Six best bike rides around Munnar
Munnar rewards a rider more than it rewards a passenger in a taxi. These six rides cover every well-known viewpoint in the hills. Each one starts from Munnar town, and each one is possible on a ₹750 a day scooter.
1. Munnar town to Mattupetty Dam and Echo Point
Distance: 13 km one way. Time: Half a day.
Ride out on the Top Station road. The tarmac is good and the tea estates open on both sides. Stop at the dam wall, then continue 3 km to Echo Point. Start by 08:00, because coaches fill the car parks after 10:00.
2. Munnar town to Top Station
Distance: 32 km one way. Time: A full day.
The highest viewpoint on this side of the hills, at 1,700 metres. The climb is steady rather than steep, so any of our scooters will manage it with two riders. Go early. Mist closes the view from about 11:00 on most days.
3. Munnar town to Eravikulam National Park
Distance: 13 km one way. Time: Half a day.
Park at the gate and take the park bus to the shola grassland. The gate opens at 07:30 and the tickets sell out by mid-morning in season. Ride up before 08:00 and you will pass the queue.
4. Anachal to Pothamedu and Chithirapuram
Distance: 10 km round trip. Time: Two hours.
The best short ride for sunrise. The road climbs through tea plantations and gives a clear view over the valley. The surface has some broken sections, so the TVS Jupiter suits this ride.
5. Munnar to Kundala Lake and the Tea Museum
Distance: 20 km one way. Time: Half a day.
A quiet road through the Kannan Devan hills, with far less traffic than the Mattupetty road. Add the Tea Museum on the way back into town.
6. Munnar to Vattavada and Kanthalloor
Distance: 45 km one way. Time: A full day.
The longest ride we suggest. It leaves the tea country and enters vegetable and fruit farms. Fill the tank in Munnar town, because there is no filling station after Devikulam.
Before you set off
- Fill the tank in Munnar town or at Anachal. Filling stations are far apart.
- Start early. Mist rises across the hills from late morning on most days.
- Carry a rain jacket between June and September.
- Keep the headlight on. It helps other drivers see you on a blind bend.
- Do not ride estate roads after dark, because they carry no lighting.
Which scooter suits which ride
The long climbs to Top Station and Vattavada are easiest on the 125 cc Yamaha Fascino, above all with two riders. The broken sections towards Pothamedu suit the higher ground clearance of the TVS Jupiter. For the short rides around town and Mattupetty, the Honda Activa 6G is the lightest and the most economical choice. See every scooter we rent.