Destination
The tea starts at Neriamangalam.
Kochi to Munnar in about four hours, with a driver who knows where the mist lifts first.
Tea slopes at Lockhart Gap with the road curving through, 7:00 am mist, an Innova small in the frame on the bend (not the subject). Landscape-led.
Kochi to Munnar — four hours, one fixed fare
The Munnar road is the one journey every visitor to Kerala takes, and the one most often got wrong. Leave Kochi at six and the hairpins are empty and the mist is still in the valley. Leave at ten and you will spend the afternoon behind a lorry.
Distance and time
| From | Distance | Driving time |
|---|---|---|
| Kochi International Airport | 110 km | 3.5–4 hours |
| Ernakulam / Kochi city | 130 km | 4 hours |
| Alleppey | 175 km | 5 hours |
| Thekkady | 95 km | 3 hours |
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Fares
| Vehicle | One way |
|---|---|
| Sedan (up to 4) | On request |
| Innova (6–7) | On request |
| Urbania 9 | On request |
| Traveller 17 | On request |
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All-inclusive of fuel, tolls, parking and driver charges.
Local knowledge
What your driver knows that a map doesn't
- The Cheeyappara and Valara waterfall stops, and which one is worth the ten minutes
- Where to eat breakfast in Adimali without losing an hour
- When the Mattupetty road closes for elephants
- Which viewpoints are empty before eight in the morning
Best time to go
September to March is the settled season. The monsoon months of June to August are green, quiet and cheaper, and the hill road needs a driver who knows it — which is the argument for not self-driving.
Vehicles for this route
What most people take to Munnar
Toyota Innova Crysta
Families of five or six on multi-day tours
Toyota Innova Hycross
Premium family tours
Tempo Traveller 17-seater
Extended-family tours
Common questions
How long does it really take?
Three and a half to four hours from the airport, if you leave before seven. Add an hour in the middle of the day.
Is the road in bad condition?
No. It is a well-surfaced two-lane hill road with hairpins from Adimali upward. Our drivers run it weekly.
Can we stop at the waterfalls?
Yes, and it is included — there is no extra charge for stopping.
Going to Munnar?
Send us your dates and headcount. We reply with an all-inclusive fare in one message.