Kumily, A Trekker’s Paradise!

Kumily lies at the foothills of the Western Ghats in the Periyar Valley straddling Tamil Nadu and Kerela. The slopes of Kumily drop off to the plains of Tamil Nadu in the east. It is a beautiful hilly area in Kerela blessed with cool climate and one of the richest bio-diversity spots in the world. The undulating hills of Kumily welcome you with spice scented air, especially of cardamom. The hills of Kumily are rich with plantation, namely, spice and coffee. An important center for shopping and spice trade, Kumily is increasingly becoming a favoured tourist destination with foreign and local travelers. The growing popularity of spice plantation tours and other attractions has opened a number of exotic resorts and plantation bungalows here.
The main tourist attraction in Kumily is the Periyar Tiger Reserve. All resorts and guest houses arrange a full-day jeep safari into the jungle with picnic lunch and evening snacks. There are abundant adventure trails available such as jungle treks with trained forest guards tracing pug marks of the wild cat, border hiking the mist-clad peaks, night camping in the jungle, bamboo rafting on the Periyar lake and so on and so forth. The jeep safaris into the jungle are very popular with youngsters and corporate groups that visit Kumily in large groups during weekends. Elephant Safaris are arranged by the forest department to go into the plantation hills. These are very popular with children. Plantation tours take you through coffee, tea and spice plantation that enlighten the tourist about growing and processing of coffee, tea and spices. Besides the above mentioned conducted tours, there is much more to explore in Kumily. There are ample accommodations of all types, exclusive, mid range and home stays in residential areas. Home stays in the plantation hills is an experience of a lifetime. You experience the day-to-day life of the local people, which includes a vegetable garden with pepper, coffee, coconut, jackfruit, and definitely some goats. The morning greets you with fresh scented air and sounds of cocks, goats, cows and birds. People live in tune with nature and the modern day ailments of blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are unheard of in these areas. Morning walks into the winding hills will transport you to a different world. The air is crisp and cool and devoid of vehicle emission. And the hills are full of tropical fruits and jojoba plants! There are jackfruits and mangoes everywhere! This is the most beautiful place to trek! The weather is great and the beauty and richness of the hills is breathtaking.
Travelsntrips highly recommends Kumily as a Trekker’s Paradise.