India GOPlaces to visit near Munnar
The best trips out of Munnar are within 60 km, and several of them feel like a different state. Past the tea, the hills drop into a rain shadow where sandalwood, thorn forest and apple orchards grow, or climb to a ridge above the cloud. The cities in the list on this page are onward journeys rather than day trips; the real excursions are the valleys below.
Kochi
Kerala's seafaring crossroads, where Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and Jewish traders met: old Fort Kochi with its Chinese fishing nets, the synagogue and Jew Town, spice markets, antiques and evening Kathakali performances. The gateway to Kerala's famous backwaters, too.
~90 km as the crow flies
Isha Yoga Center
At the foot of the Velliangiri hills near Coimbatore, a place engineered for stillness: the consecrated Dhyanalinga and the towering 112-foot Adiyogi, Sadhguru's steel face of yoga. Meditation, yoga programs, and one of the largest sculptures on earth.
~100 km as the crow flies
Ooty & Coonoor
The twin Nilgiri hill stations of Ooty and Coonoor run on tea, eucalyptus air and faded English charm, linked by a UNESCO toy train that creaks up through the clouds. Botanical gardens, lakes and viewpoints in the classic sweater-weather escape of the south.
~150 km as the crow flies
Mysore
Genteel Mysore runs on sandalwood, silk and royal pageantry: a palace that lights up with 100,000 bulbs, the hilltop Chamundi temple, and a Dasara festival that still parades elephants. The grandest palace in the south, and the home of Ashtanga yoga.
~250 km as the crow flies
Day trips, by direction
Distances are by road from Munnar town. Most of these need a car or a rickshaw for the day: buses run to a few of them, but rarely.
Marayoor (about 40 km north)
On rocky hillsides stand muniyara: megalithic burial chambers up to 2,000 years old, four granite slabs with a fifth across the top, with prehistoric rock paintings nearby. The same valley holds Kerala's only natural sandalwood forest; the forest department's depot is open to visitors (carry ID). Marayoor jaggery, which received a Geographical Indication in 2019, is boiled in homestead furnaces and sold at roadside stalls. Lakkam Waterfalls are on the way.
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary (55–60 km, past Marayoor)
Dry thorn forest in the rain shadow, nothing like the green hills, and usable through the monsoon. It holds one of the largest populations of the grizzled giant squirrel and a star-tortoise rehabilitation centre. The forest department's guided trek to Thoovanam Falls usually takes about three hours (approx. ₹250 for Indian citizens, ₹600 for foreign nationals). See Chinnar.
Kanthalloor (about 40 km)
In the same rain shadow as Marayoor, which is why apples, oranges, plums and strawberries grow here and nowhere else in Kerala. Kerala Tourism's Responsible Tourism Mission runs a full-day village visit farm by farm, with lunch cooked in the village.
Pampadum Shola and Vattavada (35–45 km east)
Beyond Top Station, Pampadum Shola is Kerala's smallest national park: 1.32 sq km of mossy montane forest, entered only with forest staff on a trek that usually takes about three hours (approx. ₹250). At the road's end, Vattavada grows cabbage, carrot and garlic on steep terraces, with strawberry picking from December to February. The forest road closes to traffic by 6 PM.
Kolukkumalai (about 38 km, via Suryanelli)
The road ends about 12 km short of the estate, and licensed jeeps (approx. ₹3,100 per six-seater) take the rough track to roughly 2,200 m. Sunrise runs leave before dawn. The estate is in Tamil Nadu, but the only access is from Kerala. See Kolukkumalai.
Anayirankal Reservoir (22–28 km south-east)
The name means "where elephants descend", and herds still come to drink, most often early in the morning and at dusk. Tea gardens roll down to the water, and the road through Lockhart Gap is half the reason to go. The boating centre is not always running, so ask locally.
Anakulam (about 40 km west)
A hamlet where wild elephants walk out of the forest to drink from a mineral-rich river, a habit on record since 1912. They only drink and often stay on the bank for hours. Sightings are likeliest in the dry months towards evening; keep back, stay quiet, no flash and no headlights.
Worth a night out
Two trips work better with a night away from town. The Meesapulimala ridge walk, from a base camp about 24 km out, is run only by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation, with tents or a lodge at Rhodo Valley; book ahead. Chinnar has Forest Department log houses inside the sanctuary, with basic facilities and solar lighting for a few hours at night.
About the cities in the list
The distances shown for other cities are straight lines, and the road through the Ghats is much longer. Kochi is about 90 km away as the crow flies but 130 km by road, about 4–4.5 hours by state bus, so it is the natural next stop rather than a day out. The Isha Yoga Center, Ooty and Mysore are separate journeys: plan them as the next leg of a trip, not a return run from Munnar. Routes are on how to reach Munnar.
FAQ
Which places are near Munnar, within 50 km?
Marayoor and Kanthalloor (about 40 km), Anakulam (about 40 km), Pampadum Shola and Vattavada (35–45 km), Anayirankal Reservoir (22–28 km) and Kolukkumalai (about 38 km, via Suryanelli). Chinnar is just beyond, at 55–60 km.
Can I do Marayoor and Chinnar in one day?
Yes, they sit on the same road north, with Lakkam Waterfalls on the way. Start early: Chinnar's guided treks begin between 8 AM and 2 PM.
Where can I see wild elephants near Munnar?
At Anakulam, where herds come to drink at the river, and at Anayirankal Reservoir, most often at dawn and dusk. Chinnar also has regular sightings. Keep your distance and never use a flash.
Is Kolukkumalai in Kerala or Tamil Nadu?
The estate is in Tamil Nadu, but the only access road is from Kerala, via Suryanelli near Munnar, and the last stretch is by licensed jeep.
Sources (4)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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