Heavenly Munnar. (Hyd-Munnar)

We were a group of 3 photographers traveling in Volkswagen Polo. So we started around 2 in the afternoon from Hyderabad. We had lunch in a dhaba around 3 and started of. By 9 PM we crossed Andhra Pradesh and reached Bangalore around 10- 10 30 pm. Food isn't really a problem as a dhaba pops up every 15.30 minutes. Traffic in the outskirts of Banglore was really bad. Reached our Oyo rooms around 11:30, but didn't check-in as there was no parking. So we booked another Oyo room in the same street which cost 1500 Rs for three members (Vaishnavi Residency, Yalachenahalli) which were definitely worth the money.

We had a good sleep and started off around 11 in the morning. We planned to go to Hogenakal waterfalls in TN, which deviates around two hours from the actual route to Munnar from Banglore. The experience in Hogenakal was better than expected. For 750 Rs you get a ride in a coracle (small boat) around the waterfalls and the Kaveri river. We were roaming in the coracle for nearly two hours (our guy was great, had a lot of patience). You can even find some coracles selling food in the water! The waterfall wasn't really that great but the overall experience was amazing. Would be great if visited in the morning or during the late afternoon. We had some food over there and left around 5 30 in the evening. The route to Munnar was an amazing experience! Especially the route through the Annamalai tiger reserve is something I'll never forget. As we were passing through mountains covered with fog and mist, we saw a deer in the middle of the road! It stared at us for a few seconds and later ran into the woods. Had to pay the guards twice (while leaving the reserve and entering Munnar). We could hear the water dripping from the hills, was freezing cold. We didn't book a hotel beforehand, which was a huge mistake. Finally, after great difficulty, we found a hotel around 3 and dozed off to sleep...

The next day morning was freezing cold inside the hotel (Sree Krishna) maybe because of the tiling. We had some breakfast (which wasn't that great) and left for some Tea Estate around 10 30. We reached the top of the tea estate near a private property from where the view was amazing! Afternoon it was a bit hot, but got better gradually. While we were taking pics some guy kicked us out as we weren't allowed inside the tea estate. In the afternoon we went to this place called "Meesapulimala" (second highest peak in southern India), which was magical! So we need to pay 2000 for the vehicle along with the driver, which will take you to the top of the mountain. The view from the top of the mountain is absolutely breathtaking, a must for each person who visits Munnar! Though the trip to the top of the hill is a bit rocky and shaky, not recommendable to elder citizens. We ate in a restaurant called "Rapsy" which is famous for its beef, though we didn't have beef. That night we stayed in this Oyo rooms called "Laurel Annexe" for 1200 Rs, totally worth the money.

Next day we went to this place called Eravikulam National Park around 1 PM. This place is a national reserve for "Tahr". There was a huge queue for tickets as well as to get on the bus, which takes to the top of the mountain. It's better to visit that place early. We ate few fresh raw carrots which were being sold over there meanwhile. The weather was pleasant, not too sunny which made the experience a lot better. Few of the Tahr's were walking on the pathway with the rest of the people. The view too was pretty good from the top. You can even visit some of the places such as waterfalls and few other lakes which are inside the National Park but can be visited through the separate tour which is some sort of trek. For wildlife enthusiasts, it's a must-visit. Then in the evening we went to Mattupetty Dam. It wasn't that great a place to be honest, but if there isn't anything left to do then maybe you can visit that dam. We ate some hot Maggi and bread omelette over-there, perfect for a cloudy day. From there around 7, 7 30 PM we started back directly to Bangalore.

Around 7 Am we crossed Banglore, stopped the car and slept for approximately two hours. Then we carried on and finally reached Hyderabad around 1. The route back to Hyderabad was very boring, we were half asleep. Overall it was an amazing trip, an unplanned trip but the best trip I've traveled yet. If any queries or doubts, feel free to contact me.

Hyderabad - Bangalore -> 569 Km

Bangalore - Hogenakkal -> 126 Km

Hogenakkal - Munnar -> 341 Km 

Munnar - Bangalore -> 465 Km 

Total Distance Traveled Approximately - 2200 Km