:: Hillstations in Kerala :: |
| Much of kerala's
exotic appeal is centred in the highland area of the western ghats.
Rising to an average height of 1520 m, the tropical forests of the
ghats house rich flora and fauna. Not to speak of expansive, loamy
plantations of tea, coffee, rubber and fragrant cardamom. |
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| Munnar |
 |
55 km from idukki town, munnar
is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams. 1600 m
above sea level, this hill station was the summer resort of the
british government in south india. Sprawling tea plantations, picture
- book towns, winding lanes and holiday facilities make this a popular
hill station neelakurinji is the flower which bathes the hills in
blue once every twelve years, will bloom next in 2006 a.d. munnar
also has the highest peak in south india, anamudi - which towers
over 2695 mts. Anamudi is a ideal spot for trekking. |
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| Chithirapuram |
 |
10 kms from munnar, with its
sleepy little cottages bungalows, old playgrounds and courts,
chithirapuram still exudes an old world charm. Home of the pallyvasal
hydel power project, this hill town is also famous for its picturesque
tea plantation. |
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| Idukki |
 |
A landlocked district, idukki
is one of the most nature rich areas of kerala . The high ranges
and wooded valleys are girded by three main rivers- periyar, thalayar
and thodupuzhayar- and their tributaries. The river pamba also
has its origin here. As a tourist destination, idukki offers diverse
attractions like wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations, spice plantation
tours, mountain treks, elephant rides etc. Idukki has a large
population of tribals who have unique customs and beliefs and
maintain an ethos which is distinctly different from that of the
mainstream culture. |
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| Nellyampathy |
 |
52 km south of nemmara, this
fascinating hill station is at a height of 467 to 1572 m above
sea level. At least 10 hairpin bends have to be negotiated on
the ghat road that passes through the breathtaking evergreen forests
of the sahya ranges. Seethakundu at nellyampathy offers a panoramic
view of about one third the are of palakkad district. |
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| Ponmudi |
 |
A mere one and a half hour's
road journey separates the beaches of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
from the invigorating climate of Ponmudi Hills. The name Ponmudi,
a hill station so close to the sea, in Malayalam means golden
crown. On the way to Ponmudi, the thick tropical forest greets
one at the foot of the Ponmudi hill range. The road passes under
a canopy of thickly matted foliage. The forest recedes gradually
giving way to neatly clipped tea bushes. |
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| LakKidi |
 |
55 km east of kozhikode / 5 km south
of vythiri, lakkidi the gateway to wayanad, is situated 700 m
above mean sea level. At the crest of the thamarasseri ghat pass.
Lofty peaks, gurgling streams and luzuriant forests add magic
to the journey up the winding roads to this hill station. |
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| Mattupetty |
 |
Situated at a height of 1700 m. Mattupetty is famous
for its highly specialised dairy farm - the indo swiss live stock
project. Over a 100 varieties of high yielding cattles are reared
here. The mattupetty lake and dam, just a short distance from the
farm, is a very beautiful picnic spot. |
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| Vythiri |
 |
100 km from kozhikode, tucked away at the north
eastern tip of kerala, the quaint little hill station about 1300
m above sea level is renowned for its coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper
and rubber plantations. Mist capped mountains and breathtaking
scenery dominate other tourist attraction. |
| Wagamon |
 |
65 km from idukki town, situated at an elevation
of 110 m above sea level, this hill station is a trekker's delight.
Wagamon is surrounded by beautiful meadows, valleys and tea gardens |
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:: Wildlife in Kerala :: |
A total area of 2,395.4 sq.km. has
been brought under Sanctuaries and National Parks in Kerala. This
is 22.49% of the total forest area and 5.98% of the Geographical
area of the State, which is much higher than the 4% suggested
by Government of India. |
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| Chinnar
wildlife Sanctuary |
 |
Chinnar is the habitat for the endangered Giant
Grizzled Squirrel of India. Located in the rain shadow area of the
Western Ghats , unlike other sanctuaries in Kerala, Chinnar gets
only 48 days of rain every year. Rich in wildlife, the mixed deciduous
forests here are ideal for trekking. This is also an ideal place
to watch herds of Bisons march past. Dry deciduous forests, high
sholas and wet grasslands add to the diversity of the sanctuary.
As one travels from Karimuthi to Chinnar, Elephants, Spotted Deer,
Sambar, Hanuman monkey and even Peacocks can be spotted on either
sides of the road. An extensive Sandalwood forest nearby is an added
attraction. |
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| Eravikulam National Park |
 |
The Eravikulam National Park stands out for the
stark beauty of its rolling grasslands and sholas, spread over 97
sq km in the Rajamalai hills. It is a sanctuary for the endangered
mountain goat of South India , the Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragus hylocrious).
Its location is 15 km away from Munnar. The slopes of the hills
abound in all kinds of rare flora and fauna. Anamudi, the highest
peak (2695 m) south of the Himalayas , towers over the sanctuary
in majestic pride. This sanctuary is a protected area and it is
divided into three regions - the core area, the buffer area and
the tourism area. Visitors are allowed only to the tourism area
- Rajamalai - the region lying beyond the road entry into Eravikulam.
Here one can observe the Nilgiri Tahr at close quarters. The visitors
are not allowed here during the monsoon season. |
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| Marayoor |
 |
Marayoor occupies a vast area on the slopes
of the Western Ghats in Idukki district and is an important pre-historic
site in Kerala. This is the only place in Kerala that has a natural
growth of sandalwood trees. Thoovanam Waterfall and Rajiv Gandhi
National Park are also nearby. Marayoor is famous for its natural
sandalwood forests and pre-historic rock paintings. The sandalwood
factory of the Forest Department, the caves (muniyaras) with murals
and relics from the New Stone Age civilization and the children's
park spread across a hectare of land under the canopy of a single
Banyan tree are of great interest to tourists. It is 40 km from
Munnar. |
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| Idukki Wildlife
Sanctuary |
|
This sanctuary occupies the forest land between
the Cheruthoni river and the Periyar river and is situated at an
altitude of 450-748 m above sea level. The Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary
here spreads over an area of 77 sq km in the Thodupuzha and Udumpanchola
taluks of the district. There is a scenic lake around the sanctuary,
covered by an enchanting canopy of tropical ever-green and deciduous
trees, and offers boat rides.This sanctuary lies adjacent to the
world renowned Idukki Arch Dam. |
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| Periyar
Wildlife Sanctuary |
 |
The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on
the banks of the Periyar lake - an artificial lake, at Thekkady.
Here the high ranges of the Western Ghats are clothed in dense
evergreen Below this thick green canopy roam herds of elephants,
sambars, tigers, gaurs, lion tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs.
This sanctuary offers the unique opportunity to watch and photograph
wild elephants at close quarters. |
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| :: Hillstations
/ Wildlife Packages |
 |
05 Nights / 06 Days |
| Cochin - Munnar - Thekkady - Cochin |
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| Day1 : Cochin |
| Pickup from Cochin Airport / Railway station,
and check into the Hotel. Afternoon proceed for sightseeing of |
| Ernakulam City. |
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| Day2 : Cochin -
Munnar |
| After breakfast, Transfer to Munnar, check-in
to Resort at Munnar. This beautiful hill-station is popular for
its |
| cool climate and tea plantation. Over
night at the hotel munnar. |
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| Day3 : Munnar |
| Sightseeing & overnight stay in the
Resort. Sightseeing includes. |
- Devikulam: known for its exotic flora & fauna
|
- Pallivasal: First hydroelectric Project in Kerala
|
|
- Top station: famous for Neelkurinji-which blooms once every
twelve years
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| Day4 : Munnar -
Thekkady |
| Transfer to periyar (Thekkady). Relax
overnight at resort at Thekkady. |
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| Day 5: Thekkady |
| Thekkady has one of the worlds most fascinating
natural wild life reserves - the Periyar wild life sanctuary |
| (Tiger Reserve). Check in at Resort at
Thekkaddy. Evening avail boat cruise at Periyar lake. |
| incase you are lucky you can watch a herd
of elephants in its natural habitat. Overnight stay in the hotel. |
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| Day 6: Thekkady
- Cochin |
| In the early morning, you can see the
Sunrise. After Breakfast departure transfer to Cochin Railway statoin
/ |
| Airport |
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