Wildlife & Trekking Diaries

Planning a Chinnar trip Official information checked: 6 November 2026 For bookings, use the Kerala Forest Department's Chinnar booking page . The review, rankings and photographs below are from my 2014 visits. Getting there: Chinnar is on the Munnar–Udumalpet road near Marayoor. Kerala Tourism describes the Thoovanam waterfall walk as a guided 4 km trail from Alampetty Check Post, taking about three hours. Ask the forest office where to report when you book. Treks and fees The Forest Department lists four treks. The programme window is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; ask for the starting time of your trek when booking. Thoovanam Waterfalls : ₹300 under “entry fee”; ₹700 under “Foreign Adult”. Alampetty cultural rock-painting hike : ₹300 under “entry fee”; ₹700 under “Foreign Adult”. Chinnar riverside trek : ₹300 under “entry fee”; ₹700 under “Foreign Adult”. Vasyappara trek : ₹700 under “entry fee”; ₹1,500 under “Foreign Adult”. Online bookings close 23–24 hours before the 8 a.m. ...

Dhuvanam waterfalls(Amaravathy range, Anamalai Tiger Reserve) The first time I came across this name was through  SUBHA J. RAO 's article in The Hindu " Go trekking on Nature's trail - The Hindu ". Inspired by her article (her articles on travel have been a source of constant inspiration to me and my wife and set us on many an expedition. I take this opportunity to thank her for the same) i went to amaravathy in feb-2009  and met the Ranger. Unfortunately my trip coincided with that of the Conservator of Forest, Anamalai Tiger Reserve . Everyone in the range was busy attending to him and his needs and they couldn't spare a guide for me. I stayed overnight in Udumalpet, came back in the morning and tried my luck. The ranger flatly refused to give me a guide and i had to return home disappointed. Later I came to know that Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary  was offering accomodation and  trekking to thoovanam falls as part of its ecotourism intiative. Intially I ass...

The Original Plan Shiyas (my friend and managing director Esteem Holidays) and I wanted to do a followup on our BR hills(hope to write on it shortly) trip. After establishing  Esteem Holidays  he had done a full tour of Munnar and surrounding areas and recommended Kolukkumalai Estate and Thoovanam falls . So we finalised on a trekking trip to  Chinnar-Thoovanam-Munnar-Kolukkumalai . On Feb 5th we decided to meet in Chinnar . I landed there by 11 a.m and shiyas was there on his KTM duke by 1. We were informed that there was no water in Vasyapara hut. We had to opt for an alternate accomodation or pay  for porters to carry water to the hut that was 7kms inside the jungle. We decided on taking another acco and were allocated Churlipatti Log House . Churlipatti Log House Churlipatti log house is 3 kms from the chinnar checkpost on the banks of Chinnar. We started walking on the forest track at around 3 p.m. towards the log house with high spirits. The spirit...