Things to Do in Munnar

Munnar is often described as the Kashmir of South India. It is an endearing metaphor; however, Munnar has its own distinct and beautiful identity. Located in the Idukki district of Kerala, it is a breathtakingly gorgeous hill station situated 1,600 metres above the sea level. Travelers, backpackers, and jet setters, all dream of visiting this hill station for its amazing variety of fun things to do. The tranquil hill station is famous for its sprawling tea estates, aromatic spice gardens, lush green valleys, perennial rivers, thick forests, mesmerizing waterfalls, and sanctuaries. This terrain is home to endangered species like the Nilakurinji Flowering Plant and the unique mountain goat - Nilgiri Thar. The abundant variety of flora and fauna makes this an ideal destination for a holiday. Here is a carefully curated list of 20 best things to do in Munnar with your family.

Mattupetty Dam
Mattupetty dam and its reservoir is located 13 km away from Munnar. This concrete gravity dam is built between the hill ranges and it is used mainly for water storage for hydroelectric projects. Its reservoir is an idyllic place to enjoy the serene nature. It is also said to be one of the waterholes where the elephants in the region often visit..

Mattupetty Dairy Farm
Mattupetty is also famous for the Indo-Swiss Farm. This is a highly specialized dairy farm which comes under Indo-Swiss Livestock Project. Hundreds of high quality cattle are reared here and new varieties are scientifically developed.

Kundala Lake
Kundala Lake is an artificial reservoir of a minor arch shaped dam huddled between the mountain ranges. It is about a 20 km drive from Munnar. There is boating facility there..and don’t forget to go for a Shikara boat ride while you are there!

Top Station
It is about 40 km from Munnar and it is 1,880 meters above sea level. The panoramic view of the Western Ghats and the valley of Theni from Top station is simply breathtaking. Top station got this name from it’s being the uppermost located railway station on the Kundala Valley Railway.

Echo Point
Echo Point is about 15 km from Munnar. Go there and scream as loud as you can..and wait for a minute. You can hear your echo back! Its quite interesting. If you have kids with you..they will love it. They can experience this natural phenomenon firsthand.

Rajamalai (Part of Eravikulam National Park)
Rajamala, part of Eravikulam national park, is located at about 15 kms from Munnar. This region is the natural habitat of the Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragas hylocres). It was converted to a national park to provide a safe sanctuary for the already endangered species of Nilgiri Tahr.

Tea Museum
This tea museum is first of its kind in India. It is located at KDHP’s Nullatanni estate in Munnar. The aim of this museum according to its founders is to showcase the growth of more-than-a-century-old tea plantations in this region. Anyone visiting this museum will get a clear picture of how laborious this tea processing really is.

Marayoor Sandalwood Forests
This is located at around 42 kms north of Munnar through the Udumalppetta route. Marayoor is famous of the natural sandalwood forest. Not only that, this place is said to be part of the ancient stone age civilization dated back to 10,000 B.C. Stone age paintings, rock edicts and dolmens found there vouch for this rich heritage.