Yercaud is a little hill town in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu and it is one of the gems of the state to be sure. Not only the people of Tamil Nadu, but even the tourists of the adjoining states come here to spend some quality time here. It is one of the most famous hill stations in the south, along with Munnar and there is heavy footfall round the year. There are a number of amazing tourist spots and even if you do not want to do any of the conventional sightseeing, you can simply come here to relax and take in the beauty of the nature which is not generally seen in the urban cities.
The Yercaud summers are probably the best season to visit, as is the case with any hill station. The time from March to June is quite overwhelming as the tourists come here from all parts of south India. If you are planning to spend your summer months in Yercaud, be sure to make your hotel reservations well in advance because there is nothing like trying to fret with last minute accommodation, especially if you are traveling with your family.
The summers are wonderfully delightful here and all the tourist spots are teeming with tourists. The most popular spot is the Yercaud Lake and there are long queues for boating in the lake. The other famous spot here is the Pagoda Point and the sunrise and sundown are the most special times of the day. The people come here to take photographs with their family and to simply lay back and take in the beauty of the place. You can also visit the Silk Farm where one can see how the silk thread is derived from the cocoons of the silk worms. If you are traveling during the summer vacation and there are children traveling with you, then it will prove to be a very informative and educational trip for them.
If you are traveling to Yercaud with your friends during the summer, you will have to take the trekking trails around the hills of Yercaud. It will also give you an opportunity to get away from the hustle of the tourists who throng the main city center of Yercaud. You will find summer flowers blooming along the roads and the air has a very fragrant smell and you will feel refreshed and rejuvenated. The hills of Yercaud can get a little crowded at this time but the relief that it will bring you from the heat of the plains will be so satisfying. You will get a wide variety of drinks made from local fruits and coconuts and they are so refreshing. Yercaud is quite inexpensive but during the summer months, which are the peak seasons, the pricing all items, including food and lodging can get really high so if you are out at the local marketplaces, you need to put in some bargaining. As far as clothing is concerned, the mornings are pleasant but you need to carry light woolens for the night.
As the month of July approaches and the monsoons descend on the hills, a considerable chunk of the tourists leave. However, there are some who choose to stay back or simply come to the hills during the monsoons because the hills and the rains have a very special relationship. The hills turn a vibrant shade of green when it is raining and by the end of September, you will wonder if you have seen so much greenery around. Yercaud hills are no different and it is so refreshing to get away from the heat and dust of the city and come to the laps of nature. As most of the tourists avoid the monsoons, you are likely to have the hills all to yourself, apart from the locals. You need good waterproof boots and shoes and a good raincoat and if you want thrill and adventure, you can go out for sightseeing in the rains.
One of the best things about the hills in Yercaud is that they are not very high and steep and so usually, the monsoons here are not as dangerous as it could be in the Himalayas. Nevertheless, it can still get cloudy and misty and there are hairpin bends that you need to be careful about. Although you would love to come for a long drive in the rains with your partner, it is better to opt for a seasoned driver who is familiar with the hilly tracts at this time of the year.
Yercaud will greet you with great weather and you will find rainbows out in the sky whenever there is a spell of shower and the clouds float away for a while to reveal the sun again. The bright sunlight falling on the freshly washed greenery is a sight for sore eyes. There are a number of waterfalls in and around Yercaud and they also regain their strength and make a picaresque backdrop for the photographs. It is such pleasure to sit indoors and read a good book under the covers as the rains washes and purifies everything outside. The monsoons in Yercaud are greatly preferred by those who want to stay in a secluded place, away from all the hullaballoo of the city crowd.
Winters in Yercaud bring a whole new experience and be sure to carry lots of woolens with you because the temperatures can dip dangerously low at night. From the month of October, the temperature starts to drop in the hills and by the time it is Christmas and New Year, you will enjoy perfect cold weather which will even give you the impression that you are not even in India. The winters are dry and pleasant and very sunny and you can do many activities here, provided you can withstand the cold. Do not forget to start your morning with a cup of hot coffee and you will get the best of its kind in Yercaud, completely locally grown. Have a plate of hot sandwiches or even a traditional South Indian breakfast like the idli and sambhar and you are good to go.
The winters are a great time to visit the Kotachedu Teak forest and the Kiliyr waterfalls. You will see and also hear, a lot of birds at this time and most of them are migratory birds which have flown in from very cold countries. This is truly a bird watcher’s delight and there are many species of birds to be seen here, along with ducks and kingfishers. The tourists are requested to maintain silence and not litter the place when they are out on their sightings. The trekking trails around the hills come alive as many trekkers and campers are back on track. The winters in Yercaud are a great time to camp under the stars and light a bonfire. Staying the colonial styled homes, some of which have been converted into hotels and guest houses, will give you a feeling of going back in time and it will one of a kind experience instead of staying conventional hotel buildings.
During the Christmas and New Year’s Eve you can go for pub hopping in the hills and it is truly a unique experience. Your friends will have a great time and there are live performances and DJ nights hosted in many of them. The night life in Yercaud is one of the reasons to visit this hill station in winters. No matter which time of the year you visit, Yercaud will not disappoint you. You will love the ambience of this hill station and you will find it rewarding in many ways, something which even well known hill stations are not able to gratify you with.
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