Tamil Nadu · Tea estates · Wildlife
Valparai
Valparai is a tea-estate plateau in the Anamalai Hills, reached by a road of many hairpin bends. It is about 360 km from Mysuru, about 9 hours by road. Most visitors plan 1–2 days. September to March is the usual season for Valparai.
Why travellers go
It is a quiet hill destination with tea gardens, dams and wildlife sightings near the Anamalai Tiger Reserve.
- Suggested time
- 1–2 days
- State
- Tamil Nadu
- Good for
- Tea estates, Wildlife
Best-known sights in Valparai
- Aliyar Dam: A reservoir at the foot of the Anamalai hills, seen from above at the 14th hairpin bend on the Pollachi road.
- Loam's View Point: A viewpoint at the 9th hairpin bend on the climb from Pollachi.
- Monkey Falls: A waterfall at the foot of the ghat road, where the climb to Valparai begins, about 38 km from town.
- Nallamudi Poonjolai: A viewpoint reached by a walk of about 1 km through a tea estate.
- Sholayar Dam: A dam about 20 km from Valparai, one of the area's two main sights with Monkey Falls.
- Balaji Temple, Karamalai: A hill temple about 10 km from Valparai.
- Karamalai Velankanni Church: A church about 10 km from town, with a festival around 8 September.
- Chinnakallar: A misty waterfall area about 15 km from Valparai, described as always wet.
- Nirar Dam: A dam about 15 km from Valparai.
- Anamalai Tiger Reserve: The forest that surrounds Valparai's tea estates, home to lion-tailed macaques, Nilgiri tahr, elephants, leopards and great hornbills. Large forest areas are out of bounds; Grass Hills and Kadamparai need forest permission.
How many days do you need in Valparai?
Plans for one, two or three days. A starting point only, not a Travel Trendzz package.
One day
- Aliyar Dam view from the 14th hairpin bend
- Loam's View Point
- Nallamudi Poonjolai viewpoint
- Balaji Temple, Karamalai
Two days
- Day 1: Monkey Falls, Aliyar Dam view from the 14th hairpin bend, Loam's View Point
- Day 2: Nallamudi Poonjolai viewpoint, Sholayar Dam, Balaji Temple, Karamalai, Karamalai Velankanni Church
Three days
- Day 1: Monkey Falls, Aliyar Dam view from the 14th hairpin bend, Loam's View Point
- Day 2: Nallamudi Poonjolai viewpoint, Sholayar Dam, Balaji Temple, Karamalai
- Day 3: Chinnakallar, Nirar Dam, Tea estate walk
How to reach Valparai from Mysuru and Bengaluru
From Mysuru
- By road
- About 300 km, about 5-6 hours, via Chamarajanagar and Pollachi. The last 64 km from Pollachi climbs 40 hairpin bends on State Highway 78 and takes about 2 hours.
- By train
- No railway station at Valparai. Take the daily train from Mysuru to Coimbatore (about 11 hours), then on to Pollachi Junction, about 65 km from Valparai.
- By bus
- KSRTC buses run about hourly from Mysuru to Coimbatore (Gandhipuram), about 5 hours. From Coimbatore, buses run to Valparai at set times, and from Pollachi about every 30 minutes.
- By air
- No airport at Valparai. Coimbatore airport is about 124 km away and Cochin International Airport about 117 km.
From Bengaluru
- By road
- About 455 km, about 8.5 hours, on NH 44 and NH 544 via Hosur, Krishnagiri, Salem, Avinashi and Pollachi.
- By train
- No direct train. Trains run from Bengaluru to Coimbatore (about 6 hours on listed services); Pollachi Junction, about 65 km from Valparai, is the nearest station.
- By bus
- Private buses run from Bengaluru to Pollachi, taking about 8-10 hours, then local buses climb to Valparai.
- By air
- Fly to Coimbatore (about 124 km), then by road.
Road times are approximate; check current timings for trains and buses before you travel.
Best time to visit Valparai
September to March is the usual season for Valparai. December to February is the driest and coolest, with nights of about 10-13°C. June to August is very wet, with about 670-800 mm of rain a month, as Valparai is one of the wettest places in Tamil Nadu.
| Month | Weather and what to know |
|---|---|
| Jan | Cool and dry, about 10-28°C Driest month, about 10 mm of rain (IMD normals). |
| Feb | Dry, about 11-29°C |
| Mar | Warm, first showers, about 14-29°C |
| Apr | Warm with showers, about 17-28°C Average rain about 135 mm. |
| May | Pre-monsoon rain, about 18-27°C Average rain about 233 mm. |
| Jun | Monsoon, very heavy rain, about 18-24°C Average rain about 670 mm. |
| Jul | Wettest month, about 18-23°C Average rain about 800 mm. |
| Aug | Very wet, about 18-23°C Average rain about 690 mm. |
| Sep | Rain easing, about 17-24°C Average rain about 420 mm. The Karamalai church festival is held around 8 September. |
| Oct | Showers, about 17-26°C Average rain about 300 mm. |
| Nov | Showers easing, about 15-26°C Average rain about 137 mm. |
| Dec | Cool and mostly dry, about 13-27°C |
Tips for visiting Valparai
- Drive slowly on the ghat road; wildlife often crosses, and you should never feed the monkeys.
- Forest officials do not allow alcohol in the area, and littering is not allowed; eat in town or at marked spots.
- A hired taxi is easier than the crowded Pollachi buses if you want to stop at viewpoints.
- Mobile signal is patchy; BSNL is reported to work across the hills, while Airtel works mainly in town.
- Grass Hills needs permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden in Chennai, so plan well ahead if you want to go.
Photos
Travel Trendzz and Valparai
Travel Trendzz has no published package for Valparai yet. The team plans custom trips; ask for a quote with your dates and group. For a car with a driver from Mysuru, see taxi service in Mysore.
Questions about Valparai
What is the best time to visit Valparai?
September to March is a good time to visit Valparai. December to February is driest and coolest, with nights of about 10-13°C. June to August is very wet, with about 670-800 mm of rain a month, which makes the ghat drive slower but fills the waterfalls.
How many days are enough for Valparai?
Two days are enough for Valparai. Spend the drive up at Monkey Falls, the Aliyar Dam view and Loam's View Point, then a full day at Nallamudi, Sholayar Dam and the Karamalai temple and church. A third day lets you add Chinnakallar and Nirar Dam.
How far is Valparai from Mysuru and Bengaluru?
Valparai is about 300 km from Mysuru, about 5-6 hours by road via Chamarajanagar and Pollachi. From Bengaluru it is about 455 km, about 8.5 hours via Salem and Pollachi. The last 64 km from Pollachi has 40 hairpin bends and takes about 2 hours.
Is Valparai good for families and couples?
Yes. Valparai suits families and couples who like quiet hills and wildlife. Families can enjoy the viewpoints, dams and tea estates, which need little walking. Couples often choose misty drives, short estate walks and evenings in the cool hills. Drive slowly, as wildlife crosses the roads.
Does Travel Trendzz have a package for Valparai?
Not a published one. The team plans custom trips to Valparai on request.
Places near Valparai
Athirappilly
Waterfalls · 1 day
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Published packageKodaikanal
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All Tamil Nadu destinations · All South India destinations · See all tour packages
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources in November 2026. Rules such as entry passes, timings and road closures change, so check before you travel.
Plan your Valparai trip
Tell the trip planner your dates, group and budget. Nothing is booked until you confirm with the team.
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