Ernakulam – Parambikulam – Chinnar – Munnar – Ernakulam Round Trip – March 2011

Photos from Ernakulum, Parambikulam, Chinnar, Munnar roundtrip and back to Ernakulum via Adimali, Neriamangalam, Kothamangalam. I with my family set out from Ernakulam in our car at about 4.15 am. The four-lane work of NH 47 up to Mannuthy (70 kilometers) is nearly finished and it takes less than an hour to cover this distance in the early morning hours as the traffic is also less. At 100 kilometers from Ernakulam, will reach Vadakkancherry from where we took the right deviation to the Pollachi road covering small towns like Nemmara, Kollengode before crossing the Kerala Tamil Nadu border at 142 kilometers. After travelling about 14 kilometers from the border, you reach a junction from where you right turn to go to Parambikulam.

Parambikulam:

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You can reach Parambikulam, which is in Kerala state only through Tamil Nadu because of the

geographical constraints. Turn right from Anaimalai junction to Sethumadai from where again turn right to Parambikulam road you reach Tamilnadu Forest Department check post. Here you have to pay entrance fees to Anamalai Tiger Reserve. After travelling through Anamalai Tiger Reserve for about 16 kilometers and covering Top slip, we reached Kerala border again at 9 o'clock, which is the commencement of Parambikulam sanctuary. On the way, we could see some Gray Langur’s on tree tops and two Sambar deer's crossed the road in front of our car in a split second. On this extend, the road was extremely bad. We stopped at the Kerala Forest Check post, as Private vehicles not allowed entering the sanctuary. Kerala Forest department organize safaris in their own vehicles, which lasts up to 3 hours, but they persist a minimum number of 14 or pay for 14 people at Rs. 140 per person. we waited for about 45 minutes and no other tourists came within that time, We decided to continue our journey to Munnar without exhausting any more time. On return, we took a right turn from Anaimalai junction towards Udumalaipettai to proceed to Chinnar. Although one can reach Manupatti on the Marayur road without touching Udumalaipettai town, we were blown off the course and wasted valuable time. 32 kilometers from Udumalaipettai, you will reach Kerala state border that is also the commencement of Chinnar wild life sanctuary. Chinnar woodland road stretch up to 14 kilometers and at the end, you will reach Marayur Town. 33 kilometers down towards Munnar town is the famous Eravikulam National Park, the habitat of Nilgiri Tahr. We could not visit Kundala Dam and Top Station because of a forest fire that erupted on the hills en route Kundala, so we returned via Munnar, Adimali, Kothamangalam to Cochin.

Chinnar:

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Marayoor:

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Mattupetty:

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Parambikulam, Chinnar, Munnar – Navigation chart in Kilometers:

Toponym	Trip Meter Reading	Distance between
Ernakulam (Kaloor)	0
Mannuthy (NH47 four lane ends)	73	73
Vadakkancherry (Turn right to pollachi road)	100	27
Nemmara	116	16
Kollengode	127	11
Kerala / Tamilnadu Border	142	15
Parambikulam deviation junction (Turn right)	156	14
Anaimalai junction (Turn right)	162	6
Sethumadai (Turn right)	172	10
Top slip	185	13
Parambikulam	188	3
Return
Topslip	190	12
Anaimalai junction (Straight, no left turn)	213	23
Udumalaipettai town (Turn right)	251	38
Chinnar forest Start	283	32
Chinnar forest End	297	14
Marayur	299	2
Eravikulam National Park (habitat of Nilgiri Tahr – The mountain goat)	332	23
Munnar	340	8
Mattupatti	351	11
Echo point	357	6
Return (due to road block caused by forest fire, normally you can go up to Top station)	360	3
Mattupatti	368	8
Munnar	379	11
Adimali	409	30
Ernakulam (Kaloor) via Kothamangalam, Perumbavoor, Aluva.	511	102
Total Run Kilometers		511