Kerala Shola Forest and Tea Hills Trekking Tour

We will meet up at Munnar town after your lunch. Here, you will hop on to the Jeeps and ride towards the trek start point. Enroute, we will be clearing the documentation at a forest check point After, alighting the vehicle, we will start hiking to the Meesapulimala Forest Camp. We will walk through villages, tea plantations and patches of Shola forest for approx. 06 Kms to reach the Rhodo Valley – a scenic valley with grassland, pine trees, flowers and small rivulets. Will spend the night at the forest Mansion / Camp here and our guide will do arrangements for your dinner. You can also stargaze from the valley on a clear night sky or enjoy the peaceful night away from the monotonous urban dwelling.

Morning, we will start early to reach the Meesapulimala peak by sunrise. Meesapulimala, the second highest peak in South India is well known for the typical Shola Forest and grassland ecosystem. The pine, rhododendron trees, blooming flowers and the thick forest covered patches are unique through the trek. You can view the Nilgiri Thar, endemic birds, butterflies and small rivulets with fresh water on your way. As you summit the peak, the huge wave of mist will blow upon you and the vibrant morning colours of the sun can be seen from above the clouds. After spending a comfortable time, we will walk back to the Rhodo valley. After having a small breakfast, we will and check out the place. Jeep will take you out from one of the natures hidden treasure to the next. We will ride for more than an hour through the Lockhart Gap road to reach the picturesque lake – Anaerangal lake. The massive lake with its arms stretched and a small earthen dam is the centrally located lake between the hillocks of Suryanelli. It is the key source of water for the wildlife especially for elephant herds and the villages in this remote hilly region. Relishing the cool breeze and scenic landscapes, we will spend time boating in the lake and brief sightseeing around. We will reach the tranquil Suryanelli to check in at a 100 year’s old Tea Estate Bungalow.

Morning, it’s time for the Tea estate walk and tea plucking experience with the staff. We will also visit the Tea factory and taste different varieties of tea. The experience will accustom you with history of tea cultivation in the region, its management and processing. We will do a small round of Kayaking with the backdrop of misty tea hills and mighty blue mountains stretched across till horizon. Next activity is a stroll through the thick high cardamom plantations and the nearby Papathy Shola village to meet the mountain-dwelling aboriginals here, visit their traditional temple and humble living in sync with nature. Now, it’s time to enjoy a bumpy Jeep ride through the craggy and winding roads through the tea plantations to the scenic Kolukkumalai valley. Here you will be camping with accommodation in dome tents, best to enjoy the refreshing climate with a bonfire and again a clear starry sky.

We will set off early morning for the 45 minutes walk through misty valleys with lush tea plantations and hilly trail with patches of shola vegetation. The region is also known for its highest organic tea plantation. From here you can see the bundling clouds caressing the blue mountain ranges and the sun showering array of lights from pink to orange and to yellow on a clear sky day. It will be one of the finest mornings you ever had with a view of another enchanting sunrise from the towering Kolukkumalai. Will walk back to the camp for an energising breakfast, relax for a while before packing our bags. With fond memories of the mountains and rejuvenating nature, it’s time to say adieu till the next adventure.