Hill Stations near Madurai

Kolukkumalai, Idukki, Ooty, Kolli Hills, Yercaud, Alleppey, Kotagiri, Coonoor, Yelagiri, Kodaikanal and many more.

Offering a perfect escape into nature, the hill stations near Madurai offer an exciting insight into the rich culture and biodiversity of Madurai and the surrounding regions. These stunning hill stations present lush greenery and a pleasant environment that soothes the souls and rejuvenates the body and mind.

With a significantly less crowd and a non-polluted atmosphere, the hill stations offer peace and serenity, making for a true escape from the chaos-filled city life. On one hand, the alluring hill stations of Kodaikanal and Ooty lure your senses with cascading waterfalls and breathtaking plantations and on the other, the adrenaline-fuelled hill towns of Kotagiri and Coonoor offer you enough thrill with the most amazing trekking and hiking opportunities.

Here is a list of Hill Stations near Madurai:

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01

Kolukkumalai

Lying in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, this hill station is at a height of over 2100 metres.  A visit here in summer provides you with the view of a spectacular sunrise. For an adventure freak, a four wheel drive through these mountains is sure to quench your gut. The beauty of this place is mesmerising with its panoramic views and rugged mountains. 

It houses the highest tea plantations in the world which came into existence in 1920. The tea grown here possesses a special flavour and freshness owing to the high altitude. Its taste is something that makes you keep coming back for more. The tea gardens provide unique breathtaking views to the tourists.

Best time to visit: Throughout the year

Highlights: Kolukkumalai tea estate, tea trail and Lock Heart Gap
02

Idukki

To the humankind lost in the concrete jungle, Idukki tourist places acquaints them with the splendor of nature and God’s magnificent creation. Idukki, one of the quaintest districts of Kerala, is home to a number of prominent tourist places.

The district, which lies in the Western Ghats of Kerala, is topographically known for its rocky terrain and varied verdant vegetation. Places in Idukki is full of cliffs, lush greenery, lagoons, tranquil rivers and cascading waterfalls that hypnotize the tourists and leave them with everlasting memories. Having names of Painavu, arch dam, poonchira, Idukki shows a variety in its attractions.

The 3 rivers Thodupuzhayar, Periyar, and Thalaya along with their tributaries keep Idukki evergreen. They are not only a source for irrigation and power generation but also a place for the existence of diverse flora and fauna that add charm to the Idukki. The
places to visit in Idukki range from popular hill stations, Wildlife Sanctuaries, to majestic waterfalls, dams, and not to forget, the historical places.

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03

Ooty

From nature walks in gardens that makes one wonder whether Paradise, as depicted in scriptures of various cultures, have actually been derived from such sensory experiences to relaxing over a cup of tea from the tea plantations dotting the hillside, only to realize most humbly of nature’s gifts as a bountiful provider, the tourist places in Ooty can be expected to resuscitate the soul, depleted of its spiritual reserves through the trials of everyday existence. 

Ooty, once the summer capital of Madras Presidency under the British, can be safely regarded as “India’s Switzerland”. John Sullivan, the then collector of Coimbatore had noted the same in his elaborate report on the region, way back in the 19th century. After independence, Ooty was developed into a major tourist destination and understandably so, given its qualification for the same, owing to nature’s abundant blessings in terms of climate, scenic splendour, local sights and sounds, its wealth of birds and beasts and of course its homegrown beverages of tea and coffee.

The majestic “Queen of the Hills” forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, reputed for its fragile and exquisite ecosystem. In the ecological parlance, it is best known as a “hotspot”, the label justifying the designation of the section of the Western Ghats as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ooty has been developed to offer a rare glimpse to tourists of the essence of the rest of the reserve, much of which are out of bounds as part of conservation efforts.

The wooded hills of the Western Ghats with its canopy of unkempt, untouched shola vegetation interspersed with maintained and cultivated tea gardens offer a rare view of the symbiotic existence of man and nature where one can see and learn what sustainable use of natural resources should ideally look like. The botanical garden and rose garden curate much of the bounty of nature at Ooty to mesmerizing effect. One has to see the tourist places in Ooty it to believe in the gifts of life, otherwise often conveniently overlooked.

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04

Kolli Hills

This gem of a hill station lies in the Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu, with a height of 1000 to 1300 metres and covers a gigantic 280 sq km. These beautiful hills are referred to as KolliMalai which translates to the “Mountains of Death.” The river Kaveri flows near the western and southern edges of the mountains providing a stunning sight to the tourists.

Dense forests cover the curved side of the mountain which begin from the bottom and run to the top of the mountain, making this hill station one of the most visited hill stations near Madurai. 

Best time to visit: March to June

Highlights: Arapaleeswarar Temple, Botanical Garden, Tampcol Medicinal Farms and Siddhar Caves

Book Now: 
Homestay At Kolli Hills
05

Yercaud

A less explored and undiscovered treasure perched in the Eastern Ghats in the Shevaroy Hills, Yercaud is a rejuvenating hill-station in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu. It is situated around the Emerald Lake, which is also known as the Yercaud Lake. The emerald green hue of the beautiful natural lake is also where the hill-station gets its meaning from. In the local language, the word, Yercaud translates to ‘The Lake Forest’, which it, indeed, is. This Tamil Nadu weekend destination is all that an ideal getaway is about – green landscapes, fog covered hill-tops, fresh breeze, and a soulful experience. 

Steeped in raw natural attractions and a rustic aesthetic, the destination is set at an altitude of 4970 ft above sea level. From flora and fauna to an air of freshness and purity, Yercaud is also called the Ooty of the Poor, given its low cost tourism. The hill-station is seemingly enveloped under picturesque skies above dense forests that grow coffee, spices and fruits, with oranges in abundance. It houses some famous parks and gardens proffering floral masterpieces, like Anna Park and Rose Garden to name a few. Yercaud, discovered in the 19th century by the Britishers, also boasts of some stunning vantage points that help tourists soak in the beauty of the town.  

Due to its unspoiled and pristine nature, Yercaud is a paradise for nature lovers, trekkers and adventurers, with various trek tours that take you to spots like Kiliyur Falls and Tipperary Point. It sees less crowd than most hill-stations, which is why it remains fairly raw and thereby, cost-effective. Moreover, Yercaud is a compact destination, easily explorable in a day or two. Beautified by fruit orchards and spice & coffee plantations, the hill also reaps in its merit from its flora and fauna that intrigues all kinds of vacationers. Epitomized as the Jewel of South India, the untouched charm of this lake hill-station and its quaintness, undoubtedly, makes it one of the topmost places to visit in Tamil Nadu.

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06

Kotagiri

Situated in the Nilgiri district of Karnataka, at a height of over 1700 metres, this exquisite hill station is one of the most frequently visited hill stations near Madurai attracting tourists from all parts of the country. Owing its name to the infamous Kota tribe that resides here, Kotagiri is a pristine and picturesque destination that every travel buff should visit atleast once for a splendid adventure. 

Serving as a spot for coffee plantations at one point of time, the town is now home to a massive tea plantation covering area of over 30000 acres. Laden with gorgeous greenery, Kotagiri is a haven for adventure lovers with its vast number of trekking and hiking opportunities. The 8 km long trek to the Catherine Falls is hugely popular among adventure lovers. 

Best time to visit: December to February

Highlights: Elk Falls, Longwood Shola, Kodanad View Point and Catherine Falls
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07

Coonoor

Coonoor is a municipality and a Taluk located in the Nilgiris district, on the western edge of the state, Tamil Nadu, India. As far as size is concerned, Coonoor, after Ooty, comes second in largeness in all of the beautiful hills of the Nilgiris, providing people with a lot of ground to tour. For more than one trekking expeditions, Coonoor is an ideal base and leads right into the Nilgiri Hills. The tourist places in Coonoor are breath-takingly beautiful.

For a Hill station, Coonoor is very accessible, with the nearest airport being only at a distance of 79 km from the town of Coonoor. The population being so less, it offers a peaceful and relaxing environment which other hill stations don’t. The station features a subtropical highland climate which basically means cool summers and cool but not cold winter.Among the tourist places in Coonoor comes Sim’s Park, with a collective display exceeding one thousand types of species of plants.

The botany based garden is developed partly in Japanese style. The main attractions of this park are the fruits and vegetables shows held annually, in May. Another important place to visit lies about 10 km away from Coonoor, considered a part of Coonoor, which is the Dolphin’s Nose Viewpoint, which is famous for the magnificent view of the beautiful Hills of Nilgiri and the beautiful Falls called Catherine. Catherine Falls is another important tourist attraction Coonoor.

Tourists normally go trekking from Lady Canning’s seat to Dolphin’s nose. Five and a half km away from Coonoor, also considered a part of Coonoor, lies Lamb’s Rock, which is another point of vantage. The Fort of Droog is a well-known attraction. People commuting to Mettupalayam, witness Law’s Falls about five km away from Coonoor.

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08

Yelagiri

The beautiful hill station of Yelagiri is situated in the Vellore district of the Tamil Nadu state, off the Vaniyambadi Tirupattur road. The Yelagiri village, also sometimes spelled as the Elagiri Village, is located at an altitude of 1,110.6 meters above the sea level. It is surrounded by eye catching orchards, rose gardens, and a lush green valley, thereby comprising the most amazing Yelagiri Tour Packages.

The hill station of Yelagiri is mainly a cluster of fourteen hamlets, with Athanavur as its main and capital town. Yelagiri is among the most famous places in India that is known for many trekking, 
climbing and other adventure activities as it has some beautiful hills and mountains to climb on. The highest point in the village of Yelagiri is the Swamimalai Hill which is 4,388 ft in height blessed with some mesmerizing views and places that will make your trek a memorable one.


There is no doubt that a traveller or an adventurer will find plenty of places and sites to explore as the beautiful hills and valleys of the district allows you to give a treat to your eyes with its exotic locales. One of the most amazing and mind boggling place is the man made Punganur Lake in the region which attracts many tourists and visitors every year. It is also one of the many places to visit in Yelagiri while you stay.

Every year during the months of summer, the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department celebrates the Summer Festival in the Yelagiri district which showcases different cultural heritage and arts from across the country, which are considered to be the best in Yelagiri Tour. They organize several kinds of cultural programs like the flower show, the dog show, and much more. All of this festivity is conducted every year in which people from different parts of the state and country come down to take a part and is a perfect opportunity to know more about the people and past of Yelagiri.

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09

Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal, the princess of hill station, is mainly known for being honeymoon destinations among other places in India. This is the most suitable and beautiful destination in the south of India because of its scenic beauty which leaves the visitors awestruck with memorable experiences.The meaning of tourist places in Kodaikanal is the gift of the forest and it contains some dense forest with enormous varieties of trees, enchanting waterfalls and huge rocks.

Situated in the hills of Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, the Kodaikanal contains a huge history as a retreat and popular tourist destination. There are many locals name that are given to this beautiful town, but the most popular is “place to see in summer”.The queen of mountain destinations is also known as the “gift of God” because of its gifted lakes and hills.The beautiful place of Kodaikanal welcomes you with a fall in the temperature accompanied by scenic beauty.

The Switzerland of the east is home to varieties of adventures and exciting things to do and places to visit. Kodaikanal, the town of romance, gives you a new feeling every time you go sightseeing to different places with its pure and untouched nature’s beauty and makes you feel a step closer to the glory of Mother Nature. Kodaikanal attracts a huge number of tourists and travellers along with adventurers both national and international every year.

The king of romantic places, Kodaikanal is one of the best places to visit in the south region. We all know Tamil Nadu is the king of South India and hence the town of Kodaikanal adds a little more litter into its glory. The town is not only just meant for newly married couples but also you can visit the tourist places in Kodaikanal town with your family and enjoy the various sports and adventure provided by this mesmerizing and beautiful town.

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People Also Ask About Madurai

  1. Which are some of the best hill stations near Madurai?

    Kodaikanal: One of the popular hill stations near Madurai, Kodaikanal is known for its beautiful lakes, snow clad mountains and mist clad atmosphere. Some of the popular activities to enjoy here include night safari, visiting waterfalls, enjoying a picnic in the meadows etc.

    Kumily: Famed for its spice plantations and trekking trails, Kumily is a paradise for all nature lovers. Here you can enjoy a refreshing Ayurvedic spa along with many adventure activities like jeep rides, wildlife safari, plantation walks, bamboo rafting etc.

    Munnar: Take a refreshing break in the hills of Munnar to admire the lush green beauty of Western Ghats. The most wonderful places not to be missed when you are in Munnar are Kolukkumalai, Lakkam Waterfalls, Kundala Lake, Carmelagiri Elephant Park

    Yercaud: Famed for its breathtaking natural beauty, Yercaud is a great escape for everyone near Madurai. Here, you can try trekking, plantation walks etc along with visiting popular places like emerald lake, deer park, Pagoda point etc.

    Do Checkout: Munnar Tour Packages

  2. Which are the famous hill stations near Madurai within 500 Km?

    Yelagiri: Known for its beautiful landscapes of colorful orchards, splendid rose gardens and verdant meadows, Yelagiri is a beautiful hill station. When you are here, you can try adventure activities like trekking and rock climbing along with sightseeing.

    Ooty: A famed getaway for all the tourists, Ooty is known for its salubrious climate and scenic wonders. It is full of scintillating lakes, colonial residences and blessed with rich flora and fauna to enthral all adventure seekers and nature lovers.

    Thekkady: If you are looking for a day out amidst unkempt wildlife, Thekkady is the place to be. It is well known for having the Periyar National Park where you can enjoy bamboo rafting Mullaperiyar Dam, hiking and many other adventure sports.

  3. How far is Ooty from Madurai?

    Ooty is located at a distance of 286 kms from Madurai which takes a journey of about 6.5 hours.
  4. Which is the closest hill station to Madurai?

    The nearest hill station to Madurai is Kodaikanal, located at a distance of 117 kms.
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