a vast region occupied by lofty Pine trees thriving in the environment on steep slopes. It is a man-made forest created during the British regime of India, which still stands overlooking the enchanting Vagamon Valley. Towering over the valleys and meadows is the Vagamon Pine Forest, whose beauty has turned it into a popular and favorite location for filmmakers.

Vagamon Pine Forest is a must-visit destination in Vagamon and a paradise for nature lovers. The majestic pine trees on the slopes create an incredible view and also offers travelers some wonderful private moments amidst great natural surroundings. The view is not only captivating but also quite awe-inspiring. Walking through the forest is like a therapeutic experience, .....

At a distance of 6 km from Vagamon Bus Stop, Vagamon Meadows, also known as Barren Hills or Mottakkunnu is a collection of small meadows spread over a large area in Vagamon, Kerala. It is one of the popular scenic places to visit in Vagamon during your Vagamon Trip.

Located in the Vagamon - Elappara route, Vagamon Meadows is the most popular place in Vagamon. The meadows are unique for their vastness and beauty. Here one will also find interlocked small ponds at the valley of several meadows. This is one of the major spots for film shooting in Vagamon. Different in each season, the hills change from lush to bare as the cycle of season rolls on. This is one place to be if you want to experience all the four seasons in Kerala.

These large grass-covered meadows are ideal for a long or short walk and being with nature. The lush greenery and scenic views of Vagamon Meadows will leave you spellbound. The misty hills with a charm of their own offer peace amidst it all. The sunset .....

At a distance of 6 km from Vagamon Bus Stop, Echo Point is a viewpoint situated in Vagamon, Kerala. Located on the way to Kurisumala, it is one of the popular vantage points in Vagamo, and among the must include places in Vagamon Packages.

The hill town of Vagamon is very small and peaceful where you can enjoy the cool climate sipping hot tea in one of the numerous tea shops/ restaurants. The town proudly houses numerous vantage points from where you can see the beautiful valleys surrounding the hill station. Echo Point is one of the most popular vantage points located in Vagamon. As the name indicates, Echo point is famous for its natural echo phenomenon. You can hear your voice echoing repeatedly when you scream. The name Echo point came due to this echo phenomenon.

Karikadu Viewpoint is a good stopover on the way to and from Vagamon if you are travelling through the Erattupetta route. From this point, one can see the faraway mountains dipped in mist, the deep-seated valley .....

At a distance of 1 km from Vagamon Bus Stop, Vagamon Lake is a tranquil water body tucked in the fold of greenery in the quaint hill town of Vagamon. It is one of the beautiful lakes in the Idukki district and among the most prominent places to visit in Vagamon.

The Vagamon Lake is a picturesque place amidst three green hills and lush green tea estates in the valley of Vagamon. Boasting picturesque surroundings, it is a famous tourist place that draws a lot of tourists as part of Vagamon holiday packages. Besides, the hills surrounding it boast of glossy green grass carpet which is always blooming with vibrant flowers. The lake is popular for picnics and leisure outings. It is also an ideal place for photography enthusiasts and solitude seekers as the region around the lake offers peace and calm like no place else.

The lake is not a huge one, yet .....

At a distance of 4.5 km from Vagamon Bus Stop, Karikadu Viewpoint is a spectacular viewpoint situated in Vagamon, Kerala. Located on Vagamon-Erattupetta Road, it is one of the popular vantage points in the hill town, and among the must-visit Vagamon sightseeing places.

The hill town of Vagamon is very small and peaceful where you can enjoy the cool climate sipping hot tea in one of the numerous tea shops/ restaurants during Vagamon Trip. The town proudly houses numerous vantage points from where you can see the beautiful valleys surrounding the hill station. Karikadu Viewpoint is one of the most popular vantage points located in Vagamon.

Karikadu Viewpoint is a good stopover on the way to and from Vagamon if you are travelling through the Erattupetta route. From this point, one can see the meandering road to Vagamon which is cut in solid rock with .....

Travel from Vagamon to Kochi



Top 5 Kerala Packages