Ponmudi, also known as the Golden Peak is a hill station located 55.2 km in northeast of Trivandrum City of Kerala at an altitude of 1100 m. Ponmudi peak is a part of the Western Ghats mountain range that runs parallel to the Arabian Sea.The best time to visit Ponmudi is from October to March. It is a popular spot for backpacking and trekking as well.
Let us look at the five best places to visit in Ponmudi
The Golden Valley
It is a picturesque location idyllic for its lush green valley, crystal clear water and golden sand settled along the banks of Kallar River.
The wildlife lovers will have a great time exploring a popular deer park near Ponmudi resort.
While visiting valley one can find beautifully coloured wood and stone cottages.
Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary
Located on the outskirts of the city of Ponmudi, Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary was established in the1938 and is spread an across the area of 53 sq km in the region of the Western Ghats. It and is popular for its thick forest cover that accommodates a variety of wild animals and birds like Asian elephants, sambar, leopards, lion-tailed macaques, Malabar grey hornbills, etc.
The Meenmutty Falls Kerala Tour Packages This hallmark of the city is about 3 km from the Kallar Main Road. There are several small natural pools located near the waterfall at this spot.
One has to take a long trek that passes through dense forests with special permission from the Forest Department to reach the place. Kallar Vana Samrakshana Samithi is a forest protection group at Kallar which provides facilities for trekking.
Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve
It covers Neyyar, Peppara, Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries and divisions of Achencoil, Thenmala, Konni, Punalur, and Thiruvananthapuram. The reserve is notified under the UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme
It covers a total area of 1701 sq km and requires forest department’s permission from Trivandrum main office. It has about 337 species of birds, a huge number of species of mammals, amphibians, fishes and reptiles. Tiger, Ancient elephant and NilgiriTahr are some of the rare animals found here.
Agasthyarkoodam Peak
Located within Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, It is the second highest peak in the Western Ghats, with the highest peak at 1868 m. A trekker’s paradise, people come here for various reasons – ranging from their love for pure trekking, exploring flora and fauna while some visit for this being a pilgrimage. It is a 90-minute drive with Palakkad being the last motorable spot. Rare medicinal herbs and plants are found in abundance around forests around the peak.