Kerala's own 'Wakanda' is at Kolukkumalai

Just want to break free from the hustle and bustle of the city life and be in the lap of nature? Want to take a lung full of fresh air scented with the aroma of fresh tea amidst some pristine and picturesque surroundings? Then don’t look beyond Kolukkumalai, which is 40 km away from the hill station of Munnar in Kerala.

At this time of the year, the place is awash in violent as the iconic neelakurinji, which blooms only once in 12 years, is in full glory. Another attraction and which captures the nature’s mystic power to create mesmerizing formations is Simhapara (Lion rock), which looks like the panther statue in Wakanda (a fictional nation in East Africa shown in the movie, The Black Panther). Simhapara is known as Lion rock as the rock naturally has the shape of a lion's head with its jaws open. The rock is located 8,500 feet above sea level in the Keezhkamthukaya hills.

Tourists throng the Lion rock to view sunrise, which is quite breathtaking at this view point. 8,561-feet Kolukkumalai and 6,988-feet Thappadamlai are the mountain ranges near to the Lion rock.

Presence of Nilgiri Tahrs

Nilgiri Tahrs, which are found only in the Western Ghats, could be spotted at Kolukkumalai as Eravikulam, the main habitat of these mammals, is near to Kolukkumalai. There are 30 adult Nilgiri Tahrs in Kodukkumalai as per the May, 2018 census of the Forest Department. This rare breed of Tahrs could be found in the forests of Kolukkumalai, Meeshapulimalai, Simhapara and Theepadamalai in the region. The tahrs tend to keep away from humans.