Grass Hills (Akka Malai), Valparai: History, highlights and visitor guide

History and context

The story behind Grass Hills (Akka Malai)

Wikipedia's Anamalai Tiger Reserve page records that parts of the area including Karian Shola, Grass Hills and Manjampatti Valley were notified as a national park in 1989.

Useful facts

Grass Hills (Akka Malai) facts at a glance

Location

Inside the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, about 15–16 km from Valparai

Experience type

Shola grassland, permit-led

Known for

Nilgiri tahr, gaur and high views

Altitude

Sources differ; about 2,400 m on the urban portal

Access

Forest-department permission required

Why it matters

Why Grass Hills (Akka Malai) is worth your time

Grass Hills matters because it is high-altitude shola-grassland habitat that is rare in the Western Ghats. The BirdLife and Key Biodiversity Area record describes it as a plateau in the south-eastern part of the Indira Gandhi (Anamalai) Wildlife Sanctuary, adjoining a protected area across the state border in Kerala, and as a major habitat of the Nilgiri tahr, with Nilgiri pipit and other restricted-range birds.

For a traveller, the lesson is restraint. This is protected land, and the permission system is how it stays that way. Wikipedia notes that Grass Hills was notified as a national park in 1989 with Karian Shola and Manjampatti Valley.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   Shola and grassland

   A mosaic of open grass and forest pockets.

2. 02

   Nilgiri tahr

   The plateau is a major habitat of the species.

3. 03

   Sunset light

   Often described as the best time to be there, subject to rules.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

Treat Grass Hills as a permission-led outing rather than an item on a casual list. It lies inside the sanctuary, so you need forest-department approval, and access is usually arranged with forest staff. Ask well ahead, confirm vehicle arrangements and carry photo ID.

Once there, the landscape is unlike the tea plantations below: open grassland with pockets of shola forest, wind, and wide views. Wildlife includes Nilgiri tahr, gaur in large herds and, more rarely, elephants and leopards, so follow the guide and keep a safe distance. Weather changes quickly, with cloud, wind and rain, so dress in layers.

Go only in dry months, bring water and food, and follow all forest rules; no litter, no feeding animals and no leaving the track. Tamil Nadu urban portal describes the area as being at about 2,400 m, and other sources differ, so treat altitude figures as approximate. If permission or weather is not in your favour, skip it without regret.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

Anamalai Tiger Reserve, about 15–16 km from Valparai

Time needed

Half to full day

Best time

Dry months, December to February

Walking level

Demanding

Senior comfort

Access to Grass Hills usually involves a long jeep drive and walking on grassland at altitude, in weather that changes fast. It is a demanding outing, with limited facilities, and is not suitable for those with heart, breathing or mobility problems.

Tickets and access

Grass Hills is in a restricted sanctuary area and needs permission from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Sources differ on which office to apply to, so check current rules before planning.

Plan it with

FAQs