Anamudi Peak

About Anamudi Peak

Anamudi rises 2,695 metres above sea level at the junction of the Cardamom, Anaimalai, and Palani hill ranges, making it the highest point in South India and in the entire Western Ghats. The name translates roughly from Malayalam as 'elephant's forehead,' a reference to the rounded granite dome that dominates the skyline south of Rajamalai. Unlike most named peaks that appear on a Munnar itinerary, Anamudi is not a place tourists walk up to; the summit lies inside the ecologically sensitive core zone of Eravikulam National Park, and the Kerala Forest Department restricts unescorted trekking there to protect the shola-grassland habitat and the Nilgiri tahr population that depends on it. Most visitors experience Anamudi as a silhouette rather than a summit, viewed from the paved Rajamalai walking loop roughly 5 kilometres to its north, or from Pothamedu and Top Station on especially clear mornings. The rock itself is charnockite, a coarse metamorphic granite typical of the southern Western Ghats, weathered into the smooth dome shape that gives the peak its profile from a distance.

Best time of day: 08:00 – 10:00 from the Rajamalai viewing track. Before haze builds up over the Cardamom and Anaimalai hill junction later in the day.

Anamudi Peak timings

Opening hours

08:00–14:00

The peak itself is not open on a fixed public schedule. The Rajamalai viewpoint inside Eravikulam National Park, from which Anamudi is seen at a distance, keeps the park's standard 08:00–14:00 entry hours.

Closed on

Open every day

Anamudi Peak ticket price

No standard visitor ticket exists because the summit sits in the core zone of Eravikulam National Park, where general trekking is prohibited. Occasional guided ascents run only with written Kerala Forest Department permission, arranged in advance through the park office at Rajamala; as of 2026, fees and availability are set case by case, so verify directly with the Forest Department rather than a tour operator.

Prices last checked 18 September 2026. Confirm on the official website before you go.

Best time to visit Anamudi Peak

History of Anamudi Peak

Rules & etiquette at Anamudi Peak

Tips for visiting Anamudi Peak

1. 1

   Set expectations before travelling: a 'visit' to Anamudi in practice means viewing the peak from a distance inside Eravikulam National Park, not standing on its summit. Arrive at Rajamalai in the first hour after the 08:00 opening, when the air is clearest and cloud has not yet built up around the higher ridgelines.

2. 2

   Photographers get a second, less crowded angle from Pothamedu Viewpoint on the Munnar–Thekkady road, where Anamudi appears as a distant grey shoulder above the tea and cardamom slopes on cloud-free mornings, typically October through February. Carrying binoculars adds meaningfully to the experience given the distance involved from every publicly accessible vantage point.

How to reach Anamudi Peak

The red star is Anamudi Peak; the numbered pins are the 6 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Southern zone, Eravikulam National Park, Rajamala, Munnar, Idukki district, Kerala 685612Directions in Google Maps

• From Munnar town (bus stand)

  ₹350–₹500

  15 km · 30–40 min

  Round-trip taxi to the park gate, then the compulsory shuttle bus).

• From Cochin International Airport (COK)

  ₹2,800–₹3,800

  115 km · 3.5–4 hours

  Prepaid taxi).

• From Pothamedu Viewpoint

  ₹300–₹450

  12 km · 25–30 min

  Taxi one-way, often combined with the Munnar–Thekkady road sightseeing run).

Anamudi Peak FAQs