The journey to Valparai through Athirapalli-Vazhachal road via Malakkapara is something that the travelers will find exhilarating. There are many dams on the way through Sholayar dam city. This region experiences snow throughout the year. Tea bushes, spotted deer, wild boar, elephants and many other animals can be found here. Valparai presents you with an exciting trip through the misty forest to give you a spectacular view of greenery and wild animals. The best way to enjoy the trip is by watching the breath-taking scenery on the way, through Ernakulam via Chalakudy. This route will take you to the fascinating Athirapalli waterfalls before moving on to Valparai. The wild beauty of Jungle is at its extreme at the Pollachi-Valparai-Malakkapara-Vazhachal stretch. There are 40 hairpin-turns between Pollachi-Vazhachal road.
There are such hairpin-turns on Vazhachal- Chalakudy route too. The journey through Malakkapara-Chalakudy road will give you a fascinating ride through 47km of forest land. At the same time, please do note that there are no shops or tea-stalls anywhere on the way through the jungle. This trip provides you an opportunity to see the wild animals living here. The sight of animals in their natural surroundings which we usually see only in the zoo is a unique experience. On the way, we can enjoy the beauty of the Vachumaram lake, Anakkayam bridge, Sholayar powerhouse and the captivating tea estates. The Sholayar dam is on the way to Valparai. Sholayar is guarded on both sides by Kerala’s Anamudi and Tamilnadu’s Kurangmudi. The spectacular sights don’t end even here. Valparai is a picturesque spot with beautiful views everywhere. This is also the region where Tamilnadu experience the highest rainfall. It is also the region with second highest rainfall in India. So, Valparai is also known as the ‘Dakshina Cherrapunji’ (Cherrapunji of South India). The sky is always cloudy and moist here. Chinnakallar waterfalls lies 26km away from this hill station. The Nirar dam is situated 15km away from Valparai. This dam was built as a part of hydro-electric project. The natural beauty of the region is kept intact while building this dam. Nirar dam is a must-see spot for tourists coming to Valparai. The beauty of sun rise and sun set as seen from here is captivating.
