Explore Munnar
Places to Visit in Munnar
Top attractions and must-see spots in Munnar
Landmarks
4
Christ Church, Munnar
Christ Church is one of the oldest colonial-era churches in Munnar, built during the British plantation period in the early twentieth century. The stone structure with its sloping roof and simple interior reflects the understated Anglican architecture typical of hill station churches across South India. It stands near the town centre and remains an active place of worship. The church is a quiet heritage landmark that offers a sense of Munnar British past, set amid the tea estates that the planters who built it once managed.
Kolukkumalai Tea Estate
Kolukkumalai is widely regarded as the highest tea estate in the world, sitting above 2,400 metres on the Munnar-Tamil Nadu border. Reaching it requires a bumpy jeep ride up rough mountain tracks, which is part of the adventure. The century-old factory here still uses original wooden machinery to produce orthodox tea. The views from the top, stretching across both Kerala and Tamil Nadu, are extraordinary. It is one of the most rewarding and offbeat half-day trips from Munnar.
St. Antony Church, Munnar
St. Antony Church is a prominent Catholic church in Munnar town, serving a large congregation from the local planter and settler communities. The church has a clean whitewashed facade and a peaceful courtyard, sitting in contrast to the misty hills surrounding the town. It is one of the more visible religious landmarks in central Munnar and holds regular services that draw both locals and visiting pilgrims. For travellers interested in the cultural and community fabric of Munnar, it is a meaningful stop alongside the town natural attractions.
Tata Tea Museum
The Tata Tea Museum at Nallathanni Estate is the most comprehensive tea experience in Munnar, tracing over a century of tea cultivation in the region. The museum displays vintage machinery, photographs, and artefacts from the British plantation era. Visitors can walk through the factory, watch the tea processing stages, and sample freshly brewed Munnar tea. Set within a working estate, it combines history, culture, and landscape in a way that no other stop in Munnar quite matches.
National Parks
3
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary lies on the rain shadow eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, about 60 kilometres from Munnar. Unlike the misty greenery of Eravikulam, Chinnar has a drier, scrubby landscape that supports a remarkably diverse range of wildlife including elephants, leopards, and the rare grizzled giant squirrel found almost nowhere else. The sanctuary offers guided treks, watchtower stays, and crocodile spotting along the Chinnar River, making it one of the more adventurous escapes in the Munnar belt.
Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park is a UNESCO-recognised biodiversity hotspot and one of the most visited wildlife destinations in Kerala. Spread across the high-altitude grasslands of the Rajamala hills, the park is the primary habitat of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. It also becomes a spectacle every twelve years when the Neelakurinji shrub blankets the hillsides in purple bloom. The park closes during the monsoon and calving season. A visit here is considered essential for any trip to Munnar.
Pampadum Shola National Park
Pampadum Shola is one of the smallest national parks in India, covering a compact stretch of montane shola forest near Munnar. Despite its size, the park is ecologically significant, protecting a rare and fragile high-altitude ecosystem of dense shola patches interspersed with rolling grasslands. It receives far fewer visitors than Eravikulam, giving it a quieter, more pristine character. The park is home to several endemic species of birds, reptiles, and plants, making it a rewarding stop for serious nature enthusiasts.
Scenic Spots
18
Anamudi Peak
Anamudi is the highest peak in South India, rising to 2,695 metres within the Eravikulam National Park. Trekking to the summit requires a permit from the forest department, and access is regulated to protect the fragile high-altitude ecosystem. The trail passes through rolling shola grasslands and offers sweeping views of the Western Ghats on clear days. Spotting Nilgiri Tahr along the route is common. For serious trekkers visiting Munnar, Anamudi is the most significant and rewarding high-altitude objective in the entire region.
Anayirangal Dam
Anayirangal Dam is a quiet, high-altitude reservoir about 22 kilometres from Munnar, surrounded by dense shola forests and tea estates. Far less visited than Mattupetty or Kundala, it offers a more secluded and unhurried experience for travellers looking to escape the busier stretches of the Munnar circuit. The calm backwaters, forested hillsides, and cool air make it a peaceful stop for photography and nature walks. Boating facilities are available, and the drive to the dam through the upper plantation belt is scenic in itself.
Attukal Waterfall
Attukal Waterfall is one of the most accessible waterfalls near Munnar, located about 9 kilometres from town on the road toward Pallivasal. The falls cascade down a rocky hillside through a stretch of forest, with a stream below that visitors can wade into. It is a popular quick stop on Munnar itineraries, especially during and after the monsoon when the flow is at its strongest. The surrounding forest and the cool spray from the falls make it a refreshing break on a Munnar road trip.
Cheeyappara Waterfall
Cheeyappara Waterfall is one of the most dramatic roadside waterfalls in Kerala, cascading down seven steps over a rocky hillside along the Kochi to Munnar highway near Adimali. The falls are visible directly from the road, making them one of the easiest waterfall stops in the region. During the monsoon and post-monsoon months, the volume and force of the water is spectacular. The stepped formation of the falls, framed by forest on either side, makes Cheeyappara one of the most photographed natural landmarks on the Munnar approach road.
Echo Point
Echo Point is a serene lakeside viewpoint on the Munnar to Top Station road, named for the natural echo that bounces off the surrounding hills. The spot sits alongside a calm shola lake ringed by tea gardens and forest. It is a favourite stop for families and nature lovers looking for a quiet break. The cool air, open grasslands, and reflective water make it one of the most photogenic stretches near Munnar.
Kolukkumalai Trek
The Kolukkumalai Trek is a high-altitude ridge walk that takes visitors through some of the most dramatic terrain in the Munnar region, combining a rough jeep ride with a trail across open grasslands to the world highest tea estate. The trek offers continuous panoramic views of the Western Ghats, with the Suryanelli valley visible far below on the Tamil Nadu side. Starting early allows trekkers to catch the sunrise over the ridge. The combination of raw landscape, historic tea factory, and sweeping views makes this one of the most complete experiences near Munnar.
KTDC Spice Garden
The KTDC Spice Garden is a Kerala Tourism Development Corporation managed attraction near Munnar, offering guided walks through a working garden of spices and plantation crops. Visitors can see cardamom, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, coffee, and tea plants growing together across a compact, well-maintained plot. Knowledgeable guides explain the cultivation, harvesting, and uses of each crop. Fresh produce and packaged spices are available for purchase at the end of the tour. It is an informative and sensory experience that gives context to the agricultural landscape that defines the Munnar region.
Kundala Lake
Kundala Lake is a high-altitude reservoir near Munnar, formed by one of the earliest arch dams built in India. Set at around 1,700 metres amid tea gardens and pine forests, the lake is known for its calm, emerald-green waters. Pedal boating is available for visitors. The surrounding landscape, with neat rows of tea bushes framing the shoreline, makes Kundala one of the most scenic and peaceful spots on the Top Station road.
Lakkam Waterfall
Lakkam Waterfall is a scenic cascade located near Marayoor, roughly 40 kilometres from Munnar on the road toward the sandalwood forests. The falls drop through a forested gorge and are framed by shola vegetation, giving them a wilder, less developed feel compared to the more visited waterfalls closer to Munnar town. A short trail leads down to the base of the falls. The combination of the waterfall, the surrounding forest, and the nearby Marayoor sandalwood groves makes this a worthwhile stop on an extended Munnar day trip.
Marayoor
Marayoor is a small town about 40 kilometres from Munnar, known for its naturally growing sandalwood forests, the only wild sandalwood reserve in Kerala. The town also has ancient megalithic dolmens dating back thousands of years, scattered across the surrounding hills. Marayoor is famous for its jaggery, made from sugarcane grown in the valley and sold at small roadside units. The combination of rare forest ecology, prehistoric heritage, and artisan food traditions makes Marayoor one of the most culturally layered day trips from Munnar.
Mattupetty Dam
Mattupetty Dam is a picturesque storage dam set at 1,700 metres above sea level, about 13 kilometres from Munnar town. The reservoir is surrounded by dense shola forests and rolling tea estates, making it a classic Munnar viewpoint. Boating on the lake is a popular activity here. The Indo-Swiss Livestock Project nearby adds an unusual pastoral charm to the area, and it serves as a gateway toward Echo Point and Top Station.
Nyayamakad Waterfall
Nyayamakad is a tall, dramatic waterfall near Rajamala, tumbling down the steep slopes of the Western Ghats close to the Eravikulam National Park boundary. The falls are most impressive during and immediately after the monsoon, when the volume of water rushing down the rock face is at its peak. The setting, surrounded by high-altitude grasslands and shola forest, gives Nyayamakad a remote and spectacular character. It is typically combined with a visit to Eravikulam and is one of the more striking natural sights in the upper Munnar region.
Pallivasal
Pallivasal is a small riverside settlement about 8 kilometres from Munnar, known primarily as the site of Kerala first hydroelectric power station, commissioned in 1940. The project, set along the Muthirapuzha River, remains operational and is a modest but historically significant landmark. The surrounding area has a lush, forested character with the river running alongside the road. Pallivasal is typically a short stopover on the way to Attukal Waterfall and offers a glimpse into the industrial heritage that quietly underpins life in the Munnar hills.
Pothamedu Viewpoint
Pothamedu is a panoramic viewpoint about 3 kilometres from Munnar town, offering sweeping views over a vast valley of tea, coffee, and cardamom plantations. Unlike the busier spots on the Top Station road, Pothamedu has a quieter, more local feel. The sunrise views here are particularly striking, with layers of mist rolling over the plantation-covered hills. It is an easy visit and one of the best spots near Munnar for unhurried photography and fresh mountain air.
Rajamala Tea Estate
Rajamala Tea Estate sits at a high altitude near the Eravikulam National Park boundary, making it one of the most dramatically located estates in Munnar. The terrain here is steeper and wilder than the more manicured plantations closer to town, with mist frequently rolling in across the upper slopes. The estate is often visited alongside Eravikulam, and the surrounding landscape of rocky grasslands and tea fields gives Rajamala a distinctly rugged, high-altitude character.
Shooting Point (Chithirapuram)
Shooting Point is a vast open meadow in the Chithirapuram area of Munnar, named for its long history as a Bollywood and Malayalam film shooting location. The rolling grasslands, framed by tea estates and misty hills, give it a wide, cinematic quality unlike most spots in the region. It is a relaxed, crowd-friendly viewpoint ideal for walks and photography. The meadow sits at a comfortable altitude and offers a broad, unobstructed view of the surrounding valley.
Top Station
Top Station is the highest point in Munnar, sitting at around 1,700 metres on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. The viewpoint offers sweeping panoramas of the Western Ghats, mist-covered valleys, and on clear days, views stretching into Tamil Nadu. It is famous for the rare Neelakurinji flowers that bloom here every twelve years. The drive up through tea estates is as memorable as the views at the top.
Vagamon
Vagamon is a high-altitude plateau about 65 kilometres from Munnar, known for its vast open meadows, pine forests, and mist-covered hillsides. It sits at the meeting point of three hills called Murugan Mala, Kurisumala, and Thangal Mala, each with its own cultural significance. The landscape is markedly different from Munnar, with wide grassy slopes ideal for paragliding and long walks. Vagamon has a quieter, less commercialised character compared to Munnar town and appeals strongly to travellers looking for slow, immersive hill escapes.
Shopping
4
Echo Point Handicraft Stalls
Small tourist craft and souvenir stalls near Echo Point.
Munnar Spice Shops
Main-road spice and tea shops selling cardamom, pepper, homemade chocolates, and local produce.
Munnar Town Market
Munnar Town Market is the most accessible shopping destination in the region, spread across the main bazaar streets in the centre of town. Stalls and shops sell freshly packed Munnar tea in various grades, whole cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, and other locally grown spices at reasonable prices. Homemade chocolate, eucalyptus oil, and herbal products are also widely available. The market has a lively, workaday atmosphere that reflects the town plantation economy. It is the best place in Munnar to pick up quality spices and teas directly from the source.
Tea Factory Outlets Munnar
Estate and factory-linked tea outlets for fresher local tea purchases.
Temple
1
Trekking
3
Chokramudi Peak
Chokramudi is a moderately challenging trek near Munnar, reaching a summit of around 2,000 metres through a mix of tea plantation trails and open grassland. The trek is popular with beginners and intermediate hikers looking for a full-day outing without the permit requirements of Anamudi. The trail offers continuous views over the surrounding tea estates and distant ridgelines. The upper sections open into wide grassy slopes that give a strong sense of height and exposure. It is one of the most rewarding accessible treks within close range of Munnar town.
Lakshmi Hill Trek
This trek passes through tea plantations and grasslands and gives a beautiful view of the Pallivasal and Anchal reas from here.
Meesapulimala
Meesapulimala is the second highest peak in Kerala at 2,640 metres, located along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border near Rhododendron Valley. The trek is typically done as an overnight trip, starting from the Kolukkumalai side or the Rajamala base. The trail passes through shola forests, open grasslands, and rhododendron patches that bloom brilliantly between February and April. The summit offers unobstructed views across both states on clear days. It is considered one of the finest high-altitude treks in the Western Ghats and a bucket-list climb for Kerala trekkers.