The ISCKON centre Archives - EXPLORE WITH BOB

This trip is the most memorable one for me as it provides an absolute treat to the eyes. You get a complete view of Western Ghats from two states—Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The highway is a remote hill station hardly visited in Tamil Nadu, is a perfect picnic spot, and offers excellent views. The whole journey from Valparai to Chalakudy-Athirapally in Kerala is simply astounding-simply remarkable, with a stream following all the way. The Athirapally is a hidden gem-the water flow will be wonderful to see if you come in September-I went there in November-still, great! This road takes us to Thrissur and Guruvayur, where you can get a darshan of Shree Krishna. Palghat is not far from Guruvayur, and Silent Valley is a few yards away. Silent Valley is a beautiful national park and cheap on a shared Jeep tour; your trip becomes complete when you see many mountains around you, green against dazzling blues, with a stream of happiness. Palghat has the Malampuzha dam and a majestic fort to witness.

Reasons why you must visit Valaparai, Highways, Silent Valley, Athirapally and Guruvayur:

Valparai is famous for its tea plantations; you see the green view everywhere. Because of that, it’s pretty remote yet well connected by buses- a sure-to-go picnic spot and a few days of vacation!

Highways is an amazing hill station near Madurai or Kumily

Valparai and Highways are cool hill stations with a moderate temperature throughout the year, very ideal spot to be, away from lots of tourist crowds that we find in Ooty or Kodaikanal.
Athirapally falls quite close to Valparai on the way to Thrissur. It’s tall and magnificent, with several falls at the bottom. At the top, you can relax along the riverside, and it feels soothing at sunset watching the crystal clear water transform into falls.

Highways are another hill station in Tamil Nadu for peace-lovers and nature-lovers too! The main highlight is the lake with greenery around it—the temperature is mild even in May, and June—that’s a sweet spot!
Located in the Palakkad district of Kerala, Silent Valley National park gives a panoramic view of Nilgiris and the Biosphere Reserve. An Old World Monkey, a small Indian civet, and dhole are a few fauna species unique to this area.

Location: Valparai, Highways, Silent Valley and Athirapally Falls are 500 km south of Bengaluru, and Gu

Valparai falls on opposite side of Highways through Munnar

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Vazhachal Falls, Valparai Hill station, Guruvayur(near Thrissur), Highways hill station, Kanjirapuzha Dam, Virgin Valley, Top tower View, Malapuzha dam, Palakkad fort, Guruvayur temple

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

You can visit these places: Cochin, Munnar, Kodaikanal, Alappuzha, Ooty and Madurai.

Distance Charts:(Highways | Guruvayur)

Highways(0 | 270 km)
Silent Valley(120 | 180 km)
Mumbai(1490 | 1230 km)
Pune(1330 | 1080 km)
Hyderabad(1060 | 1030 km)
Ooty(340 | 190 km)
Munnar (130 | 180 km)
Cochin(210 | 95 km)
Mysuru(460 | 340 km)
Valparai(300 | 160 km)
Athirapally Falls (225 | 90 km)
Bangalore(510 | 500 km)
Kanyakumari(320 | 380 km)
Delhi(2600 | 2480 km)

How to Reach Valaparai, Highways,Silent Valley, Athirapally and Guruvayur:

Road Routes:

Bengaluru-Salem-Dindigul-Highways-Valaparai-Athirapally Falls-Guruvayur-Silent Valley National Park

The Silent Valley offers views of Western ghats

An important note from my experience:

1) To see caves and national parks, avoid the rainy season, come here after September month.

2)If forests, greenery, and waterfalls are what you prefer, drop in July to September. You’ll love the greenery of paddy fields and dense forests.

3)Carry snacks and water with you as shops on the roads are few, and it takes time to reach another city.

4)Carefully study the news and the situation before arriving here. Otherwise, you can be in real trouble. Watch the news for yourself, and you’ll get to know the region’s sensitivity. Not making you fear, though!

5)Araku Valley is something you can easily cover by adding a day extra, and it’s worth it-its the best hill station of Eastern ghats in India-fact!

6)Booking a car is way better than public transport, but come in a group; solo travel is not for the faint-hearted and, God’s sake, avoid venturing into forests; stay within city limits!

RAIL: Dindigul would be close to Highways and Valparai, whereas Palghat for Silent Valley and Guruvayur/Thrissur for Athirapally Falls.

AIR: Madurai/Cochin are the nearest airports.

ROAD: Mostly, the roads will be hilly from Dindigul onwards. AND TNSTC bus services with Kerala SRTC make the journey all pleasant! However, there are a few bad patches on the way to Palghat/ Valparai section.

Map:

Bengaluru-Highways-Valaparai-Athirapally Falls-Guruvayur-Silent Valley Road route map

Time to Visit:

September to March is a good time at these places.

Spend Time With:

Friends,Groups,Solo,Couple

Food and Lodging:

Except for Guruvayur, other places have pretty few hotels and lodging facilities. You can try using Goibibo, Makemytrip, or Yatra websites for more options. For Highways, you should reach there, spend a few hours and stay the night at Dindigul; the next day, you can start early, visit Valparaiso, Athirapally and Guruvayur on the same day and rest the night at Guruvayur and leave for Palakkad on next day early morning. Try reaching Silent Valley by 9-10 am and wrap it by the third day. For food, in most places, it’s good to have water and snacks at most places, but if you run out of them, your best can be Valparai or Guruvayur to refill the stock.