Valparai The most visually appealing sight in the popular hill station of Valparai is its vast tea plantations, transforming the landscape into a mesmerising green carpet with endlessrolling hills. Stretching over thousands of acres, the plantations are central to the economy of Valparai and one of the main reasons tourists come down to this captivating spot in the Western Ghats. The expertly planted rows of tea bushes, lovely climate of Valparai, mist-laden sloped hillsides and old estates make for a picturesque, almost vintage postcard scene. You may get the feeling that you can never really have too much of looking at a stunning view of tea gardens, here, you surely cant!.Major Attractions: Vast tea estates, colonial bungalows, tea factories, panoramic landscapes, scenic mountain roadsTop Activities: Plantation walks, tea tasting, photography, sightseeing, learning tea processingDuration: 2–3 HoursBest Time to Visit: September to MarchVisitors have a chance to go on a tea factory visit which offers an insight into how the tea journey happens from leaf to cup. Some plantations provide tours where people witness first-hand plucking where workers pick green tea leaves off the branches. Plantations are set-up to let visitors come and see the stages of tea processing wherein fresh leaves are put to wither, roll, oxidise, and get dried, before being sold all around the world. Exploring these plantations via guided walking tours is an interesting activity for any traveler to Valparai. Winding pathways amidst the endless green fields of tea present some spectacular views of the nearby rolling valleys and hills. Often, you can see the entire plantation shrouded by mist early in the mornings, which offers for a delightful visual especially during photography or just to unwind and relax. Valparai tea plantations enable tea-lovers to have a cup of fresh tea, brewed with robust black tea or delicate green tea at The tea gardens are also habitat to many wild animals such as the Indian bison, the Malabar flying squirrel and bright colored butterflies which you can spot from their pathways in any time of the year. Valparai is best for viewing many famous sites like the Indian bison, Malabar giant squirrel. The tea gardens are dotted with colonial styled houses which add to their visual charm and elegance, creating an idyllic colonial and European feel. Along with Valparai tea estates and their tea varieties. Some famous plantations that you can explore in Valparai include Wood Briar Tea Gardens, Sholayar Tea Estates and Grass Hills. These plantation have a multitude of tourist spots nearby like Nallamudi Viewpoint, Sholayar dam and grass hills that will add an exceptional variety to your Valparai trip.
