India · Popular · Western Ghats, Kerala
Munnar
Western Ghats, Kerala · 1,400–1,700 m
Walk through 90,000 acres of immaculate Nilgiri tea gardens draped over mist-laced Western Ghats ridgelines — Munnar is the hill station that actually earns its reputation.
Munnar's rolling carpets of tea and the shola-grassland mosaic of the Western Ghats deliver a cooler, greener alter-ego to coastal Kerala; the combination of wildlife (Nilgiri Tahr, elephants, 55 endemic butterfly species) and genuine plantation heritage makes it more than a pretty backdrop.
Plan it with us
Want Munnar shaped around you?
Tell us your dates — we'll build the trip.
Go in
In season, days sit around 19° and nights near 9°.
What you'll see & do
The sights worth the trip, and how to spend the days around them.
To see
- Eravikulam National Park (Rajamalai) — only wild habitat of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr, dramatic open ridgeline at 2,100 m
- Top Station — highest point on the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border ridge, sweeping valley panorama
- Kolukkumalai Tea Estate — world's highest organic tea garden (2,100 m), vintage roller-and-dryer factory still in use
- Mattupetty Dam and Lake — colonial-era shola reservoir with regular elephant sightings at the water's edge
To do
- Tea factory tour and guided estate walk with sit-down Nilgiri leaf tasting
- Nilgiri Tahr spotting trek inside Eravikulam NP on the Rajamalai trail
- Anamudi summit trek to 2,695 m — highest peak in South India outside the northeast (Forest Dept permit, strenuous, full day)
- Coracle or rowboat on Mattupetty Lake with birding on the banks
Before you go
- Eravikulam NP closes Feb 1–Mar 31 and reopens April 1; entry is ₹200 + ₹50 online booking fee with shuttle included — the old ₹130 entry + ₹30 shuttle breakdown is outdated and causes gate disputes; confirm exact closure dates against the Kerala Forest Dept annual notice before selling.
- Anamudi summit trek permit details (₹100/person, 25-trekker daily cap) are unverified from any official source — confirm current fee and quota with the Wildlife Warden's Office Munnar (04865 231587) before marketing, as the trek can be suspended independently of the main park closure.
- NH 85 (the Adimali–Munnar stretch, formerly NH 49) is the only main route into Munnar and is periodically cut for 12–48 hours by SW monsoon landslides (Jun–Sep) with no practical alternate.
Days, already shaped
3-day plan
- Day 1: Arrive from Kochi (4.5 h via Cheeyappara Falls), check in on Devikulam road, afternoon guided estate walk + Tea Museum
- Day 2: Eravikulam NP sunrise entry (Nilgiri Tahr on open grassland), afternoon drive to Top Station overlook
- Day 3: Mattupetty Lake boat ride, Echo Point, Attukad Waterfall, depart Kochi
5-day plan
- Day 1: Kochi → Munnar via Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls, evening tea garden walk
- Day 2: Eravikulam NP full morning, afternoon Tea Museum and Nallathanni factory tour
- Day 3: Kolukkumalai sunrise jeep excursion (full day, world's highest estate, vintage machinery)
- Day 4: Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary day trip (55 km), guided butterfly and elephant-corridor walk
- Day 5: Mattupetty Lake, Echo Point, Blossom Hydel Park, evening depart for Kochi
7-day plan
- Day 1: Kochi → Munnar via Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls (5 h), orientation walk
- Day 2: Eravikulam NP at sunrise, Nilgiri Tahr on open ridge, afternoon at Rajamala viewpoints
- Day 3: Kolukkumalai sunrise jeep (4WD required), colonial factory tour, tea tasting at 2,100 m
- Day 4: Anamudi summit trek — 8 h round trip, Forest Dept permit booked day prior at Rajamalai post
- Day 5: Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary: endemic butterfly trail + afternoon machan hide for gaur and deer
- Day 6: Tea Museum, Attukal Waterfalls, local market in Munnar town, Spice Garden visit
- Day 7: Mattupetty Lake, Echo Point, depart for Thekkady or Kochi
Getting there, permits & day trips
By air — Cochin International Airport (COK) is the standard gateway — 135 km / 4.5–5 h by road via NH183 through Adimali; Madurai Airport (IXM) is 150 km / 4 h from the Tamil Nadu side and useful for circuit itineraries.
By rail — No railway in Munnar; nearest stations are Ernakulam Junction (Kochi, 130 km) and Aluva (125 km); pre-booked private taxi ₹2,500–3,500 to Munnar, or shared taxi from Aluva ₹400/seat.
By road — From Kochi 135 km (NH183 via Adimali, 4.5 h); from Coimbatore 150 km / 4 h via Udumalpet; KSRTC buses from KSRTC Bus Stand Ernakulam run 3–4 times daily but take 6+ h.
On a Driftibo trip we handle the transfers.
Permits & entry — Indian nationals require no restricted-area or inner-line permit anywhere in Kerala, including Munnar. Eravikulam National Park charges ₹200/adult entry; booking via the official site (eravikulamnationalpark.in) adds a ₹50/person reservation surcharge, and the mandatory shuttle bus to the park core is included in that ₹200 with no separate shuttle fee. The park closes annually Feb 1–Mar 31 for Nilgiri Tahr calving and reopens April 1; Kerala Forest Dept issues exact dates each year, so reconfirm before quoting to clients. The Anamudi summit trek requires a Forest Dept permit obtained at Rajamalai checkpost (early morning); a ₹100/person fee and 25-trekker daily cap are widely cited but could not be confirmed from any official source — reconfirm current terms with the Wildlife Warden's Office Munnar (04865 231587) before quoting. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary accepts online bookings via booking.munnarwildlife.com, with jeep-safari slots filling quickly on weekends.
Day trips nearby
- Thekkady / Periyar (90 km, 3 h) — Periyar lake boat safari, spice plantation tour, elephant encounter options
- Valparai via Anamalai Tiger Reserve (85 km, 3 h, Tamil Nadu) — shola forest, endemic lion-tailed macaques, far fewer tourists
- Kochi / Fort Cochin (135 km, 4 h) — Jewish Synagogue, Dutch Palace, Chinese fishing nets, Kathakali performance
- Kodaikanal (160 km, 4.5 h) — Tamil Nadu hill station with Coaker's Walk and Bryant Park, good extension for longer itineraries
Seasons and access shift — we reconfirm every detail before we quote.