Trekking in Kerala: A Paradise for Adventure Junkies

Valleys carpeted in green, the aroma of tea in the air, and the mouth-watering delights on offer; Kerala is a one-stop destination for tourists and travellers of all kinds. In fact, with destinations such as Munnar Valley, Wayanad, Idukki, Palakkad and Trivandrum, there’s no wonder why this place is a magnet for trek lovers. There are certain trekking spots in Kerala that have exceptional trails to keep the adventure enthusiasts junkies glued. Here is our list of the best trekking spots in Kerala: -

1. Top Station

Munnar is known to be one of the most beautiful places in India. With panoramic views and high summits, this small town situated on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu has been luring adventure enthusiasts, especially trekkers, for years to no end. Top Station is located around 32 km from Munnar and it offers a plethora of breathtaking sites to the trekkers while they go up the hill. Keeping in mind the natural beauty on offer as well as the trek difficulty level of this place, Top station is a paradise for the nature lovers and arguably the best trekking place in Kerala. It is situated at an altitude of about 2200 meters from the sea level. From the sunset point of this place, you can see the Kannan Devan Hills as well.

Top station is also famous for the rarely found Neelakurunji Plant. The plant bears flowers that blossom once every 12 years. It was in 2018 when the entire place was covered with these flowers. That means the next blossom is due in 2030!

2. Thusharagiri Waterfalls

A perfect melange of adventure, natural beauty, and peaceful surrounding is the Thusharagiri trek. Thusharagiri is located about 6 km from Kodencheri, 32 km from Kalpetta and 48 km from Kozhikode. You will reach the waterfall point once you trek up the hill. The Thusharagiri Waterfalls is one of the most pristine places in the entire Malabar region and one of the best treks in Kerala. The area around the waterfall serves as a picnic spot for the locals and people on a family trip. Do note this place is more crowded during the monsoon season as the waterfall becomes even better during that time.

3. Chembra Peak 

From the green meadows of Wayanad to the summit at an altitude of 2100 meters, Chembra Peak is a level 3 trail that sees a lot of adventure enthusiasts trekking up the hill every year. If you are planning on taking up a heart-pumping trek, you should include Chembra Peak Trek in your adventure tour package. The trek begins from Meppadi which is a small town near Kalpetta in Wayanad. The trail of this trek starts from tea plantation and goes through the cloud of mist to the summit. The entire trek is about 14 km uphill but once you reach there, it will feel worth it. It is advisable to go by the advice from locals and forest officers as they know every step of the trail.

4. Anamudi Peak

About 20 km from Munnar in the Western Ghats lies a wonderful trekking trail - Anamudi Peak which is known to be the highest point in the country apart from the Himalayas and Karakoram Range. This trek is not at all for beginners as starting from the tea plantation in Munnar the trail goes up to a height of 2695 meters which makes it a level 4 trekking trail. In other words, it is one of the most difficult as well as one of the best treks in Kerala.

Anamudi Peak is also popular for Kurunji flowers that blossom once every 12 years. So if you are high on fitness and up for an adrenaline-rushing trek then do not forget to include this place in your adventure tour package while coming to Kerala. Also, while coming back from the trek, do not forget to visit the Eravikulam National Park that is a part of the trek.

5. Agasthyakoodam

To enjoy the hill trek of Agasthyakoodam, you will have to head about 62 km towards the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. Situated at a height of 1890 meters this is known to be the second-highest peak in Kerala. It is a level 2 trekking trail as you will be able to get a lot of help from the locals here. One of the best Kerala trekking spots, Agasthayakoodam sees a lot of travellers as well as adventure enthusiasts every year. This mountain is revered by Hindus and Buddhists because they believe this mountain to be an abode of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.

An interesting piece of information about this place is that this mountain is declared as Agasthya Vanam Biological Park that covers an area of about 23 sq. km and is the source of Kallar River. To start the trek you can simply take a bus from Trivandrum to Kottur.

All these treks range between easy to difficult based on their height and difficulty. While you visit the state, you can choose to include any of these places in your Kerala trip package to make it more wholesome!