Top 5 Treks to Do in Kerala

8/10/2019 Top 5 Treks to Do in Kerala

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Top 5 Treks to do in Kerala this Monsoon

Authored by: www.adventureclicknblog.com

SUMMARYKerala has quite a few trekking destinations in Wayanad (Western Ghats)

Safety Tips

1. Beware of insects, snakes, letches and etc;

2. Wear a water proof shoe;

3. Raincoat or Poncho is a must;

Return to base before sunset;

Things to Carry

1. Day Pack (Ruck sack)

2. Trekking (Hiking) boots with anklets

3. Raincoat or Poncho

4. Water Bottle

5. Torch (Flash) light and Batteries

6. Toiletries


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7. Light weight wind sheeter / Jacket / Pullover

8. Slippers or Sandals

Details

The Western Ghats a.k.a. the Sahyadri range are a mountain range that runs almost parallel

to the western coast of Indian peninsula. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of

the world's ten "Hottest biodiversity hotspots". A total of thirty nine properties including

national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests were designated as world heritage

sites - twenty in Kerala, ten in Karnataka, five in Tamil Nadu and four in Maharashtra. The

Sahyadris come alive in the Monsoon season which starts roughly around end of June every

year & ends around end of August. Here are the 5 treks adventure travelers should not

miss in Kerala during Monsoon.

Trekking at Agastyarkoodam peak Details)

Duration 1 to 2 Days

Difficulty

2/5

Trek starting point: Bonacaud

Trek ending point: Bonacaud

Peak height: 1868 mts / 6130 ft

Trek distance: Around 20 Km round trip

Time to trek: 1 - 2 Days
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Camping site: Not Applicable

Agastyarkoodam peak which is located in Thiruvananthapuram district is the second

highest peak in Kerala. It lies in Tamil Nadu border and houses many ayurvedic plants

known for its medicinal value. It has a height of 1868 meters. According to the legend,

people believed that Sage Agastya lived here who was a bachelor; hence it is called as

Agastyarkoodam and women are not allowed here as they are disliked by the aborigines.

There is also a small temple here. Pilgrims visit this peak which remains open for the

pilgrimage. A statue of the Sage is there on the top of the peak where people conduct the

poojas.

Trekking is one of the main activities carried out here by the tourists. It is accessible only

by foot and it would take around 24 kms from Bonacaud and around 32 kms from Neyyar

dam to trek to this peak. Neelakurinji which is a flower that blooms once in twelve years is

found in this peak.

The main activity here is trekking. It is a two day trek and in order to trek in this peak, thetrekkers have to get a pass from the Warden of the Forest Department in

Thiruvananthapuram. In order to enter the jungle, you have to walk around 25 minutes

from Bonacaud which is the nearest village up to where vehicle reaches. The entrance to

the jungle is the forest office. You are requested to provide all your details, which are

registered and the permit passes are checked. In a single season around 200 to 500 passes

are issued by the forest officials. They also check whether you are carrying any liquor


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bottles as it is banned inside the jungle. Guides are provided by the forest officials. They

are usually the tribal in this place. You can trek through the forests which are surrounded

by scenic beauty. While trekking, you can hear the sounds of the trees, flowing waters and

the chirping of the birds. The place is rich in wide variety of flora and fauna. There are

three rivers on the way namely Karamana, Vaazhapindhiyaar and Attayar. A waterfallnamed Bona waterfall is also here.

The days shelter is at Athirmala where you will reach by evening. Food is provided there in

a canteen run by the Forest office. The second day around 12 kms climb is required to

reach to the top of the peak. The path includes rocks, tree roots etc. On reaching the top of

the peak, the view from here is breathtaking. You can see the Arabian Sea on one side,

mountain ranges on another side and also faraway lands in the other sides. This trekking is

really a memorable experience.

The best time to do trekking in this peak is during the months between December and

April. The tickets are usually issued in November from P. T. P Nagar office and as there is

only restricted number of passes, it is advised to get it at the earliest if possible on the first

day of issue. There are no medical facilities on the way inside the jungle. Make sure that

you are in good health condition while you plan your trekking.

Trekking at Anamudi Details)


Difficulty 3/5

Trek starting point: Eravikulam National Park

Trek ending point: Eravikulam National Park

Peak height : 2479 mts / 8131 ft

Trek distance : Around 20 Km round trip

Time to trek : 1 Day

Camping site : Not Applicable

Anamudi is situated in Idukki district within 13 km from Munnar in Indian state Kerala. It is

the highest peak in the Western Ghats and in south India. In the altitude of 2,695 ft, and it

has a topographic status about 2,479 ft with 2803520N 762759E. The meaning of

Anamudi is Elephant Forehead, as the mountain looks like elephant head. It is situated in

the southern area of Eravikulam national Park at junction of Cardamom hills, Anamala hills


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and Palani hills. Anamudi is famously known as Himalaya of South India. The easy way to

reach anamudi is by trekking on grass slopes, from rolling hill level with base height of

2000m. The north and south side of the slope is mild and east and west side of the slope is

steeper with huge rocks. The 1st recorded slope of Anamudi is done by General Douglas

Hamilton of Madras Army in 1862 of 4th May but this place is previously lived by the localpeople. It has more Valuable River in it which flows in east side namely Vaigai and

Thamirabarani, and periyar river flows into the Arabian Sea. This place is blessed with all

nature like hills, rivers, valley, cultivation of tea, lots of spices, plants, and wildlife etc.

Anamudi is rich in both flora and Fauna. It is the home for both wildlife and greeneries.

Anamudi and Eravikulam National Park has huge population of more than 750 Nilgiri Thar,

and has other animals like Asian Elephants, Nilgiri languors, lion-tailed macaques,

leopards Gaur, Bengal tigers, and the Nilgiri Marten. It has abundant greeneries like

Arundinaria densifolia and Gaultheria fragrantissima, Anaphalis sp. It has enormous

greenish forest that has bamboos, black wood and teak trees. Anamudi has another major

attraction which is Nelelakurinji flower which blossom once in twelve years.

Those who wish to trek should take permission from the Eravikulam National Parkauthorities. It is also recommended to contact the authorities for details on trekking and

weather.

Trekking at Mathikettan Shola Rain Forest Trek Details)


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Difficulty 2/5

Trek starting point: Suryanelli

Trek ending point: Suryanelli

Peak height: 2640 mts / 8660 ft Trek distance: Around 20 Km round trip

Time to trek: 1 Day

Camping site: Make Your Own Camps

Mathikettan Shola National Park is a 12.82 km national park in Poopara village of

Udumbanchola taluk in Idukki district of Kerala state, SouthInd.i.a. spa - Industria Italiana

Arteferro notified area national park in November 2008. This tract was notified as a

Reserve Forest by the Travancore Government in 1897. Part of the land, prior to becoming

a national park, had been leased out for the production of Cardamom. It was declared aNational Park on Nov 21, 2003 to protect its ecological, faunal, floral and geographical

wealth and its environment.

Elephants which visit Mathikettan shola from the Munnar Division become trapped between

the Bodinayakkanur and Kottamalai areas. This is due to private establishments on the

northern side of Mathikettan, as well as degraded forests and human settlements on the

southern side in areas of Chinnamanur Forest beat in Gudalur range.

Day 1: Suryanelli
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We will start early and head along paths over the undulating mountain grasslands and

ascend Meesapulimala, 2640m - the second highest peak in the Western Ghats.

Day 2: Shantanpara

After breakfast we start our trek through the Mathikettan Shola National park - a veritable

traesure trove of bio-diversity and endemism. Our destination is Santhanpara, set amidst

luxuriant vegetation and the surrounding areas constitute the world-famed Cardamom

Hills the capital of the spice growing areas that have made Kerala famous through

millennia.

Day 3: Chaturangapara

Trek from Santhanpara to Chaturangapara. The route reaches the border region of KREstates and a tough climb ahead to a view point where the plains of neighbouring

Tamilnadu are on view. Set up camp within the confines of the forests.

Day 4:

Depart After breakfast, depart.

Trekking at Anaerangal Details)

Duration 1 2 Days

Difficulty 2/5

Trek starting point: Munnar

Trek ending point: Munnar

Peak height: 2635 mts / 8643 ft


Time to trek: 1 - 2 Days

Camping site: Own Camps

Kerala with its mountainous terrain and unparalleled biodiversity is becoming an integral

part of travel plans for any nature lover. The variety of treks is immense with so many

different types of habitat - the high altitude rain forests, shrub-savanna grasslands,


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Cardamom Forests so typical to Kerala and the dry scrub forests. These hiking trails of

Kerala also offer good wildlife viewing and breathtaking panoramas en-route.

The Trek is famous for the Anaerangal Camp.

Day1: Meesapulimala Trek

We will start early and head along paths over the undulating mountain grasslands and

ascend Meesapulimala, 2635m - the second highest peak in the Western Ghats. The area

also has wildlife notably elephants, sambar, sloth bear and the Nilgiri tahr. When we

reach the top, we stop for a rest and enjoy the panoramic views of the worlds highest tea

estate Kolukkumalai, the magnificent view of the Kodaikanal and the plains of Tamilnadu.

We will finish our trek at Kollukkumalai and transfer to our camp on Jeeps.

The Anaerangal Camp is a narrow strip of land located on a mountain side overlooking the

well-known Anaerangal Lake. The camp has 6 cottage tents, each with two comfortable

beds and an attached bathroom. The Camp has its own kitchen which offers wholesome

and delectable Kerala food. The lemon-grass thatched open dining area has an inbuilt fireplace for camp fires where you can leisurely relish your barbeque platter with family and

friends, devour a meal or just choose to relax with a book to keep you warm in the biting

cold.

Day 2 Lakeside Trek


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We will start our trek from the Anaerangal camp and move through forests towards the

edge of the Anaerangal Lake. Snaking across a large area, this lake is placid and beautiful

and a source of water for farmers downstream. Many tribal colonies here farm spices and

cardamom which grow abundantly in the salubrious climate here. We will depart after a

picnic lunch.

Trekking at Silent Valley National Park Details)

Duration 1 Day

Difficulty 2/5

Trek starting point: Silent Valley National Park

Trek ending point: Silent Valley National Park

Peak height: Not Applicable


Time to trek: 1 Day

Camping site: Not Applicable

The Silent Valley National Park with an area of 90 sq km is located in the Northeastern

corner of Palakkad district. It rises abruptly to the Nilgiri Plateau in the North and overlooks

the plains of Mannarkkad in the South. Extremely fragile, a unique preserve of tropical

evergreen rain forests which is a veritable nursery of flora and fauna, some of which are

found nowhere else in the world.

The core of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is the Silent Valley National Park. Despite its

name, the Silent Valley (the clamour of Cicadas is conspicuously absent here) is a rich

storehouse of biodiversity. It is a true Garden of Eden for students of life sciences,

professional scientists and field biologists.

Perhaps, nowhere else can one find such a representative collection of Western Ghats

biodiversity - more than 1000 species of flowering plants which include about 110 species

of orchids, more than 34 species of mammals, about 200 species of butterflies, 400

species of moths, 128 species of beetles of which 10 are new to science, about 150 species

of birds including almost all the 16 endemic birds of southern India.


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The River Kunthi descends from the Nilgiri hills, from an altitude of 2000 m above sea

level, and traverses the entire length of the valley and rushes down to the plains through

the deep forest. The River Kunthi never turns brown and is always crystal clear, perennial

and wild.

The evapo-transpiration from these forests is much higher than from any other surface.

This cools the atmosphere, helps easy condensation of water vapour, causing summer

rains in the plains.

Permitting Authority:

Asst. Wildlife Warden,

Silent Valley National Park,

Mukkali, PalakkadPh: +91 4924 253225

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Top 5 Treks to Do in Kerala