[SNayak]

Planning for a trip to Valparai during mid-August. Not sure whether this would be a good time to visit since it would be peak monsoon time. Planning to stay there for 2 nights and then proceed to athirapally falls and come back to Bangalore through Coimbatore.

Never been to this place before so your experience will help in my planning. Thanks in advance !!!

[shankar.balan]

Hi
I lived there as a kid because my Dad was a Tea Planter in the district. It is a Lovely magical place as you can see from the pic attached which I took in April this year when I went up.
Best time to visit is Dec to May.
Best place to stay when visiting Valparai is as per the link below.
Authentic Tea Planter’s bungalow experience. On Paralai Estate. Owned and run by Parry Agro, part of the Murugappa Group.
http://www.sinnadorai.com/home.aspx

All the best.

Originally Posted by SNayak

Planning for a trip to Valparai during mid-August. Not sure whether this would be a good time to visit since it would be peak monsoon time.
Never been to this place before so your experience will help in my planning. Thanks in advance !!!

[jasonbourne]

We are planning a trip to Valparai in the first weekend of Jan 2023 from Chennai. We wanted to check on the road conditions on the route we have decided to take especially after the recent monsoon rains. Any pointers would be really helpful.

Planned Route:

Chennai --> Thindivanam --> Ulundurpet --> Athur --> Salem --> Erode --> Coimbatore --> Pollachi --> Aazhiyar --> Valparai

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by jasonbourne

We wanted to check on the road conditions on the route we have decided to take especially after the recent monsoon rains.
Planned Route:

Chennai --> Thindivanam --> Ulundurpet --> Athur --> Salem --> Erode --> Coimbatore --> Pollachi --> Aazhiyar --> Valparai

Erode --> Pollachi --> Valparai (via Coimbatore outer) is perfect except for the patches in L&T bypass

[jasonbourne]

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

Erode --> Pollachi --> Valparai (via Coimbatore outer) is perfect except for the patches in L&T bypass

Thank you for the information. Any idea about the status of the roads form Ulundurpet to Erode after the recent Monsoon rains?

[swiftnfurious]

Hello - I plan to spend 2 weeks from mid Dec in and around Coimbatore. This is predominantly a photography tour and a very leisure trip. Would want to cover a bunch of places including Pollachi / Valparai / Masinagudi etc and preferably less commercialised areas.

Will be traveling alone or a friend at the max and very much flexible for budget stays at lesser crowded places.

If you can suggest few places to cover, that'd be great. Saw Thepakkad elephant camp details and would love to cover it. Also some wildlife Safari at the right places.

What other places can be covered?

[Mr.Boss]

Road condition update:
Road widening is in progress for few kilometers from the foot hill (check post to be specific) and a couple of hair pin bends have excess fly ash accumulated in the corners (caution for riders). Otherwise, roads are perfect.

Snap from yesterday's ride, for a cup of Tea

[smrtdvl]

Might take a trip to valparai next week. Any new homestays/bungalows that you bhpians can suggest for a family of 5. Don't want to stay in estate bungalows the whole day as all others accompanying me in this trip had been to Valparai around 15-20 yrs back and want to revisit almost all places. Ruled out waterfall estate properties cos of the distance to valparai.

TIA

[FURY_44]

Originally Posted by smrtdvl

Might take a trip to valparai next week. Any new homestays/bungalows that you bhpians can suggest for a family of 5. Don't want to stay in estate bungalows the whole day as all others accompanying me in this trip had been to Valparai around 15-20 yrs back and want to revisit almost all places. Ruled out waterfall estate properties cos of the distance to valparai.

TIA

Hello

We are a group of 40 riding to Valparai in the last week of April, booked Monica and Stanmore from the Briar group. I would suggest you try "The Soul Bungalow" - https://goo.gl/maps/idzFif6QXjg4S7Cu9

A question to the regulars, is the stretch from Athirapilly to Valparai open through the RF, I heard recently it has been closed due to construction, any recent update on this would be highly appreciated.

[PreethamNag]

Originally Posted by smrtdvl

Might take a trip to valparai next week. Any new homestays/bungalows that you bhpians can suggest for a family of 5. Don't want to stay in estate bungalows the whole day as all others accompanying me in this trip had been to Valparai around 15-20 yrs back and want to revisit almost all places. Ruled out waterfall estate properties cos of the distance to valparai.

TIA

Hello,

You can check whispering falls resort, had been there last year was pretty good for the money we paid.
http://www.whisperingfallsvalparai.in/
PS: Have no commercial connection with them

[mankuthimma]

We were in Valparai last week. What a beautiful and peaceful hill station without the usual tourist frenzy and crowds of other popular hillstations. Weather was cool and awesome, gave a good respite from summer heat.

Stanmore Bungalow is an excellent place to stay. It is at one of the higher altitudes in Valparai. Good place to watch breathtaking views of sunrise. Early morning drive to their Puthuthottam property and walking around the estate spotting few wild animals is a must-do activity. Hiking down the Stanmore bungalow to the pristine river stream through the tea estates is another refreshing thing to do. Thoroughly enjoyed the experiences.

Roads are simply superb through out. It seems like Tamil Nadu govt's Highway Department have mastered the art of building butter smooth roads.

[supertinu]

Folks, planning a drive to Valparai from Bangalore this week. Planning to take the route suggested by Gmap which is

BLR->Krishnagiri->Bhavani (near erode)->Tiruppur->Pollachi->Valparai, heard road conditions are good and this will avoid the salem/coimbatore scramble also. Any inputs?

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by supertinu

BLR->Krishnagiri->Bhavani (near erode)->Tiruppur->Pollachi->Valparai, heard road conditions are good and this will avoid the salem/coimbatore scramble also. Any inputs?

Tiruppur - Palladam - Pollachi
Tiruppur to Palladam will have slow moving traffic during school / office hours. Palladam to Pollachi is 2 lane with minimal traffic.

Roads are good though.

[joethedriver]

Google shows Palladam-Pollachi road is closed till Feb 11. Can somebody confirm this?

If its closed, whats the best route from Salem to Pollachi?

[joethedriver]

Google Maps Screenshot showing the closure of Palladam-Pollachi road