Kerala Tourism Hill Stations,South India

The incredibly unspoiled serene wilderness is all nature lovers' paradise. Though shadowed by the fabled beauty of the beaches and backwaters, the hill stations in Kerala on the Western Ghats are the repository of a different kind of wealth displayed in oblivion and irrespective of human interest. Far off in the heights of the Western Ghats, Kerala has number of hill stations less ventured and explored. The hill stations of Kerala are the most perfect choice if you want to getaway from the city noises, deadlines, stress, tension and crowd. Decorated with meandering roads, ravishing rivulets, splendid springs and wondrous waterfalls, these hill stations are really different from other popular hill stations of India.

The hill stations of Kerala are dense in vegetation and provide natural habitat to exotic wildlife. These beautiful hill stations of Kerala are also the source of the famous spices of Kerala. Spices such as pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and the cashew nut are grown in the plantations on the hill stations in Kerala. The Dutch and English colonial rulers of Kerala introduced cash crops plantations such as rubber and tea in the 18th and 19th centuries, which has continued till today.

Kerala Hill Stations :

- Idukki Hill Station
- Munnar Hill Station
- Silent Valley Hill Station
- Wayanad Hill Station

- Nelliyampathy Hill Station
- Ponmudi Hill Station
- Palakkad Hill Station
- Vagamon Hill Station

- Devikulam Hill Station
- Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
- Eravikulam National Park
- Silent Valley National Park

ACTIVITIES IN HILL STATIONS in Kerala

Hill trekking, Mountaineering, Wildlife safaris, Biking ,Cycling,Paragliding,

Idukki Hill Station
At an altitude of 750m to 2500 m above sea level the landscape at Idukki is scarred by the rivers Periyar, Thalayar and Thodupuzhayar. The low green hills at Idukki make way for the meandering rivers to gurgle past its slopes. A sprawling 1500 sq. m area at Idukki is taken up by Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary which is home to an amazing range of wildlife. Idukki wildlife sanctuary spreads over an area covered by Thodupuzha and Udumpanchola taluks which is again spread over an area of 77 sq kilometers.

Asia's first arch dam, constructed across the Kuravan and Kurathi hills are at Idukki. 550 ft. high and 650 ft. wide, the dam lies close to the Cheruthoni barrage. To its west is the Kulamavu Dam. Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary is located close by.

Munnar Hill Station
Hill station of Munnar is one of the most popular tourist destinations of India, drawing a wide variety of people with the lure of her picturesque landscapes. Set at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district, Munnar was the favored summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. Unending expanse of tea plantations - pristine valleys and mountains- exotic species of flora and fauna in its wild sanctuaries and forests - aroma of spice scented cool air - yes! Munnar has all these and more. The district of Munnar is characterized by being the confluence of three rives, the Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala, which in turn gives the district its name as the word Munnar means “three rivers” in Tamil.
Munnar's mesmerising greenery, mountain scenery, calmness and cool refreshing air attracts honeymooners and tourists throughout the year. It is a weekend hideout location for domestic tourists during summer season.

Silent Valley Hill Station
The Silent Valley National Park is located in the Kundali Hills in Kerala, along the hill ranges known as the Western Ghats. The Silent Valley is considered to be the last pristine region of tropical evergreen forest in India and is an area rich in biodiversity. The lush tropical greenery, undulating slopes, hills and rivers make the Silent Valley National Park a beautiful wildlife tourism destination in Kerala, India.
The park is also known for the rare and unique herbs and plants that grow here, as well as the wildlife found in the Silent Valley, which include elephants, tigers and lion-tailed macaques.
Much of the natural charm of the Silent Valley is still well preserved today, with the scenic landscape of the Valley also being home to a number of aboriginal tribes mainly led by the Kurumbar Tribes, who make the tour to the Silent Valley even more special by their rustic charm.

Wayanad Hill Station
The hill resort of Wayanad is situated in the northeastern part of Kerala, nestled among the mountains of the Western Ghats. It is at the height of 700 to 210 m above the sea level, Wayanad is a leading Tourist destination of Kerala, South India. The hill district of Wayanad is a quiet place where scenic beauty, wild life and traditional matters are altogether. Wayanad hills are forming a vast land mass for the wild life to move about in its most natural abode.This sanctuary is easily accessible from Udumalpet in Tamil Nadu and Munnar in Kerala.The two rock caves of Edakkal Caves are amongst the major tourist attraction in Wayand. The hills are famous for the ancient carvings and pictorial writings dating back to New Stone Age and are situated in the Ambukuthy hills. The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is known for a wide range of flora and fauna.The Kuruvadweep is an uninhabited island, which has the birds, orchids and herbs to look for. It is an excellent place for excursion from Wayanad. The Thirunelly Temple has a beautiful architecture and is located on the banks of the Papanasini River. You can trek from the Chembra Peak ,which is situated at an altitude of 2100 m. pakshipathalam is tourist spot located in the Brahma Giri Hills.

Nelliyampathy Hill Station
Nelliyampathy is located just 75 km from Palakkad and at an altitude of 467 m to 1572 m above sea level. Nelliyampathy hillls comprise a chain of ridges cut off from one another by valleys of dense evergreen forests and orange plantations. Nelliyampathy has immense trekking potential. This place is also known for its rich plantation of spices and coffee as well as its rich evergreen forests. Nelliyampathy perhaps the loveliest of the un-spoilt hill stations of Kerala.Seethakundu at nelliyampathy offers fantastic view of the valley below-a wide-angled vision of a third of the entire Palghat area. The Community Hall at Kaikatty provides a good caping ground for the trekkers..

Ponmudi Hill Station
Situated at around a distance of 60 kms from the city of Thiruvananthapuram and at an altitude of 1000m above the sea level on the Western Ghats, Ponmudi is a small peaceful hill station in Kerala, South India. Ponmudi, lying very close to the sea, offers a plethora of tourist destinations and activities that the people visiting this place can indulge themselves in. An ideal place for nature lovers, this hill station attracts people from all over the country to come and explore this untouched virgin nature beauty. If you have a passion for trekking and long leisurely walks, explore the hill station of Ponmudi. Ponmudi is an ideal and a beautiful picnic spot, as it is at a convenient distance from Thiruvananthapuram and well endowed with natural springs. The Golden Valley is a small yet scenic viewpoint.

Palakkad Hill Station
The district of Palakkad is a land of valleys, hillocks, rivers, forests, mountain streams, dams and irrigation projects. Situated at the foot of the Western Ghats, this is the gateway to Kerala from the north. This place was once a beautiful stretch of forests covered with the sweet scented flowers of the Pala tree. There is greenery everywhere during the rice cultivation period. Palakkad has to its credit the oldest and richest cultural heritage of Kerala.
The first rock garden of South India is at Malampuzha. The most interesting feature in the making of this wonder garden is that whole place is made of unwanted and broken pieces of bangles, tiles, used plastic cans, tins and other waste materials. The Tipu Sultan's Fort built in the 18th century, Malampuzha dam garden, Nelliampathy hills and Silent Valley hills are the other main attractions. Nelliampathy is a hill station with tea and coffee plantations previously owned by the British. Silent Valley is a virgin rain forest land.
Dhoni is a reserve forest area has a wonderful waterfall. Dhoni is also famous for its farmhouse, harboring hundreds of cattle of Swiss variety. The Vishwanatha Swamy shrine, the oldest Shiva temple is situated 3 kms from Palakkad.

Vagamon Hill Station
Lying at an altitude of 1100 m above the sea level, the Vagamon Hill station provides unlimited holidaying facilities .Vagamon hill station is comprised of a beautiful series of hillocks, valleys and cascading waterfalls that make it the ideal getaway for tourists. Grass covered hills, velvety lawns and cool mountain place make Vagamon a must see destination in Tours to Kerala Hill Stations. Take a walk along the narrow, mist covered zigzag roads that wind up the hills and experience true bliss.
Enveloped with greenery from all sides, this place is a trekker's paradise, along with those who enjoy paragliding, mountaineering and rock climbing. Vagamon also has to offer Thangal Para, the Indo-Swiss Project and Kurisumala Ashram. The chain of three hills - Thangal Hill, Murugan Hill and Kurisumala - is a mark of religious accord.
The Vagamon hill station offers you a unique and different environ in comparison to other hill stations of Kerala. Besides, being abundant in natural beauty, the place also offers space for spiritual activities. The peaceful surroundings with cool and soft breeze blowing across the valley make it a perfect place for meditation.

Devikulam Hill Station
Devikulam hill station is located at a height of 1800 meters above sea level and is around 16 kilometers from Munnar in Kerala. The Devikulam hill station in Munnar, Kerala is famous for its mineral water springs and the beautiful landscape it has offer The idyllic hill station with its velvet lawns, exotic flora and fauna and the cool mountain air offers a rare experience to visitors.. The crisp and cool mountain air heavily laden with the fragrance of wild flowers and rare herbs is any nature lover's paradise.
The hill station is famous for its unique flora and fauna. The hill station has a paradise like feel to it and nature blooms in its best form here. Nothing can beat the experience of taking a walk in the early morning mist along the softly gushing waterfalls that cascade from steep heights. All this creates a magical atmosphere to the place and adds to the romantic beauty here. The Sita Devi Lake is an ideal place for trout fishing -A perfect picture of fairy-tale enchantment. The legend has it that once 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.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
Located around the Vembanad Lake near the Backwaters, the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is a bird watcher's paradise. Migratory birds from as far as Siberia and also the Himalayas flock here. The Siberian stork, teal, egret, heron and darter are commonly seen.Other common varieties like the woodpecker, skylark, crane, water hen and parrots can also be spotted here. A cruise along the vembabad lake is the best way to experience the sanctuary. Pathiramanal, an enchanting island on the lake, can be accessed by boat from here.The most notable of the indigenous birds are Malabar grey hornbill, Collocalia unicolor Indian Swiftlet, Spizaetus cirrhatus Changeable Hawk-Eagle grey jungle fowl, heron, egret, jungle myna, wood pecker, rose winged and blue winged parakeet. Rare birds like Ceylon frog-mouth, rose billed roller etc. are also seen.Best Time : Between June And August.

Eravikulam National Park
This sanctuary was set up specially for the preservation of Nilgiri Tahr, one of the seriously endangered animals.Now the number of tahrs has increased and they constitute the largest known population of tahrs existing in the world. In addition to tahr, the park shelters elephants, sambars, gaurs, lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, tigers and leopards.Accommodation and board facilities are available at Munnar, the nearest town, which is connected to Kottayam (148 km.) and Ernakulam (130 km.) by road. There is a motorable road upto Rajamalai. Further, travel is on foot, but the trekking is really enjoyable. The Eravikulam sanctuary is divided into three areas; the core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. Only the tourism area is allowed for visitors/tourists. During the Monsoon season, visitors are not allowed in the Eravikulam National Park.

Silent Valley National Park
The Silent Valley contains India’s last substantial stretch of tropical evergreen rain forests and it is perhaps the only vestige of a near virgin forest in the whole of the Western Ghats. Elephants, tigers, wild dog, flying squirrel and lion-tailed macaque are found here. Vehicular traffic is allowed upto Mukkali from Mannarghat. From Mukkali one has to cover at least 24 km on foot to reach the source of river Kuntipuzha, which flows through the valley. Nearest railhead is Palghat, 75 km away. Admission to this part is restricted. Prior permission is required to visit the part. For further detail contact: The Divisional Forest Officer, Palghat.

Wildlife adventure tours are mainly designed to provide close observation and experience of the wilderness which involves a certain level of risk where as the wildlife safaris are based on safe and comfortable leisure holiday concept. So the Wildlife Safaris involves Jeep Safaris, Boat Safaris, Jungle Resort Accommodation, nature walks, bird watching, bonfire, listening to the wild etc.