Yercuad is a less crowded hill station in Tamil Nadu. It is situated on the Shevaroy (Servarayan) hill ranges in Salem district at an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level. Yercaud is also called Shevaroy Hills, as it is situated in the Shevaroy hill ranges on the Eastern Ghats.

The place with an area of 383q. kms. is popularly known as 'poor man's Ooty'- as it is comparatively less expensive yet as picturesque as the more popular hill station, Ooty.

Literally the name Yercaud in Tamil means lake (Yeri) and forests (Kadu), and is said to be named after the lake amidst wooded trees in the centre of the town. Yercaud is famous for its schools such as Monfort School and its various monasteries and convents.

The road to Yercaud has nearly 20 hairpin bends that offer panoramic views of the hills and valleys. Orange groves and coffee plantations which blossom in April are a few among the prime attractions. The hill station is a great place for trekking and has many vantage view points like Ladies Seat, Children's Seat, Arthur's seat and Pagoda Point which give beautiful views of the surrounding hills, villages and cities in the vicinity.

Botanical Garden: The Botanical garden located 5km from Yercaud town run by the Botanical Survey of India showcases thousands of species of plants. A national orchidarium, one of the only two national orchidariums run by BSI (The other one being in Shillong, Meghalaya) and a green house is also found in this garden. Kurinji flower, which blooms once in twelve years and very famous along the Western Ghats of South India, is found here.

The 20 year old national orchidarium has more than 100 species of orchids including rare varieties like the Vernonia Shevaroyensis and lady's slipper orchid etc. There is also a pitcher plant that eats insects and a peculiar rock known as 'Bell Rock' which makes a bell sound when you hit it with a stone. The garden is closed on weekends.

Shevaroy Hill & Temple: A delightful hill with magnificent views of the hills and the plains in between. On top of the hill there is a cave temple with a modern facade dedicated to the local deity Lord Shervarayan and his wife Goddess Kaveri. It is the highest point in Yeracaud, 5,326 ft above sea level. Thousands of tribals take part in the colorful annual festival in the month of May.

Ladies Seat: One of the most crowded and visited spots in Yercaud, Ladies Seat located two kms south west of Yercaud town offers a panoramic view of the ghats. It is best at night with the twinkling lights of Salem town in sight. A telescope is installed at this point for tourists to have a closer look at the plains below and the winding roads in between. The facility is available only during the day. On a clear day, you could also see the Mettur Dam on the Kaveri River. Great shots of the river can be had in the evening around 3:00 clock when the sun rays are reflected in its waters.

Pagoda Point (Pyramid point): Pakoda Point is one of the most important places in Yercaud. It lies on the eastern side of Yercaud hills. The name was derived from the many stone built pagodas made by the tribals. This place also has a huge Rama temple.

The best time to visit is during the night or early morning when you get a view of Salem and the little village of Kakambadi. There are fabulous cliffs on the opposite side. Sometimes called Gent's seat it has a better view than the Ladies Seat but is very risky to reach and is a Government protected area.

Children's seat: This point lies to the right of the Lady's seat. It is the best of the all the three adjacent points. Access is a bit of a climb through the Rose Garden.

Arthur Seat: Arthur Seat located 1 km from the center of the town can be reached by taking the steep road going north. From this point one can get a bird’s eye view of the Big Lake, Yercaud Town and the Shevaroy Peak.

The Big Lake: The main attraction of Yercaud is the big lake or Emerald Lake which has a flower garden on one bank and thickly wooded trees on the other sides. A summer festival is organized in the month of May during which the blossoming is at its best and it attracts a lot of tourists. In the centre of this natural lake there is an island that is connected by an overbridge to the mainland. There is also a floating fountain in the center. Paddle boating facilities are available in the lake. The lake is deep and care is to be taken while boating.

The lake is surrounded by a deer park, a leisure park and a number of hotels in the vicinity. The deer park has deer and peacocks and it is a suitable playground for kids. It closes by 5 pm.

Anna Park: Anna Park is situated next to the Big Lake. Area adjoining the Park is thickly wooded with natural species of trees. There is another park named 'The Japanese Park' inside Anna Park which one should not miss. It is a delightful place for the kids.

The Small Lake: This lake, situated very close to the town, is reputed to be fed by seven wells. The lake is bounded by a road, and on one end of the lake is Montfort School and towards the other end is the town.

Silk Farm & Rose Garden: Located two km from Yercaud town, one can see the cultivation of mulberries, the growing of silk worms and the method of spinning silk. The Rose Garden has a good collection of varieties of roses. There is a nursery in this garden from where one can purchase plants.

Monfort School: Established in 1917 by Brother Denis, the school was named after the founder of the Order of St.Gabriel, St. Louis Marie Grignoin de Monfort. The school's vast campus includes attractive buildings, spacious playgrounds, well planned beautiful gardens and a swimming pool. The school also has a zoo which is open to the public only on Sundays. There is also an excellently designed church within the campus.

Bears Hill: This hill, two kms from the town, is located near Monfort School and to the east of Sacred Heart Convent. The place gives a panoramic view of the portion of Yercaud covered with schools and seminaries.

The Retreat: The brothers of the religious society founded by St. Don Bosco (1815-1888) runs this Retreat. The Retreat was established in 1945 and serves as a Novitiate house where students of the religious order stay and study.

Killiyur falls (rainy season only): The 300 feet high waterfall located three km from Yercaud town is situated amidst picturesque surroundings. Water overflowing from the Big Lake falls into the Killiyur Valley. Access to the fall is narrow and steep.

Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple: The deity of this temple is said to be the goddess of all gods in the Hindu pantheon. The idol of the goddess Sri Raja Rajeswari is seen surrounded by a plethora of gods. Founded by Tirukovilur Thapovanam Srila Sri Gnanananda Giri Swamigals Parampara disciple HH Swami Poornananda Giri in the year 1983. There is a belief that with the deities’ blessings one can attain wealth and prosperity and may be elevated to higher levels of spirituality.

The Grange: The castle-like building is one of the oldest in Yercaud, built in the 1820s by the then Collector of Salem, MD Cockburn who is popular for introducing coffee from Arabia, apples and other fruits from South Africa for the first time in Yercaud. Believed to be the summer resort of Robert Clive of the East India Company way back in the late 1800s, it stands amidst coffee and orange plantations and Silver Oak trees.

Fortification of this building was done during the Sepoy Mutiny. Ramparts were built with gun emplacements and three canons were mounted at vantage points. There is a resort alongside the Grange, which is a delight to the travelers.

Bears Cave: It is an important tourist spot on the way to Servaroyan Temple. Since this is a private property now, permission has to be obtained to access the spot. The cave adjoining the European style Norton Bungalow goes deep into the hill. After the initial entry, one has to crawl on legs and hands to go down. Today, the cave is covered over with vegetation and rocks.

Kottachedu Teak Forest: The teak forest is located 11 kms from town. This land, once occupied by the tribals, is said to have been abandoned when plague struck the area. The Government used this area for teak wood plantation. Bisons can be seen frequently here. The Vaniar River which leads to the Vaniar Dam passes through this forest.

Tipperary View Point: This is at a distance of two kms from the town and can be reached by taking the Tipperary Road. The Elephant Tooth Rocks are visible from this point. There is an estate adjoining this point known as Tipperary Estate which was once a posh hotel catering to the elite of British India from 1930 to 1940. If visited at night time, it offers a mesmerizing view of the Salem town below.

White Elephant Tooth Rocks:Visible from Tipperary View point, these two rocks about 120 feet high are reportedly said to be the leftovers of a meteorite which fell to earth. It is pure white rock compared to the Black Granite seen on these hills. The larger one is located on the southern spur of the Shevaroy ranges below the villages of Guntur which consists of pure white quartz. And the other is located in the east overlooking the Ghat road, above the 60' bridge. Access to this one is from Tipperary Estate.

How to get there:
Air: The nearest airports are Trichy (163 kms) and Coimbatore (190 kms). They are all connected to Chennai (358kms) which has an international airport. Trichy is also connected to Colombo (Sri Lanka). There are flights to Coimbatore from Mumbai and Chennai.

Rail: Nearest Railheads are Salem Junction (35 kms) and Salem Town (33km). In Salem junction all south bound trains passing via Salem do stop over at Salem Junction. There are several trains coming into Salem to Cochin, Erode, Trivandrum and Mangalore.

Road: There is no town bus service in Yercaud. But, some buses coming from Salem through Yercaud connect important villages like Cauvery Peak, Valavanthi, Nagalur, Vellakkadai Swinton Bridge with Yercaud. Regular bus services operate from Salem Junction and Salem Municipal Bus Stand to Yercaud frequently. Yercaud is well connected by road from Trichy, Madurai (271kms), Chennai, Bangalore (222kms) and Coimbatore.Place: Salem District, Tamil Nadu

Altitude: 1,500 meters (4,920 feet) above sea level.

Temperature: Minimum 13 degrees C in winter and Maximum 30 degrees C in summer

Significance: Poor Man's Ooty

Best Season: March to June