Ezhimala Hill

Ezhimala , a hill reaching a height of 286 metres, is located in Kannur District of Kerala, South India. As the former capital of the ancient Mushika Kingdom, it is considered to be an important historical site. It is a conspicuous, isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory 38 km north of Kannur Town. A flourishing seaport and center of trade around the beginning of the Common Era, it was also one of the major battlefields of the Chola-Chera Wars of the 11th century. It is believed by some that Lord Buddha had visited Ezhimala. The hill was once known as Mount Delly by the English or Monte D'Ely by the Portuguese. This region is also known as Elimala, Mooshaka Sailam and Sapta Sailam.

Athulan describes the later kings of this dynasty, who are now better known as the Kolathiri Dynasty. King Ramaghata Mooshika's successors shifted their capital to Pazhi (the present-day village of Pazhayangadi), Valabhapattanam (Valapattanam), and other nearby places over the centuries.

Ezhimala, which is part of Ramanthali panchayath, is one of the most important places in the recorded history of North Kerala. Mooshika Vamsham, written by Athulan in the 10th century, throws light on the history of the Mushika Royal Family in particular and of North Kerala in general. The first recorded king of Mooshika Vamsham (the Mooshika Dynasty) was Ramaghata Mooshika, and his capital was Ezhimala.

There is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman and the Mount Deli Lighthouse also located here. It is maintained by the Indian Navy and is a restricted area. The beach sand is of a different texture and the sea is bluer than in other areas. At the Ettikulam Bay, one can enjoy watching dolphins. Bordered by sea on three sides, Ezhimala had Indian Naval Ship (INS) Zamorin commissioned here marking Phase I of the Indian Naval Academy project, which was completed in January 2009. 

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, inaugurated the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala, Kerala on the 8th of January 2009. The Prime Minister's address on the occasion began with appreciation of this place "It is my profound pleasure to be present here today at this magnificent campus overlooking the Arabian Sea. There could not have been a better place for the establishment of India’s Naval Academy. I am therefore grateful to the Government of Kerala for having made all this possible.

Location: Only 2km from Ramanthali town. Around 8 km from Payyanur Railway station.

Nelliyampathy

         Nelliyampathy is the place that is famous for oranges. It is also known as Ooty of the poor. It is located about 9 km southeast of Nenmara. From the village Nenmara, in Palakkad district caressed the tops of clouds of the majestic hill range Nelliyampathy a sight to behold. The height ranges of hills from 467 m to 1572 m. To achieve Nelliyampathy, take the road of the product Nenmara Pothundy Dam. There are about 10 turns to negotiate on the way Nelliyampathy.

  Pothundy Dam is a picturesque village, with facilities for boating, and is an attractive option as a place for picnics. As the Ghat road winds its way up Nelliyampathy, some places have views of the largest sections of Palakkad district are displayed in large rice fields, which are lush carpet. It also offers a spectacular view of Palakkad Gap, which is a geographical phenomenon in the Western Ghats region, leading to the formation of visible parts of neighboring Tamil Nadu state.

Tea Garden

On the way, estates that are interested in organic farming may look more closely in the management of private farms and vast expanses of tea estates managed by different companies. Nelliyampathy Hills is also known for its orange cultivation.

Private hotels and resorts are located in different places as you go up the hills Nelliyampathy. Bio-farms located here are an important step in the return before it reaches the highest point Palagapandi true heritage. The state is a charming villa, built during the British rule in India, and has now been changed to a privately owned resort. This Kaikatty, community room is available, which is usually used as a base, who are interested in hiking.

   Nearby Palagapandy Seetharkundu is where you can get a spectacular view over the valley, and a cascade of 100 m height provides an added attraction. Palagapandy of you can go trekking or jeep to reach Mampara, another point of view breathtaking Nelliyampathy. The area in and around the property has Palagapandy tea, cardamom and coffee plantations with adjoining hills allowing one to catch a glimpse of wildlife in the form of Indian gaur, elephants, leopards, giant squirrel etc. and is also a paradise for birdwatchers.

Location: About 55 km from Coimbatore. Only 52 km from Palakkad Railway Station.

Peermade

Peermade

    Peermade, also transliterated as Perumade, Peerumed, Peerumade or Peermede, is a hill station in the state of Kerala, India. It is high in the Western Ghats, 915 meters above sea level.

The landscape of Peermade includes spectacular waterfalls, open grass lands and pine forests.It was once the summer retreat of the Maharajas of Travancore.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the largest wildlife reserves in India, is 43 km away. It has herds of elephants and other wildlife as well as lakes.The name is sometimes related to the Sufi saint, Peer Mohammed, or means "hill of the Peer".

Peermade

The area is very fertile and the area had until recently lush plantations of coffee, tea, cardamon, and coconutThe area, with a long history of spice growing, now concentrates on producing organic black pepper, white pepper, ginger and turmeric.At a recent show spice growers from Peermade displayed samples of organically grown spices like cardamom, black pepper, white pepper, nutmeg, mace, cloves, turmeric, ginger, vanilla beans, vanilla powder and herbs like oregano, sage, thyme and rosemary. Oils of thyme and rosemary were also displayed.

Location: Around 85 km east of Kottayam on the way to Thekkady.

Munnar Hill Station

Munnar Hill Station

 Munnar is one of the best tourist places in India. the region is cold and greeenish. The name Munnar is believed to be derived from the Malayalam/Tamil words Munu (three) and aaru (river), referring to the town's strategic location at the confluence of the Muthirappuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers.

The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 2,000 meters (6,562 ft) to 2,600 meters (8,530 ft) above mean sea level. Munnar enjoys a salubrious climate. The temperature ranges between 10 °C (50 °F) and 0 °C (32 °F) in winter and 8 °C (46.4 °F) and 16 °C (60.8 °F) in summer. The tourist season in Munnar is from August to May. However, even the monsoons are lovely with many streams and rivulets in the area and post drizzle the dew drenched tea gardens looking majestic and heavenly enshrouded in light mist.

Tea Estate-Munnar

A drive from Udumalpet to Munnar gives one unforgettable views of the Western Ghats. Chinnar is 25 km from Udumalpet and is home to the Indra Gandhi wildlife sanctuary which is famous for known for the elephants that inhabit the area. Chinnar is also the border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. As you cross the Tamil Nadu border and enter Kerala, you can see a distinct change in the vegetation. While the Tamil Nadu areas have vegetation dominated by shrubs and thorny trees, the vegetation in Kerala is lush green with tall trees. Marayur is 20 km from Chinnar, famous for its sandalwood forests which often fall prey to poachers.

As you drive past Marayur towards Munnar, you can see Anamudi, the highest mountain peak in south part of India to your right. This area also houses the Eravikulam National Park famous for its population of the Nilgiri Tahr, a mountain goat. This area offers abundant scope for mountain trekking. On the trekking route to the Anamudi peak, you can see a Trout farm. The rest of the drive towards Munnar is through neatly manicured tea estates owned by Tata Tea Ltd and Waterfall Estate. The landscape is also dotted by tea factories and labour lines.

Location: The nearest major railway stations are at Ernakulam and Aluva (approximately 110 km by road). The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, which is 105 km away.

Mattupetty

Mattupetty

Matupetty Dam Reservoir

Mattupetty River

Mattupetty is a major place of interest, located about 13 km from Munnar Town. Lying at a height of 1700 m above sea level, Mattupetty is known for its storage masonry dam and the lake, which offers boat rides, enabling one to enjoy the surrounding hills and landscape.Mattupetty with its lush green tea plantations, rolling grasslands and the Shola forests is also ideal for trekking and is home to a variety of birds.

Mattupetty offers many fascinating sights to relish. Besides the lush green tea plantations, and the rolling grasslands, the Shola forests in and around Mattupetty are ideal for trekking and are habitat to a variety of birds. Rivulets and cascades crisscross the terrain here, which again adds more attraction to the place.

One of the main attractions in Mattupetty is the beautiful lake, and the Mattupetty Dam, which are ideal picnic spots. The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), Idukki provides boating facilities in the Mattupetty Dam. Speed launch, slow speedboat and motorboats are available on hire. Other nearby places of interest includes the picturesque Kundala tea plantations and the Kundala Lake.

Of all the main attractions at Mattupetty is the dairy farm, run by the Indo-Swiss Livestock Project. The dairy farm is a unique one of its kind with several varieties of high-yielding cattle being reared.

Location: By road: Mattupetty is just a 13 kms drive from Munnar.
Nearest railway station: Ernakulam, about 130 km from Munnar.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 110 km from Munnar.

Anamudi Peak

Anamudi Peak

Anamudi is the highest peak in the Western Ghats in India, having an elevation of 2,695 metres (8,842 ft. Anamudi is also the highest point in South India, and also the highest point in India outside the Himalaya-Karakoram mountain range. This gives Anamudi its relatively large topographic prominence of 2,479 metres (8,133 ft), the associated key saddle being 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) away at  28°35′20″N 76°27′59″E / 28.58889°N 76.46639°E.

 The peak is not exceptionally dramatic in terms of steepness or local relief and is a Fault-block mountain. It is located in the southern region of Eravikulam National Park at the junction of the Cardamom Hills, the Anamala Hills and the Palni Hills. The nearest town is Munnar, 13 kilometres (8.1 mi). The easiest route to the summit of Anamudi is a technically easy hike on grass slopes, starting from a rolling hill plateau with a base elevation of about 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). The north and south slopes are gentle, while the east and west slopes are steeper, with more difficult rock faces. The heavy evergreen forests are present with bamboos, black-wood (Dalbergia latifolia), and teak growing in abundance. The heavy forest with which the range is clothed is the source of the most valuable of the rivers which traverse the drier country to the east, namely the Vaigai, and Thamirabarani ; and the waters of the Periyar, which flows into the Arabian Sea.

 Anamudi and the Eravikulam National Park surrounding it is home to the largest surviving population of Asian Elephants, Gaur, Bengal tigers, and the Nilgiri tahr, which not found elsewhere in India. The summit of the Anamudi is vegetated with patches of stunted Arundinaria densifolia and Gaultheria fragrantissima (wintergreen), Anaphalis sp., Impatiens and some species of Eriocaulon. 

Location: It is located at a distance of 15 km from Munnar.

Ilveezhapoonchira

Ilaveezhapoonchira

It is one of the comparatively virginal tourist destinations in Kerala and it is located at distance of 55 km from Kottayam and 20 km from Thodupuzha. Many visitors have found it an ideal tourist spot, especially the trekkers. It is situated 3200 feet above sea level. November – March is the season.

At the spot you can view four hillocks and between them a verdant valley. Atop of one of these hills, Kudayathoor Vindhyan, one can view large parts of Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts; it also offers excellent views of sunrise and sunset.

According to a legend, the Pandavas had a sojourn here during their life incognito. Their wife, Draupadi, came to take a bath at a lake, which was here at that time. Some devas, bewitched by her beauty, tried to satisfy their voyeuristic itch. King of devas, Lord Indra, came to know about what was going on, and built screens or hills heaping flowers and prevented them from indulging in such a practice. And the pond thus became a dam isolated by floral hills. Since there were no trees around the bund it was always free of leaves and so it was called Ilaveezhapoonchira or the floral bund where the leaves never fall. Some say that the name comes from the fact that it is always windy at the place and hence the leaves are carried away. But today, there is no bund at the spot, although during the monsoons the valley laps up water and forms a scenic lake and unveiling another facet of the place.

Location: Only 55 km from Kottayam.

Vagamon

Vagamon

      Vagamon is a hill station located in Kottayam-Idukki border of Kerala, India. It has a cool climate with the temperature between 10-23°C during a summer midday. It is situated 1,100 metres above sea level. It is known as the Switzerland of Kerala.

Kurisumala monastery is a famous hill station and pilgrimage center for the Nazrani Catholics where cross put-up in each sub hill stations. The nearby Kurisumala Ashram is an abode of calm and spiritual delight. This hill area includes 12 sub mounds where pilgrims visit. Travelers can enjoy trekking and climbing this high hill. The area is fully surrounded with Tea estates and lakes. Indo-Swiss Project dairy farms is situated on the hill. The hill dairy farm, managed by the Kurisumala monks. Vagamon is surrounded by three hills namely, 'Thangal hill', 'Murugan hill' and 'Kurisumala'. Other attractions include Tea estates, pine forests, grass lands, meadows, mist and shola forests, the famous suicide point of ‘Thangal hill’, a peculiar rock formation at Thangal Para, a dairy farm in Kurisumala and the Live Stock Board. 

Vagamon is at the fringe of the Western Ghats and the foot hills on its lower side reach up to Teekoy with a gradual descent. Traveling by the hill highway in this section is an exhilarating experience with deep valleys and magnificent views all around. Vagamon presents very spectacular views with an ethereal touch. Cochin International Airport is the nearest airport while the closest railway station is Kottayam. There are many fine resorts available in the surrounding areas with affordable cost for trekkers. This beautiful hill area is located in Idukki district.

Location: Vagamon is located 39 Kilometers from Thodupuzha, 33 Kilometers away from Palai and about 65 KM from Kottayam.

Ponmudi

                                     It is one of the most tourist attracted places in Kerala.  It is a part of the Western Ghats mountain range that runs parallel to the Arabian Sea.

Ponmudi is connected to Trivandrum by a narrow winding road offering scenic views on the way to Ponmudi. The climate is pleasant year-round. Trivandrum serves as a base for trekking and hiking. There are also tea gardens in the area.

Other attractions near Ponmudi include Golden Valley and a number of rivulets and rapids, some even across the road. The lush forest area has tropical vegetation. A variety of wildlife inhabits the hills. The Golden Valley offers vistas of the hills and access to the Kallar river. Flowing though a wilderness area, it has rounded pebbles, cool water, fish, and lush green trees.

Another attraction in the region is Agasthyarkoodam, one of the highest peaks in the Western Ghats, with the highest peak at 1868 m. This peak is famous for its wilderness, and can be accessed only with the Forest Department's permission. Meenmutty Falls is also a famous attraction in the area.

Location: It is located 61 km north-east of Trivandrum city at an altitude of 1100 m. Ponmudi is under Peringammala Village, around 36 km from Peringammala.