Pampadum Shola - The Home of the Evasive Nilgiri Marten

Pampadum Shola National Park in Munnar is located on the southern portion of Western Ghats and is a safe haven for the rare and most elusive Nilgiri Marten. Due to the presense of the Nilgiri Marten, the eco-tourism activities at Pampadum Shola National Park  require careful planning and regular review. The Nilgiri Marten almost looks like a civet or a mongoose and it most prefers areas with higher altitudes.

The earlier information about the Nilgiri Marten was that it was a solitary animal. But recente experiences have shown that that they can be spotted as pairs and triplets as well. The authorities have been able to gather information on the dietary habits of the carnivorous animal. There were almost 42 independent sightings in Pampadum Shola, and the researchers feel the area and its extended forest area stretches in Kerala and Tamil Nadu constitute the largest haven of the elusive mustelids. The number is very crucial as the global population of the Nilgiri Marten is estimated only below 1000.

Pampadum Shola comes under Munnar Wildlife Division, and enjoys proximity of Kurunjimala Wildlife Sanctuary and Palani hills of Tamil Nadu. The shola grass lands in this region have significant presence of Nilgiri Marten.

Recently the researchers have also recorded their sounds along with their hunting patterns. The Nilgiri Martens is often found to engage in allo-grooming and resting on fallen tree trunks. During the day time, the Nilgiri Martens remain restless and active. The Nilgiri Martens has become one of the prime attractions for those visiting Munnar and most of the travellers are seen busy trying to spot this rare species and take a snap or two.

Munnar Becomes Busy as Snow Falls on the Mountain Peaks

The flow of tourist towards Munnar to enjoy the chilled weather has increased in the last few days. The flow of tourists which started to increase since November is expected to reach its full potential by Christmas vacation. The hill stations of Kerala such as Munnar, Thekkady, Vagamon etc has witnessed the huge flow of travellers in the last few days especially the weekends. A long queue of tourist vehicles can be seen on the road from Adimali to Munnar. Around 2500 tourists reach the Rajamalai wildlife sanctuary on a daily basis.

As per the tourism department around 1500 travellers visit Mattupetty in Munnar on a daily basis and this number is expected to increase in the coming days. Tourist destinations in Munnar such as Kolukkumalai and Meesappulimala have already started witnessing the increased flow of tourists. In the last few days, the temperature dipped to almost 4 degree celsius in Munnar town and the nearby estates such as Lekshmi, Chenduvarai and Chittuvara experienced a temperature of 2 degree Celsius. The withdrawal of the rain and the clear sky in Munnar has contributed to the dip in the temperature.

As construction work is going on along the Kochi-Dhanushkodi highway, a 42 kilometer road distance from Munnar to Bodimettu has been blocked from morning 7 to evening 7. As  a result, the tourists are reaching Munnar by deviating from Pooppara and taking the Rajakumari-Kunchithanni-Pallivasal route.

Neelakurinji Blooms Again in Munnar

Neelakurinji  has yet again started blooming in areas of Munnar like Rajamala in Eravikulam National Park, Korandakadu mountain ranges, and Kottakamboor in Vattavada. The blooming of Neelakurinji in Munnar will attract an increased number of tourists in the coming months.

Kerala Forest Department forecast another blooming season to start only in August 2018 in Idukki, where neelakurinji last blossomed in the year 2006. Tourists can purchase tickets to Rajamala from Eravikulam National Park and the forest department will take visitors in special buses to the protected area to see Neelakurinjis.


You can view the Neelakurinji at the Korandakadu mountain ranges  that falls on the Munnar–Mattupetty route. The pretty blue Neelakurinji flowers can already be seen at Kottakamboor in Vattavada, including the places where the tribal community swells. You will be pretty lucky to view the Neelakurinji flows in full bloom if the climatic conditions at Munnar are favorable.


Neelakurinji can be seen at the Eravikulam national park and it is a protected area. In places such as Chokramudi, Lakshmi mountain ranges, Vattavada, and Kottakamboor areas, the land grabbing trend has completely destroyed kurinji's habitats. Adversities like forest fires, unscientific constructions of resorts by land mafia have endangered the blooming of Neelakurinji.


Most of the hotels will be full in the coming days as travellers from different parts will travel to Munnar so as to view the amazing beauty of Neelakurinji flowers.

My Top 10 Favorite Places in Munnar

Travelling to Munnar is one of the most amazing experience for a traveler and once you reach this hill stations in Kerala, you will be greeted with some of the most amazing views of the nature. I have visited Munnar a lot of times and have visited different travel location. I really love visiting this place again and again without getting bored. Such is the amazing travel experience Munnar has to offer. Every time we visit Munnar, we will get something new to view and experience.

The climate in Munnar is always chilly and the only season that you should avoid visiting this place is during the Monsoon season. During the monsoon period, it will be raining heavily and you will not be able to wander out and enjoy the panoramic beauty of the hills in Munnar. The beauty of the enchanting tea plantations will be missed by you during the monsoon and hence it is better to avoid visiting Munnar during that time.

There are a lot of attractions and places to visit in Munnar which include adventure travel destinations, scenic locations, trekking trails, markets, gardens, waterfalls, old buildings etc. All these will attract the attention of the travellers without any doubt.

I also have passion for some of the important travel attractions in Munnar and here I am listing out my top 10 favorite travel attractions in Munnar and am not really going to elaborate about all these attractions. I will just point it out and you can go and Google it out to find more details.

So here goes the list.

1. Pothamedu ViewPoint

2. Attukal Waterfalls

3. Top Station

4.Kundala Lake

5. Mattupetty Dam

6.Eravikulam National Park

7. Anamudi

8. Indo Swiss Diary Farm

9. Lock hart Gap

10. Meesapulimala

Meesapulimala - The Perfect Adventure Trekking Spot in Munnar

Meesapulimala is one of the most beautiful and perfect adventure trekking spot in Munnar. The Meesapulimala peak is at a height of  2640 meters above the sea level and is regarded as the third highest peak in the Western Ghats. As we all know, Munnar is one of the most exotic winter travel destinations in India and attracts a large number of tourists throughout the year.

One of the major aspect of this amazing hill station in Kerala is the number of potential adventure spots, which makes it a perfect holiday destination for the adventure enthusiasts. One such adventure spot in Munnar is the Meesapulimala hills, which is regarded as one of the best trekking spots in south India. The misty mountains of Meesapulimala has of late become one of the most popular travel spots in Kerala, especially among the youngsters.

Meesapulimala is near to the Kolukkumalai tea estate in Munnar, which is one of the highest tea estate in the world and one has to travel for almost an hour and more from Munnar town.

Trekking throught the Meesapulimala hills can help you in enjoying the high altitude grasslands and the hilly rain-forest that are peculiar for the western ghats. While on your trekking expedition through the Meesapulimala hills, you can enjoy the views of the plains of Tamil Nadu in the eastern direction. You can also view various wild animals such as elephants, sloth bear, sambar and the Nilgiri tahr while on your trekking trip along the Meesapulimala hills.

The Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) is in charge of this area and provides trekking packages to travellers where they are picked and dropped back after their trekking trips. The tourism department is all set to make Munnar one of the major winter vacation destinations in India, and adventure spots such as Meesapulimala can help in attaining it.

There are various travel agents who can help you in experiencing the amazing trekking tour along the Meeshapulimala hills in Munnar and you can decide which tour operator to go with.

If you are interested for an adventure trekking expedition at Meesapulimala, then the months from September to March would be the most ideal time. During these months the climate will be amazingly cool and you would really enjoy your trip.

It is also highly recommended to avoid family, kids and elderly person along with you during the trek, as it is not an easy one and require some level of stamina and fitness to complete the trek. The climatic conditions are also tough and elderly person with health issues will find it difficult to take the trek.

The trekking along the Meesapulimala hills in Munnar will take hours to complete and hence you should be in a better physical condition to take the challenge. Otherwise you will have to quit your trekking trip in the middle and return back. So be fit and take the Meesapulimala trekking challenge to enjoy the nature of the beauty to its fullest. The sights of the misty mountains and clouds is something that you cannot miss out in your lifetime and also make sure to carry your camera with you to capture those amazing beauty of the nature.

Munnar Tourism Seasons (2015 - 2016) Kicks Off in Style

The monsoon rains have moved on and from now on there will not be the presence of heavy and non-stop rains in Kerala till the next monsoon season. So from a traveller's point of view, everything is well set for a perfect tourism season in Kerala. When we talk about the tourism season in Kerala during the months of December to February, the first place that comes to our mind is the Munnar Hill Station, which is well known for its amazing natural beauty, cool climatic conditions and its tranquility.

The months of December to February makes Munnar a perfect place to visit as the hill station will be experiencing a cool and chilling climatic conditions during this time. The misty fog and the bone chilling climatic condition in Munnar is something that makes this place a great summer retreat center in south India. Tourists from different parts of the world can be seen visiting Munnar during this time to enjoy its amazing natural beauty and resources.

The tea plantations that covers majority of the hills in Munnar becomes more beautiful during this time and so does the other natural resources such as lakes, ponds, caves and waterfalls. The hill station might become over-crowded during this time, but again you can really feel relaxed when compared with the busy and hectic life in the urban areas. Munnar is considered to be the best place for you to spend some calm and memorable time with your friends or family.

There are also plenty of opportunity for sightseeing and nature treks in Munnar which helps you to enjoy the amazing beauty of this hill station in a much better way. There are also opportunities for viewing the wildlife resources of Munnar and one of the best place to see wild animals is the Eravikulam National Park where you can see a number of wildlife species especially the  endangered Nilgiri Thar.

If you are looking for some fun and adventure in Munnar, then there are a lot of potential adventure activities in Munnar. Some of the major adventure activities include trekking, hiking, paragliding, boating, off-road biking etc. Most of the adventure activities in Munnar are considered to be relatively safe and hence there is a huge rush of travellers taking part in various adventure activities in Munnar.

Munar is well connected to the other major cities by road and this is the only means of transportation that can help you reach this beautiful hill station in Kerala.The nearest airport and railway stations are almost around more than 120 kilometers away. The nearest  airport is the Cochin International Airport and the nearest railway station is at Aluva. So once you reach the railway station or the airport, you can hire a taxi or any other public transportation services to reach Munnar.

Getting an accommodation in Munnar during the peak tourism season is more difficult than getting an accommodation in Goa, Chennai, Ooty, Delhi, Shimla or any other major tourist destinations in India. But if you plan wisely ahead of your tour date, you might not find any difficulty in getting an accommodation in Munnar. Because, without a proper accommodation in Munnar, things will become more difficult for you and might prevent you from enjoying your trip to Munnar in a better way. So always plan and schedule your tour to Munnar in advance so as to make your trip more comfortable and memorable.

Adventure Off Road Biking At Munnar

Munnar is one of the most amazing and exotic hill stations in India and is well known for its natural beauty and resources. People from different places visit Munnar to enjoy its scenic beauty, tea plantations, lakes, waterfalls and more. But one area which is yet to be utilized fully is the potentiality of adventure activities at Munnar. Munnar is one of the best place for adventure activities and the tourism department needs to take necessary steps in improving the scope of adventure tourism in Munnar.

One such adventure activity that I enjoyed in Munnar is the off-road biking adventure at Pallivasal near Munnar. The adventure activity is offered by a adventure team named as "Fun Forest" and they have a large area of land which is considered as an amazing adventure spot. There are many adventure activities such as rope climbing, net climbing, horizontal ladder, Burma bridge, valley crossing, rock climbing, tyre walk etc.

But the off road biking on a quad bike was really the one that I opted for and really enjoyed the ride. The cost for a ride was Rs 500/ and the distance covers approximately around 1 km. But initially it is something worth and you will find it really amazing. So if you are an adventure enthusiast and is planning for a trip to Munnar, I highly recommend you to take the Quad Bike adventure and other activities at the "Fun Forest" at Pallivasal.

The address of this adventure park is given below.
Fun Forest Adventure Park
2nd Mile, Pallivasal
Munnar, Idukki
Kerala.
Pin - 685565
Ph - +91 8943355441
     +91 894335543
Website - http://www.munnarfunforest.com/
email   - info@munnarfunforest.com

Here are videos of my friends enjoying a quad bike off road adventure activity at Fun Forest, Munnar. Hope you enjoy it.