My brother and I are avid nature lovers, and we often used to go on treks and nature walks while we were still students. But now, with both of us working at opposite ends of the country, we don’t really have a lot of time to spend – either with each other or out in nature – like we used to. So, when we finally managed to match our free times and plan a three-day getaway to Valpari together, we were predictably exited.

Valparai is a sparsely populated hill station in Coimbatore that is a known and popular destination for anyone who enjoys relaxing in nature. And for us, that’s exactly what we needed. We wanted to leave our city lives and schedules behind and just simply wallow in nature. We needed that change, and we found it at Valparai, the beautiful land of nature.

Aliyar Dam

 The Aliyar Dam was our first stop on after we’d dumped our luggage at a pre-booked homestay.

The Aliyar Dam is a beautiful, large, irrigation dam that gives an absolutely fantastic view from the top. The dam also comes replete with a park and garden of its own, along with having a play area for children. Fried fish and other food items were available at the entrance of the Aliyar Dam. And we both had a great time clicking pictures of the beautiful views from out cameras. The aquarium park of the dam was really a beautiful experience and sight as well. And the stalls selling the catch of the day was all fresh, and absolutely delicious. My brother and I thus spent an utterly blissful day – meaning all day till evening – at Aliyar Dam.

Then we returned to our homestay, where we had a nice home cooked dinner.

Grass Hills 

The Grass Hills in Valpari is possibly the most treasured and most beautiful place at this hill station. It is relaxing, well-maintained, and a must-see for nature lovers. However, it’s pretty difficult to get access to this place, and one will need prior permission from Forest Department to actually enter here. My brother and I did so beforehand, so we were set and ready when we visited the Grass Hills of Valparai the next day.

The best time to visit the grass hills is possibly in the later mornings; for you’ll get a wonderful view without mist being a problem. The Grass Hills are home to a variety of species of animals, from wild elephants to the rare Nilgiri Pipet, and this is entirely their domain.

Balaji Temple

 Our final day in Valpari was spent walking through and taking in the sights of Balaji Temple. In keeping with the “nature” theme of this place, Balaji Temple too is a nature lover’s paradise. And it is surrounded by beautiful and fresh tea plantations. It’s a pretty steep walk as vehicles aren’t allowed inside the temple, but it is beautifully well-maintained and a lovely place for photographs and long walks.

All in all, my brother and I certainly satisfied our sorely neglected “nature-loving” bone on this trip.