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NELLIAMPATHI-PALAKKAD-KERALA

         Nelliampathi is a popular hill station 60 km away from Palakkad in Kerala, a small state in south India. It is surrounded by tea and coffee plantations and has excellent weather conditions. The journey to Nelliampathi itself is an experience. The only route is from Nemmara, from where the first town of Nelliampathi, namely Kaikatty junction, is at a distance of 26 km. At the 9th kilometer is the Pothundi Dam, a small irrigation dam which provides water for the rice fields in the surrounding area. The dam is at the foot of the Nelliampathi hills. From here, the road winds up for the next 17 km, with many hairpin turns on the way. Immediately after Pothundy dam, comes the government forest, where one can see massive teak trees. The road is very narrow and requires a skilled driver behind the wheel. On the way, one can see wild animals like monkeydeer and porcupine. The view of the Pothundy dam from the height is a breathtaking sight. There will be many waterfalls by the roadside during the rainy season.
            The dam is at the foot of the Nelliampathi hills. From here, the road winds up for the next 17 km, with many hairpin turns on the way. Immediately after Pothundy dam, comes the government forest, where one can see massive teak trees. The road is very narrow and requires a skilled driver behind the wheels. On the way, one can see wild animals like monkey, deer and porcupine. The view of the Pothundy dam from the height is a breathtaking sight. There will be many waterfalls by the roadside during the rainy season. The lush valleys in the region have very valuable teak plantations with extraordinary height and girth. The orange estates on the Nelliampathi Hills produce high quality oranges. Nellikota or Padagiri is the highest peak in the region. A picturesque picnic spot near the Sithargundu Estate offers a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.
         Nelliampathi is a popular hill station with excellent trekking trails. It is a 3 hour, 75 km trip away from Palakkad (Palghat) and, at 1600 mts above sea level, is surrounded by panoramic views of hills draped by plantations of tea, coffee, orange and cardamom. On Nellikotta and the other peaks grow huge great teak trees value for their wood. Nelliyampathy hills comprise a chain of ridges cut off from one another by valleys of dense evergreen forests and orange plantations.The height of the hills ranges from 467 mts to the tallest peak Padagiri looming at 1572 mts. Accessing Nelliyampathy from Palakkad (Palghat) is a sensation on its own, as one negotiate over a dozen hairpin curves on the ghat road passing through the fascinating jungles of the Sahya Ranges.En route, 17 kms from Palghat, the shimmering Pothundi Reservoir and its manicured surroundings make the ideal stop over. Seethakundu at Nelliyampathy offers a fantastic view of the valley below - a wide-angled vision of a third of the entire Palghat area. Nelliyampathy has immense trekking potential. The Community Hall at Kaikatty provides a good camping ground for trekkers.