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To Meenmutty, the beauty in Kallar

meenmutty kallar

The parts of Western Ghats in the most remote areas of the Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) district is always known to be amazingly beautiful. Meenmutty is undoubtedly one among them. The beauty and the easiness to attain perfect refreshment make it a regular getaway place.

We chose to go to Meenmutty to get refreshed and to welcome the weekend.  If we go there, we have the luxury of extending the trip to Ponmudi hill station located only 15 KM from Meenmutty. Additionally the road condition is also fair. So all in all, the ride is be worth going.

meenmutty stone path

The stones on the trekking path to Meenmutty waterfalls 

At a distance of only 45 KM from Trivandrum, Meenmutty will not take much time. Any vehicle can be used for Meenmutty with Bike or Car being the best among all. We started off in a car in the Trivandrum Nedumangad Ponmudi route.

You will find any type of restaurants in the route and we chose a budget Aryaas restaurant ( which is the most common vegetarian restaurant name you see in trivandrum) for the breakfast.

The road to Ponmudi is quite good for its age. As the rainfall is quite high in hilly areas, at some places potholes are there. Still, the driving experience is an unforgettable one full of sharp turns, cool breeze and the fresh nature at its best.

We reached vithura in less than an hour, which is the last town in the route. You will get any essentials in this small town which also has a KSRTC Bus depot. It is always a good option to re energize yourself from Vithura as, Meenmutty can test your stamina little bit.

From Vithura , it will take only around 20 minutes to reach the Meenmutty eco tourism entrance. Tickets are required for all persons, vehicles and cameras. There is a drive of less than 1 KM from the office to the Trekking point entrance through the forests.

This drive  can test your vehicles suspensions and vehicles with low ground clearance needs to be maneuvered carefully.

The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness – John Muir.

From the starting point, it is a 2 KM trek to the highest point where you can see the waterfalls of Meenmutty. Though the walk is little tiring, it gives you an exhilarating feeling.

There are several places in the stream which flows from the waterfalls to the Kallar, where we can take bath. There are volunteers and workers who will guide us.

However, it is not advisable to go into waters which are not supervised as in some places the depth and the speed of the waters is too  high.

Meenmutty waterfall

View of the Meenmutty waterfall

The view of waterfalls is too good and is worth the walk. After a brief rest in the rocks near to the waterfalls, we started the walk back to find a perfect spot in the stream.

It is always best to chose the lower points to refresh yourself in the cool waters. The waters has the ability to soothen your body and mind. It is the perfect way to re energize yourselves.

Meenmutty

Energize yourselves, the nature has the power to heal everythying

After revitalizing ourselves in the Meenmutty, we chose to drive back and bring with us, the freshness of the nature. As mentioned earlier, the Ponmudi hill station is also quite near to the Meenmutty and a trip to Ponmudi is also quite unforgettable.

The unending hills and valleys are a feast to the eyes. You can also see the Kerala Police transmitting station as Ponmudi is the highest point in Thiruvananthapuram district.

Before heading to Meenmutty

If you are planning to go to both Meenmutty and Ponmudi, it is better to take some food items with you as the nearest town is Vithura which is a 10 Km ride back from Meenmutty.

There are some small shops and restaurants in Kallar junction. You will get snacks and hot and cold bewarages any time. Ponmudi has a hotel and restaurant run buy the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation as well as a small snacks shop run by the Kudumbasree workers.

meenmutty bathOne of the safe areas where people can take bath

Both Meenmutty and Ponmudi will be closed to visitors after 5 PM. The view from Ponmudi is at its best in the evenings. So it is always good to visit the Meenmutty waterfalls in the morning and Ponmudi in the afternoon.

Plastic is banned inside the Meenmutty forests. Water bottles, if carried, should not be left behind.

Nedumangad is the nearest town which has access to many tourists spots like Braemore estate , Ponmudi and Meenmutty. Peppara, Thenmala and Palaruvi waterfalls. So if you are planning for a visit to some of these places and looking for a stay, Nedumangad will be a good choice.

Thiruvananthapuram city is also having a good number of hotels for any budget. The nearest Railway station is Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station.

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