An eerie silence enveloped the forest, despite the roar of a waterfall gushing down the steep slope on which I sat feeling both exhilarated and anxious, as any good adventure will make you feel. It was the calm before the storm. Soon after we were plunged into the darkness of a forest so thick that seeing an ounce of open sky would’ve been the greatest joy. Regardless, we hiked on, as our machete-wielding lungi-wearing guide cleared a path through the thicket. He burst crackers often, to scare away elephants yet there was nothing to be done about the leeches sucking blood from our legs. Night fell swiftly, we were still lost in the jungle, trying to climb up a mountain so steep that you wouldn’t be wrong in imagining it is trying to shake you off the slope. That night we collapsed under tarpaulins, barely held up under pouring rain, in a small clearing within the otherwise impenetrable forest, on wet mud imprinted with hoof marks of several Indian Gaur who had scoped out the place before us. The next morning, the race to finish continued in the wilderness with many many thrills and it ended with beef parotta in the small village at the edge of the mountain in northern Kerala. We were hiking up to a mountain called Vellarimala in 2010, it was the first of my many adventures in Kerala.

In the years that followed, I hiked with my cousins to a gorgeous heart shaped lake in Wayanad. I soaked up the monsoon fury and elegance of Munnar. I took a trip to the ancient past in Marayoor’s dolmens. I cycled over 150 exhausting kilometres through tea gardens of Chinnar to the forests of Thekkady. In short, I had made countless memories in God’s own Country but Kerala was wilderness to me. Kerala was pristine beauty. Kerala was glorious mountains, teeming with wildlife, enveloped in lush green forests. Kerala was a riveting adventure.

Hiking in Nelliampathy Hills in Palakkad

And then four years ago from today, I remember walking on a muddy foot trail cutting through endless fields of paddy coloured in a fluorescent green brought on by monsoon in Thasarak. Old ladies with toothy grin, wearing colourful plastic wrapped as shields were harvesting the produce under a stormy grey sky ready to burst anytime. That morning we went in search of the famous idlis of Ramassery, where I walked on clean village roads lined with pretty houses and village ponds with near perfect coconut tree reflections. Later we stopped at a nice little Toddy shop in Kinassery, drinking the famous palm sap out of colourful mugs. There I was traipsing in unknown villages, far away from the tourist hubs meeting people of Kerala, after years of chasing its wilderness. How would the experiment go?

Lamp lighting ceremony at Sree Randu Moorthy Temple, Thiruvalathur

I remember having heated debates with a friend in my early “traveller” years, where I insisted with the confidence of a clairvoyant that my interest in humans would never measure up to my fondness of empty landscapes. But life is nothing if not unpredictable and humans are nothing if not changeable. It was during this major shift that I happened to visit Kerala yet again, this time tracing the path and cultural influence of River Nila with The Blue Yonder across three northern districts of Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram (See the journey video here).

As our definitions of vacations have changed from hectic, see-everything-you-can sightseeing holidays to leisurely travels where we would rather not see hordes of people blocking our view, the wide open spaces of the world seemed to have shrunk but thankfully haven’t disappeared altogether. It’s time for us to start experiencing destinations in a whole new way by stepping beyond the cliché and exploring the hidden gems around popular spots. Kerala is a hot favourite among travellers and naturally gets a lot of attention. That means it can feel crowded and all too familiar at times. Fortunately, the state has enough sights and secrets to hold those who stray off the beaten path, in rapture. Including the likes of hiking in the flourishing hills of Nelliampathy and a walk among the humbling Dolmens of Marayoor, here are few offbeat ways to experience the best of Kerala.

In an unassuming town called Marayoor, 42 kms away from Munnar, a secret of historic proportions is waiting to be unraveled by anyone who is willing. Ancient dolmens that have miraculously survived the test of time (over 5000 years to be precise) can be found littered on a rocky slope at the edge of this particular village. Dolmens are megalithic structures from prehistoric age where large slabs of stones are stacked together to form tombs. Given these are structures from thousands of years before, there is little information available but the idea that something from another time has survived all this while is most intriguing. Located on the barren slopes of a hill overlooking the town of Marayoor and Pambar river, surrounded by the looming hills of Western Ghats, it is hard not to get drawn to the intense energy of the place. It helps that the drive to the town of Marayoor from passes in immensely beautiful as well, including the famous section through the rare and natural Red Sandalwood groves on the way.

The first glimpse of Pothundy Dam on the way to Nelliampathy Hills is a great preview of the spectacular scenic beauty of this little-known hill station located 60kms away from the town of Palakkad in Kerala. The glimmering water of the reservoir is surrounded by lush forest and pointy hills that extend till the eye can see; it looks particularly impressive on a stormy day. Even though a lot of the forest here has been converted to massive tea, coffee and cardamom plantations, there’s still a huge swathe of forest that’s pristine and where wild things roam free. With the help of a forest guide, a hike to one of the viewpoints inside the protected area offers stunning vantage point views of the valleys below the windswept slopes.

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While the usual reason to visit Kolukkumalai Tea Estate on Kerala-Tamilnadu border may be sampling a cup of the delightful organic hand-rolled tea, I offer another incentive. Stunning views of a Tea Garden dwarfed by rugged mountains and surrounded by deep valleys! At 8000ft, this has to be the world’s highest organic and orthodox tea processing estates that eschews machinery to Cursh-Tear-Curl machinery. A sad excuse of a jeep trail winds through the tea plantations to climb to this estate and the road is as bad as it can get. The trail then crosses over to the other side to reach Kolukkumalai. The journey, though backbreaking, offers full redemption in the form of extraordinary views. From here, we can see the mountains and villages in Tamilnadu. The tea factory here has been standing since 1930s and is still in use to produce tea in the orthodox seven-step process.

Nestled between lush forests of Devikulam, yet another little known hill station in the vicinity of the more famous Munnar, Sita Devi lake is a small but idyllic water body which can only be reached on foot. What it misses in grandeur, Sita Devi lake more than makes up for it with its incredible serenity. Without any of the ugly manifestations of so-called development, the lake is pristine as it comes, surrounded by lovely groves immediately and tea plantations in the far distance. Even the hike along the dense forest and by the stream is equally enjoyable as the destination by the end. The hike starts from one of the estates in Chinnakanal that’s at a distance of 22kms from Munnar, and is an easy one-hour effort, quite suitable for beginners.

While Chembra Peak is a great hike during most part of the year, it is only in the monsoons that the grasslands covering the higher reaches of the mountain transform into a lovely carpet of green. Between that glistening expanse of swaying grass, the heart-shaped lake of Chembra shines like a jewel. As you go higher up on the trail, a view of the lake below and its iconic shape becomes more and more detailed. The starting point of the hike to Chembra Peak is situated at a distance of 8kms from the town of Meppady and the period just before or right after monsoon is the best time to hike here. At 2100m high, in theory, it the lure of scaling one of the highest peaks of Wayanad that may draw the traveller to Chembra Peak, but it is the heart-shaped lake that eventually steals your heart.

The route was deserted. It was pitch dark, pouring and the road ahead forked into two. One of them lead to Thekkady and one to somewhere else, I didn’t know. Neither did the driver, we had to reach Munnar, we were about 80kms away in the jungle somewhere and it was pouring. That’s how this year’s edition of me chasing monsoons started. 

The sprawling tea gardens of Munnar and Silver Oak through the window.

I was in Kerala two weekends ago. Hosted by the folks at Sterling Holidays, I was in Munnar to see what the charming hill station offered to the offbeat and adventure enthusiasts. I wasn’t disappointed. The winds were howling outside my room, a faint whistle caused by wind escaping through the tiny gap between the window panes was the lullaby as I drifted into a sound sleep every night. Trees swayed with such tenacity that the rustling cacophony sounded more like a raging waterfall. And when it rained, it only poured. Low-lying monsoon clouds engulfed the hills and the slopes in a white luminous blanket, far down below everything else that could be seen was fresh green. Occasionally I longed for the warmth of sun but soon the cold breeze, the rain-drenched greenery and the sweeping mist would remind me why I loved the monsoons in first place despite the lack of sunshine.

The beautiful roads around Munnar, the Mountains and the Mist!

My first visit to Munnar took me to places like Matupetty Dam, Top Station and such and it was safe to say I wasn’t really charmed. My second visit took me to Munnar on my cycle and I enjoyed the brilliant winding roads quite a lot but still I wasn’t charmed. It was only during my third visit, I got to experience the mystical side of Munnar, and what better time than the monsoons to be here. So without further ado, let me tell you what the offbeat side of Munnar is like! 

Also known as Devikulam lake, this pristine sparkling water body is far away from all the crowd and the litter that comes with the reputation. It was a delight to walk along the unspoilt trail, soaking in the strong aroma of lemon grass and taking in views of sprawling tea gardens down below and unkempt wilderness above. Legend has it, that Sita devi bathed in this beautiful lake, which is why this lake is considered sacred by the locals. Going by the number of lakes that are known to involve Sita, I’d say she was quite the traveler! The British used to spend their weekends here fishing it seems. Surrounded by hills and tall trees, this lake was exactly how I had imagined hill stations to be, much before I ever visited any. I had imagined hill stations to be places of wild natural beauty without any shops lining the shore, without litter and without any people. As the mist rolled in and out, I could catch a glimpse of the Devikulam Tea Estate on the far end. Only me and my guide were there at the lake, while I was busy enjoying the lake and the rain, my guide kept a watchful eye on the surroundings, apparently the waterfall that originates from this lake is a big hit with the gentle giants! 

At a distance of 22kms from Munnar, a visit to this lake requires permission from Tata Tea Estate Officer. The hike starts from Chinnakanal and is an easy one hour effort, quite suitable for beginners. 

I have to tell you, I am not a big fan of Tea Estates. All it does is to remind me of the dense wilderness that was cut down to make way for the estates. However, this particular tea estate managed to catch my interest. After all how many times have I seen a tea garden dwarfed by high mountains, dense wilderness right by the side of the plantations, rugged mountains and deep valleys? At 8000ft, this has to be the world’s highest tea estate. The backbreaking journey to reach the Kolukkumalai tea estate is totally worth the effort for the views are extraordinary. There is only a jeep trail to reach this estate and it is as bad as it can get. We climb over a mountain side and cross over to the other side at the top to reach Kolukkumalai. From here, we can see the mountains and villages in Tamilnadu. The tea factory here has been standing since 1930s and is still in use to produce tea in the orthodox seven step process. A tour of the entire tea making process at the factory can be availed. The sad part is almost all of the produce is exported. I had a cup of tea and it tasted divine, but considering the cold and the rain, any hot cup of tea would’ve delighted my taste buds.

At a distance of 32kms from Munnar, the last 10kms ride to through this estate is quite bumpy and backbreaking but the views totally make up for it. Strictly only 4 wheel drives can tread on this trail. Jeeps are available at the start of the trail to reach this estate. 

To begin with, dolmens are prehistoric structures believed to ancient burial chambers. Characterized by four stones and a fifth cap stone on the top, these structures are found across the world but the origins and intentions of building these remain unclear till date. In Marayoor, these are locally known as Muniyaras and several dolmens can be seen on a stone hill to the left of the Pambar River. We reached Marayoor almost as the sun set, passing through the spectacular natural sandalwood reserve. A school is at the base of the hill and strewn all across the hill are ancient dolmens. As it rained intermittently, I walked barefoot on the cold stone to explore several of these fascinating yet dilapidated stone structures. Surrounded by high mountains on all sides, with crazy wind blowing and the constant drizzle, it was a mesmerizing evening, to be in presence of something built by our early ancestors belonging to Iron Age. A church prominently stood, brightly painted, amidst the greenery of Marayoor, the clouds were playing with the mountain tops, Pambar River was flowing down below and loud bhajans from a temple nearby filled my ears even as the winds howled. Just behind the mountain are primitive tribes who believe in animism resisting contact and fostering their own traditions and culture. Standing on the hill top, it was a magical heady mix of nature, beauty, religion and beliefs that transcended timelines. In short, that evening was spectacular. 

At a distance of 40kms from Munnar, Marayoor is a must visit for those interested in its rich ancient heritage and natural beauty. Without the context, the primitive stone structures and the rock paintings by the Pambar river might look ordinary but they are hardly so. 

*Note – I travelled to Munnar as a guest of Sterling Holidays. 

* The king would be Vavulmala for sure. 


Date of Journey - November 27 - 28th 2010.

I am not saying I did not enjoy the trek. I enjoyed the trek for the challenge it presented, for the persistence we showed, for the diversity it showed, for the waterfall we relished, for the trail lost, for the campsite found.  But it was a bittersweet journey all along I guess. Now that it is done and I am sitting home remembering the two days I think it was all well worth the effort and the hype.