Valparai Tea Hills, Topslip and Aliyar

A busy, much loved temple where the goddess is shown lying down. Cover shoulders and knees, and leave shoes at the stand.

A wide reservoir under the Anamalai hills, with a garden below the dam. Boating, when it runs, is paid there. Lovely light before sunset.

Private cars cannot go into the forest, so you ride the forest department van. Tickets are sold at the counter on the day, so we aim for the first vans. Deer, gaur, langurs and birds are common. Elephants and tigers are never promised. Ticket included.

See the trained forest elephants and their mahouts at the camp. Keep a safe distance and follow the staff.

A short walk from the road to a rocky waterfall where you can paddle when it is safe. It shuts when the flow is too low or after heavy rain. Ticket included. Keep food away from the monkeys.

The road climbs through 40 numbered hairpin bends. At the 9th bend, Loam's View Point looks down on the Aliyar reservoir. Watch for lion-tailed macaques and Nilgiri tahr near the road.

A clear stream over flat rocks just outside town. Look and take photos only: police have stopped bathing in the rivers here for safety.

A patch of rainforest by the road where the rare lion-tailed macaque is often seen in the morning. Never feed them and stay in the car if the driver says so. Sightings are likely but not promised.

Walk about 1 km through the tea to a cliff edge over a deep forest valley. Open from 9 AM to 6 PM. Mornings are clearest.

A peaceful hill temple in a tea estate. Cars stop about 500 m away and you walk up. Dress modestly.

A huge reservoir in the forest about 20 km from town, seen from the road and viewpoints near the dam. Going onto the dam itself is not allowed without permission.