Yercaud is the easiest hill station to reach in Tamil Nadu. It is 32 km of ghat road from Salem, with twenty hairpins, and sits at about 1,500 m in the Shevaroy Hills. It is small: a lake, a few viewpoints, coffee and pepper estates, and a waterfall. That is the appeal. There are no crowds except on long weekends, prices are lower than Ooty's, and a weekend really is a weekend.
Compare Yercaud with another place →
When to go
The weather is pleasant all year, cooler than the plains by 10°C. October to February is the best time. The Summer Festival in May draws crowds. Kiliyur Falls only really flows after the monsoon, from August to November.
Yercaud right now and the next 7 days
Loading the forecast…
Yercaud, planned for you
A satellite map for every day with each stop pinned in order, photos of the places, timings, what each part costs, where to sleep and eat, and a checklist. One PDF that works offline: print it, or send it to everyone going.
- Day 1 Arrive in Yercaud · Lady's Seat & Gent's Seat
- TravelBus: Bengaluru → Salem → Yercaud₹450
- 11:00Lady's Seat & Gent's SeatFree
- 13:30Pagoda PointFree
- Day 2 Kiliyur Falls
₹49 once, 5 pages. Secure payment by Razorpay, instant download. Already bought? Get your download
Yercaud on the map
Tap anything in the list: the map zooms straight to it. Tap your starting city to see the way there.
The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Yercaud · Open in Google Maps ↗
Map by Google. Places are found by name, so check the exact spot in Google Maps before you go.
Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Every price is what the bus, room or ticket itself costs. We take no commission and sell no packages, so this is what you pay booking each piece yourself.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 6 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Yercaud in 2 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Lady's Seat & Gent's Seat1 h · free · The best view down the ghat to Salem. At night you can see the city lights.
- 12:30Lunch break
- 13:30Pagoda Point1 h · free · Stone cairns and a view east over the plains. Quieter than Lady's Seat.
- 15:00Shevaroyan Temple1 h · free · A cave temple on the highest point of the Shevaroys, about 1,620 m.
- 08:00Kiliyur Falls2 h · free · A 300-step walk down. It flows well from August to November and is a trickle in summer.
- 10:30Yercaud Lake boating1 h · ₹120 each · Busy but pleasant. Go on a weekday morning.
- 13:00Lunch break
How to get to Yercaud
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Train + bus
₹500Salem is on the Bengaluru–Chennai–Coimbatore lines. Buses leave from Salem's old bus stand every 30 minutes.
Drive
₹2,500Via Hosur and Dharmapuri on NH44. The ghat has twenty hairpins.
Flight + road
₹5,000Salem airport has limited flights. Bengaluru is usually simpler.
Getting around once you're there
On foot
FreeThe lake, the park and the market are all close together.
Local bus
₹15A slow loop bus goes around the Shevaroys.
Taxi loop
₹1,500Lady's Seat, Pagoda Point, Shevaroyan Temple, Kiliyur and the estates.
Scooter
₹450The 32 km loop road is quiet and good for riding.
Where to stay in Yercaud
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Budget
₹900/nightBasic but fine. Prices jump on Saturdays.
Estate
₹1,800/nightThe reason to come. Wake up to birdsong among the coffee and silver oak.
Group
₹4,500/nightWhole cottages for 6–8 people, good for a friends' weekend.
What to eat, and what it costs
Salem meals
₹80The Kongu-style meals in town are generous.
Estate coffee and pepper
₹120Buy direct from estate shops on the loop road.
Salem thattu vadai set & chicken
₹150Salem is known for thattu vadai set, a spicy street snack, and its non-veg messes.
Hot bajji at the lake
₹40On a misty evening.
Places to visit and things to do in Yercaud
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Lady's Seat & Gent's Seat
FreeThe best view down the ghat to Salem. At night you can see the city lights.
Pagoda Point
FreeStone cairns and a view east over the plains. Quieter than Lady's Seat.
Kiliyur Falls
FreeA 300-step walk down. It flows well from August to November and is a trickle in summer.
Shevaroyan Temple
FreeA cave temple on the highest point of the Shevaroys, about 1,620 m.
Yercaud Lake boating
₹120Busy but pleasant. Go on a weekday morning.
Estate walk
₹300Several estates run guided coffee and pepper walks.
Day trips and next stops
Kolli Hills
₹150Bus via Salem and Namakkal
Hogenakkal
₹150Bus via Dharmapuri
Yelagiri
₹180Bus via Krishnagiri
Salem
₹40Bus down the ghat
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- The ghat road is jammed on long weekends, and prices double. Go midweek if you can.
- Kiliyur Falls is dangerous in heavy rain. Do not climb on the wet rocks.
- Some estate homestays are down rough tracks. Check how the car will reach it.
Ways to spend less
- Midweek, Yercaud is empty and half the price.
- Stay in a coffee estate, not near the lake.
- From Bengaluru, a Friday night bus to Salem gets you into the hills by breakfast.
Say it in Tamil
A few words go a long way, especially when you ask a price.
English works in towns; Hindi much less.
The pronunciation is a simple guide, not a native recording. Spot a mistake? Tell us.
Before-you-go checklist
Yercaud in pictures
Tap a photo to see it full size.
Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Yercaud?
On our month-by-month scores, the best months are Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec. The weather is pleasant all year, cooler than the plains by 10°C. October to February is the best time. The Summer Festival in May draws crowds. Kiliyur Falls only really flows after the monsoon, from August to November.
How do I reach Yercaud?
Train + bus: → Salem Junction, then bus up the ghat, varies + 1 h, about ₹500 one way. Bus: Bengaluru → Salem → Yercaud, 5 h 30 m, about ₹450 one way. Drive: Bengaluru → Yercaud, 4 h 30 m, about ₹2,500 one way. Flight + road: → Salem (SXV) or Coimbatore, 1 h + 1–4 h, about ₹5,000 one way.
How much does a 2-day trip to Yercaud cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹1,800 on a shoestring, ₹3,200 mid-range or ₹6,400 in comfort over 2 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is bus (Bengaluru → Salem → Yercaud) at about ₹450 each way.
How many days do you need in Yercaud?
2 days is right for most people. That covers Lady's Seat & Gent's Seat, Pagoda Point, Shevaroyan Temple, Kiliyur Falls without rushing.
Is Yercaud good for families or solo travellers?
Out of 5 on our scores: solo 4, couples 5, families 5, groups 5. It works well for families. It is easy to do on your own.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Yercaud?
Easy. Meals, dosa and the Salem snacks are all vegetarian-friendly.
Will my phone and cards work in Yercaud?
Phone signal: Good. Cards and UPI: Most hotels. Cash: Buses and small eateries.
Guides for Yercaud
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
Similar underrated places
Kolli HillsSeventy hairpin bends up to a plateau of pepper, jackfruit and honey, and a waterfall at the bottom of a…From ₹800/day · Jan–Feb, Oct–Dec
HogenakkalThe Kaveri crashes over black rocks into a gorge, you float under it in a round coracle, and they fry the…From ₹900/day · Jan–Mar, Oct–Dec
YelagiriA quiet plateau of fourteen villages, fourteen hairpins up, a three-hour drive from both Bengaluru and…From ₹800/day · Jan–Feb, Oct–Dec.jpg/500px-Tea_estates_near_Kotagiri%2C_Nilgiris_(ultra-wide_view).jpg)
KotagiriThe oldest hill station in the Nilgiris, all tea slopes and shola walks, with a cliff-edge view at Kodanad…From ₹1,000/day · Jan–May, Dec
BandipurOne of India's original Project Tiger reserves, straddling the highway between Mysuru and Ooty, with…From ₹1,200/day · Jan–Mar, Oct–Dec
Masinagudi & MudumalaiElephants on the road, a forest safari for a few hundred rupees, and the famous elephant camp at…From ₹1,000/day · Jan–Mar, Nov–DecTreks near Yercaud
Agaya Gangai FallsModerate · Half day · Aug–JanFrom ₹50 at the base
Swamimalai, YelagiriEasy · Half day · Oct–MarFrom ₹0 at the base
SavandurgaModerate · Half day · Year-round, best Oct–FebFrom ₹400 at the baseSacred places near Yercaud
.jpg/500px-Brihadisvara_Temple_during_Maha_Shivaratri-WUS03611_(edit).jpg)
.jpg/500px-VAITHEESWARAN_KOIL_-_panoramio_(7).jpg)
Make the plan yours
Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we don't sell packages or bookings, we take no commission, and we link to maps and official sites, never to booking sites. Every guide is free; our only paid products are optional downloadable trip plans and itineraries. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 6 October 2026 · Photo: Tamal Das · CC BY-SA 2.5 · source · Photo: In Transit · CC BY 4.0 · source · Photo: Yercaud-elango · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Yercaud-elango · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Yercaud-elango · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
