Marayoor and Chinnar
Sandalwood groves and a dry-side sanctuary behind Munnar
A Marayoor and Chinnar tour in Idukki district covers sandalwood forest, Iron Age dolmens, jaggery farms and a rain-shadow wildlife sanctuary of about 90 km2.
Overview
Marayoor, about 40 km north of Munnar on the road to Udumalpet in Tamil Nadu, is a small town in Idukki district, Kerala, with something rare in the state: a natural sandalwood forest. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, roughly 90 km2 of dry forest, begins a short way beyond it. Dry-season walking, archaeology and a hotter, quieter landscape than the tea country are the draw, and December to April is the window to aim for.
The reason for the dryness is geography. These slopes sit in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats, so the scenery is thorn scrub, dry deciduous woods and rocky ground rather than monsoon rainforest. Marayoor's sandalwood grows wild inside a protected forest managed by the forest department, and the town is the only place in Kerala where this happens naturally. In the same belt, sugarcane fields feed jaggery-making units that produce Marayoor sarkara, a solid jaggery that holds a Geographical Indication.
Marayoor is also an archaeological landscape. Scattered through the area are muniyaras, dolmens made of upright slabs capped with a stone, which are generally attributed to the Iron Age. Rock-shelter paintings survive at several sites, among them Attala, where over 90 painted motifs are recorded, and Ezhuthu Guha, the cave of writing. Kanthalloor, a neighbouring village, grows apples, plums and passion fruit.
Chinnar itself is best known for the grizzled giant squirrel, a threatened species, and for a reptile list described as the richest in Kerala. Elephants, gaur, spotted deer and langurs also live here, and more than 225 bird species have been recorded. The state highway runs through the sanctuary for about 16 km. Foot visits are arranged by the forest department with tribal eco-development committees. The usual outing is a 4 km trek that starts at Alampetty check post and heads toward Thoovanam waterfalls, which fall about 84 feet, and log houses and treetop huts exist nearby for overnight stays. Because programmes change with the weather, confirm availability before you go.
The nearest large airport is Cochin International, and Aluva is the railhead named for the area, though no distance was found. Coimbatore, about 115 km from Chinnar, is the other option.
Known for
A natural sandalwood stand, the only one in Kerala
Quick facts
A rain-shadow area with low rainfall, hot dry summers and milder winters, quite unlike the wetter Western Ghats slopes.
Cochin International Airport (COK), distance to be supplied; Coimbatore International Airport (CJB) is about 115 km from Chinnar
Aluva (the station named for the area) and Pollachi (listed as "Polachi"), about 60 km from Chinnar; distances to Marayoor to be supplied
Marayoor is about 40 km north of Munnar on SH 17, the road to Udumalpet, which also runs through the sanctuary. Drive times (to be supplied).
Contact the Munnar Wildlife Warden's office before planning a trek or a treetop stay, as the forest department arranges them and availability depends on the weather
Start the Thoovanam trek at Alampetty check post and allow about three hours for the 4 km route
Ask locally which jaggery units near Marayoor welcome visitors, and check with the forest office whether the sandalwood area can be entered on your day
Location
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