Lockhart Gap - Munnar

Activity Charges / Entry Fee: No entry fee.
Time Required
Thirty minutes
Timings
6:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Difficulty Level
Moderate
Best Suited For
Photo Fanatics, Nature Lovers and Experience Seekers.

Quick Info

Lock Heart Gap is a popular destination frequented by tourists. Located in Mattupatty, it is about 13 kms from Munnar on the Munnar – Madurai National Highway. Lockhart Gap View Point is one of the most beautiful and soothing places to visit in Munnar. It is a must-visit for its fresh mountain air, panoramic view and mist-clad hills. It is known also for an ancient natural rock cave.

The Lockhart Gap offers a bird’s eye view of Bison Valley, which is named so because of the abundance of gaur, mistakenly called bison, found here earlier and the surrounding hills extending up to Thekkady. It is an ideal location for a picnic with your family and friends.

It is an ideal spot for adventure tourism and trekking, both short ones to large ones. It is famous for its scenic trails through dense forests. Rare species of flora and fauna can be viewed while taking these trails in to the jungle. Don’t miss a trek at the Lockhart Gap during your Munnar visit. 

This place is easily accessible by all modes of transport. There are also several tour operators in Munnar who offer day return tours. The road to Munnar is narrow with lots of bends and curves. Hire a taxi or a driver with local experience if you are not familiar with similar conditions

Rankings & Ratings



A good location to take pictures.
Editor's Rankings

#15 in 21 Things to Do in Munnar
#7 in 7 Photography Walks in Munnar
#12 in 15 Sightseeing Spots in Munnar

TripAdvisor Ratings

Editor's Review

The Lockhart Gap in Munnar is a nice peaceful place suitable for picnics. The place provides a relaxing atmosphere because of the cool breeze. The views from the place give good opportunities for taking good pictures. 


PROS

  • Good place to buy good quality tea.
  • Very peaceful place.
  • Food available for purchase.
  • Restroom facility available.

CONS

  • Narrow road near this point. So you have to drive carefully.
  • There may be traffic snarls with people parking haphazardly.
  • Lack of signboards. So it may be confusing.

Detailed Info

The picturesque valley is nestled at a distance of 13 kms from Munnar, near Mattupetty and is often surrounded by mist-clad blue hills and salubrious climate. The panoramic view of this place makes it worth a visit. The hilltops here offer some amazing sights of valleys and plantations.

Lock Heart Gap is considered as a photographer’s paradise due to its peculiar location amidst the hill ranges of Western Ghats.  The view of lush green valleys, rolling hills, grasslands, etc. along with descending clouds gives a breathtaking experience. This place is also famous for its sprawling evergreen tea estates, which are shrouded in mist. The pleasant climate and striking surroundings make Lockhart Gap one of the most preferred locations to visit in Munnar.

There is a natural cave on Lockhart Gap road near the rock face. The steps leading to the cave are low and accessible. There is a board in front of the cave which has “Malayil Kallan Guha” written on it. Moreover, it is written “Once upon a time, a thief lived inside this cave and used to loot the travellers who pass”.

To catch a beautiful sight of the clouds hovering on top of the lake or over the tea garden, one must get up early in the morning and see how beautiful our nature looks, when left untouched and uninterrupted. This destination is popular for many reasons, however, the famous Neelakurinji flowers (Strobilanthus), which bloom once in twelve years, makes this place special among tourists. Other things that make this a place worth visiting are its amazing tea plantation, serene valleys, enchanting waterfalls, and exotic forest life. This is a perfect place to unwind and rejuvenate, far from the maddening crowd. Leave the hustle and bustle of the city and let yourself be transformed and relaxed.

Best time to visit:  January to March and October to November.

Nearby Attractions:

KUNDALA: Kundala is a beautiful place located 20km away from Munnar. Kundala dam is a man made dam and is a very fascinating tourist spot for travellers.

TOP STATION: Top Station is located around 32 km away from Munnar, on the Munnar-Kodaikkanal road, at a height of 1700 meters above the sea level. This place falls on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and so it offers a clear view of the panoramic Western Ghats and the valley of Theni District in Tamil Nadu.

RAJAMALA: Rajamala is situated at a distance of 15 km from Munnar and is a home to almost half the population of Nilgiri Tahr.  The population is reduced and now its estimated to be about 1317 staying there. Rajamala Wildlife Sanctuary is a very famous tourist attraction in India.

ECHO POINT: Situated 15 km from Munnar, echo point is a tourist attraction spot known for its natural echo phenomenon. It imparts the pleasure of hearing your voice returning to you repeatedly. The location is bestowed with lush greenery all around the place.

MATTUPETTY DAM: Mattupetty Dam and Lake, which lies 13 km from Munnar in Idukki District is a popular picnic spot.  Situated at a height of 1700 meters above sea level, Mattupetty offers a panoramic view of wooden hills and the tea plantations.

ANAMUDI: Anamudi, the highest peak of the area, stands proudly in the Eravikulam National Park.  Rising about 2965 meters above sea level, Anamudi is rich in vast varieties of flora and fauna and is well known for preserving endangered species.

DEVIKULAM: Devikulam is a pretty small hill station located at a height of 1800 meters above sea level, about 16 kilometers from Munnar in the Idukki district of Kerala.  The Devikulam hill station is famous for its mineral water springs and the beautiful landscape.

MATTUPETTY INDO SWISS PROJECT: One of the many attractions in and around Munnar is a diary farm situated at Mattupetty, a hilly region about 15 km away from Munnar town.  The farm is home to around hundreds varieties of high quality cattle and about 400 heads of cattle are reared here.

NYAYAMAKAD: Nyayamkadu waterfall is a famous tourist spot located about 10 km from Munnar town on the way to Rajamalai.

ERAVIKULAM NATIONAL PARK: Located around 15 km from Munnar, it is an ideal place to see the biodiversity. It is the first of its kind in Kerala, where the endangered Nilgiri Tahr is protected. Spread over 97 sq. km., this park holds the largest viable population of Tahr, several other species of rare animals, birds and butterflies. The park offers a magnificent view of the tea plantations and also of the rolling hills caressed by blankets of mist. The park becomes a hot destination when the hill slopes get covered in a carpet of blue, resulting from the flowering of Neelakurinji.