Things to Do in Munnar

Munnar is known as the Kashmir of the South, due to its unparalleled beauty and picturesque attractions, which make up for a scenic tour, one to remember forever at least. Munnar has everything a tourist would want in a place, from scenic locations like Echo Point or Atukkad Waterfalls, lusciously stunning tea plantations, magical display of flora and fauna in Eravikulam National Park and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary to the some of the best trekking routes in the entire country for the adventure enthusiasts.

Some of the best things to do in Munnar are-

• Enjoy a stay at Rose Garden
• Take a night safari at Chinnar Wildlife Park
• Bird watching at Salim Ali Bird Park
• Camping in Chokkarmundi Hills
• Trek through the Tea Plantations
• Visit the Echo Point
• Adventure Sports in Rock Hill Adventure Park or Wonder Valley

Munnar has something in store for everyone. The trek-lovers can take one of the many trekking routes. The people who came for a solo retreat can visit the nearby sightseeing spots to enjoy the stunning views of nature and spend some time amidst the serenity of the place. The adrenaline junkies have their share of fun too, as Munnar is home to some amazing adventure parks and resorts that provide all sorts of adventure sports facilities. Some of the popular adventure activities to do in Munnar are-

• Ziplining
• Archery
• Bungee Trampoline
• Polaris ATV ride
• Treetop Adventures like Sloth Walk, Burma Walk etc
• Commando Net climbing
• Rock Climbing/Rappelling
• Paintball Shooting
• Zorb Ball

Munnar has some challenging and beautiful trekking trails for the trekking enthusiasts which is surely bound to satisfy them. Some of the best and most adventurous trekking trails in Munnar are-

• Chokramudi – One must indulge themselves in the venturesome trek to Chokramudi if they are ever in Munnar. The trip to the highest peak is divided into four parts, and the trek gets challenging after the first part, but the end result is a mindblowing view of the valley, which makes it worth it. 

• Idukki – This trek lets you explore the vast plantations of tea and cardamom and is for those who like quiet and serenity. 

• Chithirapuram – Walkthrough green beds all around as you trek to the top of the hill and pass by gorgeous tea estates and the magnificent Ramaswamy Dam Waterfall, which you are surely going to fall in love with.
  
  
• Lakshmi Hill – This is the most popular trek in Munnar where you trek through grasslands and rocky slopes while witnessing the beauty of the hills, which never fails to amaze the travellers and trekkers. The highlight of this trek is the view of Anamudi Hills, the highest peak in South India.

• Chummar – Walking through the lush green tea plantations, while breathing in the refreshing fragrance of tea, is what the Chummar trek provides. The immersive beauty of the gardens and interaction with the locals are the highlights of this trip, while you trek through tea gardens and the beautiful Shola forest.

Munnar has some of the best camping areas in Southern India. Located in a favourable area overlooking the Western Ghats. Munnar thus has a unique and perfect location for camping activities which is why there are many camps around Munnar, as trekking and hiking are very popular with the tourists. Some of the best campsites in Munnar are-

• Camping one full night in the forest of Chokkarmundi Hills
• Nature Zone Resort
• Black Eagles Camp
• Happylife Tribal Hut
• 17C Camping in Munnar
• Tent Camping at Thirumoorthi Hills
• Tent Camping at Top Station
  
  

If someone thinks that Munnar is just about tea plantations and sight-seeing, then they are wrong, because hidden behind the picturesque and serene beauty of the nature in Munnar is a world filled with fun, adventures and adrenaline rushes. Munnar provides an array of adventure sports for the adrenaline junkies. Among the other adventure sports, ziplining is a very popular activity. Munnar has many adventure parks and resorts around it that provide these ziplining facilities.
Rock Hill Adventure Park and Wonder Valley are two such adventure resorts for ziplining.

Jeeps are a very popular method of going around in Munnar. So it's no surprise that there are some scenic jeep safari tours in Munnar. A tourist can take a jeep safari tour of the tea plantations, or of the mountains, or even visit the nearby Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary for a night safari experience. The Kolukkumalai jeep safari tour is very popular as Kolukkumalai is the highest peak in South India, and the open hooded jeep tour gives a stunning view of the mountains and the valleys. The Kolukkumalai tour costs around INR 3500 whereas the night safari in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary costs around INR 4100.

Munnar is home to a wild variety of flora and fauna and the government does its best to preserve it in the several national parks around it. The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Rajamalai National Park are the three wildlife sanctuaries in and around Munnar.
The Rajamalai National Park is a UNESCO Heritage site and a safari takes you in the park and to the different attractions near it.
The most popular safari would be the night safari at Chinnar. Home to several exotic wild animals, the safari lets you spot elephants, tigers, bisons, panthers and spotted dears, an experience of a lifetime.

One can have the best experience of a Munnar trip by cycling around, through the tea plantations, forests and spice plantations. See up close how tea leaves are plucked manually by the tea plantation workers or the daily life of the local tribes. Cycle through some of the most breathtaking tea growing regions in the world, satisfying your body and your mind. There are many local tour operators which provide mountain cycling tours, along with a guide for maintaining the safety and comfort of the tourists. Some resorts provide cycling tours too.

Night jungle safaris are a popular attraction in Munnar provided in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. Put on the adventurer’s hat and experience this thrilling trip through the forests of Munnar, while spotting exotic wild animals in a beautiful environment. This safari gives you the chance of a lifetime to spot bisons, tigers, panthers, elephants and spotted deer outside a zoo. The tour is done in a jeep with proper protection, with a guide provided with the tourists. So it absolutely safe to go. The cost of the safari is around INR 4100.

Munnar is famous for its tea plantation and estates. The British bought land from the royal family of Travancore and started a tea plantation. Seeing that flourish, others opened up soon and has been a must-see feature of Munnar. One can experience the beauty of the lush tea gardens by living inside them. Wake up to the view of the plantations and the majestic Western Ghats range. One can experience tea plantation stays in Gruenberg Tea Plantation Haus and Talayar Valley Bungalow in Munnar.

Some famous tea plantations are Kokkumalai Tea Estate and the Nallathanni Tea Estate, the latter of which is owned by the famous Tata Tea group.

Kerala is known as the “Land of Spices” for the broad variety of spices that are farmed here. Black pepper originated from here and changed cuisines and culinary history. Munnar’s spice plantations draw flocks of culinary enthusiasts from all around the world not just for viewing but so that they can take back authentic Indian spices back home. Some spice gardens have resorts inside them that let a tourist stay and get the stunning views of the garden all day long. They are most definitely worth visiting and can be visited throughout the year.

Bird watching or spotting is an addictive activity that one doesn’t get the hang of. With the help of a professional guide, birding can be a great and informative way to spend time. Munnar is home to Thattekad Sanctuary, known better as Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary named after the famous ornithologist, which is home to some of the rarest birds in the world like Night Heron, Black-winged Kite, Sunbird etc. Different rare breeds of birds are seen in and around Munnar throughout the year, which is home to 200 bird species.
Other than Thattekad, one can also take a walking bird watching tour of Munnar with a guide.

Munnar has some of the finest biking routes in South India. The routes pass through tea gardens, spice estates and forests, giving the cyclists a sightseeing experience to remember. These biking trails make Munnar a favourite to an amateur cyclist as well as a professional. The best cycling routes in Munnar are-

One can begin a day’s tour from Munnar camp, which is catered to give someone a ringside view of the tea gardens and tribal families in Munnar

A four-day cycling tour that begins in Munnar and ends in Periyar near the world famous Periyar Tiger Reserve. This route passes through the spectacular Cardamom Hills and Anaerangal Lake, along with several tea and spice estates.

Carmalegari Elephant Park in Munnar provides elephant safaris to the tourists for a fifteen to twenty-minute short tour of the park. One can experience the thrill of an elephant safari with their loved ones, which they probably only see in a movie, while getting mesmerized by the beauty of the forest, here in the park. The park charges anything from INR 400 to 800 per head based on time of the year. One also has to shell out INR 100 for getting the chance to feed an elephant and INR 250 for getting a professional photographer to take High definition photos of their ride, which they are provided immediately in a CD.

Munnar is known for its adventure sports facilities, one of the few places in India where it is found. Rock Climbing is an adventure sport that is very popular with the tourists, especially rappelling. Jumaring and free hand Climbing are other rock climbing activities which are also popular here. Places like Munnar Adventure Resort provide rock climbing facilities for the experience of a lifetime. One must make sure they have a professional and trained guide with them and are equipped with working and quality checked special safety gears before they begin the climb as a precaution.  

Free hand climbing is very popular in Munnar with the adventure seeking tourists. There are adventure parks in Munnar where one can go to experience free hand rock climbing. Free hand climbing is indeed safe, as professional climbers are always present and they make sure that one is equipped with all safety gears before starting the climb and adventurous, as it is quite thrilling to climb a rock on our own, reliving an experience only seen on films.
You can do free hand climbing in Rock Hill Adventure Park and Munnar Adventure Resort at good prices.

Rappelling is an enthralling and thrilling experience that involves combining the techniques of both mountaineering and rock climbing. It is also known as abseiling and it involves climbing steep peaks while you are harnessed by all safety gears. Rappelling is the perfect activity for someone who wants to shed their daily routine life away for a thrill. Rappelling is done in the different adventure parks located in Munnar. Most of the hotels and resorts in Munnar provide rappelling services by connecting the tourists with professional rock climbers.
Rock Hill Adventure Park and Wonder Valley are two adventure resorts where one can enjoy rappelling.

Rock Hill Adventure Park, which is located in Munnar is Kerala’s largest adventure park. It is a perfect place to unleash one’s body, mind and soul by challenging yourself. Rock Hill Adventure Park provides a wide array of things to do like Polaris ATV’s, Paintball Shooting, Rock Climbing, Tree Top Adventure, Ziplining, Commando Net Climbing among others.

The park has several rate packages –

1) Activity Day package which includes all activities other than Paintball, Ziplining and ATV @ INR 800 for Adults and INR 500 for Children

2) Day Camping which includes all activities once along with drinks, lunch, and evening snacks @INR 1800

3) Overnight Camping which includes all activities once along with food for the entire day and next morning, night accommodation in tents @ INR 2800