16 Best Hill Stations in Kerala

Situated at an altitude ranging from 5000 to 8000 feet on the Kannan Devan Hills, the fascinating hill station of Munnar is one of the best tourist places in Kerala and among the must include places in honeymoon tour packages. It is about 120 km from Kochi, and 284 km from Trivandrum.

Often referred to as the Swiss of South India, Munnar is one of the famous weekend getaways from Kochi, Coimbatore & Madurai. Mattupetty Dam, Echo point, Kundala Lake, Devikulam, Pothamedu Viewpoint, Nyayamkad falls, Thoovanam falls, Eravikulam National Park and Attukal Waterfalls are among the must include places in Munnar packages. Munnar is a trekker's paradise too, which offers both soft and mountain trekking.

Munnar is home to some of the world's best tea estates. The tea plants covering Munnar hills make the feeling of seeing a wide green carpet. Munnar is also known for Neelakurinji flowers, which blooms once in 12 years. It is also known for being the spice center of Kerala. Over twelve varieties of spices including ginger, garlic, cardamom, vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, coffee, tea, clove, and nutmeg are cultivated in Munnar and its neighboring villages.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the top wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala, especially for wildlife enthusiasts. Situated about 82 km from Munnar, 143 km from Kochi, and 211 km from Trivandrum, it is one of the must include places in Kerala tour packages.

Established in the year 1950, the sanctuary is spread across 777 sq. km, of which 360 sq. km is a thick evergreen forest. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. Among the top tourist places in Kerala, Thekkady is famous for Asian Elephants, Tigers, Gaurs, Sambars, Lion-tailed Macaques, Nilgiri Langurs, Wild Boars, Spotted Deer, Nilgiri Tahr, etc. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can watch wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat from the lake. The main attraction of the sanctuary is a group of wild elephants that come to play in the lake.

Thekkady offers elephant rides, jeep safari, boating in the lake, tiger trails, and forest treks. Murikkady, Chellar Kovil, Anakkara, Mangala Devi Temple, Suruli Falls, and Pullumedu are the popular places to visit as part of Thekkady packages.

Wayanad is one of the popular hill stations in Kerala, and among the best places to visit near Kozhikode. It is about 118 km from Ooty, 246 km from Kochi, and 442 km from Trivandrum.

Wayanad is a picturesque plateau nestled among the mountains of the Western Ghats on the borders of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. This hill district is home to several lakes, caves, sanctuaries, and waterfalls which are the main attractions of Wayanad Packages. Banasura Sagar Dam, Edakkal Caves, Meenmutty Falls, Soochipara Waterfalls, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary are some of the prominent tourist places in Wayanad.

Wayanad is one of the biggest foreign exchange earners of the State with its production of cash crops like pepper, cardamom, coffee, tea, spices, and other condiments. Wayanad can be visited along with Ooty tour packages.

Vagamon, also spelt as Wagamon is an enchanting hill station situated in the Idukki district of Kerala. Located on the Kottayam-Idukki border, it is one of the offbeat hill stations near Kochi, and among the most famous Kerala tourist places. It is situated about 92 km from Munnar, and 103 km from Kochi.

Perched at an altitude of 1100 m, Vagamon is surrounded by 3 hills namely, Thangal hill, Muruganmala, and Kurisumala. Also known as the Scotland of Asia, Vagamon was listed in the '50 most attractive places to visit in India' directory by the National Geographic Traveler. Pine Forests, Thangalpara, Kurisumala, Murugan Hill, Vagamon Meadows, Marmala Waterfalls, Suicide Point, Karikdu Viewpoint, and Illikkal Kallu are some of the top Vagamon tourist places.

Trekking, paragliding, mountaineering, and rock climbing are the favorite activitiesthat one must try as part of Vagamon packages. The hill station has developed into a prime paragliding hub and is the venue of international paragliding contests that are conducted here every year.

Marayoor or Marayur is one of the popular places of heritage in Kerala. It is situated about 41 km from Munnar, and 164 km from Kochi. It is among the best places to visit as part of Munnar tour packages.

Nestled in the shadows of the Western Ghats, Marayoor is a pre-historic site and also the only tourist place in Kerala that has natural sandalwood forests. This scenic town claims to be a part of a Stone Age civilization that is as old as 10,000 BC. The jungles and hillsides dotted with remnants of Megalithic age Dolmens called Muniyaras are the prime attractions of Marayoor tour packages. Marayoor is also famous for its ancient rock paintings located in Attala, Ezhuthu Guha (near Kovilkadavu), and Manala.

Along with prehistoric dolmens, cave paintings, and sandalwood forests, Lakkam Falls, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary & Thoovanam Waterfalls, and Amaravathi Dam are some important tourist places in Marayoor.

Idukki is is one of the stunning places to visit near Kochi, and among the most prominent Kerala tourist places. It is situated about 47 km from Munnar, 105 km from Kochi, 239 km from Trivandrum, and 171 km from Madurai.

Idukki is the second-largest district in Kerala state (Painavu as headquarters). The name Idukki is supposed to be derived from the Malayalam word Idukku which means a narrow gorge. Periyar which is one of the largest rivers of Kerala, flowing through the Idukki gorge formed between the two high massive rocks called Kuravan and Kurathi, which is the site of the gigantic Idukki Arch Dam, among the must-visit places as part of Idukki packages. Idukki can be visited along with Munnar tour packages.

Idukki has a mix of diverse attractions like wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations, spice plantation centers and mountain treks. Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki Dam, Thommankuthu Waterfalls, Ramakalamedu, Kalvari Mount / Calvary Mount, Malankara Dam, and Ilaveezha Poonchira are some of the prominent tourist places in Idukki.

Also called 'Kashmir of Kerala', Ponmudi is a secluded hill station situated in the Trivandrum district of Kerala. It is one of the pristine hill stations near Trivandrum. It is situated about 57 km from Trivandrum, and 233 km from Kochi.

Ponmudi, meaning the Golden Crown, is nestled in the lap of rolling hills of the Western Ghats that run parallel to the Arabian Sea. Situated at an altitude of 1100m, Ponmudi is surrounded by scenic hills, spice plantations, tea estates, natural springs, and winding streams. Ponmudi Waterfalls, Deer Park, River Kallar, Kallar Meenmutty Falls, Golden Valley, and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary are some of the must-visit tourist places as part of Ponmudi packages.

Apart from sightseeing, Ponmudi is also famous for Ayurvedic medical treatments. Trekking to Agasthyakoodam, Ponmudi tourist places, is the most popular activity here for adventure buffs. Ponmudi can be vsited along with Trivandrum tour packages.

At a distance of 60 km from Palakkad, 75 km from Pollachi, 75 km from Thrissur & 105 km from Coimbatore, Nelliyampathy, also spelled as Nelliampathi, is a charming hill town in Palakkad district of Kerala. The Nelliyampathy hills and mountains form a part of the Sahyadri ranges in the Western Ghats. These hills are located in the Tamil Nadu - Kerala border sharing border with Palakkad district of Kerala and Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu.

Nelliyampathy is one of the less explored hill stations of Kerala which has an elevation ranging from 467 m to 1572 m. It is also an ideal weekend getaway from Coimbatore city. The green sprawling Nellikota Mountain ranges which is anchored at a height of 1572 m is the highest peak in the region. Covered with valleys and green forests, the mountain range of Nelliyampathy has several tea, coffee and cardamom plantations. The extensive expanses of plantations offer unique opportunities of plantation tours here.

Nelliyampathy hills are exclusively famous for their exquisite fauna and green dense forests with many wild animals like Monkey, Deer, Porcupine and Elephants. Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Nelliyampathy Hill, Shimmering Pothundi Reservoir, Padagiri, Palagapandi Estate and Pothundi Reservoir are the famous sightseeing places in Nelliampathi. Pothundi Dam, which was constructed in the 19th century, is the entrance to Nelliyampathy. A viewpoint called Seetharkund is situated ...

At a distance of 18 km from Munnar Bus Station & 45 km from Idukki, Devikulam is a cute hill station near Munnar. At an altitude of 1800 m, it is one of the lesser-known hill stations in Kerala, and among the must-include places in Munnar sightseeing packages.

The name Devikulam is a combination of two words Devi from the goddess Devi and kulam meaning pond. According to legend, the goddess Sita Devi bathed in Devikulam Lake now named Sita Devi Lake. The lake draws tourists not only because of its sacredness but also for the curative powers of its mineral waters. The lake is also idle for trout fishing. The scenic beauty, adventure sports, beliefs, and religion come together to make Sita Devi Lake a major tourist attraction in Devikulam.

The lush green open spaces and the high cliffs of Devikulam provide scope for hiking and mountaineering. There are several tea plantations in and around Devikulam that add to the charm of the hill resort. The gum trees in red and blue are the other major highlights of the natural vegetation at Devikulam, considered one of the must-visit tourist places in Munnar. For those of the tourists to Devikulam interested in visiting the tea estates, tea plantations or the factories conducted tours are available. ...

At a distance of 5 km from Lakkidi, 12 km from Kalpetta and 64 km from Kozhikode, Vythiri is a small hill station situated in Wayanad district of Kerala. Vythiri is one of the top tourist attractions in Wayanad and is among prime place to visit on a Wayanad tour.

Situated at an altitude ranging between 3750 to 4500 feet, Vythiri is a beautiful summer resort in Kerala state and among the best hill stations near Bangalore. Vythiri has a classic blend of old world charm, peaceful environs & modern amenities. Vythiri is famous for its evergreen rain forests and plantations of coffee, tea, rubber, cardamom and pepper. The forests of Vythiri are home to a wide variety of wildlife. The bird watchers can enjoy exploring this place and get a chance to look at a wide variety of migratory birds from close quarters. This is an ideal place for tourists to soak in the dense green covers and explore the breathtaking surroundings.

There are many places to visit in and around Vythiri, including Pookote Lake, which lies 3 km away. The Chembra Peak, Soochipara & Meenmutty Falls, Edakkal Caves, Banasura Sagar dam and Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary are the other major attractions of Vythiri. Karalad Lake is situated 8 km from Vythiri. It offers facilities for angling and boating as well as a recreational park. The trek to this ...