Cardamom Hills

The Cardamom Hills are a high, forested part of the southern Western Ghats. Moist monsoon air sustains evergreen woodland and sheltered valleys in which cardamom grows beneath the shade. The spice’s aromatic pods made these mountains part of the trading world of the Malabar coast. The Periyar and other rivers drain the uplands, descending through rugged country towards the lowlands. Their ridges and forests form a marked contrast with the plains to the east.