Idukki, the unspoiled natural queen of Kerala is a tourist paradise. Idukki is the most gifted district of Kerala. With high ranges of altitude varying from 2500 feet above sea level, Idukki is the district where forest and wild life abound. About 1500 Sq.Km. of its area is reserved forest, much of which is home to a variety of flora and fauna. This forest area house wild life like, tigers, deer, Indian bisons and monkeys. Streams, valleys and hills combine to make Idukki an ideal year-round holiday destination.
For the people of Kerala, Idukki is always associated with power generation. About 60% of the State's power needs come from the hydro-electric power station at Moolamattom, the biggest in the state. The famous Idukki arch-dam, the first of its kind in India, is built between two huge granite hills across the river Periyar.
The district's name, 'Idukki' is supposed to be derived from the Malayalam word 'Idukku' which means a narrow gorge. That could be true, for narrow steep-sided valleys are not a strange phenomenon in this hilly district flanked by the Western Ghats in the East. Idukki district was formed on January 26, 1972 carving out Devikulam, Peermade and Udumbanchola taluks from the erstwhile Kottayam district and Thodupuzha taluk from the erstwhile Ernakulam district. This district lies between latitude 9 15' and 10 21' North and longitude 76 37' and 77 25' east. The area of the district is 5150.8 Sq. Kms. For purpose of developmental activities it is divided into Eight Community Development Blocks viz., Adimaly, Azhutha, Devikulam, Elamdesom, Idukki, Kattappana, Nedumkandam and Thodupuzha. The District is bounded by Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta districts on the south, Thrissur and Coimbatore districts on the north, Madurai Ramanad and Thirunelveli districts on the east and Ernakulam and Kottayam district in the west. Idukki accounts for 12.9 percent of the area of Kerala and only 3.7 percent of the population of Kerala.
Geographical and climatological characteristics of Idukki district are unique. Anamudi in the Kannandevan hills village of the Devikulam taluk is the highest peak, south of Himalayas. It is 2659 meters (8841 feet) from Mean Sea Level. Except a bit of midland region in the western portions of Thodupuzha taluk, all the remaining area of the district lies in the mountainous tract of the Western Ghats. There are 14 peaks in Idukki which exceed a height of 2000 meters above Mean Sea Level. The climate of the district undergoes a sudden variation as we go from west to east. The western part of the district comprising midland areas experience moderate climate. The eastern part comprising of the high ranges experience cool climate. In high peaks above an elevation of 2400 meters, the temperature at times falls down to freezing point in the winter. Occurrence of mist is usual in the highland regions.