Chennai to Megamalai - A trip that lasts life time!

We always need a break in our life. For some, it's once a week, and for some, it's once a year. However, we always need a break at an astounding hill station to rejuvenate ourselves. Megamalai is one of those hill stations with tea estates, cardamom plantations, clouds, and last but not least, Elephants. The distance between Chennai to Megamalai is approximately 627kms,. Megamalai's climate is always pleasant and witnesses a chill climate at night, even during the summer. Megamalai is also known as the High wavy mountains, and it is located 1500 meters above sea level and offers a fresh environment. It is a part of the western Ghats and is located in the Theni district of South India. 

 Meghamalai Temperature and weather

Megamalai experiences moderate and chill weather throughout the year. Hence the summers are not that hot compared to the other hill stations. The Megamalai temperature in summer ranges from 15 Deg C to 25 Deg C. However, if you want to experience the natural beauty scattered around the hills, the best time to visit Meghamalai is from September to January. The Megamalai temperature in winter ranges from 0 Deg C to 10Deg C which is really cold. The annual rainfall in Meghamalai is 275 cms and experiences a heavy monsoon from July to September. We went in December and the Megamalai weather was cool even during the day. 

How to reach Chennai to mega

By Air: There are direct flights available from Chennai to Madurai. From Madurai, you can book a bus to Theni.  From Theni, you can book a cab and travel via Chinnamanur. The Megamalai distance from Madurai is 145 kilometers. If you travel by car from Madurai to Megamalai it hardly takes 3 hours to reach. 


By road: The Megamalai distance from Chennai is about 558 kilometers. Chennai to Trichy is the shortest way to reach theni. You can book a cab from Theni to Meghamalai. Meghamalai is located 30kms from Theni and accessible via roads. If you are traveling by your own vehicle, get the help of local people to know the correct routes. Sometimes, the exact location won’t be available in Google Maps.

By train: There are no direct trains available from Chennai to Megamalai. You can book a train to Madurai and then a bus or a cab to reach Meghamalai.

The condition of the road in Megamalai is good till Highwavys dam. Since the construction work is going on, it is good to halt the vehicle near highwavys dam and prefer a jeep ride to visit the Megamalai viewpoint. Since the roads are pathetic, it is safer to prefer a jeep even though you own an SUV.

Route 1: Chennai - Tindivanam - Trichy - Theni - Meghamalai

Chennai to Megamalai - Route 1

Route 2: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Dharmapuri - Salem - Meghamalai 

Chennai to megamalai -route 2

However, route 1 is the safest and short route to reach Meghamalai from Chennai. The route from Chennai to Megamalai after reaching Trichy was mindblowing. Both sides of the road were covered by mountains and it was a treat to watch. 

Meghamalai Climate

Meghamalai Climate

Meghamalai - The straight route to heaven

The check post at the foothills closes at 6pm. Vehicles driving past the check post after 6pm are not allowed. The roads from the foothills of the Meghamalai till highwavys dam were extremely good. There are around 18 hairpin bends in Meghamalai that made the ride thrilling. Meghalamalai is also known for its wildlife species. Meghamalai is home to Asian elephants, Indian giant squirrels, and other endangered species. Mostly, people in Megahalamai are those who work in tea estates. 

Meghamalai Check post

Meghamalai hairpin bend -17

Suruli falls is originated from Meghamalai. It has a lot of water reserves and dams. Locals say Meghamalai is also native to rare bird species. Recently, the central government has also given its approval for the fifth tiger reserve that will enclose the Srivilliputhur and Meghamalai wildlife sanctuaries. 

Meghamalai water reserve

Megamalai stay

To be honest, you don't have many accommodation facilities in Meghamalai. The entire property belongs to briar tea groups. If you are planning to stay in Meghamalai, there are few government lodges and also private resorts.  But the issue is network is poor in Meghamalai and it is hard to contact them. Even if it rings, they won't pick up the calls. There are only a few bungalows (sand river cottage, cloud mountain bungalow, and Manalar bungalows) with limited rooms and they can be booked only online. Most of the falls and viewpoints are prohibited to normal tourists since it is private property. You will be allowed only if you are a guest of that bungalow. During weekends the resorts would be already booked. So we decided to stay in theni at ABM grande. We had a pleasant stay and the cost of the rooms was also reasonable. 

Unlike other hill stations, Meghamalai will not be hot during summer and extremely cold during winter. The temperature in Meghamalai will be mild even during the daytime and that attracts a lot of tourists. Our trip from Chennai to Megamalai was sweet than our expectations and we would like to re-visit Meghamalai during the monsoon to have a different experience.