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Malampuzha :
Malampuzha, a little township on the foothills of the Western Ghats, is located 10 km from Palakkad town. The name Malampuzha originates from the river Malampuzha which flows through here. Major attractions are Dam, amusement park, boating facilities, rock garden and ropeway. Nurtured by this tributary of Kerala's longest river, the Bharathappuzha, Malampuzha is a lush green town and has been a major tourist attraction for its trekking trails and the large irrigation dam.
Around the reservoir of the dam are beautiful gardens and amusement parks. Boating facilities are available on the lake. Other attractions in the Malampuzha garden are the beautiful rock garden, the fish-shaped aquarium, the snake park, the ropeway which takes you on an aerial tour of the park, and the gigantic Yakshi (an enchantress) sculptured by Kanai Kunhiraman, the leading sculptor of Kerala.
The most interesting feature of the rock garden is that the whole place is made of unwanted and broken pieces of bangles, tiles, used plastic cans, tins and other waste materials. The garden is a master work of sculptor Padmasree Neck Chand Saini. His rock garden in Chandigarh is world famous and attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Nelliampathy :
Located 52 km from Palakkad town and about 9 km from Nenmara, Nelliampathy is located at an altitude of 467 m to 1572 m above sea level. The main attractions at Nelliyampathy are Aerial view of the mountain pass, waterfalls, dense forests and tea gardens, trekking etc.
A geographic paradise, Nelliyampathy on the high ranges of the Western Ghats, offers a stunning view of the Sholayar Pass lying deep down in a 20 mile stretch of velvet green. Certain hills especially Seethakundu of Nelliyampathy cease abrubtly to form cliffs overlooking the panoramic valley below. These ranges of the Ghats at an altitude of 467 m to 1572 m above sea level and the pass have a dominant influence on the climate of the region. It is through this mountain pass that the monsoon clouds formed over the Arabian Sea after shedding rain in Kerala, move to the neighbouring State of Tamilnadu.
To reach Nelliyampathy one has to negotiate at least 10 hair-pin curves on the Ghat road, through the breath-taking evergreen forests of the Sahya Ranges (Western Ghats). From these hills can be seen the calm, tranquil Pothundi Reservoir in the valley down below. Pothundi is built across Meenchadyppuzha and Padippuzha the tributaries of the Ayalar river (a sub tributary of Bharathappuzha). The rich greenery of the forests hugging these hills is frequently punctuated by small and big waterfalls. Among these, the one at Seethakundu, the 1000 metre waterfall is a major attraction.
Nelliyampathy, spread over 82 sq km, has the highest peak at Nellikotta which is also called Padagiri. The hills dipped in the pristine beauty of nature are sprinkled with picturesque tea, coffee, cardamom, vegetable and orange plantations.
The hills of Nelliyampathy are a delight to adventure lovers and trekkers. The Community Hall at Kaikatty serves as an ideal camping place for trekkers. The temperature at these ranges vary from 15 degree celsius in December to 30 degree celsius in April. The lovely climate and green magic of the hills provide an exhilarating and unforgettable experience.
Silent Valley :
Located 40 km from Mannarkkad, Silent valley is Extremely fragile, a unique preserve of tropical evergreen rain forests lying above the equator and the forest strip which causes the summer rains in Kerala. The Silent Valley National Park has an area of 90 sq km is located in the north eastern corner of the district. It rises abruptly to the Nilgiri Plateau in the north and overlooks the plains of Mannarkkad in the south.
The core of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is the Silent Valley National Park. Despite its name, the Silent Valley (the clamour of Cicadas is conspicuously absent here) echoes with the sounds of teeming wildlife. The denizens of this sprawling habitat of endangered virgin tropical forests include rare birds, deer and tiger.
Perhaps, nowhere else can one also find such a representative collection of peninsular mammals, over a 100 species of butterflies and 400 species of moths and other fauna like the Ceylon Frog Moth, Great Indian Hornbill, the Nilgiri Laughing Thrush and the Lion-tailed Macaque. The river Kunthi descends from the Nilgiri hills, an altitude of 2000 m above sea level, and traverses the entire length of the valley and rushes down to the plains through the deep forest. The river Kunthi never turns brown and is always crystal clear, perennial and wild.
The evapo-transpiration from these forests is much higher than from any other surfaces. This cools the atmosphere, helps easy condensation of water vapour and thus causes the summer rains.
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