Monday 28 October 2013

Top Station’s chief attraction is Neelakurinji

Top station is one of the popular tourist destinations in Munnar,
which is located in Idukki district of Kerala, at a distance of around 41 km from Munnar town. It takes about 1 hour to reach the spot from Munnar.It is the highest point on the Munnar- Kodaikanal road as it is situated at a height of about 1,700 m above sea level.

 Top Station’s chief attraction is Neelakurinji, which is a rare flower that blooms once in 12 years and when it does it covers the whole region in a blue mesmerizing carpet along with its lovely fragrance. The last time this enchanting flower bloomed, was in 2006 and is supposed to bloom in the year of 2018.

Top Station is very mush favoured by the domestic as well as the international tourists who are in a trip of the mistcovered hill station, Munnar. With crisp air followed by pleasant climate, it is one of the highest places in India where tea plantation flourishes. 

Tourists come Top Station as from here one can view the enchanting view of Munnar and its neighbouring areas. Munnar, which is one the top scenic hill stations in Kerala, looks like paradise on earth from this spot. The place is almost romantically covered with a blanket of mist, but the day is clear, one also view the wonderful sight of Madurai district of Tamil Nadu.

As this beautiful spot is located in the border of two states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, tourists come to this TopStation from both the states. It is also close to the one of the popular wildlife sanctuary, Pampadum Shola National Park, which is nearby the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

Trekking is a much favoured adventure sport in this region as among the many trek routes, the one from Munnar to Kodaikanl via Top Station is one the most scenic route. It is a 32 km route via Top Station, Koviloor, Bandharavu Mala and Kilavara, involving dense woods for about 18 km. 

The trek initiates in the early morning from Top Station. After reaching Kovillor village through jeep, where horse is provided to carry the luggage of the trekkers’, they trek up to the top of the Bandharavu hill, from where one gets a beautiful view of the Kodai villages. And then, they get to Kilavara village, and pass through Poondi, Mannavannur and Poompari to board a bus from Kodai.

How to reach Top Station in Munnar
The nearest airports to Top Station are located at Madurai, which is at a distance of 140 km and Kochi, at a distance of 190 km.
The nearest railway heads to this place are Theni railway station, at a distance of around 60 km and Changancherry railway station, at a distance of around 93 km from Top Station.
Through road, you can reach Top Station by bus, which ply from Munnar to this place. If you want a comfortable ride, you can hire a jeep from Munnar in order to get to this place.

Appropriate Time
Though the climate is pleasant in this region, throughout the year, the best time to visit this Top Station is from January to May. It is advisable to avoid the months from June to October as the roads get a bit slippery during the monsoon season.

Top Station Munnar Trekking

There are many trekking routes from Munnar to Kodaikanal – the most scenic route is the one via Top Station. It is a 32 km route via Top Station, Koviloor, Bandharavu Mala and Kilavara, with thick forests for nearly 18 km.

 The trek begins early morning at Top Station. Trekkers take a jeep ride to the Koviloor village, where there are horses services to carry their luggage. Then, they trek to up the steep Bandharavu hill to get a view of the Kodai villages from the top of the hill. Finally, they reach the Kilavara village, and pass through Poondi, Mannavannur and Poompari to board a Kodai bus.

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