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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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Devikulam :
7 kms from munnar, this idyllic hill station
with its velvet lawns, exotic flora and fauna
and the cool mountain air is a rare experience.
The sita devi lake with its mineral waters
and picturesque surroundings is a good picnic
spot. The lake is also ideal for trout fishing.
Munnar :
Located in the hill ranges of Kerala 1600
m above the sea, where three mountain streams
- Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala - come
together,Munnar is a vision in green. Some
of the highest tea estates in Kerala can be
seen in Munnar, as the hills surrounding this
scenic town are carpeted with tea bushes,
spice plantations and greenery.There are also
opportunities for nature walks, trekking and
bird watching tours in Munnar.
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Ponmudi :
This hillstation in the Western Ghats, located
around 65 km from Thiruvananthapuram, is a picturesque
getaway in Kerala. The green hills, with winding
roads, pretty cottages, and an abundance of
birds and butterflies flying through the spice
plantations and tea estates, make it an idyllic
Kerala tourism destination.
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Peermede :
Located 915 m above sea level, at a distance
of around 40 km from Kumily in Idukki district
of central Kerala, this beautiful hill station
in the Western Ghats is known for its green
landscape.
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Located 4
km from Peermede, these adjacent hills are known
for their gentle hills, which provide opportunities
for nature treks and walks along the winding
hill roads.
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Located 13 km from Munnar, Echo Point is a popular
adventure tourism destination. Trekking and
nature walks are popular activities in this
scenic destination with beautiful views of the
green hills.
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Located at a distace of 16 km from Nedumkandam
on the Thekkady-Munnar Road, Ramakalmedu is
a beautiful hill station, which offers fresh
mountain air and pleasant views of gentle hills
all around. These are only some of the best-known
hill stations in Kerala. There are many more
scenic destinations that you can see in the
Western Ghats on tours of the hill stations
in Kerala.
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Luxuriant
plantations of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper
and rubber stretch over the hills of Wayanad
as far as the eye can see., With the fast-flowing
rivers- Panamaram, Mananthavady and kabini-
cutting across the undulating panorama and lending
picture-postcard look to the whole region.
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The two rock vaves at Ambukuthy Hills, 12 kms
south of Sultan's Battery (travel time: 20 min),
contain ancient carvings and pictorial writhings
with human and animal figurs in puculiar headdressesss
along with geometric from and symbols.
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They speak of a highly civilized
people at an early centre of human habitation.
At
just 32 kms from Mananthavady (travel time;
1 hour ), the eye-catching backdrop of Brahma
-giri hills lend an idyllic charm to Thirunelly
where the Vishnu Temlple touched by the soothing
streams of Papanasini provides eternal bliss
to the searching pilgrim.
With its own dream-like serenity, this natural
fresh water lake surrounkded by meadows and
trees on all sides is a haven for peace-seeking
travellers. You'll find it on your way from
Calicut half an hour ahead of kalpetta.
A stronghold
of the jains in the past Two historic jain temples-one
of which, through a network of mirrors bedazzle
the visitor with a thousand inkages of the icon-are
found here.
Historicallly important as the last resting
place of Pazhassirajah who fought a guerilla
war against the British.
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A forest range 75 kms ( travel time: 2 ½
hours) from Palghat, the Nelliyampathy hillls
comprise a chain of ridges cut off from one
another by valleys of dense evergreen forests
and orange plantations. The height of the hills ranges from 467 metres
to the tallest peak Padagiri loomig at 1572
metres. Accessing Nelliyampathy from Palght
is a sensation on its own, as you negotiate
over a dozen haipin curves of the ghat road
passilng through the fascinating jungles of
the Sahya Ranges. En rout, 17 kms from Palghat,
the shimmering Pothundi Reservoir and ilts manicured
surroundings make for the ideal stop over. |
The Parambikulam Wildlife
Sanctuary : Sprawling over 285 sq.kms,
this neighbouring sanctrary shelters the largest
population of wild Gaur ( Bison) The Cannimare
Teak Tree, said to be the largest in the Asian
continent towers roughly 5kms away from Thunakadavu-the
headquarters of Parambikulam. Other wildlife Such
as the Nilgiri langur, sloth nbear, the lilon-
tailed macaque and spotted deer abound along with
a handful of tigers and leoards. |
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Vagamon:
Vagamon, at an elevation of 1100 m above the sea level is at an accessible distance of 100
km from Cochin and 60 km from Kottayam. It is
a paradise for the seekers of peace and tranquility
and abundance of nature. The hill station is
surrounded by tea estates and will soon become
India's foremost Eco-Tourism Projects. The hill
station is a amalgamation of natural beauty,
religious mysticism and colonial legacies. Vagamon
is surrounded by three chain of hills, namely,
Thangal hill, Murugan hill and Kurisumala.
The garden complex around the dam at malampuzha
draws a large holiday and weekend crowd to itself.
A small garden done in Japanese style adds a
touch of exotic charm to the landscape. So does
the hanging bridge across the canal.
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