The rains have cooled down most of peninsular India and this is the perfect time to head to the hills! You must be wondering what we mean, as the hills are always a great respite from the heat of the plains — well, not always. The Eastern Ghats is a broken discontinuous chain of small hill ranges that traverse the East Coast of India — more inland than the Western Ghats — and create several small not-so-high hill stations all the way from Odisha to Tamil Nadu. Some of these hill stations are very close destinations from Chennai and Bengaluru and often come alive only after the South-West Monsoons have battered the region. We bring you a list of five such hill stations that are probably the best getaways all through September and October.
Shevaroy Hills
The Shevaroy Hills are just an hour away from Salem but are home to Yercaud, one of the most famous hill stations in South India. The sudden change of climate will surprise you as you make your way up the serpentine roads from the plains. While Yercaud is the most famous town, there are several other smaller towns on the range that are also becoming increasingly popular for their coffee-growing culture. The hills offer some of the best views of the Salem plains down below and house several decent hotels and resorts. Do check out the multiple viewpoints strewn across the range, the Shevaroy temple (the deity after whom the hills are named) and the pretty lake and the shopping and food options around it, right in the heart of Yercaud town. 8 hours by road from Chennai. 6 hours by road from Bengaluru.
Yelagiri Hills
The lesser known Eastern Ghats hill station in Tamil Nadu is Yelagiri Hills, a small hill station centred around the town of Yelagiri. Now known more for its educational institutions, the hill station also has a few parks, a lake and a few viewpoints and an observatory to offer. Situated between Jolarpettai and Vaniyambadi, the hill station has been popular since the British Era but was always ignored as the close-by Yercaud drew more attention. The hill station is surrounded by several other small hill ranges, including Jawadhu Hills and Kalvarayan Hills, further south. Not necessarily a place for a long holiday, small resorts and hotels do exist, but we suggest making a day trip out of it. 6 hours by road from Chennai. 4 hours by road from Bengaluru.
Horsley Hills
The lone Eastern Ghat hill station in southern Andhra Pradesh, Horsley Hills or Horsleykonda or Yenugulla Mallamma Konda is a series of hills close to Madanapalle town. WD Horsley, a British collector, built his home around 1870 in the area after whom the hills are named. Speckled with a bunch of decent hotels and restaurants and with quite a few typical hill station things, we recommend visiting Gaali Banda (Windy Rock), a rocky slope where gusty winds blow throughout the year. 7 hours by road from Chennai. 5 hours by road from Bengaluru.
MM Hills
The most famous of the Eastern Ghat hill stations in Karnataka, MM Hills or Male Mahadeshwara Hills is in Hanur taluk of Chamrajanagar in Karnataka. Known more as a religious or pilgrimage spot, the low hills boast of climates cooler than the surrounding areas and a green cover for most of the year. While staying at MM Hills is not recommended, trekking around the area and day visits are a preferred choice. That river Kaveri flows close by along with plethora of other famous tourist destinations makes this a great stop or one-day trip from Mysuru or Bengaluru. 9 hours by road from Chennai. 5 hours by road from Bengaluru.
BR Hills
By far the most interesting destination on our list is BR Hills or Biligirirangana Hills that also houses the Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary. Being close to the Eastern Ghats as well as the Western Ghats, the sanctuary has floral and faunal associations with both regions and so is absolutely beautiful, all-year round. The hills are in the Yelandur, Kollegal and Chamarajanagar taluks of Chamarajanagar in Karnataka and continue as the Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu to the south. This area was known as forest brigand Veerappan’s lair. A great place for trekking and hiking, it also has a few resorts and hotels mushrooming up around the area.
10 hours by road from Chennai. 4 hours by road from Bengaluru.