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Munnar
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Today we have planned a full day sightseeing of Munnar. Since there is just one day for the whole sightseeing, we suggest you to keep the timing. B/F at hotel and start latest by 0900hrs. First half day we plan to cover all the sightseeing from Munnar town to Top station which includes Rose garden, Mattupetty Dam, Echo point, Kundala Lake, and Top Station. But we will be doing this on the reverse order as visiting Top Station or Kundala Dam is best during early or morning hrs. It takes approximately 50 mins to reach top station from Munnar town.
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Kundala Dam Lake
40m · Admission ticket not included
Kundala Dam was constructed for Pallivasal Hydro Electric Project in 1946 and considered to be Asia's No 1 arch dam. This place is located between Top Station and Munnar town therefore it's easy for visiting. Considered as one of the best scenic spot for photography, you can also have activities like pedal boat, speed boat or shikara kind of trip available in the lake.
Kundala Dam Travel Tips
• Irrespective of any restrictions, tourists with all walk of life can access this place.
• Entry to this place is totally free. In case you want to have some activities like boating in lake, horse riding etc, all these are available here which is chargeable.
• If you are doing any boating activity in any other lake in Munnar, this can be avoided.
• It takes hardly 15-20 mins here to experience, in case you do not need any other activities.
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Echo Point
30m · Admission ticket not included
This is nothing much important about this place. If you make a loud noise, your voice will return back to you as you have a big hill just opposite of you after the lake. But more than that, this is one of the best place to have a photo of the lake close by. Entry to this place is restricted with an entry fee of Rs 20 per person.
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Kannan Devan Hills
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On the way to Top station or while coming back to city, you can see very scenic tea plantations. In case you want to visit, see or want to have photos, you can do this. There is no entry fee or charges need to pay. You should know that whole Munnar is tea plantations and you can get a good photos not necessarily from one particular place, but anywhere in Munnar.
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Mattupetty Dam
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Mattupetty dam is located 13 kms away from Munnar city towards Top station and it takes 20 mins drive by road. Mattupetty can be narrated like confluence of mountain, lake and greenery. You will get best photos and some breathtaking moments of your holiday. Unlike Kundala, Mattupetty made elaborate arrangements for tourist comfort. It has a washroom, tourist facilitation centre where coffee shop, snack bar, cowboy park, children park with swing, speed boat in the lake etc available. Best experience of Madupetty is first go to the boating centre or tourist facilitation centre, if interested do the boating and come to the dam and take some of the best photos.
Mattupetty Dam Travel Tips
• Try to walk from Kundala to Mattupetty dam and you can see tallest blue gum trees, in case you have time.
• You can skip in case you are coming from a place where there are lots of lake and mountains.
• This place is accessible for all irrespective of handicapped or wheel chaired.
• Very good place for family with kids outing.
• This place is best for a small shopping of handicraft and souvenirs.
• There are no restaurants available but hot noodles and local snacks are available. During holidays, weekend and tourist season, this place is jam packed. You may need to wait up to an hr to get boating tickets or Parking car.
• Take beautiful photos from the Mattupetty Dam. After the boating travel to dam, came out of car from one end of the dam and walk to other end. You can take good photos from the middle as vehicles are not allowed to park on the dam.
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Rose Gardens
40m · Admission ticket not included
This is a kind of botanical garden maintained by KTDC Floriculture Centre. Not only roses but different variety of flowers are available and good place to have memorable photos. This garden is located 5 kms away on the top station road side and entry is restricted with entry fee of Rs 50 per person.
Travel Tips
• Since there are steps, handicapped or wheelchaired persons advised not to visit this place.
• Wash room facility is available for public.
• You can buy favorite plants from rose garden.
We expect this is over by 1300 hrs and an hour lunch break is available. There are many veg or non veg restaurants available in Munnar city. Post lunch we are organizing a trip to Rajamalai in Eravikulam National Park.
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2h
Eravikulam national park having an area of 97 sq km is the first national park in Kerala. The Park protect endemic and endangered Nilgiri Tahr, a rare species of mountain goat, and its habitat. The park has the largest stretch of undisturbed shoal-grassland ecosystem in the western ghats. Anamudi which is of 2695 metres in height is the highest peak south of Himalayas is located within this park. Before becoming a National Park, the area is the hunting reserve of the colonial tea planters. It takes approximately 30 mins drive to the entry point. On reaching entry point, you need to show the online booking details or you can buy tickets from this counter itself. From the ticket counter till the entry gate of Eravikulam, it's almost 20 mins in a minibus which is being provided by the park. On reaching the entry points, you need to walk steep pathway for almost 40 mins to see the Nilgiri Thar and Anamudi Peak. This is also a good place to have beautiful mountain photographs.
Eravikulam Travel Tips
• Book your tickets online.
• Entry ticket is Rs 125 for domestic tourist and Rs 400 for foreigners.
• Best time to visit in the early morning or afternoon.
• No food or water bottles allowed.
• Wash room available for both gents and ladies.
• Not accessible by wheelchair.
• Cafeteria and snack bar available at the waiting place.
• To see the nilgiri tahr and Anamudi peak, you need to hike approximately 40 mins. Those who have breathing problems should avoid this.
• Carry raincoat in rainy seasons. Umbrella is must for all seasons.
• This park is closed during Feb and Mar for breading and calving every year.
• Max 2 hrs required to complete the visit in case there is no rush.
By the time you complete visit of this park, it may be afternoon or evening. You can come to Munnar town for small shopping. Departure for your hotel and check in.
Munnar Travel Tips
1. On the way from Kochi to Munnar, we have included Valera and Cheeyappara waterfalls. Since these falls depend on raining water, these falls may be dry during summer time or if there is no raining.
2. Dreamland – visit only if you are interested. If you already had been to good amusement parks, you can skip this.
3. In case you are skipping Dreamland, you can go to Munnar city for a visit.
4. We recommend you to visit the art centre on Day 1 as you may not get time for the second day.
5. During tourist season, weekend and holidays, there will be a huge rush due to local guests. Sometime this leads to a terrific traffic block and may trap for a couple of hrs. Therefore, ensure that you keep the timing mentioned in this programme.
6. Above programme is not possible in case your hotel is too far off of Munnar like Adimali, Chinnakanal, Eeticity, Anachal, Kunjithanni, But SreesTours select and provide hotels which is located within Munnar only. Please go here to know where to stay in Munnar.
7. If your trip is during Feb or Mar when the Eravikulam park is closed, you can visit a tea factory, Lockhart gap view point etc.
8. All these programme may disrupt in case there is a heavy rain. Visiting Top station or Eravikulam, during heavy monsoon is not possible.
9. Apart from Hotels, there is variety of other stay options available like Tree House, private pool villa, jacuzzi and bathtub rooms, honeymoon cottage, resorts with a view to tea plantation, tent and camp stay.
10. Apart from the standard sightseeing programme mentioned above, you can also experience below attractions or activities in Munnar. We recommend staying more days to experience all these.
• Sunrise at Top station.
• Off road Jeep safari.
• Guided soft hiking of 2hrs or hard hiking of 4 hrs and visit beautiful mountains, grasslands and tea plantation.
• Guided hiking and camping in Swiss tents.
11. This is the best place to buy Tea and coffee in a reasonable price.
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1h
Visit Indias first tea museum established in 2004. See how tea was processed historically—view old-fashioned dryers, rollers, and rotor vane machines used earlier. You can also see colonial-era office gear (typewriters, telephones, calculators), vintage furniture, iron ovens, wooden bathtubs, and more. A mini tea-factory on-site offers guided tours with live demos, walking you through plucking, withering, rolling, fermenting, and drying.
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Pass by
Today your trip is to Thekkady (Periyar). Thekkady is located approximately 135 kms and it may take minimum 3.5 hrs to reach. You can go Thekkady by choosing two different directions. We recommend you to start at 0830 hrs so that you can reach Thekkady comfortably and book a boat safari.
1. Munnar city – Chinnakanal – Thekkedy. This route is one of the best routes as you can see below sightseeing options on the way.
• Lockhart gap viewpoint - one of the best view points after Top Station.
• Periyakanal waterfalls – this is available during Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep.
• Anayirangal Dam – 1.5 km from the main road, this is one of the best scenic spot in Munnar. Sometime you can see wild elephant also there.
• Lockhart tea plantations – around 30 mins drive through this tea plantations – one of the best experience and best place for photography.
2. The other route to Thekkady is via Kunjithanni, Rajakkad, Udumbanchola. You can save approx 20 kms and 30 mins.
Note : Guest whose hotels located in Anachal, Kunjithanni, Chithirapuram etc cannot go this route as one need to first go to Munnar city which is 17 kms more and it takes another 40mins.
On arrival at Thekkady, you can go for a plantation visit.
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Green Park Spices
1h · Admission ticket included
There are many private owners who cultivate ayurvedic medicinal plants in their courtyard either for selling these to companies or for passion. Most of them have either three or max ten varieties of plants with them. When the tourism as well as ayurveda was growing, some of these planters start growing more varieties of plants and then this court yard or cultivation area has been converted to a spice plantation tour and start allowing tourist to know about the different variety of medicinal as well as other plants available in India. Entry is restricted with entry fee and on entry, you will be provided with a personal guide to explain you about each plant and its medicinal value. At the end of the spice walk, the guide will take you to a small hall where they explain about the medicine available for different ailments.
Plantation tour tips.
• Since all these spice plantation own and operated by private parties, you need to pay an entry fee of minimum Rs 200 each.
• Open at 7am, you can visit any time. Approximate time for this tour is minimum an hr and maximum 1.5hrs.
• Main aim of these spice walk or plantation visit is to sell ayurvedic medicines. Therefore, your guide may be insisting for buying these ayurvedic products. Its well advised that better you consult a doctor before buying the medicines from spice plantation.
Check in hotel and lunch at any of the restaurant. We have planned your boat trip today at 1530 hrs. Relax till now and report at entry point by 1530 hrs.
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Periyar National Park
2h · Admission ticket included
Periyar national park is famous for elephants and tigers.The sanctuary surrounds Periyar Lake which was formed when the Mullaperiyar Dam was constructed. One should note that like other wildlife sanctuaries in India – Ranthambore, Gir etc, you cannot go inside the forest in a jeep or any other transport to see wildlife animals. Since Periyar National Park is surrounded by Periyar Lake, the forest department conduct boat safari in this Periyar Lake to see wildlife animals. The boat trip starts at 0730 hrs which is for 2 hrs and all other trips are for 1.5hrs only. There are 4 boats available for trip in the lake. One needs to book online ticket for the safari. The interesting thing to note that till now except elephant, birds and wild gaur etc, none of the visitors have seen a tiger. Therefore, if you are coming to Periyar national park to see tigers, sorry to inform that this is hardly possible.
You need to book a boat safari ticket online in advance. Otherwise during peak time, getting a ticket is difficult. Since you are staying just one night, we recommend booking a ticket in 1530 hrs trip. The boat trip start at 1600 hrs and ends at 1700 hrs.
Apart from the boat safari in the Periyar Lake, the forest department conducts many activities like overnight stay in forest with armed guards, night trekking, bamboo rafting etc. If you are interested for these activities, it’s always recommended to stay minimum two nights in Thekkady. Apart from the above, you can also go for elephant safari, Jeep safari and plantation tour etc. If interested, these can be experienced next day also. Overnight stay in resort.
Thekkady Travel Tips
• It’s always recommended to book your stay very close to wildlife sanctuary. Srees Tours provide a very comfortable close by hotel for our all guests.
• As per this programme, the best suitable boating is at 1530 hrs as you need to travel at 0900 hrs to Houseboat. But the best boating is at 0700 hrs which ends at 0930 hrs. So if you choose the morning boating, you will be reaching houseboat by 1400hrs ie late for 2 hrs. Though it’s a private boat which will wait for you, some of the backwater sightseeing may not be able cover.
• If you are interested in hiking or trekking, staying in the forest with armed guards, bamboo rafting etc, there are many such programmes organized by the Forest Department for which you may needs to stay one or two more days in this destination.
• Thekkady market is very close where you are staying. This is the best and cheapest shopping place for all types of spices, Kerala traditional saree for ladies etc.
