KSRTC has arranged a super budget friendly trip for people from North Kerala. You can take a superfast bus to Munnar and back for just Rs.700. The first journey started from Malappuram KSRTC station on October 16
The bus journey starts from Malappuram at 1 pm. It reaches Munnar at 7.30 pm. You can spend the night in berths prepared on AC buses for just Rs 100. Those who want wool can get it by paying an extra Rs 50. In addition, the entire bus can be booked for Rs 1600 per team as a whole or for one or two people only. This trip is prepared with complete safety as we expect passengers including women.
You can drive back to the viewpoints
After refreshing on Sunday morning, you will board the next KSRTC journey to Munnar at 10 am. For this one has to pay a charge of Rs.200. Buses to Top Station, Kundala Dam, Echo Point, Tea Factory, Mattupetty and Botanical Flower Garden will stop at each place for a while.
The bus arrives at Kundala Dam in the afternoon and stays there for lunch. Travelers can order food from Tata's Restaurant. Passengers from the hotel will arrive to pick up orders for the required meals. Food will be delivered to the Kundala Dam area in the afternoon. You have to pay another amount for food. Boating facilities are also available at Kundala Dam.
Evening return journey
The bus will return at 3.30 pm and reach Munnar KSRTC station. If you take a bus back to Malappuram from here, you will return to the Malappuram bus stand at 1.30 pm.
Daily service if there are more passengers
Those who wish to travel can call the Malappuram KSRTC Depot and book. Xavier George said the plan is to run a Munnar bus service from Malappuram every day, except on Saturdays, if there is an influx of tourists. There are also plans to travel by AC bus if required. Apart from Malappuram, there are plans to launch Munnar services from Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Alappuzha soon, he added.
Why you shouldn’t miss these places during your next Munnar visit
» Echo Point: Situated 600 feet above sea level in Munnar is the famous tourist place, Echo Point. As the name suggests, the place is known for the unique echoing phenomenon – that is, if you scream anything into the valley at this point, you will hear it back. Thronged by tourists for this fascinating characteristic, you can see people screaming at the top of their lungs with childlike abandon. As if that is not enough to attract people from all over the world, you will also get a taste of the brilliant natural splendor here – picturesque vistas, beautiful landscapes, and lush green hills.
» Atukkad Waterfalls: Nestled 2 km away from Munnar amidst beautiful hills and lush green jungles, this pristine waterfall makes for romantic escapades and picnic sites. However, the road to Atukkad is very narrow and needs a lot of experience to drive on. The pool formed at the base of the waterfall is suitable for taking a dip!
» Peermade: It’s a beautiful little world with a splash of colours. That too in blue-grey-green! Peermade has all the nature’s allure to make the place a tempting prospect for nature lovers. The lush green cover of coffee, tea, pepper, cardamom, and rubber plantations along the neat contours of the hills makes for a lovely sight. At 950 m above sea level, Peermade is a reward to the seeking eyes and yearning hearts looking for ultimate tourist places in and around Munnar. Enjoy the perfect bird’s eye view around.
» Cheeyapara Waterfalls: Known as one of the hottest trekking locations in Munnar, Cheeyappara Waterfalls can be found on the way to Munnar after Neriamangalam and before Adimali and flows down in seven steps making a great view from the road near the second step from the bottom. Valara is another waterfall near Cheeyapara that is enclosed by dense natural jungles. Indeed, it is also a good spot to enjoy a break and have a hot tea before reaching Munnar.
» Eravikulam National Park: Situated in the Kannan Devan Hills of the southern Western Ghats, the wildlife park with an area of 97 sq. km. can be reached via Munnar. Located in the Devikulam Taluk of Idukki district in Kerala, after reaching Munnar, you need to take the road going to Rajamala to reach this national park. The national park is a protected area and is divided into three regions - the core area, the buffer area, and the tourism area. Visitors are allowed only to the tourism area that is in Rajamala, the region lying beyond the road entry into Eravikulam. Eravikulam is also famous for the natural habitat of Nilgiri Tahr, the endangered mountain goat, and this park is built with the aim of conserving them. The Kurinji Trail is a soft trekking package that lets you map out your way through the tracks of the Nilgiri Tahr and the grasslands draped in Neelakurinji. This three-hour trek is scheduled for mornings and evenings.
» Marayoor: Located just 40 kilometers away from Munnar is a scenic locale by the name of Marayoor, which is famous for its naturally growing sandalwood forest and dolmens from the Stone Age Civilization. Wrapped in a wispy blanket of glorious clouds, Marayoor has hamlets, sugarcane fields, waterfalls, and bamboo forests making it an enchanting landscape of exquisite green beauty. Add to it, the natural blessing of a sea of fragrant sandalwood trees; this place is a sensory experience like no other.
» Tea Estates: If you go back home from Munnar without visiting one of the gorgeous tea plantations, your trip will forever be incomplete. As soon you walk into the estates, you will be filled with the fragrance of tea plants, fresh tea leaves being picked, and tea getting processed. Housing more than 50 tea estates, going to one of these properties is a must when in Munnar. Lush green tea plants are spread over as far as the eye can see and provide you with a sense of calmness and serenity that only comes with spending time around nature.
» Pallivasal Falls: This is a stunning natural water body in the midst of dense forestation. It is famous as a picnic and sightseeing attraction in Munnar and draws nature lovers for soul-satisfying nature walks. The waterfall cascades down a rocky slope and doesn't quite have a height but the force it gushes with is sure to captivate one and all.
» Top Station: Overlooking the beautiful panoramic views of the Western Ghats is the Top station in Munnar which is one of the must-visit Munnar tourist places. Top Station is a viewpoint at the highest altitude in Munnar and is located at a distance of almost 40+ KM’s from Munnar. If you are visiting Munnar, you need to be very lucky to reach the top station when the sky is clear – without fog. It rains in Munnar frequently as a result of which fog covers the beautiful views from Munnar. The drive to the top station is pretty long but the drive has beautiful views, tea gardens, and two dams on the way. It is better to visit the Top Station initially and visit the dams etc. on the way back if you are planning to start early from Munnar.
» Indo Swiss Dairy Farm: This is a cattle development and research centre that spreads over an area of 469 acres of lush green grasslands and is home to a variety of high-quality cattle. The farm rears about 400 heads of cattle and is the headquarter of the Indo-Swiss Livestock Project that was launched in 1963 on mutual agreement between the Swiss and the Indian Government.