IN · Kerala · 10.09°N 77.06°E

munnar

Tea-covered hills, cool mornings and winding roads through the Western Ghats.

Best time
December–March is cool and mostly dry, and October–November is green, with the odd afternoon shower. April–May is warmer, and the June–August monsoon brings heavy rain and landslides on the hill roads.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly direct from KL to Kochi (about 4 hours), then it's about 4 hours by road up into the hills. India is 2.5 hours behind KL.
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IN · Keralamunnar10.09°N 77.06°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Tea-covered hills, cool mornings and winding roads through the Western Ghats.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingMunnarIN, Kerala
KLmunnar
≈ 2,826 km from KL, as the crow flies
View over Munnar town from North East (see geotag location)

Photo: Kondephy · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Munnar is Kerala's tea country: rows of clipped tea bushes wrapped over steep hills, high enough that you'll want a jumper in the mornings. Days are slow here, with a drive, a tea stop and time on a veranda while the mist lifts.

Makan

  1. Appam and stewLacy rice pancakes with a mild coconut stew of vegetables or chicken.Map ↗
  2. Puttu and kadala currySteamed rice-and-coconut cylinders with black chickpea curry, the everyday Kerala breakfast.Map ↗
  3. Pazham pori and teaRipe banana fritters with a glass of local tea, the snack for a misty afternoon.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Tea estatesWalks between the rows with pickers at work, then a factory visit to see the leaves withered, rolled and graded.Map ↗
  2. Tea MuseumTata's museum at the Nallathanni estate, with old rolling machines, photos and a working demonstration.Map ↗
  3. Eravikulam National ParkHigh grassland above the plantations, where Nilgiri tahr, a wild goat found only in these hills, graze close to the road. It closes in February and March for the calving season.Map ↗
  4. Mattupetty and KundalaTwo reservoirs on the road towards Top Station, with tea slopes running down to the water.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Kerala has a large Muslim community, and halal restaurants are easy to find in Munnar town.
  • The sights are spread along different roads out of town, so one road a day beats criss-crossing through the centre.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.