Travel guide · Adventure · 15 min read

Trekking and Hiking in Munnar and Idukki: Where, Who, When and How

From the summit of Meesapulimala to tiger trails in Periyar and tribal treks in Chinnar, Idukki is one of the finest walking regions in South India. A guide to the main treks and hikes, who runs them, when to go and how to stay safe, and why a jeep ride is not a trek.

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

Idukki is a district made for walking. Its hills rise from the plains of Kerala to more than 2,600 m, through rainforest, cardamom and tea, to the rolling grasslands and shola forests of the high ranges. Paths wind past waterfalls and tribal settlements, along elephant trails and up to summits from which, on a clear morning, the whole of South India seems to be spread out below.

But walking in these hills needs knowledge and care. Most of the land is forest, plantation or private estate, and entry is regulated. Wild animals, sudden weather, steep slopes and forest fires all pose real dangers. This guide describes the main treks and hikes in and around Munnar and Idukki, who conducts them, when to go, and how to walk safely and responsibly. It also clears up a common confusion: the difference between a trek, a hike and a jeep safari.

Trekking, hiking and jeep safari: what is the difference?

In and around Munnar, many jeep trips are advertised as "treks" or "off-road trekking". This misleads visitors, who may arrive expecting a walk in the forest and spend the day in a jeep, or, worse, set out on a genuine trek without the fitness or preparation it needs. The terms mean different things.

In short: if you are walking, it is a hike or a trek; if you are riding, it is a safari or a drive. A trip to Kolukkumalai, for example, is a jeep journey from Suryanelli up a private estate road to a viewpoint, not a trek, even though it is often sold as one. There is nothing wrong with a jeep safari: it is the best way for many people, including families, older travellers and those short of time, to see the high ranges. But visitors deserve to know what they are booking.

Who conducts treks in Idukki?

• Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department. Most treks inside forests and protected areas are run by the forest department, often through eco-development committees (EDCs) and Vana Samrakshana Samithis made up of local and tribal communities, whose members work as guides. This model, pioneered in Periyar, gives local people a living from protecting the forest.
• Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC). A state corporation that runs some eco-tourism programmes, including the trek and stay at Meesapulimala.
• District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) and the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS). These manage some tourist sites and set safety rules for adventure activities, including off-road jeep routes.
• Accredited adventure tour operators. Kerala Tourism lists approved adventure operators; choose one that is registered and works with the necessary permits.

Entering a forest without permission is an offence under Kerala's forest and wildlife laws, and dangerous. Never trek in forest areas on your own or with an unauthorised "guide".

Treks and hikes in and around Munnar

Meesapulimala

(Read our full article on Meesapulimala.) At 2,640 m, Meesapulimala is one of the highest peaks in the Western Ghats, rising just south of Manna Malai. Its name means "the whiskered leopard mountain", from its shape. The trek, run by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation, starts from the KFDC camp at Rhodo Valley, named for its wild rhododendrons, and climbs through shola forest and high grassland to the summit, with views across the Anamalai and Palani hills. It is a demanding full-day trek, and KFDC also offers overnight stays. Bookings must be made through KFDC; access from the Kolukkumalai side is restricted.

Eravikulam and Lakkam

In Eravikulam National Park, visitors may walk only in the Rajamala tourism zone, a gentle walk along the road among the Nilgiri tahr. Anamudi, the highest peak in South India, lies inside the park and is closed to casual trekkers. On the Munnar–Marayoor road, the eco-tourism site at Lakkam offers a short walk to a waterfall.

The shola parks: Pampadum and Anamudi Shola

Short guided treks have been offered in the shola national parks, including trails through Pampadum Shola towards Vattavada and through the Mannavan shola of Anamudi Shola National Park near Kanthalloor. They pass through some of the last high-altitude shola forests in Kerala. Check availability with the Munnar Wildlife Division.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Chinnar, in the dry rain-shadow country beyond Marayoor, offers some of the most interesting treks in Kerala, run by the forest department with eco-development committees formed by tribal communities:

• a one-day trek with bird watching;
• a trek to Vasyapara with an overnight stay in a thatched hut on a hilltop;
• a three-day, two-night trek through the forest to prehistoric rock paintings and dolmens, with visits to tribal settlements;
• the guided walk to the Thoovanam waterfall on the Pambar river. (Read our guide to Idukki's waterfalls.)

Chinnar is home to elephants, gaur and leopards; treks are always guided.

Marayoor and Kanthalloor

The valley of Marayoor and Kanthalloor offers easy hikes to the prehistoric dolmens and rock shelters, through the sandalwood country and past the fields where Marayoor jaggery is made. Respect private land and the ancient monuments.

Top Station and the old routes to Kurangani

Top Station, on the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border, is the starting point of old footpaths that descend the escarpment to Kurangani in Tamil Nadu. These routes cross forest and grassland that is highly prone to fire in the dry season. On 11 March 2018, a fire on the Kurangani hills trapped a group of trekkers; more than 20 people died (read our article on the Kurangani fire). The disaster led both states to tighten their rules: Kerala temporarily suspended forest treks, and Tamil Nadu introduced a policy under which only registered organisations may conduct treks, routes are graded by difficulty, guides are mandatory and treks are banned during the fire season. Any trek in this area should be undertaken only with an authorised organiser and with the permission of the forest departments of both states.

Treks and hikes elsewhere in Idukki

Periyar Tiger Reserve

Periyar, at Thekkady, has one of the best-organised trekking programmes in India, run by the forest department through eco-development committees, many of whose guides are former poachers turned protectors. Programmes include:

• the Nature Walk or guided day trek;
• the Periyar Tiger Trail, an adventure trek with camping deep in the reserve;
• Border Hiking along the reserve's boundary ranges;
• Bamboo Rafting, combining a trek with a raft trip on the lake; and
• Jungle Patrol, a night walk with forest guards.

Once a year, on the full moon of the Malayalam month of Medam (Chitra Pournami), pilgrims are allowed to visit the ancient Mangala Devi temple on a hilltop on the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border inside the reserve.

Vagamon and the pilgrim hills

Around Vagamon, the rolling grassy hills of Kurisumala, Murugan Mala and Thangal Para, each sacred to a different faith, make rewarding hikes. Kurisumala, crowned by a Christian shrine, is climbed by thousands of pilgrims during Lent and Holy Week.

Ramakkalmedu and Kalvari Mount

Ramakkalmedu, near Nedumkandam, is a windy ridge on the Tamil Nadu border with views over the plains and a giant sculpture of the Kuravan and Kurathi. Kalvari Mount, near Kattappana, looks out over the Idukki reservoir. Both make short, rewarding hikes.

Thommankuthu

Near Thodupuzha, the forest department and local communities run treks along the series of waterfalls at Thommankuthu.

When to go

• October to February: the best trekking season: clear skies, cool weather and green hills. December and January bring cold nights, and frost on the high grasslands.
• February to May: the hot, dry season. This is the forest fire season, when grasslands can burn rapidly; many treks are closed or restricted. Avoid high grasslands and follow all closures.
• June to September: the southwest monsoon. Heavy rain, mist, leeches, swollen streams and landslides make most treks dangerous, and many are suspended. Eravikulam is also closed in February and March for the Nilgiri tahr calving season.
• Time of day: start early, ideally by 6 or 7 am, when the air is clear and cool, and plan to be out of the forest by mid-afternoon, before mist, rain and dusk. Wild animals are most active at dawn and dusk.

Do's and don'ts for trekkers

Do

• Book with an authorised organiser: the forest department, KFDC, an eco-development committee or an accredited operator. Carry your permit and ID.
• Always go with a licensed guide in forest areas, and follow their instructions.
• Tell someone where you are going and when you will return. Mobile signal is patchy in the hills.
• Check the weather and alerts before you set out. Turn back if the weather turns.
• Wear good shoes with a firm grip, and long socks against leeches in wet weather.
• Carry enough water, some food, a rain jacket, a warm layer, a torch, a basic first-aid kit and any personal medicines.
• Walk quietly in single file, and keep your group together.
• Carry all your waste back, including food scraps and plastic.
• Know your limits. Choose a trek that matches your fitness, and tell your guide about any health problems.

Don't

• Don't enter forests without permission, or leave the trail.
• Don't light fires or smoke. A single match or cigarette can start a grassland fire.
• Don't approach, follow, feed or photograph wild animals at close range. If you meet an elephant or gaur, stay calm, keep your distance and follow your guide. (Read our article on human–wildlife conflict.)
• Don't bathe in streams or below waterfalls unless it is officially permitted.
• Don't play loud music, fly drones or use flash in protected areas.
• Don't pick plants, flowers or neelakurinji, or remove anything from the forest.
• Don't drink alcohol before or during a trek.
• Don't trek in the dark or set out late in the day.

Prefer to ride? Jeep safaris

Not everyone wants, or is able, to walk for hours up a mountain. A jeep safari is a good way to see the high ranges' viewpoints, tea estates and wildlife in comfort, with only short walks at each stop. In Idukki, off-road jeep services now operate only on routes approved by the district administration, under safety rules that include driver registration, experience requirements and breath tests.

GK Global's jeep safaris are drives, not treks: Sunrise Safari, Half-Day Trip, Full-Day Trip, Top Station Safari, Anakkulam Elephant Spotting Safari and Night Jungle Safari. See all our options on the jeep safari page.

Whether you walk or ride, the hills of Idukki reward those who come with patience and respect. (Read also our Munnar sightseeing guide, and our articles on Munnar's wildlife and its changing climate.)