Surrounded with some of the world’s highest tea plantations, Munnar has a number of tea plantations that sprawl across acres of lands. With the climate being cool and the place’s altitude, Munnar has everything suitable for cultivation of tea leaves. The place houses tea plantations of some of the famed brands, like that of Kanan Devan. A walk through the tea plantations feeling the cool climate and savouring the refreshing aroma arising from the tea plants would indeed be a rejuvenating experience.
Once, the summer resort of the British government, Munnar stills wears the charm of those old plantation days. Different layers of tea estates, the mist-clad hills, waterfalls, green valleys and wildlife sanctuaries, all gives Munnar her tantalizing charm.
Munnar has a number of tea estates. Some of them include:
- The Nullatanni Estate which was formerly three different estates (namely, Kalaar estate, Periavurrai estate and Nullatanni estate) is the third largest tea garden belonging to the Kanan Devan Hills Plantation Co. Kanan Devan has about 2491.36 Hectares land containing tea and energy plantations.
- Located in the South-western part of the Kanan Devan hills is the Letchmi estate. It is located in the part of the district that receives high rainfall and occasional frost during the winters.
- The Gundumallay estate - the name “Gundu” means Round and “Mallay” means mountain. This name has been derived due to the presence of a round rock-mountain in the estate.
- Situated at about 6000 feet from sea level on the borders shared between Kerala and Tamil Nadu is the Chundavurrai estate which formerly was four different estates known as Top Station estates. The four estates were Chundavurrai, Chittavurrai, Kundaly and Yellapatty estates.
- The Madupatty estate which was earlier two different estates; namely Chokanad and Grahamsland estates. The two estates were joined up during the years 2004/05 and 2005/06 respectively.
- The Guderale estate, which is located to the east of Munnar at an altitude of about 5000 feet. The estate is the second largest estate that belongs to Kanan Devan Hills Plantation Co.
- The Nyamakad tea estate which is located in the western end of the Kanan Devan Hills, the high ranges of the south western Ghats in the Devikulam Taluk of Idukki district.