Munnar: Your Refreshing Mountain Escape
Munnar, nestled in the Western Ghats of Kerala, is a breathtaking hill station often referred to as the “Tea Capital of India” or even the “Kashmir of South India.” It’s a land of unparalleled natural beauty, where mist-clad mountains meet endless stretches of vibrant green tea plantations, creating a truly mesmerizing landscape.Munnar’s charm lies in its unique blend of colonial heritage and pristine wilderness. Once a favored summer retreat for the British, you can still spot charming bungalows tucked amidst the hills. The name “Munnar” itself means “three rivers,” referring to the confluence of the Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni, and Kundala mountain streams, which adds to its serene ambiance.
1.Experience Munnar: Kerala's Soul-Stirring Tea Country.
We arrived in Munnar on a misty, cold evening, and our first priority was to find a place to stay. As the cold intensified, we decided a cup of tea was in order – the perfect start to our Munnar experience. With the warmth of the tea in hand, both Sabine and I pulled out our phones. We began our search for accommodations, eventually landing on Booking.com, a website that had reliably helped us find places before. After about half an hour of searching, we secured a booking. We then hopped on our bike and headed to the place, which turned out to be quite nearby.
Despite its proximity to the road, the place boasted a beautiful garden. I rang the bell, and just like in the movies, an old man appeared, inviting us in from the cold. My priority was to confirm the room before engaging in much conversation, so I asked him to show it to us. He mentioned only one room was available and led us to it, located at the end of the building. It was a small room with a single window. Normally, we prefer rooms with more windows for better airflow, but given the drastically different situation here, I knew we wouldn’t be opening this one.
Returning to the front lobby, we confirmed we’d take the room. He then informed us we’d have hot water for both drinking and showering and requested our IDs to complete a C-form. After providing the necessary identification, he handed over the keys. I stepped outside to retrieve our bags from the bike, with Sabine following, and we quickly unpacked. We then rushed back inside to escape the biting cold. After a while, we went to bed, a little tired from the ride.
As the morning sun began to illuminate the mist, our excitement surged; Munnar’s views awaited us. We set off towards Anamudi, Kerala’s highest peak, named for its elephant-like structure. En route, we were immediately captivated by the lavish green of the tea plantations. Sabine, in particular, was truly amused by the sheer beauty unfolding across the mountains. Honestly, don’t even bother looking for specific viewpoints near here – every single turn offers a breathtaking vista. While most plantations are private and inaccessible, there are designated areas where you can buy tickets to enter, take pictures, and soak in the scenery. It was along this scenic route that we also met some fellow riders from Kochi.
I would like to include a little pice of information over here
Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport (Kochi)
Nearest Railway Station: Ernakulam Railway Station
This is one of my strongest suggestions: if you’re coming here, try to come by bike – you will never regret it. This place offers one of the most memorable rides of your life. I was astride my Airborne Blue, with the lady behind me, feeling every curve. We also stopped at small tea shops to simply sit and enjoy the gardens, a warm chai in our hands. While we were sitting, we saw a family emerging from a tea plantation, carrying offerings for the gods. We asked them about the occasion, and they explained it was their child’s birthday, and they had just visited the temple to make offerings. Over here in Munnar, there’s a beautiful mix of culture from Tamil Nadu and Kerala; people here speak both Tamil and Malayalam. Most of them work in the tea plantations.
2. picking the tea plant for a tea
As you know, I’m not a tourist; I’m a traveler, and I like to keep it that way. One of the things I truly admire in my adventures is connecting with the local people – it gives me unforgettable memories. As we were riding on the hills of Munnar, we met workers from the tea plantation. My attention was drawn to a young man, and I felt compelled to talk to him. Thinking he might be from Kerala or Tamil Nadu, I started speaking in Tamil, but he couldn’t understand me. He then began to speak in Hindi. I asked him where he was from, and he replied that he was from Jharkhand, working on this plantation for six months. He added that it was harvesting time and his entire family was here with him. He seemed quite happy, carefully picking the leaves.
We ventured a little further and came upon a group of women, their baskets laden with harvested tea leaves, while a man collected the bounty from them. Every single person there was working for the plantation, yet they were happy and joyful, truly making the work fun. As we watched, Sabine turned to me, telling me how much she would love to join them, to help fill the tea leaves into the sacks. They were speaking Malayalam, so I stepped forward and asked if we could join them. They welcomed us enthusiastically, laughing heartily at the way Sabine was working with them. But Sabine is a joyful soul, always seizing every opportunity life presents. She became friends with them so quickly, while I focused on taking photographs.
These plantation women earn money based on the quantity they pick in a day. Soon, a van arrived with a weighing machine, and they began weighing the sacks one by one – it was clearly a good collection for them. As the van pulled away, everyone waved goodbye to us, and Sabine was even hugging them; she had truly become a friend to them in that short time. Waving back, we started to move on from that beautiful day.
3. Chicken King of Munnar
The next morning found us aimlessly driving through Munnar, the tea pot of Kerala. True to its name, we paused for tea now and then, savoring the local brew. During one such stop, we met a man from Kochi who had set up a small tea shop on a hilly side of Munnar. Intrigued, we decided to try his tea.
The view from his shop was absolutely stunning. Sabine and I immediately began taking pictures, captivated by the breathtaking scenery while the man prepared our tea.
After our tea, we started roaming through the villages of Munnar. It was interesting to note that most of the people in that area spoke Tamil. It was there we met Manni, an amazing person. Manni worked in a tea plantation and on cow farms, but his main focus was on hen fighting.
He proudly showed us his hens, which he was meticulously preparing for upcoming fights. He told us they traveled all over Tamil Nadu for matches, and that people from across the country came to these events. Manni had a deep knowledge of hen fighting – from how to maintain the hens to when to take them to a match, and even their diet.
I then asked if I could touch one of the hens. He looked at me and said, “Have a gentle touch on the hen. If it doesn’t bite you, you can pick it up.” I was a bit afraid, but I made up my mind, much like I had before touching the cobra in Varanasi. Surprisingly, the hen was calm. Manni smiled at me and said, “You can take him now.”
I carefully took the hen in my hand, but Manni instructed me to keep it away from my face, explaining that a bite could cause damage. After me, Sabine also held the hen. Usually, she’s the first one to try things like this!
Meanwhile, Manni’s brother joined us, and we had a fascinating conversation about hen fights. Manni also had some amazing goats, all different colors with bright, intelligent eyes. He started talking to them like friends, telling us about his daily life with them. We spent a good deal of time there, and as the sun began to fade, we said our goodbyes, having made some unexpected new friends.
4. camping in cold
A memorable night awaited us. After exploring the amazing tea plantations of Munnar, we decided to head toward Kolukkumalai. We moved down to the base camp area and had booked a campsite for the night, arriving around 6 PM. The views from there were absolutely stunning.
The place we were staying was called The County Camp-Kolukkumalai Base Camp. As soon as we arrived, I grabbed my drone and started flying immediately, eager to capture the view before the light faded. It was mesmerizing; I flew everywhere near me, knowing I wouldn’t get another chance before our early morning journey up to Kolukkumalai tomorrow.
As I was flying, the light began to fade rapidly. When I called the drone back, it hit a tree and fell down. I had to use my phone’s flashlight to find it. I finally retrieved it, but thankfully, there was no damage. I was relieved. When I checked the footage later, it was amazing.
Soon after, the caretaker approached us and asked what we would like for dinner. He was from Uttar Pradesh, so Sabine suggested we have a North Indian dinner. Sabine and I went to our tent, put our bags inside, and then sat outside. The stars were shining clearly in the night sky, and the half-moon was bright. We were completely relaxing in the peaceful atmosphere.
The caretaker returned and announced that dinner was ready. We enjoyed a delicious meal, and he also provided us with extra blankets, warning us that the night would be cold. Inside the tent, we spent time discussing our journey through Munnar. It was now time to sleep; tomorrow was going to be a long day. “Good night, Sabine.”
5. The highest tea plantation in the world
Our driver had informed us he’d pick us up around 4:30 AM, so we woke up by 4 AM and got ready. It was genuinely cold, so we layered on our boots and jackets and waited. By 4:40 AM, he still hadn’t appeared, so I called him. He said he’d be there in ten minutes, but again, he didn’t show. I called him once more, and this time he asked if we could come to the base camp, where our journey was supposed to begin. I agreed, not wanting to waste any more time, especially with the sunrise expected around 6:05 AM.
We took our bike and headed to the base camp. There were already many jeeps and people, but no sign of our driver. We decided to grab some tea. Near the tea shop, a bonfire was roaring, and a lady was sitting by it. Sabine and I joined her. Sabine was clearly disappointed and suggested we just go back, convinced we’d miss the sunrise as it was already 5:15 AM.
Just then, my phone rang – it was our driver, saying he was there. I started looking for him and soon spotted a young man in his twenties. He approached us, apologizing for the trouble. He then asked for money to buy tickets. Sabine looked at me, disheartened by the long queue. He assured us he’d handle the tickets. I handed him the money, telling Sabine, “At least we’ll see Kolukkumalai.” True to his word, he returned in five minutes with the tickets. I mention the timing because there’s a reason behind every moment of this journey.
He invited us to the jeep, asking Sabine to sit in the front. There were other travelers already inside. Sabine and I were still disheartened about missing the sunrise, but our driver looked at us and declared, “You will see the sunrise today, I promise.”
The road truly vanished within a hundred meters – it was full-on off-roading! Our driver immediately started putting the jeep’s engine to work. Initially, I was worried about his driving, and Sabine, who was carrying the camera bag this time, was also visibly uncomfortable. This was a real off-road adventure; the tires navigated from one stone to another, and then, our driver began to overtake other jeeps ahead of us. It felt like there was barely any space on the narrow track, but he somehow managed the overtakes, even on rocks that looked a bit slippery. We saw the same nervous expressions on the faces of people in other vehicles.
However, I soon began to trust our driver. I noticed he wasn’t rushing; he clearly knew this route, and he knew his vehicle inside out. As far as I could tell, this intense terrain was precisely why private vehicles aren’t allowed here – you simply can’t drive this path without expert skill. I started to genuinely admire the driving prowess of this amazing young man. As he passed the other jeeps, their drivers even waved at him, acknowledging his skill. He was young, but he clearly knew exactly what he was doing.
If you ever get the chance to visit Munnar, definitely go to Kolukkumalai; it will give you an unforgettable off-road experience. And, true to his word, he delivered on his promise. He slowly parked the jeep at a spot that offered a completely clear view, and remarkably, there was no one else around. He had made it happen, just as he said. We now had five more minutes to spare. Sabine was a little tired from the rough ride, but we were both just waiting for that moment.
And then it began. In the mountains, the golden rays started to emerge. Oh, what a gorgeous sunrise it was – one of the most magnificent I have ever witnessed in my life! It came out from behind the layered clouds, appearing like a perfect red dot in the sky. A morning to remember for an entire lifetime. This experience at the highest tea plantation in the world truly gives a story to your soul.
Oh, something crucial I missed telling you about Kolukkumalai: this is the world’s highest tea plantation! You’ll truly forget everything else the moment you step out here, with the clouds literally touching your feet. Please make sure to bring a bottle of water when you visit and keep yourself hydrated. And, of course, ensure you have a cup of tea from the world’s highest tea plantation – it’s an experience not to be missed!
6. beauty mist in munnar
After soaking in the incredible sunrise and enjoying a warm cup of tea, our driver suggested we head down to Jaguar Point. He drove us downhill, stopping at a curve and directing us to a path. We all started walking, enveloped by an amazing mist. Sabine, feeling much better after the tea, walked ahead as we took in the beautiful green valley below.
Finally, we reached Jaguar Point. At first, I couldn’t make out the jaguar shape in the rock, but from a different angle, it became clear. We waited to take some pictures, but there were two foreign girls and a random local guy with a camera hogging the narrow space, leaving no room for anyone else. It was a precarious spot; one wrong step and you’d be flying. After a while, I stepped in and politely asked them to give us some space, suggesting they could continue their “fashion model” photos afterward. Sabine and I managed to get some good shots from the angle where the rock truly resembled a jaguar. There were also some other Kerala guys taking pictures.
We then walked back along the rocky path to our jeep. It was time to head down, but no one was in a hurry. We just enjoyed the ride, taking in the amazing plantations, the vibrant green, the winding rivers, and the people. Only happiness seemed to exist in that place.
7.eco point
Echo Point was our next destination. The drive there was incredibly relaxing, with abundant trees offering welcome shade. It wasn’t overly crowded either. We made our way down to the lake – a naturally green expanse, dotted with tourists enjoying small boats.
There, we spotted a small girl delightedly trying to make an echo with her voice. We couldn’t resist joining in, and the next few moments were filled with laughter as the hills echoed our own sounds back to us, much louder and clearer.
9.botanical garden
The Botanical Garden is actually a significant, though often overlooked, highlight in Munnar. Here, various types of plants collected from across the region are meticulously displayed. While Sabine and I were there, numerous schoolchildren arrived. Their teachers and the Botanical Garden staff were busy explaining the different plants to the eager children.
For those interested in exploring further, a division of the Kerala Forest Department operates here. They can assist you with trekking to Meesapulimala. It’s crucial to remember that you cannot enter the forest without prior permission. From this point, you’ll need to make a booking directly with them, and they will then arrange transportation to the base camp and all necessary provisions for your trek.
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this is my travel through the back waters of kerala
thank you
Rahul
