Munnar - Off the beaten track, uncrowded places ?

snonymous · Apr 22nd, 2008, 16:19

Any ideas for easily accessible but quiet places for short walks or hikes, in and around Munnar eg. meadows, downs, shola forests, unlittered lakesides? What is it like in May?

CliveG · Apr 23rd, 2008, 02:29

Last time I was there (Jan 2008) the tourists offices had no information about walks! There is a Forestry Commission Office there that might have some info (It is off the main High Street. From the town you can see some trails going up the hills so I am sure people there will be able to direct you or you could contact
a trekking company. Haven't been in May so can't help you with that.

mazha · Apr 23rd, 2008, 05:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by snonymous

Any ideas for easily accessible but quiet places for short walks or hikes, in and around Munnar eg. meadows, downs, shola forests, unlittered lakesides? What is it like in May?

There is also a route from Munnar to Kodaikanal, not a short trek though.

http://ragslog.blogspot.com/2005/01/...i-on-foot.html

http://timelessodyssey.blogspot.com/...to-munnar.html

You could also try walking to/around Mattupetty.

http://www.keralatourism.org/destina...-141579485.php

vandy · Apr 23rd, 2008, 08:34

Hi there,

For a interesting walk I suggest you hire a taxi
to take you to Top Station via Matupetty Dam.
Then get the driver to meet you at a spot Back near the dam,this will be a downhill walk which for
me would be more suitable than the uphill journey.
Depending on your fitness you may prefer the uphill walk.

Maybe even the Distance from Munnar to Matupetty
Dam could be ok for you.Matupetty Dam to Echo Point and back could also be worthwhile.

Couple of tips though;

1) Don't pay driver full amount at beginning,he may not be waiting for you at the end of your walk.

2) when walking along roadside, walk along right
hand side shoulder of the road with traffic comming towards you,walking on the left side with
traffic approaching from behind you is High
Risk.

have a look at www.keralatourism.org and click
onto the Munnar or Iduki section,it shows the
various spots around Munnar & distances from Munnar.

I see the web site I provided is also in post #4

vandy

vandy · Apr 23rd, 2008, 08:50

Forgot to mention town of Mariyoor just north of Munnar, have heard there's a Sandlewood Forrest there,bit too far to walk from Munnar though.

I think Mariyoor is about 2 hrs by car eventhough
according to the map it doesn't look that far.

vandy

snonymous · Apr 23rd, 2008, 11:33

Clive G: Thanks, will check that.

Margi74: Thanks. Athirampalli and Pollachi are not close by at all. Pollach is in fact much closer to Coimbatore ! I was originally going to spend 2 days at Athirampalli/Vazachal after Munnar but cancelled as I understand there is just a trickle of water in May ! We are now spending 2 days at Thattekadu and hope to sight a lot of butterflies. The other places you suggest are again not in the immediate vicinity of Munnar. What I had in mind was short walks or hikes we could do off the main roads, off the main sights, that sort of stuff. I will be visiting the Maraiyur forests and Chinnar WLS on one of the days. Please let me know about your 3rd route if you can get the details.

Mazha: Thanks. Munnar [Top Station??]-Kodai: Though I would love to do this route as a separate visit, access is not permitted without prior permission – not so easy to get. Last Feb, from the Kodai side, the forest ranger at Moers Pt, Kodai was kind enough to permit us to walk a short part of the way. I recently read the trip report of a Chennai based group that just did the Kodai Munnar trek during the recent rains. They started off from Kavunji but emerged at some village much before Top Station. Madupetty lake: Is it surrounded by plantation forest [eucalyptus / pine / acacia etc] or indigenous shola type jungle? Is it permitted to walk there? Any other place in or near Munnar with shola jungle?

Vandy: Thanks. Ive thoroughly gone through keralatourism prior to booking, and in fact got my trip organised through my post on their message boards. Top Station downhill sounds interesting. Is it plantation forest or endemic forest [shola]? I would be rather keen to walk from Top Station on the Kodai road. We will have a car at our disposal throughout, and I had already planned a day for Maraiyur and Chinnar. Ive read about the prehistoric dolmens – ‘muniyaras’ which are all over the place and am rather keen to see these as well.

There is so much information on all the tourist websites but very often as we all have experienced at some time or other, the reality is quite different from what is promoted. Is it a good idea to combine Rajamalai with Maraiyur and Chinnar or keep it as a separate trip with something else? Any more suggestions and ideas are most welcome. Thanks a lot.

Apr 22nd, 2008, 16:19	#1
snonymous Maha Guru Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 518	Munnar - Off the beaten track, uncrowded places ? Any ideas for easily accessible but quiet places for short walks or hikes, in and around Munnar eg. meadows, downs, shola forests, unlittered lakesides? What is it like in May?

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Apr 23rd, 2008, 02:29	#2
CliveG Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: PORTSMOUTH U.K. Posts: 613	Last time I was there (Jan 2008) the tourists offices had no information about walks! There is a Forestry Commission Office there that might have some info (It is off the main High Street. From the town you can see some trails going up the hills so I am sure people there will be able to direct you or you could contact a trekking company. Haven't been in May so can't help you with that.

Apr 23rd, 2008, 08:34	#4
vandy Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: perth-australia Posts: 520	Hi there, For a interesting walk I suggest you hire a taxi to take you to Top Station via Matupetty Dam. Then get the driver to meet you at a spot Back near the dam,this will be a downhill walk which for me would be more suitable than the uphill journey. Depending on your fitness you may prefer the uphill walk. Maybe even the Distance from Munnar to Matupetty Dam could be ok for you.Matupetty Dam to Echo Point and back could also be worthwhile. Couple of tips though; 1) Don't pay driver full amount at beginning,he may not be waiting for you at the end of your walk. 2) when walking along roadside, walk along right hand side shoulder of the road with traffic comming towards you,walking on the left side with traffic approaching from behind you is High Risk. have a look at www.keralatourism.org and click onto the Munnar or Iduki section,it shows the various spots around Munnar & distances from Munnar. I see the web site I provided is also in post #4 vandy Last edited by vandy : Apr 23rd, 2008 at 08:37. Reason: Additional Sentence

Apr 23rd, 2008, 08:50	#5
vandy Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: perth-australia Posts: 520	Forgot to mention town of Mariyoor just north of Munnar, have heard there's a Sandlewood Forrest there,bit too far to walk from Munnar though. I think Mariyoor is about 2 hrs by car eventhough according to the map it doesn't look that far. vandy

Apr 23rd, 2008, 11:33	#6
snonymous Maha Guru Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 518	Clive G: Thanks, will check that. Margi74: Thanks. Athirampalli and Pollachi are not close by at all. Pollach is in fact much closer to Coimbatore ! I was originally going to spend 2 days at Athirampalli/Vazachal after Munnar but cancelled as I understand there is just a trickle of water in May ! We are now spending 2 days at Thattekadu and hope to sight a lot of butterflies. The other places you suggest are again not in the immediate vicinity of Munnar. What I had in mind was short walks or hikes we could do off the main roads, off the main sights, that sort of stuff. I will be visiting the Maraiyur forests and Chinnar WLS on one of the days. Please let me know about your 3rd route if you can get the details. Mazha: Thanks. Munnar [Top Station??]-Kodai: Though I would love to do this route as a separate visit, access is not permitted without prior permission – not so easy to get. Last Feb, from the Kodai side, the forest ranger at Moers Pt, Kodai was kind enough to permit us to walk a short part of the way. I recently read the trip report of a Chennai based group that just did the Kodai Munnar trek during the recent rains. They started off from Kavunji but emerged at some village much before Top Station. Madupetty lake: Is it surrounded by plantation forest [eucalyptus / pine / acacia etc] or indigenous shola type jungle? Is it permitted to walk there? Any other place in or near Munnar with shola jungle? Vandy: Thanks. Ive thoroughly gone through keralatourism prior to booking, and in fact got my trip organised through my post on their message boards. Top Station downhill sounds interesting. Is it plantation forest or endemic forest [shola]? I would be rather keen to walk from Top Station on the Kodai road. We will have a car at our disposal throughout, and I had already planned a day for Maraiyur and Chinnar. Ive read about the prehistoric dolmens – ‘muniyaras’ which are all over the place and am rather keen to see these as well. There is so much information on all the tourist websites but very often as we all have experienced at some time or other, the reality is quite different from what is promoted. Is it a good idea to combine Rajamalai with Maraiyur and Chinnar or keep it as a separate trip with something else? Any more suggestions and ideas are most welcome. Thanks a lot.

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