7 Best Hill Stations near Trivandrum (2025)

The fascinating hill station of Munnar is one of the best tourist places in Kerala and a popular honeymoon destination among Indians. Situated at an altitude ranging from 5000 to 8000 feet on the Kannan Devan Hills, Munnar is about 120 km from Kochi, and 284 km from Trivandrum.

Often referred to as the Swiss of South India, Munnar is one of the famous weekend getaways from Kochi, Coimbatore & Madurai. Mattupetty Dam, Echo point, Kundala Lake, Devikulam, Pothamedu Viewpoint, Nyayamkad falls, Thoovanam falls, Eravikulam National Park and Attukal Waterfalls are among the must include places in Munnar tour. It is a trekker's paradise too, which offers both soft and mountain trekking.

Munnar is home to some of the world's best tea estates. The tea plants covering Munnar hills make the feeling of seeing a wide green carpet. Munnar is also known for Neelakurinji flowers, which blooms once in 12 years. It is also known for being the spice center of Kerala. Over twelve varieties of spices including ginger, garlic, cardamom, vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, coffee, tea, clove, and nutmeg are cultivated in Munnar and its neighboring villages.

It usually takes at least 2 full days to visit main attractions in Munnar. Along with Thekkady & Alleppey, Munnar forms the most popular tourist circuit of Kerala.

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Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the top wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala, especially for wildlife enthusiasts. Situated about 82 km from Munnar, 143 km from Kochi, and 211 km from Trivandrum, it is one of the must include places in Kerala tour packages.

Established in the year 1950, the sanctuary is spread across 777 sq. km, of which 360 sq. km is a thick evergreen forest. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. Among the top tourist places in Kerala, Thekkady is famous for Asian Elephants, Tigers, Gaurs, Sambars, Lion-tailed Macaques, Nilgiri Langurs, Wild Boars, Spotted Deer, Nilgiri Tahr, etc. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can watch wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat from the lake. The main attraction of the sanctuary is a group of wild elephants that come to play in the lake.

Thekkady offers elephant rides, jeep safari, boating in the lake, tiger trails, and forest treks. Murikkady, Chellar Kovil, Anakkara, Mangala Devi Temple, Suruli Falls, and Pullumedu are the popular places to visit as part of Thekkady packages.

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Vagamon, also spelt as Wagamon is an enchanting hill station situated in the Idukki district of Kerala. Located on the Kottayam-Idukki border, it is one of the offbeat hill stations near Kochi, and among the most famous Kerala tourist places. It is situated about 92 km from Munnar, and 103 km from Kochi.

Perched at an altitude of 1100 m, Vagamon is surrounded by 3 hills namely, Thangal hill, Muruganmala, and Kurisumala. Also known as the Scotland of Asia, Vagamon was listed in the '50 most attractive places to visit in India' directory by the National Geographic Traveler. Pine Forests, Thangalpara, Kurisumala, Murugan Hill, Vagamon Meadows, Marmala Waterfalls, Suicide Point, Karikdu Viewpoint, and Illikkal Kallu are some of the top Vagamon tourist places.

Trekking, paragliding, mountaineering, and rock climbing are the favorite activitiesthat one must try as part of Vagamon packages. The hill station has developed into a prime paragliding hub and is the venue of international paragliding contests that are conducted here every year.

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Idukki is is one of the stunning places to visit near Kochi, and among the most prominent Kerala tourist places. It is situated about 47 km from Munnar, 105 km from Kochi, 239 km from Trivandrum, and 171 km from Madurai.

Idukki is the second-largest district in Kerala state (Painavu as headquarters). The name Idukki is supposed to be derived from the Malayalam word Idukku which means a narrow gorge. Periyar which is one of the largest rivers of Kerala, flowing through the Idukki gorge formed between the two high massive rocks called Kuravan and Kurathi, which is the site of the gigantic Idukki Arch Dam, among the must-visit places as part of Idukki packages. Idukki can be visited along with Munnar tour packages.

Idukki has a mix of diverse attractions like wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations, spice plantation centers and mountain treks. Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki Dam, Thommankuthu Waterfalls, Ramakalamedu, Kalvari Mount / Calvary Mount, Malankara Dam, and Ilaveezha Poonchira are some of the prominent tourist places in Idukki.

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Also called 'Kashmir of Kerala', Ponmudi is a secluded hill station situated in the Trivandrum district of Kerala. It is one of the pristine hill stations near Trivandrum. It is situated about 57 km from Trivandrum, and 233 km from Kochi.

Ponmudi, meaning the Golden Crown, is nestled in the lap of rolling hills of the Western Ghats that run parallel to the Arabian Sea. Situated at an altitude of 1100m, Ponmudi is surrounded by scenic hills, spice plantations, tea estates, natural springs, and winding streams. Ponmudi Waterfalls, Deer Park, River Kallar, Kallar Meenmutty Falls, Golden Valley, and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary are some of the must-visit tourist places as part of Ponmudi packages.

Apart from sightseeing, Ponmudi is also famous for Ayurvedic medical treatments. Trekking to Agasthyakoodam, Ponmudi tourist places, is the most popular activity here for adventure buffs. Ponmudi can be vsited along with Trivandrum tour packages.

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Megamalai or Meghamalai is a beautiful hill town in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu. About 126 km from Madurai, and 127 km from Munnar, it is one of the offbeat hill stations in South India and among the top places to visit near Madurai.

Popularly called Highwavys Mountains, Meghamalai is an unexplored paradise in the Western Ghats and is very little known even to the people of Tamilnadu. Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Highwavy Dam, Megamalai Viewpoint, Manalar Dam, Suruli Falls, Iravangalar Dam, and maharaja Mettu are some of the top places to visit in Meghamalai.

If you are looking for a calm and tranquil weekend from the hustle-bustle of city life, Megamalai is the perfect place to visit in Tamilnadu.

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At a distance of 13 km from Pathanamthitta and 16 km from Sabarimala, Ranni is a beautiful hill station in Pathanamthitta district and a fast growing tourist destination. It is the largest rubber producing region in Kerala.

Ranni is derived from similar word in Malayalam which means Queen or Rani. Ranni alias the queen of hill lands is one of the most serene villages blessed with beautiful nature, rivers, hills, forests, good climate and atmosphere. The Pampa River flows through the middle of Ranni town and adds to its natural beauty.

Ranni is also famous for St. Thomas Orthodox Church, also known as Thottamon Church. Established in 1905, this church belongs to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Dedicated to St. Thomas, this church is known for its architectural beauty which was renovated in 2007. The annual festival of this church is celebrated for 5 days from December 17th to 21st.

Perumthenaruvi is a beautiful natural waterfall is located 17 km from Ranni. Perumthenaruvi is a 100ft high Waterfall. The Charalkunnu Waterfall is another waterfall located near to Perumthenaruvi. One can experience a panoramic view of the low lying areas including river Pamba from here.

Ranni is also blessed with a pleasant climate throughout the year. It is connected with Pathanamthitta by frequent bus service.

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