Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting Around
It's only about 1.5km from Kumily bus stand to the main park entrance, but another 3km
from there to Periyar Lake; you might catch a bus (almost as rare as the tigers), but will
more likely take an autorickshaw from the entry post (?50) or set off on foot - but bear in
mind there's no walking path so you'll have to dodge traffic on the road. Autorickshaws
will take you on short hops around town for ?30.
Bicycle hire
is available from many
guesthouses.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
SABARIMALA
Deep in the Western Ghats about 20km west of Gavi and some 50km from the town of Erumeli is a place called
Sabarimala, home to the Ayyappan temple. It's said to be one of the world's most visited pilgrimage centres, with
anywhere between 40 and 60 million Hindu devotees trekking here each year. Followers believe the god Ayyap-
pan meditated at this spot. Strict rules govern the pilgrimage. For information see
www.sabarimala.org
.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Munnar
04865 / POP 68,200 / ELEV 1524M
South India's largest tea-growing region, the rolling hills around Munnar are carpeted in
emerald-green tea plantations, contoured, clipped and sculpted like ornamental hedges.
The low mountain scenery is magnificent - you're often up above the clouds watching
veils of mist clinging to the mountaintops. Munnar itself is a scruffy administration centre,
not unlike a North Indian hill station, but wander just a few kilometres out of town and
you'll be engulfed in a sea of a thousand shades of green.
Once known as the High Range of Travancore, today Munnar is the commercial centre
of some of the world's highest tea-growing estates. The majority of the plantations are
now operated by the Kannan Devan Hills Plantation Company (KDHP), a local cooperat-
ive which succeeded corporate giant Tata Tea in 2005.
