Yercaud, located on the Shevaroy Hills of Tamil Nadu, is a hill station in the Eastern Ghats. Located at the height of 1515 metres, its striking scenic beauty and pleasant weather brings in many tourists. Yercaud is sometimes referred to as the Poor Man’s Ootacamund for things here are more affordable as compared to the other famous hill stations like Ooty. Yercaud is fastly gaining popularity amongst the locals and foreign tourists. The name Yercaud is derived from two Tamil words – "yeri" (lake) and "kadu" (forest). Yercaud is known for its plantations majorly of coffee, orange, jackfruit, guava, cardamom and black pepper. Coffee is the main product and was brought to Yercaud by the Scottish Collector Mr. M. D. Cockburn in 1820 from Africa. There is also a reserve forest, which has the woods and wildlife in the original unexploited state. The forests of Yercaud have an abundance of sandalwood, teak and silver oaks. From wild animals, like bison, deer, foxes, mongooses, snakes, squirrels, to birds, like bulbuls, kites, sparrows and swallows, can be found in these forests. Even though Yercaud is a hill station, it never gets extreme temperatures, making it easier to pack clothes for the tourists and avoid those heavy winter wear which are difficult to carry. Apart from sightseeing, tourists can opt for trekking around Yercaud, and if visiting during the month of May, the Summer Festival is a must see which is a spectacle consisting of fairs, boat races, flower and dog shows. Yercaud also has a few historical sites for those who find history fascinating. Although the ancient history of Yercaud is vastly unknown, it is believed that during the reign of the Telugu kings Yercaud had its first settlement. During British rule, Yercaud was discovered in 1842 by Sir Thomas Munro, who was then the governor of the Madras Presidency.

Best Time To Visit Yercaud Hill Station

Yercaud is an esteemed tourist destination for its rich nature and pleasant climate. Though the weather remains favourable to visit throughout the year yet, summer is reckoned to be the ideal season to visit the town. However, touring Yercaud in winter is another good option as the town, during this time, too witnesses favourable weather.

SUMMER- Summer is the best season to explore Yercaud. The month of March signifies the start of summer season in Yercaud and the weather remains relatively cool with the maximum temperature of 29°C. The season ends in May.

MONSOON- Yercaud experiences the monsoon season from June to September and receives moderate rainfall. During these months, Yercaud glows with lush greenery along with fresh ambiance. One can also visit the place during this season after checking the weather forecast of the town.

WINTER- Another best season to visit, winter experiences pleasant and favourable weather to explore the town with the temperature ranging from 13°C to 25°C. The month of November is the onset of the winter season in Yercaud which lasts until February.

How To Reach Yercaud

Tamil Nadu is blessed with some of the most wonderful locales in the south of India. In keeping with that reputation is the hill station of Yercaud, situated in the Shevaroy Hills. The question of how to reach Yercaud is a bit of a headache to answer, but that is what this guide is for. You wouldn’t be able to experience the serenity of this town without answering that basic question, would you? Much of the appeal of Yercaud is due to the Big Lake. This massive body of water, one of the biggest in Tamil Nadu, in fact, has a fountain sitting in the middle of it. The best view of this lake comes from Anna Park, located on its banks. Taking a walk through the park as you admire the Japanese horticulture on display here is quite a soothing experience, one of many that you may have once you have learnt how to reach Yercaud.

By Air- Yercaud itself does not have an airport, due to its remote location within the state of Tamil Nadu. It is, however, fairly close to a few airports that boast a decent level of connectivity. Yercaud's nearest airport is the Salem Airport, situated about 38 km from Yercaud itself, while the second closest is in Trichirapalli or Trichy, some 165 km away. While Salem Airport only has flights to and from Chennai, the airport in Trichy offers quite a few more options both nationally and internationally, such as Bangalore, Colombo and Kuala Lumpur. It would take a little over an hour to make your way to it from the airport in Salem, while it may take as long as 4 hours to reach Yercaud from Trichy airport. There are plenty of cabs available from the airports themselves, however, so it should be a largely painless process.
By Train- Once again, Salem functions as a hub for those looking to make their way over to Yercaud. There is no direct train that connects to Yercaud due to its lack of a railway station, but Salem Junction is the nearest railway station to Yercaud which is only 35 km away from here. Additionally, Salem Junction is part of a vast network of trains, a lot of which run on a daily basis, connecting Yercaud to cities all over the country. Trains going to or coming from Mumbai, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Mangalore, Mysore and so many other cities have a stop at Salem Junction on their route, giving you plenty of options in terms of how to reach Yercaud.
By Road- Quite a few of the major cities of Tamil Nadu and its neighbouring states are connected to Yercaud via a robust system of road. Salem once again is the closest town to Yercaud, standing at around 36 km and more likely than not, you may have to pass through it when making your way to Yercaud from further away. Coimbatore is approximately 195 km away, Chennai is approximately 355 km away and Bangalore is about 220 km away, while places like Trichy, Madurai and Mettur are within 80 to 280 km from it. All in all, Yercaud boasts a decent level of road connectivity, with a number of buses and taxis available to take you to it. Should you choose to make the trip over yourself, with your own two or four-wheeler, the scenery that will accompany you on this winding route is quite a treat.