• The Western Ghats have some beautiful places that you can visit in the summers for e.g. Kodaikanal, Coonor and Emerald Lake near Ooty, Valparai in the Annamalai hills.  This photo feature tells about each place and how to reach. Good for drives and has Tea Estates too.

Come summers Indians in large numbers head to North Indian Hills. While I love these hills, there are some wow places in the Western Ghats that are cool, green, with great drives and places to stay.

It is with that intent that I wrote this photo feature. Format is what to see, pictures, how to reach and season to visit.

While the entire Western Ghats (an UNESCO World Heritage Site for its bio-diversity) is any nature traveler’s delight, the southern parts of these ghats offer extremely diverse opportunities to those that want to experience hills, clouds, dense forests or colonial era tea estates. 

The Western ghats get progressively wider and taller as one travels southwards. Its tallest peaks are in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Some of the famed national forests and tiger reserves are spread over the Western Ghats and its adjacent areas, providing an amazing arena for an exquisite mix of flora and fauna.

The states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu see changing landscapes of the Western Ghats. The proximity to the coast in Uttara Kannada and parts of Dakshin Kannada create unique vibes with the hills overlooking the white beaches and backwaters of the various rivers that empty into the Arabian Sea.

To the responsible traveler, there are opportunities galore.

The forests of Dandeli, Bhadra, the majestic Jog falls, the shola grasslands and forests of Kudremukha, Coorg and Sakleshpura, are some of the stops in Karnataka.

Those inclined to take on the wild sides of nature can venture on treks that cross paths with vipers, the king cobra, butterflies, fireflies and birds of the most exotic kinds.

For those comfortable with treading the beaten track, the hill towns of Ooty, Coonoor, Kodaikanal, Munnar provide the “hill-station” atmosphere. 

The best way to enjoy these places is to look for retreats and homestays slightly away from the main towns, enjoy the peace and silence of the hills at night and drive out to visit the tourist locations during the day.

Some of the places that I would recommend are the Redhills Nature Resort near Ooty, the Sinnadorai Bungalows of Mangorange (Panthalur), Valparai and Kadamane, the various Jungle Lodges and Resorts properties in Dandeli, Jog falls, Kudremukha and Gokarna, Vythri Resorts and Windflower Resorts in Wayanad and Tall Trees Resorts in Munnar. There are many more that you can look out for, including resorts by the famed chains of the Taj, Club Mahindra and the likes of them.

I now present pictures of the famed Western Ghats.

Kodaikanal overlooking the Palani plains.

Meadows of the Mannavanur sheep farm off Kodaikanal.

Sheep grazing in the meadows.

Village with step farming on the slopes; enroute to Mannavanur from Kodai

Kudremukha. It is common to find such agricultural fields in the lower parts of the Western Ghats.

Kudremukha. Typical shola forests and grasslands of the Western Ghats, this one in Kudramekha, once a hub of iron-ore mining, now a highly protected area.

Kadamane. More shola forests and grasslands, near Sakleshpur.

Kadamane. More shola forests and grasslands, near Sakleshpur.

Foothills. The approach to Nilgiris often sees colourful flowerfields along the highway.

Foothills. The approach to Nilgiris often sees colourful flowerfields along the highway.

Redhills. Spectacular sunset colours on the Emerald lake in the Nilgiris.

Redhills. Spectacular sunset colours on the Emerald lake in the Nilgiris.

Redhills view. Picture postcard views of the Emerald region of the Nilgiris

Redhills view. Picture postcard views of the Emerald region of the Nilgiris.

Ooty Gaur on the tracks of the Nilgiri Mountain Railways; where civilization and the wild cross paths.

A train of the Nilgiri Mountain Railways chugging down towards Mettupalayam from Conoor.

A small village amidst tea gardens near Conoor.

Advancing clouds drape the slopes of tea plantations in white in the Panthalur area of the Nilgiris.

Century old tea bungalows host you in the Nilgiris (Visit Sinnadorai’s Bungalows Mangorange run by Parry Agro)

Valparai Old Muster office – An early 20th century tea estate muster office, now turned into cosy living cottage for guests. (at Sinnadorai’s Bungalow, Valparai, in the Annamalai hills.

The Annamalai hills in the Upper Paralai region in Valparai.

Jog – The majestic jog falls plunges 800 feet in monsoon glory.

The second highest single drop waterfall in India, the jog falls pours itself over clouds in the Sharavathi valley.

How to reach these beautiful places

1. Kodaicanal - Madurai and Trichy are the nearest airports. Madurai is well connected to Bangalore, Chennai by rail, road and air. Kodai road is the nearest railway station with connections to Chennai, Kacheguda, Bengaluru.

2. Red Hills Nature Resort/Emerald lake is 28 kms from Ooty. Those coming from Bengaluru have to cross Ooty. Coimbatore is the nearest airport connected to Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. A cab drive from Coimbatore takes about three and half hours.

3. Coonor is 28 kms from Ooty. It can be reached from Coimbatore directly, a two and half-hour drive.

4. Valparai, in the Annamalai hills - Nearest Airport is Coimbatore, a drive of a little over 3 hours. Can also be reached from Kochi airport, close to a 4 hour drive. 

Are they good to visit in the summers i.e. April/May?

Yes, all the 4 places are worth going to in summers. Except in peak monsoons, these places on the Western Ghats are good to visit all year round. Monsoons are also very spectacular but sometimes hindered by road blockades following landslides.

To read all travelogues by author

Lure of the Niligiris – Blue Mountains by Author

Also see albums

1. Beaches of Gokarna

2. Munnar, Kerala

3. Drive through Kudremukh to Hornadu Temple

4. Read Bandipur National Park