Nelliyampathy
Orange, tea and coffee slopes above the Palakkad plains
A Nelliyampathy tour above Palakkad: hairpin ghat road, Seetharkundu and Kesavanpara viewpoints, orange and coffee estates and treks through gaur forest.
Overview
Nelliyampathy is a plantation hill station in Palakkad district, Kerala, where the land climbs from 467 m to about 1,585 m. It suits walkers and slow drivers who want orange, coffee, tea and cardamom country with little crowding, and November to May is the recommended stretch for a Nelliyampathy trip.
The climb begins at Nenmara, the nearest town, is Nenmara, and from there the route passes Pothundy Dam, a reservoir at the foot of the hills about 17 km below the hill station, before a ghat road with hairpin bends begins the climb. Palakkad lies roughly 60 km away by road, so most visitors plan the drive as a half day each way rather than a quick detour.
Three viewpoints anchor most outings. Seetharkundu, about 8 km from the hill station, is tied to a Hindu legend of a resting place. Kesavanpara was a location for the 1989 Malayalam film Mrigaya. Manpara is the destination of a longer trek. From the higher ground, you can look over the paddy fields of Palakkad and the Palakkad Gap, the lowest pass through the Western Ghats, with Tamil Nadu villages beyond.
The slopes are farmed as much as they are forested. Orange, cardamom, coffee and tea estates cover the hills, and the agriculture department keeps an orange and vegetable farm near Pothundy. The name is traced either to the nelli, or gooseberry, trees that grow here or to the Kadar people who lived in nearby hamlets. Forest cover is thick enough that treks can bring sightings of Indian gaur, giant squirrels, Nilgiri tahr and lion-tailed macaques.
Trekking routes run from about 6 km to 20 km and link spots such as Seetharkundu, Kesavanpara, Ranimedu and Pothumala. Routes toward Karassuri and Parambikulam need forest permission, and the Kerala Forest Development Corporation's Thrissur office handles its ecotourism programmes, including jeep drives to Pakuthipalam with a night in a forest lodge.
For getting here, Palakkad Junction is the main railhead, roughly 56 to 60 km away, with Thrissur station about 77 km off. The airport at Nedumbassery is about 115 to 120 km away, and Coimbatore airport about 120 to 123 km.
Known for
About 8 km from the hill station, tied to a Hindu legend
Happening soon
Updated Oct 7, 2026Coming up, dates to be confirmed
Nenmara Vallangi Vela
festivalA yearly temple festival where the villages of Nenmara and Vallangi compete with caparisoned elephants, panchavadyam percussion, folk art and fireworks.
Falls on the 20th day of the Malayalam month Meenam, which is usually 2 or 3 April. No 2027 date found.
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesQuick facts
Cooler than the Palakkad plains because of the height, which runs from 467 m to about 1,585 m, and wet during the south-west monsoon.
Cochin International Airport, about 115 to 120 km; Coimbatore International Airport is about 120 to 123 km
Palakkad Junction, about 56 to 60 km; Thrissur is about 77 km
Palakkad to Nelliyampathy is roughly 60 km by road, via Nenmara and Pothundy Dam, on a ghat road with hairpin bends. Thrissur is about 76 km and Pollachi about 75 km. Drive times (to be supplied).
Take the ghat road from Nenmara in daylight and allow extra time, since it has hairpin bends
Ask the forest development corporation or the district tourism council about permission before planning any trek toward Karassuri or Parambikulam
Arrange meals and a stay before you climb, as the hill station is a long drive from Palakkad and Nenmara
Location
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