7 Days in the Southern Hills — Munnar and Kodaikanal

The Western Ghats hill stations of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are quieter, greener, and less infrastructure-heavy than the Himalayan classics — and the drive between Munnar and Kodaikanal is one of the most scenic in south India. This 7-day loop combines both, plus a tea-estate base in Munnar and forest walks in the Palanis around Kodai. The trip works particularly well as a winter or early-spring escape (October–March) when the Himalayan stations are cold or snow-bound.

At a glance

• Total days: 7 (6 nights)
• Distance: ~600 km loop (Kochi → Munnar → Kodaikanal → Madurai)
• Route: Kochi → Munnar (3 nights) → Kodaikanal (3 nights) → Madurai → home
• Best season: October–March. April–May is hot in Madurai; June–September is heavy monsoon.
• No permits required.

Day 1 — Kochi (Cochin) to Munnar

Fly into Kochi (COK). From the airport take a pre-booked taxi to Munnar — the drive is around 4 hours, climbing through rubber and cardamom plantations to tea country. Stop at Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls along the way if it's monsoon or just after. Arrive Munnar by late afternoon. Spend the evening on a tea-estate walk near your hotel.

Stay: Munnar (best to base on the edge of town in a tea-estate property rather than central Munnar town).

Day 2 — Eravikulam, Mattupetty, Kundala

A full day around Munnar.

• Morning: Eravikulam National Park (8 km from Munnar). Opens 07:30; arrive early to avoid queues. A bus shuttle from the entrance takes you to the trailhead — short walk through grasslands with possible Nilgiri tahr sightings.
• Late morning: Tata Tea Museum on the edge of Munnar. The history of plantation tea, working machinery, and a tasting at the end.
• Afternoon: Mattupetty Lake (boating) and the Indo-Swiss Dairy Farm. Continue to Kundala Dam and the Tea Country drive.
• Evening: sunset at Top Station if time and weather allow (1 hour from Munnar town, on the Tamil Nadu border, the highest viewpoint in the area at 1,700 m). Otherwise dinner at the hotel.

Stay: Munnar.

Day 3 — Munnar quiet day

Slow it down. Walk the tea estate near your hotel (most properties have a guided plantation walk). Visit Lockhart Gap for the long valley view. Drive up to Anamudi trailhead for a 2-hour walk in the high shola forest if the weather is clear. Or simply spend the day reading on a verandah looking out at tea slopes — Munnar is one of the few hill stations that genuinely rewards doing nothing.

Stay: Munnar.

Day 4 — Munnar to Kodaikanal

The headline drive of the trip. Munnar → Bodinayakanur → Pallani → Kodaikanal, around 145 km / 5–6 hours. The route descends from Munnar's tea slopes to the Tamil Nadu plains, then climbs again into the Palani Hills via the Kodai ghat road (one of the steepest in south India).

Stop for lunch in Bodi or carry a packed lunch from your Munnar hotel. Arrive Kodaikanal late afternoon; settle into your hotel and walk around Kodai Lake at sunset.

Stay: Kodaikanal (lake area for first-timers; Vattakanal if you want quieter and more atmospheric).

Day 5 — Kodaikanal town and Coaker's Walk

A relatively easy day in central Kodai.

• Morning: Kodai Lake walk, or bicycle the perimeter (5 km). Bryant Park.
• Late morning: Coaker's Walk along the cliff edge, with the Telescope House at one end.
• Lunch: Astoria, Cloud Street, or one of the lake-side café options.
• Afternoon: Pillar Rocks (7 km), with Bear Shola Falls en route.
• Evening: sunset back at Coaker's Walk.

Stay: Kodaikanal.

Day 6 — Berijam Lake, or Vattakanal

Pick one — both need an early start.

Option A — Berijam Lake: 21 km from Kodai through protected shola forest. Forest department permit required, issued in limited numbers from the Kodai forest office at 8:00. Try to be there early on a weekday; weekends fill up fast. If you get a slot, the cloud-forest drive and the lake itself are the highlight of any Kodai trip.

Option B — Vattakanal: the small village 8 km below Kodai, with Dolphin's Nose viewpoint and a couple of cafés. Less spectacular than Berijam but easier to access. Possibly combine with a half day for Silver Cascade Falls and Kurinji Andavar Temple back near Kodai.

Stay: Kodaikanal.

Day 7 — Kodai to Madurai, then home

Drive down to Madurai (120 km / 3 hours) for an afternoon and evening at the Meenakshi Amman Temple — one of the great Dravidian temple complexes, with thousand-pillared halls and elaborately painted gopuram towers. The night puja (around 21:30) is a remarkable experience.

Fly home from Madurai (IXM) on a late-evening flight, or stay one more night and fly out the next morning.

Practical notes

• Munnar drive timing: the road from Kochi is busy with goods traffic; allow 4–5 hours, not 3. In or just after the monsoon there can be landslides on the Kallar ghat — check ahead.
• Berijam permits: the early-morning queue is real. If you cannot face it, ask your Kodai hotel to send someone or use a tour operator who handles permits.
• Hotel booking: Munnar tea-estate properties book out months ahead in season. Plan early.
• Driving the Kodai ghat road: experienced drivers only. The descent from Kodai to Bodi is steep, with many hairpin bends — consider hiring a local driver if you're not used to ghat roads.
• Combine with backwaters: if you have an extra 2–3 days, add an Alleppey (Alappuzha) backwaters houseboat between Kochi airport and Munnar.

Variations

• 5 days: drop one day each from Munnar and Kodai; skip either Top Station or Berijam.
• 10 days: add Periyar (Thekkady) wildlife sanctuary between Munnar and Kodaikanal (overnight + one game drive). Or extend the Madurai stay and add Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) for the Rock Fort and the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple.
• 2 weeks: Kerala → Tamil Nadu loop — Munnar → Periyar → Kodai → Madurai → Pondicherry → Tanjore → Mahabalipuram → Chennai.

Related guides

• Munnar travel guide →
• Kodaikanal travel guide →
• Top 12 Hill Stations in India →