Hill Stations in Kerala

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Kerala is a state located on the western coast of southwestern India. This is a state that abounds in a plethora of natural beauty, given the vast stretches of greenery that adorn the contours of its landscape.



There are ample hill stations in Kerala with much of the state's exotic appeal being centered on the Western Ghats. This is a highland area that rises to an elevation of 1520 m. The tropical forest region is a wealth of rich flora and fauna and enables in the preservation of the ecological balance. There are the expansive, loamy plantations of tea, coffee, rubber and the fragrant cardamom.

Known as God's Own Country, Kerala is a bustling state of green stretches of forests and hill stations that dot the contours of its rugged topography. Every district has a culture that is unique to its own. The silver coconut-and-water state attracts travelers from all over the world all along the year so much so that bookings have to be made well in advance if you want to make it to the hill stations of Kerala.

Most of the hill stations in India had been founded by the European colonists as refuges from the oppressive summer heat. For instance, the Idukki hill station is located in a landlocked district and one of Kerala's most nature rich destinations. The high ranges and undergrowth assume all the beauty especially because they are entwined by the rivers and their tributaries.

Kerala Hill Stations

Chembra Peak
Lakkidi Hill Station
Ponmudi Hill Station
Chitirapuram Hill Station
Mattupetty Hill Station
Vythiri Hill Station
Devikulam Hill Station
Nellyampathy Hill Station
Wagamon Hill Station

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Chembra Peak

God's own Country'is what we say for Kerala, The most beautiful, exotic and picaresque state of India. Kerala abounds in the most exotic and beautiful Hill stations. Among them the Wayanad hill station is the most scenic and the most adventure filled. The Chembra peak is the highest peak in Wayanad at 2100m. above the sea level.

It's the hills, rocks, valleys which add to the very unique character of Wayanad and thus adds more of thrill to adventure tourism. Trekking to the Chembra peak is a really risky mountaineering endeavor. Trekking to the top of this peak is almost a full day's work. The District Tourism Promotion Council provides guides, sleeping bags, canvass huts and other required trekking implements on hire charges to the tourists. So tourists willing to spend a day or two can very well do so.

The scenic beauty of the lush green Wayanad, visible from the top of the Chembra peak is highly exhilarating. The calm blue eyed water of the lake at the top of the Chembra peak never dries up, not even in the peak summer temperatures. All along the steep and slippery way to the top of the peak the constant whispering of the spring which sprouts from the top of the hill accompanies the trekkers. At times one may even come across a passing wild beast, say for a leopard that may instantly hide behind the bushes. Out in the shivering cold, with camp fire and sleeping bags', camping in the night at the top of the Chembra peak is really fun and also an everlasting experience.

Kerala as an Eco tourist spot has gained much popularity for its backwaters and the hill stations. In the trekking section the Chembra peak has become highly popular for its adventurous track. Chembra peak the highest hill in the Wayanad, is near Meppady town and is 14 Kms. from Kalpetta. Wayanad, wherein lies the Chembra peak has a highly powerful historical background. Numerous evidences about New Stone Age civilization can be seen on the wall of Wayanad. It was as late as November 1, 1980, that the district of Wayanad came into being.

The nearest airport and railway station, to The Chembra peak are Calicut and Kannur (65 Kms away) respectively.

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Lakkidi Hill Station


Lakkidi Hill Station of Kerala, India is one of the most unique hill stations of the southern part of Indian subcontinent. It is situated 55 km east of Kozhikode and is 700 m above sea level. Lakkidi: is also known as the gateway to Wayanad. Waynad is the region where one has the opportunity of visiting the Malleswari Peak and a famous Shiva Lingam of India. The main tribes inhabiting the Waynad region are Irulas and Mudugars.

Lakkidi hill station has popularity also since it receives the second highest degree of rainfall worldwide. This hill station takes pride in tempting tourist to its rain soaked profile. Thus a tour to this hill station offers a chance to relish the rain dripping woods which add a magical touch to the ambiance of Lakkidi.

Lakkidi hill station, Kerala is culturally affluent too. The hill station has historical importance because the great poet dramatist Kunjan Nambiar of 2nd century B.C had proficiency in the art form of Thallu, whose literally meaning is " to jump" or" cut a caper". His style of fusion art form was actually to reform the society which disseminated messages against the social injustices and discrimination that prevailed in the society during that period. Kunjan Nambiar contributed to the Kerala's art form and supplemented uniqueness to Kerala's cultural.

Lakkidi Hill Station of Kerala allures many nature lovers as it is an abode of exotic flora and fauna. Kerala magnetizes much of tourist attention also because of its Western Ghat ranges which ascend to a height of 1520 m approximately. The lush green plantation of tea, coffee, cardamom and rubber is a treat to the eye of any onlooker.

The awesome trip through meandering roads to the Lakkidi Hill station enroute the crest of the Thamarassery Ghat pass, lofty peaks, gurgling streams and lavish forests is sure to enchant any sightseer.

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Ponmudi Hill Station

If you are in Kerala, you should visit the picturesque Ponmudi Hill Station, Kerala. Located around 65 km from Thiruvananthapuram and about 1000 m above the sea level, it is a picturesque getaway in Kerala. With lush green spice plantations, different kinds of birds and butterflies flying around, winding roads and pretty cottages, Ponmudi Hill Station has much more to offer.

If you love trekking and rock climbing, Ponmudi Hill Station is an idle place for you. Almost every year hundreds of students and trekkers flock here to get the real taste of adventure. Ponmudi Hill Station has a tropical climate which remains pleasant almost throughout the year. So, you can take some days off from your everyday hustle and bustle to relax in the lap of Mother Nature.

Ponmudi is also a famous picnic spot well endowed with natural springs. While at Ponmudi, you can enjoy the Aaranmula Boat Race. It is organized each year in the village of Aaranmula in the month of August and September and is part of the Aaranmula Temple Festival. Other places to look for are the Orchids and Deer Park, which is only 3 kilometers away from the Ponmudi resort.

Ponmudi means "golden crown" and you can get a glimpse of it when the sunrays floods the hilly areas. This indeed can be one of the everlasting experiences for you. Varkala is also a getaway from Ponmudi, which is an important Hindu center of pilgrimage as well a famous beach. Along with high cliffs and mineral-water springs in Varkala you will find the 2,000-year-old Janardanaswamy Temple and the Nature Center. Hence come and explore the peaceful and serene Ponmudi Hill Station, Kerala.

How to Reach

- By Airways: Flight from the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport about 67 km.
- By Railways: Thiruvananthapuram central, about 61 km.

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Chitirapuram Hill Station

If you are looking for a perfect vacation, or rather a rejuvenating vacation. Then the Kerala tour offers its Chithirapuram hill tour that is a perfect way to wash away all your fatigue and monotony. Only at a distance of 10 Kms from Munnar, this sleepy little hill town is a paradisiacal retreat that offers you the best of nature and its beauty. In fact there is such an enchanting old worldly charm about Chithirapuram that no one remains immune to its magical charm.

Chithirapuram has partly remained undiscovered over the years since tourists always go in for the more famous hill stations of Kerala. But on the other hand this has turned out to be a real boon to the hill station of Chithirapuram as it allows you to merge into the unspoiled beauty of the place without huge crowds diverting you. Nowhere else will you be able to indulge in such a deep and soulful communion with nature.

As you bask in the goodliness of your beautiful surrounding during your Chithirapuram tour, you may at the same time indulge in a number of recreational and adventure activities, that are sure to keep you agreeably occupied. You have many options to choose from, there are mountain hikes, nature walks and treks that would draw you much more closer to this wonderful hill retreat.

Chithirapuram is also the site of the Pallyvasal hydel power station. A trip to the site might add up to your knowledge kit. You can also drive down to the Muthuapetty Reservoir, where you can get engaged in speed boating. Last but not the least, a visit to the Chithirapuram hill station would be a real relaxing and rejuvenating experience which would always hold a special place in your heart and as well as your mind.

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Mattupetty Hill Station


The ecstasy of a sightseer knows no bound when one is introduced to the Mattupetty Hill Station, Kerala. This hill station is an epitome of scenic beauty and boasts being one of the well-known hill stations of Kerala. Emerging out of the Western Ghat Ranges of south India, this tranquil hill station is located 13kms from Munnar and occupies an important position as a popular tourist destination. Springs, rivers and forests and wildlife design the Mattupetty Hill station of Kerala enchantingly.

Mattupetty Hill Station of Kerala has an altitude of 1700 kilometers and has the Mattupetty Lake and dam which are famous as picnic spots. A boat ride on the Mattupetty Dam is another important feature to visit the dam, boating facilities on the Dam is provided by DTPC Idukki. One can also hire Speed Launch and slow speed motor boats to experience a ride on the dam.

The most attractive places to visit in Mattupetty Hill Station are:

- The Tipu Sultan's Fort: This fort was built in the 18th century and is a good historical site.
- Malampuzha dam garden.
- Nelliampathy hills and Silent Valley hills.
- Kundala tea plantations.
- The Kundala lake dam.

Another two most important attractions of Mattupetty Hill Station of Kerala are the Rose Garden, which adds glory to the scenic beauty of Mattupetty Hill Station and the highly Specialized Dairy Farm which is an Indo-Swiss Livestock Project. The dairy farm rears hundred varieties of high yielding cattle. There are about eleven cattle sheds and tourists can visit only the three sheds.

Mattupetty Hill Station can be reached both by air and by rail. The nearest airport is Kochi which is 130 km away from Mattupetty. One can also avail the route from Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram through air and rail.

The Mattupetty Hill Station is not yet been engulfed by modernization and thus offers a pleasant climate providing opportunity for the growth of rich flora making the environment serene for long vacations as well as short trips.

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Vythiri Hill Station

The hill stations in Kerala offers some of the best spectacular views of nature. And while visiting the Vythiri Hill Station, Kerala you will find complete ecstasy and experiences to cherish forever. Vythiri is one of the most beautiful hill stations located at about 100 kilometers from Kozhikode and is situated 1300 m above the sea level. The place is famous for its lush green coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber plantations. The natural beauty of the hills will simply make you fall in love with the place.

The main attraction for the tourists coming at the Vythiri Hill Station are the Tree Houses, houses built on the trees 90 m above the ground in the tropical rain forest providing a picturesque view of the valley. You can spend hours sitting in the lounge balcony appreciating the charismatic view of the sunset. There are beautiful hanging rope bridges over the streams to lead you to the cottages.

The Edakkal caves situated on Ambukuthi hills about 10 km from Sultan Bathery, in Wayanad district of Kerala is another major tourist attraction. These caves are formed due to a split in a huge rock and, provide a pictographic delight to all its viewers.

If you are a wildlife lover, be sure to visit the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the best sanctuaries in Kerala. As a part of the bigger Nilgiri biosphere reserve, it is created to protect the natural resources of the region.

The Vythiri Hill Station also has a number of resorts to stay in like the Green Magic Tree House Resort, Vythiri Resort and the Jungle Park Resort. Thus, enjoy the cool breeze and feel romantic with nature's own music.

How to Reach:

- By Airways: All flights from the Kozhikode airport
- By Railways: All railways connections are from Kozhikode

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Devikulam Hill Station

A dainty little town sixteen kilometers south west of Munnar, a perfect picture of fairytale enchantment - irresistible green slopes moving up to the sky at a thousand meters, a lovely little hidden lake within the rolling hills, this is what Devikulam is like. Devikulam hill station is one of the most enchanting hill resorts of Kerala, God's own country. Its lush green vegetation, the chirping birds, the wild wild flowers, is what Devikulam has to offer to its visitors.

Hidden within the rolling hills is a clear water lake, with which a Hindu Mythological legend is associated. The legend goes something like this: The Hindu deity lord Rama's wife Sita once came to this place and bathed in the lake. Since then, this hill resort is known as Devikulam (the lake of Goddess). The most significant thing about the lake is that it has a fountain spring that gives healthy mineral water.

The Devikulam Hill Station gives its visitors varied adventure options like hiking, nature trekking, and mountaineering. Devikulam hill station is an ideal hill station for the peace seekers to idle away their time in the lap of green.

To the north of Devikulam at about one hour drive sprawls the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. With the rare sandalwood forest, it makes a thorny rain-shadowed scrub jungle found nowhere else in Kerala. It is in this sanctuary that you would find the highly engendered species of both, the grizzled giant squirrel and the star tortoise along with a large population of gaur.

Other major highlights of the sanctuary are the Thoovanam falls on the Chinnar River and the tall watchtower producing the incredible view of the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. The Pallivasal waterfall, at a very short distance from Devikulam, is a popular picnic spot. Another specialty of Devikulam Hill Station is that it can be visited at any time of the year simply for its pretty mild climate.

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Nellyampathy Hill Station


Nellyampathy Hill Station, Kerala has the recognition of being one of the prominent tourist destinations. In the south Indian region it stretches through a distance of 52 kilometers from Palakkad in Kerala, India. Padagiri is the highest peak of this hill station and it is also a place for adventurous people as it provides opportunity for sports like:

- Mountain climbing
- Trekking

The landscapes of Nelliyampathy hill station are enthralling as greenery of the place is an eye candy. The vibrant colors of the hill station are sure to hypnotize the visitors. Orange, coffee and tea are the plantations provide glamorous touch to the valleys spread far wide.

Nelliyampathy hill station lies in the Palakkad District and is 52 kilometers south of Nemmara. The hill station is above sea level and has a height of 467 to 1572 m

Among all the hill stations in Kerala, Nelliyampathy hill station has evergreen forests and the Sahya ranges. Seethakundu at Nellyampathy is a beautiful site to visit.

The magnificent view of clear blue sky widened overhead and the verdant green carpets spread all throughout makes Nelliyampathy hill station a must visit place in Kerala.

Once in Nelliyampathy hill station a tourist can visit the Parambikjlam Wildlife Sanctuary, Thunakadavu and Malampuzha.

Nelliyampathy hill station of Kerala thus emerges out of the western ghat ranges and offers a beautiful site for the onlooker as they can get hold of the misty mountain ranges.

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Wagamon Hill Station


Wagamon (also spelt as Vagamon) Hill Station is 64 km from Kottayam and 34 km from Pala. It situated at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level and is a trekker's paradise. It's a lovely place in Kerala surrounded by tea gardens, deep valleys, sloppy mountains with waterfalls and beautiful lakes all along the coastline. The green grasses, velvet lawns and the cool mountain breeze make Wagamon a perfect holiday retreat. The chain of three hills - Thangal Hill, Murugan Hill and Kurisumala makes Wagamon Hill Station a place worth visiting.

Wagamon Hill Station has lots of things to offer to its tourists, a perfect place to relax and hang around with your family and friends. Apart from the waterfalls and the steep mountains idle for trekking and rock climbing, there is the famous Kurisumala Ashram. It is situated in the heart of the Sahyadri Mountains which run parallel to India's south west coast. It has the main cattle breeding and diary farm in Kerala. The Live Stock Board is located here. It is also a well known meditation center where you can spend hours meditating on the hill tops and go home with a peaceful refreshing mind.

Many eco friendly projects have developed in this region which aims to develop and construct cottages, Ayurvedic medicine centers, cultivation of medicinal plants, fishing and boating lakes. Vegamon is engulfed with deep valleys and trekkers will enjoy climbing this 1100 m tall hill.

At Thangal Para, you can enjoy the unique rock formations and get mesmerized with nature's own creation. Thus, with beautiful meadows and valleys, purple lawns, lovely hills and green slopes, the Wagamon Hill Station provides its visitors a unique experience. It keeps an everlasting impression in your mind and you will feel like visiting this place again and again.