14 Best Hill Stations near Chennai (2025)

Ooty is one of the best hill stations in India and among the top places to visit in Tamilnadu. Ooty, Often referred to as Queen of hill stations, is situated at a distance of 270 km from Bangalore.

Ooty was once a popular summer retreat for the British during colonial days. At an altitude of 7,440 feet, the rolling hills, lush green vegetation, and misty landscapes attract a large number of tourists to this hill station. Ooty Lake & Boathouse, Botanical Garden, Wenlock Downs, and Rose Garden are the places you must include in your Ooty tour packages. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, known as Ooty toy train that runs from Mettupalayam to Ooty is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must try experience.

Ooty is also famous for the lush & large spread of tea estates. Lofty mountains, dense forest, beautiful lakes, sprawling grasslands, and numerious waterfalls greet the visitors on most routes. The annual Tea and Tourism Festival (Jan) and Summer Festival (May) attract large crowds. Ooty sightseeing takes at least 2 full days and one additional day is recommended to cover Coonoor as well.

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Chikmagalur, also known as Chikkamagaluru is a scenic hill town situated at the foothills of Mulliyangiri range in western ghats. It is one of the best hill stations in Karnataka and among the most famous tourist places near Bangalore.

Chikmagalur is famous for its serene environment, lush green forests and tall mountains. Mullayanagiri, Baba Budangiri, Hirekolale Lake, Ayyanakere Lake, Manikyadhara Falls, Jhari Falls, Horanadu and Kemmanagundi are among the must include places in Chikmagalur Packages.

Chikkamagaluru is also famous for coffee estates and is known as the Coffee Land of Karnataka. Chikmagalur is the place where coffee was cultivated for the first time in India. The climate of Chikmagalur is pleasant all year round but the best time to visit is from between September & March. Chikmagalur can also be visited along with Coorg packages for a duration of 4-5 days. At least 2-3 full days is needed to visit main attractions in Chikmagalur. Belur & Halebidu are close to Chikmagalur and are usually visited together.

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Situated at an altitude ranging from 5000 to 8000 feet on the Kannan Devan Hills, the fascinating hill station of Munnar is one of the best tourist places in Kerala and among the must include places in honeymoon tour packages. It is about 120 km from Kochi, and 284 km from Trivandrum.

Often referred to as the Swiss of South India, Munnar is one of the famous weekend getaways from Kochi, Coimbatore & Madurai. Mattupetty Dam, Echo point, Kundala Lake, Devikulam, Pothamedu Viewpoint, Nyayamkad falls, Thoovanam falls, Eravikulam National Park and Attukal Waterfalls are among the must include places in Munnar packages. Munnar is a trekker's paradise too, which offers both soft and mountain trekking.

Munnar is home to some of the world's best tea estates. The tea plants covering Munnar hills make the feeling of seeing a wide green carpet. Munnar is also known for Neelakurinji flowers, which blooms once in 12 years. It is also known for being the spice center of Kerala. Over twelve varieties of spices including ginger, garlic, cardamom, vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, coffee, tea, clove, and nutmeg are cultivated in Munnar and its neighboring villages.

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Coorg is one of the top hill stations in South India and among the most popular attraction in Karnataka holiday packages. Fondly called the Scotland of India, Coorg (or Kodagu) is about 265 km from Bangalore city and takes about 6 hrs drive via Mysore. It is one of the most visited hill stations in India.

Coorg district is the largest producer of Coffee in India. Also, it is one of the places with the highest rainfall in India. Tourist Places like Raja's Seat, Abbey Falls, Iruppu Falls, Omkareshwara Temple, Bylakuppe, Talacauvery and Dubare Elephant Camp are the major attractions to be included in Coorg Holiday Packages. The famous Cauvery River is originated in the hills of Coorg at Talacauvery.

Being a part of the Western Ghats, Coorg is home to three wildlife sanctuaries - Talacauvery, Pushpagiri, and Brahmagiri Sanctuaries, and one national park, the Nagarhole National Park. Coorg is also famous for trekking activities with peaks like Thandiyandamole, Brahmagiri, and Pushpagiri. Coorg can also be visited along with Ooty tour packages. At least 2 full days is needed to visit the most important places in Coorg. An additional day can cover Nagarhole Park & Irupu falls. Coorg receives heavy rainfall in monsoon and several places become inaccessible.

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Known as Princess of Hill stations, Kodaikanal or Kodai is one of the best tourist destinations in Tamilnadu and among the best hill stations in South India. It is located at a distance of about 470 km from Bangalore & 528 km from Chennai.

At an altitude of about 7000 feet in the rolling slopes of Palani Hills, Kodai has several scenic places that are enjoyed by its visitors. Kodaikanal is not extensively commercialized like Ooty and it offers a pleasant experience to tourists with relatively less crowd. Kodai Lake, Bryant Park, Coaker's Walk, Bear Shola Falls, Silver Cascade, and Pillar Rocks are the top tourist places in Kodaikanal.

Kodaikanal is a hill station that lets you sit back and connect with nature as you head out on biking or trekking trails or take a stroll through the vast forests surrounding the town. Dolphin's Nose, and Vattakanal are some of the top trekking places in Kodaikanal. At least 2 full days are needed to visit the main places in Kodai.

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Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the top wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala, especially for wildlife enthusiasts. Situated about 82 km from Munnar, 143 km from Kochi, and 211 km from Trivandrum, it is one of the must include places in Kerala tour packages.

Established in the year 1950, the sanctuary is spread across 777 sq. km, of which 360 sq. km is a thick evergreen forest. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. Among the top tourist places in Kerala, Thekkady is famous for Asian Elephants, Tigers, Gaurs, Sambars, Lion-tailed Macaques, Nilgiri Langurs, Wild Boars, Spotted Deer, Nilgiri Tahr, etc. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can watch wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat from the lake. The main attraction of the sanctuary is a group of wild elephants that come to play in the lake.

Thekkady offers elephant rides, jeep safari, boating in the lake, tiger trails, and forest treks. Murikkady, Chellar Kovil, Anakkara, Mangala Devi Temple, Suruli Falls, and Pullumedu are the popular places to visit as part of Thekkady packages.

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Yercaud is a beautiful hill station in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu. At a distance of 31 km from Salem, and 249 km from Bangalore, it is one of the best Tamilnadu tourist places, and among the most famous places to visit near Bangalore.

At an altitude of 1515 m in the Shevaroy hills, Yercaud town got its name from the Yercaud Lake located at its center. Stone-age implements have been found from the ancient shrine located near Shevaroy Hills, which is about 5 km from Yercaud Lake, among the must include places in Yercaud tour packages. Anna Park, Lady's Seat, Shevaroy Temple, Small Lake, Bear's Point, Pagoda Point, Killiyur Falls, and Botanical Garden are some of the prominent tourist places in Yercaud.

Yercaud is known for its plantations majorly of coffee, orange, jackfruit, guava, cardamom, and black pepper. Summer Festival celebrated in Yercaud in the month of May is a special attraction. This festival is marked by a 7-day exhibition of flowers, dog shows, boating races, and a village fair.

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Coonoor is a Taluk and a municipality in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. About 18 km from Ooty, & 71 km from Coimbatore, it is one of the must invlude places in < Tamilnadu Tour Packages, and among the best places to visit near Bangalore.

At an altitude of 6,000 feet above sea level, Coonoor is famous for its verdant environs and for a variety of wildflowers and birds. It is the second-largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills after Ooty. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (Toy Train) is one of the oldest mountain railways in India. The train ride in the midst of the Nilgiris, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an unforgettable travel experience as part of Coonoor packages. Besides, this stunning hill station is well-known for its production of Nilgiri tea.

Coonoor can be visited along with Ooty tour. Sim's Park, Lambs Rock, Dolphins Nose, St. Catherine Falls, and Law's falls are some popular tourist places in Coonoor. It is an ideal base for many trekking expeditions leading into the Nilgiris.

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Yelagiri is a cute hill station located in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. About 178 km from Bangalore, and 230 km from Chennai, this is one of the best places to visit near Bangalore.

Yelagiri is a cluster of 14 hamlets that lie between four mountains spread over an area of 30 sq km having an altitude of 3500 ft. This is one of the famous hill stations near Chennai and among the least explored hill stations in Tamilnadu. The highest point in Yelagiri is the Swamimalai Hill, standing tall at 4,338 ft with spectacular views. The hill provides a good number of trekking trails through thick reserved forests as part of Yelagiri tour packages.

Javadi Hills, Palamathi Hills, Punganur, Velavan Temple, Jalagamparai Waterfalls and Nature Park are the other prominent tourist places in Yelagiri Hills. Yelagiri Summer festival celebrated in May end is organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development. Stalls from different departments, flower shows, various cultural programs, and Dog Show with a variety of dog breeds are conducted every year.

Yelagiri needs 2 full days to explore the popular tourist sites, most visitors spend extra days relaxing and enjoying the pleasant weather of the beautiful hills.

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At a distance of 27 km Madanapalle, 76 km from Rayachoty, 128 km from Cuddapah, 123 km from Chittoor, 116 km from Chikkaballapura, 128 km from Tirupati, 166 km from Bangalore and 531 km from Hyderabad, Horsley Hills is a famous Hill Station in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh and also one of the best Tourist places to visit in Andhra.

Horsley Hills is one of the popular Bangalore getaways for a weekend trip and also one of the top hill stations near Bangalore.Situated at an altitude of 1265 meters,Horsley Hills is an exciting place to visit. The old name of Horsley Hills was Yenugu Mallamma Konda. According to the legend there used to be a little girl named Mallamma who was taken care by Elephants. She used to heal tribal people on the hills. When she disappeared suddenly, people thought she was a goddess and built a temple for her. Later the place is named after W.D. Horsley, the Collector of Cuddapah district. He visited this place and was impressed by the beauty of the hills and chose this spot for his summer residence. Now the Governor of Andhra Pradesh uses this house as a summer residence and hence this house is called the Governors bungalow.

The scenic drive to Horsley Hills is exciting and has thick vegetation of various species of plants and wild animals.

Covering the entire stretch of narrow road are dense growth of Eucalyptus, ...

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