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When it comes to travel, I feel, “Exploring our own backyard” is going to be the focus this year and most probably next year too! Do you have the same opinion? ( This post contains affiliate link, do checkout some amazing deals and avail the special discount code for your bookings)

Living in Bangalore seems like a blessing, especially in these times when you don’t want to travel too far. Fortunately, Bangalore has many destinations in and around to explore. In my last blog, I shared a list of places for a perfect day trip from Bangalore. Check here for more details.

Today I am sharing a list of Hill stations around Bangalore, where you can spend a relaxing weekend or a staycation. I have spent many long weekends in these places, but Staycation is something I want to experience.

So, if you are living in Bangalore and looking for ideas for a quick weekend getaway, this will help you plan your short trip.

Top 15 Hill stations near Bangalore for a perfect weekend getaway or Staycation

Coorg

Distance: 250 km approx.

Known for: Sightseeing, Hiking, Experiencing nature, Coffee & Spice plantations

Best time to visit: October to March

The Backdrop of misty mountains, roads surrounded by coffee and spice plantation, occasionally passing by small hamlets, bright green paddy fields, and small coffee outlets. That’s how I visualize Coorg. One place I like to visit again and again.

A quaint hill station with lovely homestays situated in the middle of coffee plantations offers a much-needed break from the maddening city life. Also known as “the Scotland of India”, Coorg is a scenic district in Karnataka surrounded by the enchanting Western Ghats. Madikeri, Kushalnagar, Virajpet, and Somwarpet are some of the prominent towns here. Each one has its charm. Apart from natural beauty, another thing that makes Coorg unique is its people and their rich cultural heritage. Know more about Coorg.

Major attractions:

If you are visiting Coorg for the first time, these are some of the places you should include in your itinerary. Raja’s Seat, Abbey Falls, Talakaveri, Golden temple (Namdorling Monastery), Nisargdham, Dobare Elephant camp, Coffee plantation. Check out more places to visit in Coorg here.

Apart from these, Coorg is home to many wildlife Sanctuaries and National Park. These are Nagarhole National Park, Brahmagiri wildlife sanctuary, Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary.

Coorg is also a paradise for trekkers and hikers with many treks ranging from simple to higher difficulty levels.

Horsley hills

Distance: 143 km approx.

Known for: Long drive, Nature exploration

Best time to visit: December to February

Horsley hills are a series of picturesque hills situated in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. With an elevation of 1265 m, Horsley hills got its name from W.D. Horsley, a British collector, who built his home here in 1870. With pleasant temperature round the year, Horsley hill offers a relaxing escape from the busy city life. The drive to this destination is a scenic one with the road lined by tall trees and surrounded by greenery all around.

Major attractions:

Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary, Environment park, Mallama temple, whisper wind viewpoint, Kaigal falls, and Gali Bandalu.

Yelagiri

Distance:159 km approx.

Known for: Long drive, Family outing/ picnic

Best time to visit: November to February

Looking for a getaway from busy city life, head to Yelagiri. A small hill station in Tamilnadu just a 3-hour drive from Bangalore. Yelagiri is relatively less crowded and therefore provides a perfect and quick getaway from all the chaos of the city.

Major Attractions:

Apart from a scenic drive, other attractions at Yelagiri include a colorful hilltop temple overlooking the valley, Jalagamparai waterfalls, Punganur lake, and a nature park.

Yelagiri has a moderate climate throughout the day, yet the best time to visit this quint hill station is during winters from November to February.

BR Hills

Distance: 171 km approx.

Known for: trekking, hiking, exploring nature

Best time to visit: October to March

Also known as the Billigiriranga Hills, the mountain range is in south-eastern Karnataka at its border with Tamilnadu. BR Hills is a paradise for nature lovers and wildlife explorers. Being close to both eastern and western Ghats, BR hills are home to a large variety of flora and fauna.

Major Attractions:

1. BRT Wildlife sanctuary: home to rich biodiversity spread over an area of 540 sq.km, Wildlife sanctuary is the main attraction in BR Hills.
2. Sri Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple: the temple is devoted to Lord Ranganatha.
3. Dodda Sampige Mara: Believed to be more than 2000 years old, The Big Champak Tree, is 34 ft tall and 20 ft wide and is a sight to behold. The tree blooms during the spring season.
4. Other activities that tourists can indulge in are fishing, river rafting, trekking, etc

   

Sakleshpur

Distance: 221 km approx.

Known for: Trekking and hiking, Religious visits

Best time to visit: October to March

A hill station in Karnataka. Saklespur is best known for its 18th Century star-shaped Manjarabad Fort that offers a magnificent view of the Western Ghats and Kukke Subramanya Temple. Situated in the Hassan district of Karnataka, Sakleshpur is very popular amongst trekkers and hikers. Apart from other treks, Kumaraparvatha trek also starts from here.

Major attractions:

Apart from the Fort, other attractions include 14th Century Sakleshwara temple, famous Kukke Subramanya temple, Bisle viewpoint, Agni Gudda Hills, Manjehalli waterfalls, Pandavar Gudda, Hadlu waterfalls, Shettihalli Rosary Church.

Yercaud

Distance: 230 km approx.

Known for: Sightseeing, unwinding

Best time to visit: October to February

Yercaud is a relatively unknown hill station located in the Selam district of Tamilnadu. At an altitude of 1515 m above the sea level, Shevaroys range of Eastern Ghats surrounds Yercaud. Many resorts built on the hill, making it a perfect weekend getaway from Bangalore.

This offbeat hill station is known for its 32-loop road, which is a 32-kilometer stretch beginning from Yercaud lake passing through the agricultural plantations, depicting the local way of living.

Major Attractions:

Yercaud Lake, Pagoda Point, Silk farm and Rose Garden Bear Cave, Kottachedu teak forest, Kiliyur waterfall, Sri Raja Rajeshwari temple, Deer park, Lady’s seat vista point, and Anna Park are some of the major attractions here.

Chikmagalur

Distance: 245 km approx.

Known for: Unwinding, Experiencing nature, Hiking, Coffee Plantation

Best time to visit: September to May

Yet another breathtaking hill station in Karnataka, situated on the foothill of Mullayangiri Peak of the Western Ghats. Popular amongst tourists for its dense tropical rainforest, immense natural beauty, and coffee plantations, Chikmagalur is a perfect destination to immerse yourself in nature’s tranquillity. Tunneling roads winding through the mountains makes for a thrilling drive. The Mountain peaks offer a stunning panoramic vista characterized by grasslands with patches of dense dark green woods. Read more about Chikmagalur here.

Major attractions:

Mullayanagiri, Hebbe Falls, Baba Budangiri, Kemmangundi, Kudremukh National Park, Manikyadhara Falls, Kalhatti Falls, Madu Gundi Falls, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Kyathanamakki, Sharadamba Temple, Coffee Museum, Kadambi Falls, Z point, Homestay with Private Waterfall, Experience a Stay at Coffee Estate are some of the places worth visiting.

Ooty

Distance: 273 km approx.

Known for: Sightseeing, Tea plantation, Toy train Ride

Best time to visit: September to November, February to June

One hill station in Southern India that needs no introduction. Once, a popular destination for movie shoots, today Ooty is an overcrowded and commercialized hill station in Tamilnadu state. Situated at an altitude of 2,240 m above sea level, Ooty is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

The roads of this, erstwhile British Summer capital are characterized by multiple hairpin bends. With Picturesque view of the Nilgiris, lush green stretches of tea plantation, Characteristic Slopes for terrace farming, Old stone houses, and Toy train from the past era, Ooty still retains its charms and is worth a visit.

Major attractions: 

If you are visiting Ooty for the first time, you must visit these spots. Ooty lake, Botanical garden, Deer park, Doddabeta Peak, Kalhatty waterfalls, Mudumalai National Park, Ooty Toy train, The Tea factory and museum, St. Stephens Church and Wenlock downs.

Wayanad

Distance: 280 km approx.

Known for: Sightseeing, Unwinding, Nature Exploration, Hiking, Tea Plantation

Best time to visit: October to May

Heaven for nature lovers, Wayanad is a small hill station situated in the State of Kerala. Surrounded by mountains with dense vegetation at an elevation of 700m to 2100m, Wayanad offers a breathtaking vista of the Western Ghats. Wayanad wildlife sanctuary situated in the east is home to animals like Asiatic elephants, tigers, leopards, egrets, deers, and many more.

Major Attractions:

Apart from a great variety of Flora and Fauna, Wayanad also boasts of only Lava -Kush temple and only Mirror temple (in Vayittri) in Kerala.

The Eddakal caves in Ambukuthi hills contain ancient petroglyphs dating back to the Neolithic age.

Other attractions include Chembra peak with a heart-shaped lake, Sultan Bathery, the picturesque Banasura Sagar Dam, Pookode Lake, Meenmutty waterfalls, Soochipara falls, Lakkidi viewpoint along with wildlife Sanctuaries.

Tips: Entry to Wayanad is through the Wildlife Sanctuary, so entry is closed from 9 pm to 6 am. Do plan your drive accordingly.

Coonoor

Distance: 285 km approx.

Known for: Sightseeing, Tea Plantations

Best time to visit: October to March

Situated about 20 km away from Ooty is the second largest hill station in Niligiri hills. Coonoor is comparatively less commercial and offers a panoramic vista of misty Nilgiri Hills. One of the major attractions here is the iconic toy train journey between Ooty to Coonoor. Do remember that there are limited tickets available every day and it’s better to book tickets, a day in advance. If you are planning to visit Ooty, keep a day extra to experience this one of a kind joyride.

Major Attractions:

1. Sim’s Park is a beautiful garden with a large variety of plants like rhododendrons, roses, and eucalyptus trees.
2. Dolphin’s Nose, viewpoint offering a panoramic view of Catherine Falls. Lamb’s Rock, Ketti valley, and hidden valley are some other vista points in Coonoor

Shimoga

Distance: 320 km approx.

Known for: Sightseeing

Best time to visit: October to March

Not a hill station, but this city is a gateway for the hilly regions of Western Ghats. There are many small hill stations and attractions present in and around Shimoga.

The district is famous for the mighty Jog falls, located around 100 km from Shimoga city.

Major attractions:

Other attractions located in and around Shimoga are Dabbe falls, Kodchadri, Agumbe, Tunga Anicut Dam, Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary, Kanoon fort, Gajanur Dam, kundadri, Tyavarekoppa tiger and lion Safari, Koodli, Keladi, Mattur village ( where Sanskrit is the language for communication)

Agumbe

Distance: 350 km approx.

Known for: Sunset view, Waterfalls, Offbeat Location

Best time to visit: November to February

Popularly known as “Cherrapunji of South India” Agumbe is a small village situated in the Shimoga district of Karnataka. The dense vegetation of the Malenadu region surrounds Agumbe. At an altitude of 823m, Agumbe receives heavy rainfall. Another attraction that makes Agumbe unique is the fictitious village shown in RK Narayan’s bestseller novel The Malgudi days is Agumbe village.

Agumbe is home to some of the beautiful waterfalls and rivers. The village also houses India’s one and only Rainforest Research Station. If you are looking for an offbeat and unexplored destination, head to Agumbe.

Major Attractions:

Agumbe is known for its breathtaking sunset view. The sunset point is a few minutes’ walk from the village. Other attractions are 14th Century Gopalakrishna temple, Barkana falls, Jodi Gundi falls, Onake Abbi falls.

Valparai

Distance: 450 Kms approx.

Known For: Sightseeing, Wildlife exploration

Best time to visit: September to March

Also known as Poonachimalai, Valapari is a lesser know hill station in the Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu. Situated at an altitude of 1400 m on the Annamalai hills in the Western Ghats, Valparai is famous for the Annamalai tiger reserve. Anamalai Tiger Reserve is home to tigers, panthers, elephants, and macaques. Another attraction here is the presence of 40 hairpin bends from the foothill to Valparai.

Major Attractions:

Valparai is a small hill station with fewer sightseeing options, apart from the beautiful vistas. However, some of them are Sholayar Dam, Aliyar Dam, Nallamudi viewpoint, Koolangal river, Grass Hills, and Loams viewpoint.

Kodaikanal

Distance: 465 km approx.

Known for: Sightseeing, Hiking, cycling

Best time to visit: June to September

You probably need to extend the weekend by a day or 2 to visit Kodaikanal. With an elevation of around 2000 m, Kodaikanal is another famous hill station in Tamilnadu State. Nestled amidst the rolling slopes of the Palani Hills, this resort town is also a popular honeymoon destination in India. The main town centers around a star-shaped,

artificial lake bordered by evergreen forest. Boating is an important activity here. Rowing boats are available for hire here. There is a trek along the lake for walking and cycling. Usually, the lake gets too crowded during the weekend.

Major attractions:

Coakers walk, Mannavanur lake, Pine Forest, Poombarai village view, Green valley view, Pillar rock, thalaiyar falls, Devil’s kitchen, Bryant Park, and La Salette Church are some of the places worth visiting.

Munnar

Distance: 478 km approx.

Known for: Sightseeing, Hiking, Nature exploration, wildlife and tea plantations

Best time to visit: December to March

One of the most sort after hill stations in Kerala, Munnar is known for its sprawling tea plantations, dense forest with a variety of flora and fauna, and above all unmatched captivating vistas. Known as “Kashmir of South India, at an altitude of 1600 m above the sea level, Munnar is a part of  Idukki district of Kerala. 3 rivers – Madupetti, Nallathanni, and Periavaru surrounds this hill station. Munnar is also home to the highest peak in South India, Anamudi, which towers over 2,695 m.

Major Attractions:

Munnar is home to National parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. Eravikulam National Park is the main attraction and is famous for endangered species of mountain goat – the Nilgiri Tahr.

The Hill slopes get covered in blue carpet from the blooming of Neelakurinji flowers. This phenomenon takes place once in 12 years. The next bloom is in the year 2030 (hoping to be able to see this unique natural wonder)

Other must-see places include Mattupetty Dam, Kundala Lake, Top station, Eco point, Attukad Waterfalls, Lakkom waterfalls, and tea Museum.

So, these were my top 15 picks for a weekend getaway. This list is not exhaustive, and I can think of many more places in and around. I will share those gems in the next blog. Do let me know your favourite weekend getaway.

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