Munnar travel guide: tea hills, viewpoints and treks

Munnar sits high in the Western Ghats in Kerala’s Idukki district, at around 1,600 metres. Tea covers almost everything: the hillsides, the valleys, the roadside banks. Commercial tea planting began here in the late nineteenth century under British planters, and the estates have shaped the landscape ever since.

After the heat of the coast, the change is immediate. Mornings are cool and often misty, evenings need a jacket, and the light over the hills at sunrise is the reason most people come.

How long to stay

Two days is enough for the main viewpoints, but it means a lot of driving for a little time in the hills. Four or five days lets you walk, sit with a view, and see the estates at different times of day. We spend five of our seven days here for that reason.

What to do

• Walk through the tea estates. The most memorable hours in Munnar are usually the unplanned ones, on a path between the bushes with nobody else around.
• Kolukkumalai. One of the highest tea estates in the world, reached by a rough jeep track. People go before dawn for sunrise above the clouds.
• Eravikulam National Park. Home to the endangered Nilgiri tahr, a wild mountain goat that is often seen close to the path. The park usually closes for part of February and March for the calving season, so check before planning your visit.
• Mattupetty and Echo Point. A dam, a lake, boats and viewpoints. Busy at weekends and in the middle of the day.
• Top Station. Views across the border into Tamil Nadu, best early before cloud comes in.
• Waterfalls. Attukad and Lakkam are the easiest to reach, and are at their fullest during and just after the monsoon.
• A tea factory or museum visit, to see how the leaf becomes the cup.

Every twelve years or so, the neelakurinji shrubs flower and parts of these hills turn blue-purple. It’s worth knowing about, and worth not planning a trip around unless a bloom is confirmed.

Trekking

Treks here range from gentle estate walks to steep ridge climbs. Go with a local guide: paths cross private estate land and forest where wildlife moves, weather changes fast, and mist can close in within minutes. Wear shoes with grip, carry water, and start early, because afternoons cloud over.

What to pack for the hills

Layers, a fleece or jacket for mornings and evenings, a light rain jacket outside the driest months, walking shoes, sunscreen and insect repellent. Leeches appear on damp forest paths in and after the monsoon; long socks help. Our full packing list is here.

Getting here

Most visitors drive up from Kochi, which takes several hours on winding roads. We wrote a separate guide on getting from Kochi airport to Munnar.

On our retreat, the five Munnar days include trekking, river swims, wild elephant watching and group activities, with yoga and meditation morning and evening. You can see the full week here.