| Inhale the
bracing mountain air, relax in peace, stroll down winding paths, marvel at
the beautiful views, enjoy the profusion of flowers in bloom. Kerala's
exotic appeal is centered in the highland area of the Western Ghats. Rising
to an average height of 1520 m , it houses rich flora and fauna.
|
Wayanad
|
 Luxuriant
plantations of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber, stretch over the
hills of Wayanad as far as the eye can see. With the fast-flowing rivers -
Panamaram, Mananthavady and Kabini - cutting across the undulating panorama
and lending a picture-postcard look to the whole region - the north eastern
tip of Kerala. |
Ponmudi |
 A
quaint little hill station tucked away in the Western Ghats, Ponmudi is at
an altitude of 1100 ft. above sea level. Lush green woods, lazily meandering
streams and countless varieties of butterflies lend a strange magic to
Ponmudi. |
Nelliyampathy
|
 A
forest range 75 kms. (travel time: 2 ˝ hours) from Palghat, the
Nelliyampathy hills comprise a chain of ridges cut off from one another by
valleys of dense evergreen forests and orange plantations The height of the
hills range from 467 meters to the tallest peak Padagiri looming at 1572
meters.
|
Munnar
|
 The
nature-lover’s paradise. Snuggling in the green and serene Kannan Devan
Hills, lies the quite and restful resort of Munnar, at an altitude of 1524 m
and 136 km off Cochin.
Within its remote and elderly churches - gracious, stone-structures with
ancient chandeliers and rosewood pews. A little beyond lies Anaimudi, South
India's highest peak. In the vicinity is the Eravikulam National Park, the
home of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr that roams on a stretch of grassland or
is seen climbing the pinnacles of the undulating hills.
Here we can have a glimpse of a Gaur, Langur, Lion-tailed macaque, and
Elephants roaming in herds.
The Kundale Tea Plantation - An area surrounding a lovely lake that offers
some of the most stunning views of the region.
|
| |
Idukki |
 En
route to Munnar, 121 kms. away from Kottayam lies Idukki, a small hill town
surrounded by a spread of beautiful, wooden valleys and meandering streams.
Famed for its arched dam built across the Periyar river, Idukki literally
means a narrow gorge. |
Devikulam
|
 Devikulam
is a dainty town, sixteen kilometers southwest of Munnar. It consist of
irresistibly green slopes touching the sky at a thousand metres and its
silent clusters of slender red and blue gum trees. It has a lovely little
lake hidden within the rolling hills.
According to a legend, Sita Devi, the holy consort of Lord Rama, came down
to frolic in the lake and the place came to be spoken about as ’Devikulam’(meaning
the lake of the goddess), ever since. |
Peermade
|
 Peermade
is a small hill station on the way to Thekkady. It is a fertile land at an
altitude of 914 meters. Formerly the summer palaces of Travancore Rajas,
this tiny and cool hill station is full of rubber, tea, coffee, pepper and
cardamom plantation, interspersed with waterfalls and open grass lands.
|
Lakkadi
|
 A
place of great scenic beauty with picturesque hills, streams and luxuriant
vegetation, one of the highest locations in Wayanad, and registers the
second highest degree of rainfall in the world. 3 km from here is Pookode
Lake,the natural fresh water lake, very wide and deep, one of the rare
reservoirs of water in Wayanad. Surrounded on all sides by meadows and
hills, it has become a favorite picnic spot. |
Mangalam Dam
|
The Dam is
constructed across Cheru kunnapuzha,
a tributary of Mangalam river. The dam is located in picturesque
surroundings.
The reservoir fringes on the forest area where there are deer, wild
elephants and a variety of birds. There are beautiful parks and lawns
adorned with statues. |
| |
Malampuzha
|
 Malampuzha
a major tourist attraction is in the site of a large irrigation dam built
across the Bharathapuzha. The town is set at the base of the hills of the
Western Ghats and around the large reservoir are beautiful rose gardens and
amusement parks for children as well as facilities for boat cruises in the
reservoir. The famous work 'Yakshi' done by Kerala's famous sculptor Kanai
Kunhiraman is another attraction in this garden. |
Wagamon
|
| Wagamon 64 km.
from Kottayam and 34 km. from Pala, situated at an elevation of 1100 metres
above sea level is a trekker’s paradise. It is a very ideal tourist spot
surrounded by the greenery of tea gardens, beautiful meadows, valleys and
dales. Other attractions: Thangal para, lndo-swiss project, Kurisumala
Ashram. |
Hill Stations
