Sights in The Western Ghats
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Tea Plantation
About 13km away from Kumily is a working tea plantation where you can wander around the grounds and see displays of the tea-making process for free.
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Highrange Spices
Highrange Spices, 3km from Kumily, has 4 hectares of spice garden and you can see ayurvedic herbs and vegetables growing. A one-hour tour is Rs100. A rickshaw to either spice garden and back will be around Rs200 to Rs250.
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Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park, 16km from Munnar, is home to the endangered, but almost tame, Nilgiri tahr (a type of mountain goat). From Munnar, an autorickshaw/taxi costs Rs150/300 return; a government bus takes you the final 4km from the check- point (Rs20).
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Tata Tea Museum
The TataTeaMuseum is, unfortunately, about as close as you’ll get to a working tea factory around Munnar. It’s a slightly sanitised version of the real thing, but it still shows the basic process. A collection of old bits and pieces from the colonial era, including photographs and a 1905 tea-roller, are also kept here. The short walk to here from town is lovely, passing some of the most accessible tea plantations from Munnar town.
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Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
South India’s most popular wildlife sanctuary, encompasses 777 sq km and a 26-sq-km artificial lake created by the British in 1895. The vast region is home to bison, sambar, wild boar, langur, over 1000 elephants and around 46 tigers. Firmly established on both the Indian and foreigner tourist trails, the place can sometimes feel a bit like Disneyland-in-the-Ghats, but its mountain scenery and neat jungle walks make for an enjoyable visit. Bring warm and waterproof clothing.
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Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
Possibly the most protected environment in South India – it’s nestled behind three dams in a valley surrounded by Keralan and Tamil Nadu sanctuaries – Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary constitutes 285 sq km of Kipling-storybook scenery and wildlife-spotting goodness. It’s home to elephants, bison, gaur, sloths, sambar, crocodiles, tigers, panthers and some of the largest teak trees in Asia. The sanctuary is best avoided during monsoon (June to August) and it sometimes closes in March and April.
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Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, about 10km past Marayoor and 60km northeast of Munnar, hosts deer, leopards, elephants and the endangered grizzled giant squirrel. Trekking (Rs100 for three hours) and tree house (single/double Rs1000/1250) or hut stays (single Rs1500 to Rs2500, double Rs1800 to Rs3000) within the sanctuary are available, as well as ecotour programs like river-trekking, cultural visits, and waterfall treks (around Rs100). For details contact the Forest Information Centre in Munnar. Buses from Munnar heading to Coimbatore can drop you off at Chinnar (Rs31, 1½ hours).
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Abraham’s Spice Garden
If you’d rather do a spice tour independently, you can visit a few excellent gardens outside Kumily. Abraham’s Spice Garden has been going for 56 years and does tours of its one-hectare garden for Rs100.
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Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary
Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary is a serene 25-sq-km park, home to over 270 species, including Malabar grey hornbills, jungle nightjar, grey drongo, darters and rarer species like the Sri Lankan frogmouth. You can hire private guides (Rs100 to Rs150) in the sanctuary, and there’s a canteen with basic food and drinks just inside the gate.
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