Travel guide · Family · 10 min read

Parks, Gardens and Adventure in Munnar and Idukki

Flower gardens and children's parks, boating on mountain reservoirs, a glass bridge over a valley, paragliding above the meadows of Vagamon and ziplines across the gorges of Anachal. A guide to the parks, recreation centres and adventure activities of Munnar and Idukki district.

By GK Global, Adimali, Munnar · Trails & Tales by GK

Idukki is better known for its mountains, tea and wildlife than for theme parks, and there are no large amusement parks in the district. What it offers instead are gardens and parks set among the hills, boating on high mountain reservoirs, and a growing range of adventure activities, from ziplines and glass bridges to paragliding. This guide describes the main parks and activity centres, most of them run by government bodies such as the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) and the Kerala Hydel Tourism Centre of the State Electricity Board, along with private operators accredited by Kerala Tourism.

Parks and gardens in Munnar

Munnar Botanical Garden

About 1 km from town on the Devikulam road, the DTPC's Botanical Garden has terraced beds of flowers and ornamental plants, a children's play area, a watchtower and an amphitheatre. It is at its best after the monsoon and in the cool months, and is a good place for families.

Blossom Hydel Park

Run by the Kerala Hydel Tourism Centre, Blossom Park (Hydel Park) on the edge of Munnar town is a landscaped garden beside the river with lawns, flower beds, play equipment for children and space for picnics.

Children's park and tourist information

The DTPC's tourist information office in Munnar town has a small children's park, and organises sightseeing tours.

Boating on the reservoirs

The reservoirs created for hydroelectric power in the hills now offer boating, run by the Kerala Hydel Tourism Centre and DTPC:

• Mattupetty: speed boats and slower boats on the reservoir lined with tea and forest, where wild elephants are sometimes seen on the banks. (Read about Mattupetty and its Swiss cattle.)
• Echo Point: boating on the same reservoir, at the spot where shouts echo off the hills.
• Kundala: pedal boats, rowing boats and Kashmiri-style shikaras on the Kundala lake.
• Chengulam: boating near Anachal and Pallivasal.
• Thekkady: boat rides on the lake of Periyar Tiger Reserve, run by the forest department, and bamboo rafting.

Always wear life jackets, use only authorised boats, and follow the instructions of the crew.

Parks around Idukki

• Idukki Park and Hill View Park: near the Idukki arch dam, with views of the dam and reservoir, playgrounds, viewpoints and walkways; Hill View Park also offers boating and some adventure activities. The Idukki arch dam itself is opened to visitors at certain times of the year.
• Panchalimedu: rolling grassy hills near Kuttikkanam, with gardens and viewpoints, on the road to Thekkady.
• Ramakkalmedu: the windswept ridge with its Kuravan–Kurathi sculpture and a children's park, and nearby Aamappara.
• Aruvikkuzhi: a waterfall with gardens, walkways and views near Anakkara, on the Thekkady–Munnar road.

Adventure activities

Ziplines

Ziplines, on which riders slide on a cable across a valley or river, have become popular around Munnar, particularly at Anachal, between Adimali and Munnar, and near Kumily. The DTPC centre at Sreenarayanapuram (Ripple Waterfalls), about 20 km from Munnar, has a zipline across the river beside the falls. Rides last a minute or two.

The Vagamon glass bridge

At the DTPC adventure park at Kolahalamedu in Vagamon, a cantilever glass bridge about 40 m long projects out over the valley. Opened in 2023, it was described as the longest cantilever glass bridge in India. Visitor numbers on the bridge are limited for safety.

Paragliding in Vagamon

The rolling meadows and steady winds of Vagamon, on the border of Idukki and Kottayam, make it one of the main paragliding sites in Kerala. Tandem flights with trained pilots are offered at the adventure park in the season, and Vagamon has hosted international paragliding festivals. The meadows of Mottakunnu, the pine forest and the pilgrim hills of Kurisumala, Murugan Mala and Thangal Para make Vagamon a popular day trip.

Jeep rides, trekking and rafting

Off-road jeep rides to viewpoints such as Kolukkumalai operate only on routes approved by the district administration. Trekking in the forests is run by the forest department and eco-development committees, and bamboo rafting at Periyar. (Read our guide to trekking and hiking, and see our jeep safaris.)

For families

With children, the botanical garden, Blossom Park, the boating centres, Idukki Park and the Eravikulam tourism zone are good choices. (Read about Eravikulam.) The Tea Museum at Nallathanni and the spice gardens around Kumily are also popular. The nearest large amusement park is at Kochi, about four hours from Munnar by road.

Safety

• Use only activity operators that are accredited by Kerala Tourism or run by government agencies. The Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society sets safety standards for adventure activities.
• Check the age, weight and health limits for each activity, and follow the instructions of staff.
• Wear the safety equipment provided: harnesses, helmets and life jackets.
• Activities may be suspended during heavy rain and weather alerts, especially in the monsoon.
• Do not feed monkeys at parks and viewpoints, and take your waste with you.

(Read also our introduction to Munnar, our sightseeing guide and our guide to Idukki's waterfalls.)