Old Cart Road Hike
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Old Cart Road Hike
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On this Southwestern Ghats hike, you’ll follow an old cart road built during the colonial period. Half of the trail winds through tea plantations with a fantastic view of the westerm ridge and ghats. The other half continues through a cardamom forest and planter’s village with friendly locals welcoming you in for tea.
Getting there
The reporting point is at Ottamaram in Pothamedu. Take the road from Munnar to Irupathekkar through Pothamedu. The point is accessible by Jeep. It is 3.7mi away from Old Munnar.
About
| When to do | November to June |
| Backcountry Campsites | No |
| Family friendly | No |
| Route Signage | Average |
| Crowd Levels | Moderate |
| Route Type | One Way |
Old Cart Road Hike
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Route Description for Old Cart Road Hike
The Old Cart Road hike begins from Pothamedu 2.5mi from Munnar town. The first phase of the hike is through tea plantations with a lot of memorable photo opportunities.
The track continues around the plantation for an hour. The second phase passes through cardamom plantations, where you can smell the gingery spice wafting through the air.
Follow the path, which is a mud road connecting the south side of Munnar to the North Hills, built by colonial planters before constructing the Great Escape Gap. The path is fairly flat here.
For nature spotters, the trail offers a good number of wayside native flowers, plants, and birds. Spot the whistling thrush and stop to hear a musical symphony courtesy of the common hill mynah and the flameback woodpeckers.
Continue trekking through a spice planter’s village, where you will be greeted by workers as per usual custom. Chat with plantation workers and farmers to learn more about their local customs, as well as the origins of the local tropical spice plants. There are a few stops along the plantation for refreshments and rest.
The trail ends at the foothill of the Great Escape Gap from where you may connect to your transport.
Insider Hints
You can’t self-guide yourself on the Old Cart Road hike in the Western Ghats, you must have a guide for this walk.
There is a soft trek trail also available with a guide.
Pack binoculars to get a better view of the birds along this trail.
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