Yercaud Tourism - Places to visit in Yercaud

Yercaud is a hill station in Salem District, in Tamil Nadu, India. It located in the Shevaroys range of hills in the Eastern Ghats; the Yercaud hill area is called the Shevaroy Hills. It is situated at an altitude of 1515 metres (4970 ft) above sea level, and the highest point in Yercaud is the Servarayan temple, at 5,326 feet (1,623 m). It is so named owing to the abundance of trees categorised as a forest near the lake, the name signifying Lake Forest.^[1] As a popular tourist destination, Yercaud is also called as Jewel of the South.^[2] Yarcaud is connected to city of Salem, Tamil Nadu through Highway of 8 km. The temperature never rises above 29 °C (84 °F) or goes below 13 °C (55 °F). Coffee and citrus fruits, most notably oranges, are grown in abundance apart from bananas, pears and jackfruit. Scenically, Yercaud is as enchanting and picturesque as the hill stations on the Western ghats and trekking here can be one of the most pleasurable ways to pass time.The total extent of Yercaud Taluk is 382.67 km², including Reserve Forest.

The major industry is tourism, eco tourism with resorts amid high trees and green coffee

• Yercaud Lake: a pool surrounded by gardens and well-wooded trees.

• Lady's Seat: Tourists can have a panoramic view of the plains below through the telescope mounted at the Lady's seat.
• Killiyur Falls: a 90-foot (27 m)-high waterfall.
• The Servaroyan Temple: Situated atop Servaroyan hill, the annual festival of Lord Servaroyan is celebrated in May every year. The temple is a narrow and dark cave having the God Servarayan and theGoddess Kaveri inside, which are believed as the deities of the Shevaroy Hills and Cauvery River.
• Bear’s Cave: Situated near the Norton’s Bungalow, Bear’s Cave is considered as one of the abodes of Lord Murugan.
• Green House: The greenhouse cultivates many varieties of flowers and spices.
• The Grange: The Grange is one of the oldest buildings in Yercaud, built in 1820's by the then District Collector of Salem, M.D. Cockburn who first introduced coffee from Arabia and apples and other fruits from South Africa between 1820 and 1829. It is believed to have been the summer resort of Robert Clive, general of the East India Company in the late 19th century.
• Pagoda Point: Another vantage view point; once adorned with stone built pagodas, it is now home to a large temple.
• Silk Farm and Rose Garden: Situated very close to Lady's Seat, Silkworms are reared here. Located 2 km from Yercaud town, tourists can see the cultivation of mulberries, growing of silk worms, and methods of silk-spinning. The rose garden has a collection of varieties of roses. There is a nursery in this garden which sells plants.
• Trekking in Yercaud: Yercaud has developed into a major trekking destination in the region. Many treks are organized here. Chennai Trekking Club organizes treks in Yercaud.
• Fairholme Bungalow: Fairholme Bungalow is one of the old heritage colonial bungalows on Tipperary road. A Miss Pope sold it to the present owners, who converted it into a heritage hotel. It is furnished with antique furniture and fireplaces.
• Heaven's Ledge: A Scenic west-facing cliff situated in Gowri Estate in Yercaud.It has been converted into a campsite to encourage sustainable tourism. It is 15 km away from the main town area.

Lake In Yercaud

• It is a pool surrounded by well preserved gardens and dark woods.
• The lake has boating facility in which both paddle boats and oar-drawn boats are available.
• People boating in the cold water of the lake can feel enchanting as well as refreshing.

Yercaud Lake Details

• The lake is also known as emerald lake and it is the only natural lake amongst all hill stations in the southern part of India.
• There is a floating fountain at the center of lake, which was constructed by MALCO.

• Boat services are available at reasonable rate [ Rs. 75 /- for 2 seats and Rs. 95 /- for 4 seats ]. Self Pedaling [ 15 min ] and Rowing boats [ 30 min ] are available. You have to pay the same amount as caution deposit. The safety measures are followed strictly. The minimum time can be spent : 20 min. 

• The garden surrounding the lake is well groomed and can be seen beautiful during the month of May when the Summer Festival is organised.

Visit Yercaud Lakes

• There are several beautiful parks surrounding the lake such as Anna Park, Lake Park, Gandhi Park and Children's Park.

 

• There is a over bridge that connects an island at the center with the mainland. The lake is surrounded by a Deer Park, a leisure park and a number of hotels nearby. 

 

• Deer Park - Situated in the Lake. Suitable for Kids to playground. It will be closed by 5.00 p.m.

Yercaud Lady's Seat:

• Lady's seat is located 2 Km south west of Yercaud town and is a point that offers spectacular sights of Yercaud.
• It has cluster of rocks loctaed beautifully on the south west of the Yercaud hills. It overlooks the winding ghat road.

 

• It has a telescope through which one can view the lower plains of Yercaud hill.The maganese deposits of the chalk Hills can be viewed cleary through the telescope.

Lady's Seat Details

• Lady's seat offers breathtaking views of the Ghats, especially at night.one can see the traffic that looks gracefully on the horizon and the tourists making their way to Yercaud through the narrow winding.


• Towards the extreme right in a distance one can see the Mettur Dam that generates power out of the river Kaveri.
• The best time to spot the river is from 300 p.m. onwards when the sun rays reflect off the river waters.There is a steep diving point of 200 feet.
•  On the right of Lady's Seat are Sterling Resorts, Gents Seat and Children's Seat. There is a mini park and it is a breath taking spot for a picnic. 2 km from town.

Killiyur Waterfalls

• It is a beautiful waterfalls in the Shervaroyan hill range in the eastern ghats. It is a 300 feet high waterfalls and is about 3kms from the Yercaud lake.
• The final 500 meters consists only of a rough unpaved steep pathway.
• But it is a breathtaking sight in the monsoon time when the water levels are at the maximum. The best time to visit this place is immediately after the monsoon season.

Killiyur Waterfalls - Details

• The water is from the Big Lake that connects to the falls through a stream. A long walk through the enchanting woods takes you to Killiyur Falls.


• In Killuyur falls the excess waters of the Yercaud lake and the other reaches of the Shevaroyan Hills and falls deep into the Kiliyur Valley at 300 feet.
• The views of the lake,the falls and the valley are truly amazing to watch.The waterfall type is of fan type.

Pagoda Point

• Pagoda Point is also another viewpoint, which is worth visiting.Pagoda point or pyramid point is a viewpoint located on the eastern part of Yercaud hills.
• This has four piles of stones arranged so as to form a pyramid shape
• It is said to be built by the local tribes and now there is a Rama temple located between the piles of stones.


• The place got its name because of its pagodas that are built with stone.

Pagoda Point - Details

• Tourists come here at the point to have a view of the beautiful cliffs around, especially in early mornings or evenings.
• One can get a thorough view of the town of Salem and a little village called Kakambadi from this hill.The spot also has towering cliffs that would prove to be any rock climber's delight.


• Around the ridges of the crest are four cairns stones resembling temple towers (Pagodas). In the centre of the open space is a shrine dedicated to two anionic stones held sacred by the local Malayalis.
• Sometimes called Gent's seat it has a better view than the Ladies seat but is very risky to reach and is a Government protected area.

Bear's Cave

• It is situated near the Norton’s Bungalow,which is on the way to the Shervaroyan Temple. The cave is now part of a private property, however tourists are allowed to visit.
• There is a temple near this cave that is considered to be one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga and has its central area carved out of a single rock.
• There is a huge cave formation beside a coffee estate bungalow, which was considered to be home for the bears.


• The main area of the cave is seen to be about 7 feet below the ground level and the deeper gorge seen there is believed by the local community to be the path that leads up to the cave situated in the Shervaroyan Temple.

Bear's Cave - Details

• It is believed that the cave was used as a hideout and an escape route by Tipu Sultan during the time of War.
• If tourists wish, they can try to squeeze past the boulders into the cave and explore it.


• Although one cannot go beyond few hundred meters as fallen rocks block the path but its worth an experience.

Yercaud Servarayan Temple

• It is situated on the top of Shervaroyan hill and is a modern cave temple located 5326 feet above the sea level. The highest point in Yercaud hill is the Sherveroyan temple.
• The residing deities in the temple are god Shervaroyan and his consort the goddess Cauvery representing the Shervaroy Hills and the Cauvery river.
• The annual festival which is celebrated here in the month of may attracts thousands of the Malyali pilgrims.


• The temple is inside a large rock.One has to bend and get into the temple because of the lack of space.

Servarayan Templee - Details

• The local people believe that the god Shervaroyan is the guardian angel for the 67 villages in and around Yercaud.

• It is believed that the temple's cave is so deep it touches the Cauvery river. There is a wishing well too near the temple.


• Near the Servarayan temple is the Raja Rajeswari Amman temple, dedicated to Raja Rajewsari, the goddess of all the gods.

Yercaud Anna Park

• Anna Park is a lovely garden located near the Yercaud lake and has slides that would certainly interest children.
• This park has a collection of the natural species of plants and trees seen around Shevaroy hills.
• Several flower shows are organized in the park during the month of May. Inside the Anna Park there is a Japanese park, in which plants are grown in Japanese style.
• The park is situated next to the Lake. It is typical park used to host the “Flower Show” in the month of May. The “Japanese Park” inside Anna Park is a must see. Children can play around and elders can take rest. The entrance ticket will be Rs. 2/- for adult and Rs 10 /- for Camera. The minimum time can be spent : 30 min for laymen.


• Children can enjoy playing in the garden. It is a well preserved garden and is worth a visit.

Anna Park - Details

• This park is maintained by horticulture department. So, if one loves playing in parks or have kids who do, you could also make your way to other parks like Lake Park, Gandhi Park and Children's Park.A deer park, which has some spotted deer, is also located next to the lake.


• The Horticulture Farm has a Rose Garden, which has various varities of roses that include Button Rose to Very Big Rose. Saplings of various plants are also available for sale.

Yercaud Lake Forest

• The Lake Forest is located in a coffee estate on the banks of the Yercaud lake.Lake Forest Hotel is located near lake.
• The hotel is 210 km away from Coimbatore airport. The nearest railway station is Salem Railway Station, which is 28 km away from the hotel.
• The guest bungalows are set in the "Eastlynne Farm Estate" in and around the "Bungalow" built during early 1800s by Henrietta Charlotte Rosario who was living in the Shevroy hills.

Lake Forest Hotel

• Air-conditioned international standard rooms with telephone, Refrigerator, Television and attached Western Bath with Shower are available in lake forest hotel.
• Today's Eastlynne Farm Estate was once known as "ROSAR" named after the owner.


• Facilities include laundry, Internet, library, traditional and continental cuisine and Herbal care.
• Accommodation is in bungalows which are traditional, cottages standing in the middle of gardens, furnished with antiques.
• There are places for yoga, meditation, herbal care,bird watching,sight seeing and wildlife trekking

Orchidarium-Botanical Survey of India - 

• This is one of two orchidariums run by the Botanical survey of India. It has a large collection of native orchids. 

• One can see the rare Ladies Slipper, an insect eating Orchid. A rare tree Shevaroys Bombax which was reported on one of the private estates has also been identified and multiplied in this farm. A treat for plant lovers. 

• But sunday is a holiday. botanical garden is closed during saturdays, sundays and national holidays   

•  A “Bell Rock” in the BSI campus makes bell sound when you hit with stone. You have to climb to reach the rock.
•  The entrance ticket will be Rs. 3/- for adult and Rs 10 /- for Camera. It remain closed on Sundays and National Holidays. 
• The minimum time can be spent : 25 min for laymen few days for Nature lovers.

Horticulture Farm

• It has “Rose Garden” and “Children Seat”. The Rose Garden is filled with various verities of Roses from Button Rose to Very Big Rose. (Walkable from Ladies Seat)
• A “Green Rose” plant is grown along with beautiful rose plants. Saplings of various plants are available at reasonable price. 
• The entrance ticket will be Rs. 2/- for adult and Rs 10 /- for Camera. The minimum time can be spent : 35 min for laymen few days for Nature lovers.

Silk Farm & Rose Garden

• One can see the cultivation of Mulberries, the growing of silk worms and the method of spinning silk.
• The Silk Farm (go little ahead from Lady's seat and take a mud road on the right) does not allow outsiders The season for breeding is during monsoons. 
• The Rose Garden – one can see a good collection of colourful Roses and also purchase nursery plants from here 2 km from town.

GRANGE

• Grange, constructed in 1820, is one of the oldest architectural wonders located in Yercaud. This castle was built by collector M. D. Cockburn. It was also the first commercial plantation area for coffee, oranges and apples in this hill station.
• According to a belief, it is said that this place in the late 1800's was used as a summer resort by Robert Clive of English East India Company. In addition, the place has a huge cellar that can hold huge quantities of provisions.
• During the Sepoy Mutiny, this building was very active and it was at the same time that gun placements and canon-bearers were added to the existing building. At present, a beautiful resort is located besides the building.

Grange Resort

You can also do "Dirt Biking" in a place very near from Grange Resorts. It is around 4 kms from the lake and has a very limited variety of Dirt biking bikes but it is indeed an adventurous experience. There are different tracks available for the Dirt Biking and all of them are available at different rates.Starting rate Rs.300.

The Montfort School and the Sacred Heart Convent 

•  These are the two famous educational institutions at Yercaud imparting education to boys and girls respectively.

The Retreat

•  Started in 1945 by the brothers of Don Bosco, this institution serves as a 'Novitiate House' where students of religious order stay and study.   

Arthur Seat 

•  A bird’s eye view of the Big Lake, Yercaud Town and the Shevaroyan Peak is available from this vantage point, which is reached by taking the steep road going north from the centre point of town 1 km from town.

Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple

• This is said to be the Goddess of all Gods in the Hindu Pantheon and by praying to her one can attain wealth and prosperit and be elevated to higher levels of spirituality. 
• This temple was founded by Tirukovilur Thapovanam Srila Sri Gnanananda Giri Swamigals Parampara Disciple HH Swami Poornananda Giri in the year 1983 and now succeeded by his son V Sri.
•  In this temple the Godess Sri Raja Rajeswari is seen surrounded by a plethora of Gods.

Fairholme Bungalow  

• One of the many colonial bungalows on Tipperary road that are well maintained to this day.
•  It is complete with antique furniture that takes one back to the days of tea parties and hunting. 
• It is currently being run as a heritage hotel and is open to visitors.

  

Heaven's Ledge  

 

• A Scenic west-facing cliff that has beautiful views of the sunset. 
• It is situated in "Gowri Estate" on the loop road and has been converted into a campsite to promote sustainable tourism.

Kottachedu Teak Forest  

•  The hills tribes who cultivated these lands are said to have abandoned this area after plague struck the area. 
• These lands were than utilized by the Government for a Teak Wood plantation. 
• Vaniar River passes through this Teak forest and leads to the Vaniar Dam.
•  Bisons are frequently seen in the Teak Forest. 11 km from town.

Tipperary View Point

            One can reach this southern most view point of Yercaud by taking the Tipperary Road. From there one can see the Elephant Tooth Rocks. Which are reportedly said to be the remanants of a meteorite which fell to earth. It is pure white rock compared to the Black Granite available on these hills. The Estate adjoining known as Tipperary Estate was once a posh hotel catering to the elite of British India from 1930 to 1940. The night view from this spot-with the lights of Salem in the distance is mesmerizing. 2 km from town.

White Elephant Tooth  

•  One is on the Southern Spur of the Shevaroys below the villages of Guntur and the other is in the east overlooking the Ghat road, above the 60' bridge. The larger one next to Guntur has two rocks about 120' high and consists of pure white quartz, which is in stark contrast to the greenery around and the black of the granite available around. 

•  Easy to climb up but hard to climb down as the material is soft and crumbles beneath your feet. 9 km from town, it is a days trek up and down. 
• Alternatively one can trek down to the plains and catch a bus to return to Yercaud. The Smaller one which can be reached on the short cut to the 60' bridge from Tipperary Estate is said to have seen some Gold Mining Activity. 
• It can be reached in about 2 hours time and from there another 1 hour to the ghat road, from which one could catch a bus to Yercaud or Salem.

Bears Hill  

• This hill is the one diagonally adjacent to Monfort on the South Eastern side of Yercaud.
•  It also lies to the East of Sacred Heart Convent; one gets a panoramic view of the portion of Yercaud covered with Schools and Seminaries. 2 km from Yercaud Town. 

 Cauvery Peak

 

•  It is out of bounds for the public as it is private property. 

Ornamental Lake

             This is also known as Small Lake and lies in the heart of the town between the Yercaud Library and Sports Club and the Monfort School. A fort like compound wall has unfortunately obscured this picturesque lake in the heart of town and made it look like a well.

OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST:

• Ornamental Plants at Green House
• Mettur View (on Nagalur Road)
• Salem View (between 16th and 17th bends)

 Tips for Independent travelers:
* Accommodation is relatively expensive here. A double bed room costs around 800 INR per night. There are dormitories available for beg packers which costs around some 100-200 per night.
* Trek to Killiyur Falls in under construction so avoid visiting it in late hours near sunset.
* A return journey by auto to Servaroyan temple will cost 200 Rs (14Km). [15Rs per km]
* Due to heavy inflow of truck loads of intoxicated tourists, this place is getting filthy with broken glasses of wine bottles and empty plastic water bottles. I am sincerely requesting them to rethink before smashing beer bottles on the ground. Do not kill planet earth if not saving it.