Kolukkumalai, highest tea plantations in the world, Munnar

Image Credits : Neelima Vallangi, Creative Commons Attribution Licence

Kolukkumalai Tea Estate holds an impressive prime. It is the highest located tea estate in the world but aside from visiting one of the world’s primes, a visitor to Kolukkumalai would also be treated with breathtaking panoramic views. Kolukkumalai is about 38 km from Munnar. The hill top is accessible only by jeep and it is about one and a half hour journey from the Munnar town.

The Kolukkumalai Tea is harvested and processed using traditional techniques which is one of the most important aspects that continues to draw tea enthusiasts to it. It takes seven steps to properly process the Kolukkumalai Tea and all of it is done in a factory at the center of Kolukkumalai Tea Estate that’s more than 70 years old.

The seven steps of their orthodox tea making process are as follows:

withering
rolling
sieving
fermenting
drying
fiber extraction
grading

One doesn’t have to be a tea enthusiast to enjoy a trip to the Kolukkumalai Tea Estate in Munnar, India. Quality, sustainably harvested tea can be appreciated by anybody, but even if all teas taste the same to you, the views offered to those who make up the hill are bound to take your breath away. Give it a try if you’re in that part of India and don’t miss out on a trip to the Kolukkumalai Tea Estate, the highest located tea estate in the world.

Highlight

* Kolukkumalai Tea Estate was also the winner of Southern Tea Competition
conducted by the Golden Leaf India Awards in the year 2005.

* The world’s highest organic tea plantation.

* At about 7,900 feet above sea level, this is the highest tea estate in the world.

Town:: Kolukkumalai is about 38 km from Munnar. State-run or private buses, plying from various towns in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, are the best way to get to Munnar by road. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation provides bus services to Munnar from all major cities in Kerala.
Airport:: The nearest airport is the Cochin International Airport, which is 110 kilometres away by road. From Cochin, you can hire a cab to get to Munnar. The Madurai International Airport is 140 kilometres away from Munnar. In case you de-board at the Madurai International Airport, you can hire a cab or board the state transport or private buses to get to Munnar.
Railway Station:: The nearest railway station from Munnar is at Aluva, which is at a distance of 110 kilometres from Munnar. The Ernakulam Railway Station is 130 kilometres away while the Madurai Railway Station is at a distance of 135 kilometres. From these points, you can either hire a cab or board the state transport or private buses also available.
District:: Idukki
Longitude:: 10.078178
Latitude:: 77.223415