Nelliampathy
Nelliyampathy – The abode of clouds
Nelliyampathi, one of the least explored hill stations in Kerala is located 52 Km from Palakkad. Situated a height of 1585 m above the sea level and tucked into the Western Ghats, Nelliyampathy is breathtakingly beautiful. The Nellikota mountain ranges , perched at a height of 1572 m, is the highest peak in the region.
Enveloped with thick verdant forests rich in an array of wild animals and birds, Nelliyampathy is a perfect destination for ecotourism. The vast expanses of tea gardens and coffee and orange plantations offer exceptional chances of plantation tours as well for those who are interested to know about the farming and harvesting activities upclose.
The drive towards Nelliyampathy hill station is an experience on its own as it takes you over a dozen hairpin bends that offer great views of the valleys and the mist clad mountains around. The roads are smooth and well laid, which would make your driving a truly enjoyable experience. Nelliyampathy hills in Palakkad, is well connected by road and is easy to reach. There are bus services from Coimbatore and Palakkad though the frequency of these services is less. Car rentals are convenient options to explore the hills at your own pace.
Nelliyampathi takes credit to mountain ranges of various altitudes ranging from 500 m to 1600 m, which offer tremendous scope for trekkers, hand gliders and adventure sports enthusiasts. Kakatty will be a convenient base camp for all these leisure activities.
There are many popular picnic spots like Pothundy dam where boating is offered. It is also famous for the rare geographical formation called Palakkad gap, which is a tourist attraction in this hill station.
Nelliyampathy tours offer a diverse experience for the tourists. From exciting wild life trails, trekking spots like Mampara an Kaikatty to the Seetharkundu waterfalls, there is something special for everyone. The Seetharkundu viewpoint is only 8 km from Nelliyampathy and is the right place to be in with your binoculars to catch the best views of the Western ghats and the pristine natural beauty around. The Nelliyampathy hills offer great views of the Sholayar pass as well. The top most point is Palagapandi estate, which is an erstwhile British Bungalow now converted into a private owned resort.
Some of the other tourist attractions in this circuit include Malampuzha Gardens, Raja's Cliff and the wildlife sanctuary are other places of interest here. A visit to the handloom weavers’ community at Koothampully is another must do activity. The hand woven fabric with intricate zari patterns makes excellent gifts for someone special.
On the way up, make a stopover at the many orange plantations and the farms to have a closer at the bio farming techniques being used here. Do not miss to buy mangoes and freshly plucked grapes that are sold at dirty cheap rates.
There are many accommodation options in Nelliyampathy including hotels and resorts. The best time to visit this hill resort would be from September to May. So, in case you are looking for a different holiday experience, this little known hill station that snugly fits into all budgets could well be your choice!
