Mannavan Shola is a patch of forest in the high hills of Idukki, in the Mankulam forest range, and the word shola is the key to understanding the whole place. In these mountains, the ridges are covered in open grassland, while the folds between them hold dense, dark, evergreen forest, the sholas. They are very old, a relic of colder times, and they trap mist and rainwater, releasing it slowly into the streams. The grassy hillsides and the sholas work as a single system, and it is the reason this part of the Western Ghats is so important as a source of water for southern India.
The air is cool and often wet, and the forest floor is thick with moss, ferns and wild orchids, with trees hung with lichen. In the sholas live Nilgiri tahr, the Nilgiri langur and elusive predators like the leopard, and birds such as the Nilgiri pipit, which is found nowhere else, sing out of the grass. In the clear evening light, the colours are astonishing, with amber grass and blue mountains lined up in rows to the horizon.
For a rider, the roads here are some of the finest in the south, though demanding. The route from Kochi to Munnar and Marayur climbs steadily to cool altitudes, passing waterfalls and tea gardens, and beyond Munnar the road turns into a lonely stretch of curves and sudden views. Fog is common, and in heavy rain visibility can drop to a few metres, so keep your lights on and your speed low. The surface varies, with fresh asphalt in places and broken edges in others.
There are no services at the shola itself, and you should reckon on Marayur, about twelve kilometres away, as the nearest place for tea, snacks and basic supplies, with Munnar being the better choice for fuel. Entry to the protected areas is regulated, so ask first, and respect the rules about staying on the road and not leaving rubbish. If you can, arrive early on a weekday, when the mist is still in the valleys, and wait a while for the sun to burn it off.