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with both the tahr and the planters and rangers who protect it. It is held for a week in April; for more information call the park office (see contact information below). Of course, sighting what is basically a goat, no matter how rare, may not be as exhilarating as spotting a tiger, but your chances are far higher—in fact the tahrs have grown so used to visitors that you can get within a few yards of them. Enter the park at the Rajamala entrance, 15km (9 1⁄3 miles) from Munnar, where you can buy tickets at the park office ( 04865/23-1587; entry Rs 50, light vehicles Rs 10; daily 8am–5pm). Avoid the usual noisy crowds by arriving early.

Once in a Blue Bloom

Visitors to India’s southern highlands in 2006 were lucky enough to witness the blooming of the rare and exotic Neelakurunji plant. Its violet blossoms transform the hillsides around Munnar for 1 month—but only every 12 years. A pleasant 34km (21-mile) trip from Munnar, Top Station (the highest point on the Munnar-Kodaikanal road, from where you enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding plains and hills) is the place to witness this natural spectacle, but it won’t happen again until 2018.

Where to Stay & Dine

If you can’t get in to Windermere or Casa Montagna (both reviewed below), you might want to look at The Siena Village. With 28 units and a long list of facilities (including a conference hall), it’s very much a resort with a dull ambience, but the location, a lovely half-hour drive from Munnar in what feels like genuine hill country (although the area is feeling the steady encroachment of neighboring properties), is really lovely. Accommodations are comfortable enough but without any flair (a single framed print, hung too high, is the only wall decoration) and despite being spread around a wide expanse of neatly trimmed lawns and a central open-air pavilion can feel a little cluttered. Our biggest objection is that views from many of the rooms are obscured; ask for one with an upstairs bedroom ( 04868/24-9261;www.thesienavillage.com; Rs 4,600 deluxe double, including breakfast). Before booking with a resort that isn’t recommended here, it’s worth knowing that the Kerala authorities are taking a very hard line against resorts erected illegally on reserve land, so when developers take chances, authorities respond by razing the offending properties to the ground—it can mean that your choice will be nothing but a pile of rubble by the time you get here (although the places below are all legit).

Casa Montagna Marketed as a “Boutique Homestay on the Hills,” this is a truly tranquil spot and one where it’s possible to feel a million miles away from civilization with nothing by misty views across a near-mystical horizon. Set on a 40-hectare (100-acre) spice and cardamom plantation that feels much like a huge, lush overgrown forest, there’s been plenty of home carpentry to create large and airy accommodations with great showers and plenty of windows allowing for great natural light, not to mention awesome views over the mist-laden valley that seems to drop away from the edge of the neatly trimmed lawn. Bag the so-called honeymoon cottage, and you’ll enjoy maximum privacy, lulled to sleep each night by the stream that runs nearby. Although things are pretty personal, a homestay this is not; for the most part you’ll be well looked after by the lovely staff that prepares meals to your taste, places flowers in your room, and takes you for walks through the thick, jungly plantation-forest, pointing out unusual trees and different spices. Note that electricity is all self-generated, and is usually only turned on when necessary (in the morning and at night).

Peak Gardens, Chinnakanal PO, Muttukadu, Munnar 685 618. 04868/20-3050. www.casadelfauno.in. Reservations: Sebastian Rd., Kaloor, Cochin 682 017. 98-9576-6444. info@casadelfauno.in. 6 units. Oct–Mar Rs 7,000 elegant double, Rs 9,000 deluxe double; Apr–Sept Rs 6,000 elegant double, Rs 7,000 deluxe double; Rs 3,500 extra bed (adult), Rs 2,000 extra bed (child aged 6–12). Children 5 and under free. Rates include all meals.