Valparai, your secret plantation holiday in Tamil Nadu

Valparai, a charming hill station near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, started its first coffee plantation in the 1840s. A colony for British soldiers in the 19th century, today its tea estates, planter’s bungalows, wildlife sanctuaries, waterfalls and gurgling brooks, scenic viewpoints, quaint hamlets and slow pace has captivated the city dwellers. A tummy-tumbling 40 hair-pin bends take you up on the winding roads to the hilltop town.

Balmy beauty

Awakened by bird songs and the early morning tender breeze is just how the day begins at the planter’s bungalow in Valparai. Located on the Anamalai (Elephant’s hill) hilltop, over 3000 feet above the sea, Valparai is one of the gems that make a slow travel holiday special. In the evenings, catch a bit of Danish hygge in the Tamil hills, lounging in a planter’s seat in the verandah with a drink. Don’t forget to watch the face-off between the night lights in the valley below and soft star lights twinkling in the night’s sky above you.

Picnicking

Easy day trips are a good option from your point of stay in Valparai like the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park. There are pleasant picnic spots by the Aliyar Dam, Monkey Falls, Sholayar Dam, Koolangal River and Grass Hills and you can go on hiking trips here too. You can also schedule a trip to the tea or coffee estate and a sampling session.

Wildlife and more

Wildlife is a big part of a Valparai vacation. Elephants stroll along the tea plantations, leopards rummage in the dustbins for meat pieces near the planter’s bungalows and bisons may lounge outside your window. Expect to see barking deer, lion tailed macque, Malabar squirrel and many feathered friends that will excite birding enthusiasts. The managers of the estates often send guards to accompany visitors at night due to the many wildlife that roam these parts fearlessly.

Temple trips

Temples are an unavoidable part of the landscape in Tamil Nadu. The Karumalai Balaji Temple is located in a tea estate and offers pleasant hill top views.

Kongu cuisine

While you will find the planter's bungalows serving olde English style food and evening teas alongside the familiar Indian menu do try the local Kongunadu cuisine while you are visiting these parts. Coconut oil, fresh turmeric and millets like ragi and jowar impart special flavor and texture to the cuisine here.

India Homepage