Trek the hills

Far inland, lying on the windward site of the Western Ghats, Kerala has a long chain of lush, mist-clad hill stations that offer the most enchanting experience of nature in all its virgin beauty. Punctuating the forested hills are numerous waterfalls that roar, gurgle and splash down the mountainside. Almost all these breathtaking cascades are the venues for picnics and excursions round the year. The Palaruvi falls in Kollam (Palaruvi means’ stream of milk’), Athirapally and Vazhachal near Thrissur are some of the better known.

Winding up the forested high ranges are the most delightful trekking trails in the country. Some of them adventurously exciting, others enchanting in equal measure. All washed in the spice-scented air of endless acres of plantations – of tea, Devi Lake with its mineral water springs and picturesque surroundings, and Wagamon – a trekker’s delight

Going further north, you will have to negotiate at least 10 hairpin bends on the ghat road that passes through the breathtaking evergreen forests of the Sahyadri Ranges on the way to Nelliyampathy, the panoramic hill station in Palakkad. Attappady, also in Palakkad, is a beautiful synthesis of mountains, rivers and forests and is of great interest to anthropologists. This is the natural home of many tribals like the Irulars and Mudugas.

At the northeastern tip of the state is Wayanad district, the most pristine region of Kerala. Located 1300 -2100 m above sea level, Wayanad is renowned for is coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber plantations. Mist-capped mountains and breathtaking scenery dominate other tourist attractions. Lakkidi, the gateway to Wayanad, is a lovely mix of lofty peaks, gurgling streams and luxuriant forests. Pakshipathalam as the name suggests is a bird sanctuary which is also known for its trekking tracks. Chembra peak 2100 m above mean sea level, the highest point in Wayanad, is ideal for trekking Pookot Lake, the perennial fresh water lake, nestled among wooded hills, is the only one of its kind in Kerala. Boating facilities, a children’s park, a handicrafts and spices emporium and a fresh water aquarium are among the tourist facilities available here.

Source: I read the magazines