Kerala the ‘god’s own country’ has always been on the top list of most sought tourist destinations. The pristine beaches, tranquilizing backwaters, amazing biodiversity, historical monuments and many more lure the hearts of travelers across the globe. Each season has something new to gift its visitors. Many eminent writers have penned down the stupendous beauty of the state through poems, essays, novels, and articles. It always was being my dream to visit the tourists’ spots of the state. Many of my friends had visited the hotspots like Munnar, Thekkady, and Kollam and used to showcase the photographs clicked over there. Seeing those lovely pictures I used to feel very sad about not being part of it. Each time we plan a trip to Munnar some unexpected emergencies would hinder it.
But this time we decided to spend a few days in the misty mountains of Munnar. For that, we searched for the best travel operators that curate exceptionally good tour packages to Kerala. We were in search of such a tour operator who would be ready to take care of us and make our trip memorable. It was our friend who suggested the name of Gogeo Holidays. They are the only travel operators in my knowledge who inculcate the price of air tickets with the package and this specialty is what we liked very much. And also Gogeo Holidays are one of the best travel partners in Kerala. As we were basically hailing from Hyderabad we were really unfamiliar with the language and lifestyle of the Kerala people, availing their services will definitely help us and the same was reported by our friends. Many of us asked to drop the plan as the previous year, 2018 the state had faced one of the disastrous rainfalls which took the lives of many living beings. Most of the routes to the tourist spots were completely damaged and the state had to face a big financial loss. With a few months of rigorous hard works the state started to recover but again in 2019 the state faced the same kind of rainfall but not with that intensity as the previous year. Even we thought of dropping the plan but the tour coordinators of the Gogeo Holidays assured us there would be no issues and our traveling would be safe.
After the 2019 flood, we availed of the package to Kerala during the puja holidays. We boarded a flight from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad to Cochin International Airport in Kerala. As informed, the tour coordinators were there to receive us with a warm welcome. From there we proceeded to Munnar in a private cab. The road to Munnar was good in condition except with a few potholes here and there. Our journey comprised of many hairpins also. While covering the hairpins we saw many people coming back after visiting the famous hill station, Munnar and with a smile on their faces. As we reached Kerala in the early morning we didn’t have to face much traffic and could reach the spot with 3 hours. The Munnar hill station is situated in the Idukki district. The moment we reached the resort the people over there received us with warm greetings and handed over the keys of our rooms. After relaxing for an hour we got ready for sightseeing. The place which we were taken first according to the tour package was to the thick green plantations of tea. The spectacular arrangement of tea leaves touched our hearts deeply. The aromatic scent of the tea leaves took us to another world. Over there we saw many foreigners who came there to celebrate their romantic days. Apart from western people we also interacted with people hailing from different states of India. I and my sister indulged in plucking tea leaves with female workers by carrying a long basket.
From there we moved to Mattupetty dam. Over there we were engaged in boating. For the first time, we were seeing people boating in a dam!!! Travelers who visit this iconic destination would definitely avail of the boating service. One could also capture the splendid view of nature while boating inside the dam. Followed to it we savored mouth-watering dishes prepared in traditional Kerala style. By the evening we reached the Eravikulam National Park to observe the various rare species of animals and birds. Also, it is home to Strobilanthes flower (known as NeelaKurinji flower in the Malayalam language). It is a lavender-blue colored flower which blooms once in 12 years. It last bloomed in September 2018 but due to hazardous flood, the number of tourists declined rapidly. Most of the animals were unknown to us and our tour guide who accompanied us explained all the important information about the species including their lifestyles.
We trek to the Nilgiri hills and clicked the beautiful picture of Nilgiri tahr. We really had wonderful family time on the hill. As it was getting darker we were asked to return back to the resort. On reaching the resort we filled our tummies with delicious Kerala foods served in hot.
The next day also we continued our sightseeing in Munnar. I and my sister had a great time at the Echo point. Not only we but many newly married couples and lovers were calling out each other’s names. In between sightseeing, we also did the shopping. Our mother was busy collecting homemade tea powders in various flavors and also chocolates, spices, and many more things. I and my sister were busy collecting ornaments made out of shells and various showcase items. How could we end our shopping without buying a gorgeous hat? Our dad was engaged in a deep conversation with the local farmers for understanding the various methods of farming.
After spending one more day in Munnar we packed our bags to our home town. After visiting the place we understood most of the news which we heard about the Munnar were only exaggerated form. Such news badly affected the tourism of Kerala and also the income of the common vendors. However, the trip to Kerala really gifted loads of memories to be cherished in our free time. Once again I would like to thank our travel partner Gogeo Holidays for making our trip an outstanding and marvelous.
