Who wouldn’t love an escape from the scorching summer sun, and what better choice than a hill station? Peninsular India, as much as the north, is blessed with some of the picturesque hill stations that are so worth a trip. These majestic hills and mountains, clad with moving mist and clouds, promise a priceless experience of serenity within and a beauty to behold with the wide variety of flora and fauna they house. Some of them are nearly 6000 feet above the sea level making them, undoubtedly, some of the coldest hill stations in South India to opt as an ideal vacation spot in any season other than winter, unless you are a Chionophile!
So here are some five upland destinations in the South that are sure to make you shiver.
1. BR Hills
Situated in Chamarajanagar, South Karnataka at the conflux of the Eastern and the Western Ghats, the Biligirirangana Hills, abbreviated as BR Hills, has an altitude of 5900 feet above the sea level. Housing the famous Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary that possesses over 800 species of plants and over 26 species of mammals, and with the Cauvery and Kapila rivers flowing through, the mountain range offers a lovely retreat for adventure seekers, photophiles, and the admirers of nature and wildlife.
Trip Length: 1 day
Things to Do: Go trekking to the highest peak, enjoy a jungle safari through the lush deciduous greenery, visit the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple, stop by the Dodda Simpage Mara Temple to spot its 2000 years-old ‘Big Champak Tree’, enjoy river rafting, fishing or coracle boating on the Kapila & Cauvery.
Base Location: Chamarajanagar
Nearest City: Mysuru
2. Nandi Hills
At an elevation of 4849 feet, the Nandi Hills, Bangalore Karnataka earns its name from the temple at its top which is dedicated to the sacred Nandi bull. The hill, also called as “Ananda Giri”, meaning the ‘hill of happiness’, once used to be the summer haven for Tipu Sultan and hence we get to spot traces related to his legacy. Apart from breath-taking viewpoints, historical monuments, temples and the fortress, the Nandi Hills also offers an exciting experience to bikers with its meandering roads