Best Hill Stations in Kerala
The hill stations in Kerala display the finest beauty of the Western Ghats, be it the tea plantations of Munnar, the rich biodiversity of Wayanad, or the lush greenery of Idukki.
Munnar
Munnar is a town and hill station in the Idukki district of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. One of the most sought after honeymoon destinations in Kerala, Munnar is replete with resorts and logding facilities that fit a wide rage of budgets. Munnar is truly a heavenly tourist destination in God’s Own Country. Perched at an astounding height of 1,600m above the sea level, this gorgeous hilly retreat is adorned by the grace and charm of the mighty Western Ghats, and is known for its surreal beauty.
Wayanad
Wayanad is a land of beautiful ponds and paddy fields that dance to the tune of the wind. It is situated on the Western Ghats and is a hill station in Kerala with more number of tribal settlement in the area. This picturesque location in the mountains of the Western Ghats has its name as Wayanad which was derived from ‘Vayal’ meaning rice fields and ‘Nadu’ meaning land. Together becoming the Land of Paddy fields. According to historical findings, the forests of Wayanad have been in existence since 3,000 years. This makes this hill station a tranquil and deeply mystifying place to visit. Plus the cuisine here is worth trying out at least once in your life. It is one of the most coveted holiday destination in Kerala and houses many varieties of flora and fauna.
Thekkady
Thekkady(Idukki district) is a town near Periyar National Park, an important tourist attraction in the Kerala state of India. The name Thekkady is derived from the word "thekku" which means teak. Temperatures are lowest in the months of December-January and highest in the months of April-May. The sanctuary is famous for its dense evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savanna grass lands. It is home to herds of elephants, sambar, tigers, gaur, lion-tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs. Due to the density of the forest sightings of elephants and in particular, tigers are highly unlikely. If you can plan a tour to Kerala and visit the gorgeous hill station of Wayanad anytime you want
Vagamon
Vagamon is a hill station located in Kottayam- Idukki border of Kerala. It has a cool climate with the temperature between 10-23°C during a summer midday. The grassy hills, velvet lawns and overall mysticism of the place cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. This quaint town lies untouched by any modern influences and is neatly tucked away in Idukki district. Visitors can avail many activities including trekking, paragliding, mountaineering and rock climbing.
Ponmudi
Ponmudi offers beautiful trekking trails to many other wonders of nature hidden away from the casual eyes. All day you can walk through the promising trails with greater excitements. Trekking to Varayadumotta, the most popular trekking trail in Ponmudi offers the panoramic view of the hills along with the Nilgiri Tahrs. Considered as one of the toughest in Trivandrum, it is 18 km trek. Bestowed with the virgin beauty of Mother Nature, Ponmudi is canopied with evergreen thickets, winding trails, gurgling streams, and other marvels of the nature. Such is the beauty of this Kerala hill station; you will surely fall for its untouched and enchanting beauty.
Idukki
Idukki is one of the 14 districts of Kerala state, India, created on 26 January 1972. This beautiful High range district of Kerala is geographically known for its Mountainous Hills and Dense Forests. For the people of Kerala, Idukki is always associated with Power Generation. Idukki is also known as the spice garden of Kerala. Idukki which lies in the Western Ghats of Kerala is the second largest district in area but has the lowest population density. Idukki has a vast forest reserve area; more than a half of the district is covered by forests. The urban areas are densely populated whereas villages are sparsely populated.
Gavi
Gavi is a picturesque land filled with abundant flora and fauna, that leaves you breatheless. An enthralling hill station, which makes your drive up the hill very memorable. This hill station is a leading eco tourism centre of India filled with massive forests, spice plantations, whispering it’s a paradise beyond beauty of the heaven. Also, owing to the lush, evergreen, and favourable climatic conditions, Gavi takes the pride of being an ideal home to a wide range of wildlife species. Nature or wildlife lovers visiting Gavi during their Kerala trip can go for wildlife safaris, bird watching, jungle camping, stay in tree house, and several other amazing activities.
Ranipuram
Ranipuram hills is an attractive destination located in the Kasaragod district. The region, once known as Madathumala, shares it borders with Karnataka. Ranipuram is also called the ‘Ooty of Kerala’. On a visit to this promising hill station in Kerala, visitors can delight in its alluring charm and laze around doing nothing. Adventure seekers can also make it to this gorgeous hilly retreat and enjoy enthralling activities like trekking, hiking, and wildlife spotting around the rugged and lush settings of Ranipuram.