Location

130 kms off Kochi, Munnar is a hillock retreat 1600 Mts above the sea level. The vast expanse of tea plantations, black winding roads, passionate climate, royal gardens, races, fairs, all real Victorian settings make this hill station, the Darjeeling of the South. Situated at the confluence of three-mountain streams-Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundalla, this hill station was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India. The high ranges of Munnar were earlier known as Kannan Devan Hills, named after a certain Kannan Thevan, who had been a land lord in the Anchanad valley on the eastern side of the district. Tea cultivation started on teh Neelgiris in 1832 on an experimental basis, and later in 1878 was taken up on the Kannan Devan Hills in Munnar. Today, tea cultivated on 24,000 hectares of land in Munnar.
Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the 'Neelakurunji'. This flower which bathes the hills in blue every 12 years. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi, which towers over 2695 Mts. Anamudi acquired its name due to the interesting fact that it resembles the shape of an elephant's head. 13 Kms from Munnar. Mattupetti is known for its highly specialized diary farm-the Indo-Swiss livestock project which rears over a 100 varieties of high yielding cattle. 15 Kms from Munnar lays the Eravikulam National Park, the second prominent national park in Kerala. This is the natural habitat of the Nilgiri Tahr-a rare mountain goat (Hemitragas Hylocres). Half the World population of the Nilgiri Tahrs, which is fast becoming extinct, is now found here.