THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is a luxuriant tangle of nature, where the green labyrinths of the islet serenade you with its gentle rhythm and vibrancy. The cluster of villages set upon the emerald green waters of the Ashtamudi Lake offers the idyllic escapade from the din of the city.
At Munroe island, one can glide across the placid backwaters in a canoe and watch life pass by at a gentle pace. The place offers the finest experience of village life. After enjoying the serenity of Munroe, if you want to watch a glorious sunset, head straight to the crown of the hillock at Chadayamangalam, where the Jatayu Earth Centre has been set up. This and more can be enjoyed at the tours curated by Kerala State Cooperative Tourism Federation Ltd (Tourfed).
The Munroe island and Jatayu Earth Centre package, launched in July, has caught the fancy of tourists. More than 452 people have already availed the tour package.
On Wednesday, for the odd group of 43 individuals who availed the trip, experiencing the charm of the islet and the grandeur of the Jatayu Earth Centre was a different experience. They included members of the Aramada Residents Association, Thirumala and Kailas Nagar Residents Association, Kazhakoottam. The journey started at 6am from the city and it was an escape into the unknown for most of them, having not experienced either of the locations.
The package covers a canoe ride in the backwaters of Munroe, a trip in a jengar, a visit to a 19th-century church and Munroe bungalow. The canoe ride itself is charted for two hours.
The ride in the jengar takes you to the Peruman rail tragedy memorial in the Panayam grama panchayat. It is followed by a visit to the Jatayu Earth Centre where one gets to watch a sunset, experience a ropeway ride to the top and spend some quality time at the centre.
The one-day package, priced at `2500, includes sumptuous breakfast, lunch and dinner.It was a day peppered with excitement for the group which mostly comprised elderly crowd. Ambikakumari P, 58, a retired government servant, says the trip will go down as a very memorable one.
“It was beautiful to experience the canoe ride and various sights at Munroe island. It was also for the first time that I enjoyed a cable car ride. It was very interesting,” says Ambika, a resident of the Aramada Residents Association.
The trip is arranged for a minimum of 26 passengers and a maximum of 50 passengers. The Tourfed also arranges a plethora of one-day packages in the state at minimal rates.
