Valparai is located in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, set in the picturesque Annamalai mountain range on the Western Ghats. The area is free from heavy tourist activity and the Tamil Nadu Govt. has recently started promoting tourism in Valparai by developing tourist facilities. Tea and Coffee estates surround Valaprai and most of the area is privately owned by the tea companies. Valparai is one of the highest mid elevation hill resort in the country and home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. The climatic condition prevailing is most suitable for cultivation of Tea, Coffee, Cardamom, Cincona trees and the forests surrounding these plantations are moist evergreen forests. These forests are home to animal species like elephants, boars, cheetah and the endemic wild mountain goat known as the Nilgiri Tahr. Valparai is 64 kms away from Pollachi and the drive to Valparai is picturesque mountains and lush green forests.
Places of Interest
* MonkeyFalls :- It is 65 km from Coimbatore and 27 km from Pollachi on Coimbatore-Pollachi-Valparai Highways.
* Nirar Dam :- It is 15 km from Valparai. It has very high rainfall in the months of June and July.
* Solaiyar Dam :- It is 15 km from Valparai. The Solaiyar Dam is the second largest rock dam in Asia. Its length is about 20 km.
* SidhiVinayagarTemple :- It is 5 km from Solaiyar. A statue of Vinayagar weighing about 3.5 kg is located in this temple. It is constructed with a single rock.
* BalajiTemple :- This temple is in Valparai. On Saturday and Sunday each week, a large number of tourists arrive to worship. Bus, taxi and van facilities are available to visit this temple
* Top slip: Top slip is a national park and a medicinal plant conservation area in the Anamalai hills. It is about 37 kms. from Pollachi (about 90 kms from Coimbatore). It is famous for its elephant camp at Kollikamuthi and its wildlife. Visitors can stay in tree houses here.
Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, AthirapillyFalls and several viewpoints are other places of tourist interest in Valparai.
