Neelakurinji in 2018- the blue beauty in the #Munnar Hills
Strobilanthus Kunthianus more popularly know as Neelakurinji is a shrub found in Western Ghats. Blue in colour it has purple and violet shades too when seen from a distance. Seen only in the Nilgiri hills and Shola forest this plant grows only in high altitude terrains and has of 30 to 60 cm of height . This unique beauty flowers only once in 12 years and then goes under the soil dormant.
2018 is again a year of Neelakurinji after 12 years and this year too it has started blooming and can be seen until December 2018. Accessible to tourists at only two locations – one in in Rajamala inside the Eravikulam National Park and the other one at Kolukkumalai near Surianalle in Munnar. Book your Neelakurunji tour today.
Online booking for Neelakurinji has been enabled by the forest department with a maximum capacity of 4000 per day at Rajamala and the same can be booked at https://eravikulamnationalpark.in/. You can book the tickets directly too at the counter subject to availability.
Once you arrive and park your vehicles you need to get into the queue to board the bus to the arrival point which houses the a museum called Story of the park post which you can walk uphill to view the Neelakurinji which is in its initial days and the famous endangered species of Nilgiri Tahr.
The drive up and down is picturesque and lovely. Return to the base the way and head out to the next destination. This is the most comfortable journey for all ages and is a half day tour which can easily fit into a 2 days 3 nights Munnar Tour Package.
The other option to see Neelakurinji is in Kolukkumalai near Surianalle. This is for those who are coming either exclusively for seeing Neelakurinji or those adventure seekers who love outing. This is a full day programme and is a complete package, which involves a very rugged jeep safari, trekking and tea factory visits. You need to have a strong gut, heart and a good set of bones and not recommended for senior citizens and people with health issues.
This option however is not available online and you have to come here to book it. The DTPC counter opens at 0400 hrs until 1700 hrs. Only pre-authorized jeeps by RTO is available for these trips and there are only few available so you got to be in time or wait in line. But regardless this is a journey you should take as it gives you some of the most amazing landscapes, temperature and journey of a lifetime. Neelakurinji at the end of this journey is wonderful prize waiting for you for the next 3 months.
Neelakurinji in Kolukkumalai – A Vlog to give you the real picture – shot on 21st September 2018
Book your Neelakurinji Tour Package with us or add a Neelakurinji excursion tour to your existing Kerala Tour Package. Kerala is safe now post floods and its spate of short term health challenges. Kerala Tourism is ready to receive all guests. Also pleased to share that we shall be operating the LTC tour packages to Kerala.
So what are you waiting for? Next time around would be in 2030!!!! So make Munnar, Kerala your next holiday destination.
Call us at 9447161516 or mail us at info@mystikalindia.com
