Nilgiri Tahr at Eravikulam, tea heritage, misty dams, and panoramic sunset from Top Station.
A full day exploring Munnar — endangered Nilgiri Tahr at Eravikulam, tea history at the Tea Museum, misty dams and lakes, and panoramic sunset views from Top Station on the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border.
Begin early to make the most of the cool morning weather. Munnar town is the base for this itinerary — most hotels and homestays are in or around the town centre. Grab a quick breakfast or a cup of fresh cardamom tea from one of the roadside stalls before heading out.
Drive 15 km to Eravikulam National Park — the last stronghold of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. A shuttle bus takes you from the entry gate into the park, where well-marked trails wind through high-altitude grasslands on the slopes of Anamudi (2,695m, the highest peak in South India). The Nilgiri Tahr are remarkably tame, often grazing within metres of you. The misty morning views from the trails are breathtaking.
💡 The park opens at 7 AM and allows limited visitors per day — book tickets online in advance at eravikulamnationalpark.in. The park is occasionally closed during calving season (January–February).
Head back towards Munnar and stop at the KDHP Tea Museum (Kanan Devan Hills Plantations). The museum showcases the history of tea cultivation in the region with original British-era machinery from the 1880s, photographs, and a live demonstration of tea processing — from plucking to packaging. End with a tasting of fresh Munnar tea.
💡 Open 9 AM – 4 PM, closed Mondays. Entry fee ₹75. The museum shop sells excellent local tea varieties.
Drive 13 km from Munnar to Mattupetty Dam — a concrete gravity dam surrounded by tea plantations and shola forests. The reservoir is scenic and you can take a speed boat ride on the lake. Nearby, the Indo-Swiss Dairy Farm (now managed by KLDB) offers guided tours of the cattle breeding centre set in beautiful rolling hills.
Continue 3 km past Mattupetty to Echo Point — a scenic spot where your voice echoes across the valley and lake. Then drive another 3 km to Kundala Lake, a beautiful artificial lake where you can take a pedal boat or shikara ride surrounded by tea-covered hills and eucalyptus forests.
Return towards Munnar for lunch. Try Saravana Bhavan or Rapsy Restaurant for South Indian meals, or SN Restaurant for Kerala-style fish curry and rice. For something adventurous, look for Bamboo Chicken at one of the roadside stalls on the way — chicken stuffed with spices and slow-cooked inside a bamboo stem over an open fire.
Drive along the scenic Top Station road, stopping at Photo Point — a popular viewpoint with expansive views of tea plantations, valleys, and distant peaks. The drive itself is one of the most scenic in Kerala, winding through endless tea estates with the Western Ghats rising on either side.
Reach Top Station — the highest point in Munnar at about 1,880 metres, on the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border. The viewpoint offers spectacular panoramic views of the Tamil Nadu plains far below, the Theni valley, and on clear days, the Vaigai Dam in the distance. This is where the famous Neelakurinji flowers bloom once every 12 years (last in 2018, next in 2030), carpeting the hills in blue.
💡 Top Station can be windy and cool even in summer — carry a light jacket. The drive from Munnar is about 35 km (1.5 hours on winding roads).
Watch the sunset from Top Station or from one of the viewpoints on the drive back. The golden light over the tea plantations and the mist rolling into the valleys make the return drive magical. Arrive back in Munnar by evening.
End the day with dinner in Munnar town. Try the cardamom-flavoured dishes unique to the hill country, or head to a bakery for fresh bread and local chocolates — Munnar is known for its homemade chocolates with cocoa, coffee, and fruit flavours.