Kolukkumalai Tea Estate; a hike through the world's highest tea plantations in Munnar

The beginning of the road to Kolukkumalai Peak in Munnar

The home of the world's highest organic tea plantation. I don't think we need a better introduction to the place. It is a group of mountains in the Western Ghats, with tea leaves sprawled out across thousands of acres of these gorgeous hills. The young tea leaves spread out like a soft blanket over the landscape gives it a mesmerizing and soothing effect. 

A jeep coming down the winding roads of Kolukkumalai Peak, Munnar

The road that takes you to Kolukkumalai from Munnar is scenic in all senses; it is flanked by endless waves of tea leaves and colossal mountains. That morning we set out at dawn to conquer this hill in our Maruti Suzuki Zen. The vegetation was fresh from the morning dew where we halted for a refreshing Kolukkumalai Tea. We surpassed the majestic Chokramudi Peak-a place that in the future would give me an unmatched experience of nature’s fury- en route to Suryanelli. By the time we reached the foot of the mountain, the usual routines of life had commenced-children in uniforms with loaded bags and lunch kits walking to a small school in the middle of a beautiful stretch of tea plantation, the estate workers hurrying to their workplaces and so on. 

Workers plucking tea leaves at Kolukkumala Tea Estate

One of the women was intrigued by the bunch of guys walking up the road for almost all tourists took jeeps to the top; she asked us what we were up to and we told her our intentions. Though she warned us that it was too long a climb, we were energized by the conversation(we were penniless in the first place which is why we chose to walk but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise). By the time we traversed 2-3 kilometers, we came to a fresh stream coming from the hills and we decided to take a dip.

A stream on the way to Kolukkumalai Peak

After that, as a mere impulse, we just took a path through the tea leaves to get to the nearest road. Then it became fun and soon we were making steady progress and were even overtaking some sluggish vehicles that struggled to ride fast through the uneven roads. As we crossed each hill, a new horizon welcomed us to its mist-clad beauty. The hike was indeed exhausting as there was no clear path through the thick shrubs.

Hiking through Kolukkumalai Tea Estate

On many occasions, our feet got stuck in the hidden mud and the growth was so thick that we had to maneuver through the top of the leaves to get to the other side. The effort was very interesting as we learned a thing or two about the harsh realities of a plantation worker's life. The top of the hill was fully engulfed by thick clouds and I couldn't wait to experience the fog. Precisely when my friends started getting exhausted, an empty jeep offered us lift to the top; sometimes our efforts are rewarded by such surprises out of nowhere. We hopped in merrily and reached a raging pinnacle. A strong wind was blowing, bringing along with it a cold drizzle and thick mist.

The beautiful village of Kolukkumalai, surrounded by mountains and tea plantations

The beautiful village of Kolukkumalai, surrounded by mountains and tea plantations

After spending some time in the blinding mist at the top, we began a slow descent. It was as peaceful as it could get; the climate just cold enough to comfort you and the ambiance heavenly. We walked slowly through the tea leaves, pausing at many places to take in the beauty of the place, for there was beauty in all directions. After at least 4-5 kilometers, we came to a small village with lots of quarters where the plantation workers lived. We also saw a real tea factory and decided to take a sneak peek into its insides. We saw fresh and young tea leaves waiting to enter some gigantic machine to be converted to some of the most energizing tea in existence.

A view of Kolukkumalai village from a distance

When we finally reached the foothills our friends were waiting for us. We borrowed the bullet that belonged to one of my friends and decided to ride on it back to Munnar. It turned out to be one of the most memorable rides of my life. The road from Suryanelli to Munnar was initially covered in mist but once we reached the ghat road area it cleared out to reveal a vast open space comprised pretty much of tea leaves till as far as eyes could see. It was magical. The different green shades of tea leaves were simply beyond description. Finally, we reached and crossed Munnar by evening and the night sky started revealing its gems slowly. I could see the Orion slowly spreading out in the darkness as we continued our descent further downhill. And I think that summed up our journey as it was full of unexpected setbacks and surprises. I thank god for the amazing experience that I was gifted. Peace...

The winding roads of Kolukkumalaii Tea Estate