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Tamil Nadu

Mannavanur

Sheep farm village and a lake in the grass hills past Kodaikanal

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Best time to visit Mannavanur

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: February to April and September
  • Shoulder: May to June and December to January, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: no month is a write-off here

Planning a specific month? FebruaryMarchAprilSeptember

Mannavanur season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Nights drop near 5C and frost sits on the grass; February is the pick, clear blue days for the lake loop and the road out to Poombarai.

Summer March to May Prime time

March and April hold 22C days and flowering shola edges; from mid May storms build most afternoons, so do the walking before lunch.

Monsoon June to September Prime time

June and July are wind, drizzle and whiteout fog on the plateau; September clears quickly and the grassland is at its greenest of the year.

Autumn October to November Quiet, but open

The northeast monsoon does its worst here: October and November bring long rain, leeches and slips on the Kodai ghat road, so come later.

What Mannavanur is actually like

Farm homestays with wood fires and dinner at 8, a few Kodai day trippers by the lake, then only sheep, wind and stars

Things to do in Mannavanur

The local places worth your time in and around Mannavanur, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Mannavanur Lake

    Lake · 3 km out

    Lake inside the sheep farm grassland, where the forest department runs coracle rides

  • Sheep Research Centre, Mannavanur

    Walk · 3 km out

    Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute station on high grassland, breeding sheep and Angora rabbits

  • Kavunji

    Village · 8 km out

    Village where the fairly difficult trek to Kukkal begins, past the sheep farm; it needs forest department permission

  • Kukkal Caves

    Cave · 28 km out

    Rock shelters near Kukkal once lived in by early people; deer are common in the area around them

Getting to Mannavanur

Kodaikanal is 35 km and 1h30 by bus or share taxi; the railhead is Kodai Road, 4h down the ghat

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
3 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
2008 m
State
Tamil Nadu
Coordinates
10.2241, 77.3464

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Mannavanur?

February to April and September is peak season in Mannavanur. May to June and December to January is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. No month is a write-off here. Nights drop near 5C and frost sits on the grass; February is the pick, clear blue days for the lake loop and the road out to Poombarai.

How many days do you need in Mannavanur?

3 days is the usual stay. Farm homestays with wood fires and dinner at 8, a few Kodai day trippers by the lake, then only sheep, wind and stars.

How do you get to Mannavanur?

Kodaikanal is 35 km and 1h30 by bus or share taxi; the railhead is Kodai Road, 4h down the ghat. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Mannavanur expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

What are the best things to do in Mannavanur?

Mannavanur Lake, Sheep Research Centre, Mannavanur, Kavunji and Kukkal Caves. Lake inside the sheep farm grassland, where the forest department runs coracle rides.

Nearby, and where to go next

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