About Kolli Hills and its attractions

In the ancient Tamil Nadu, there were seven great and benevolent kings who were known for their charitable nature and truthfulness. They were called, ‘The Seven Patrons’ – Paari, Kaari, Ori, Aai, Adhiyaman, Began and Nalli.

Among these kings, Ori orValvilOri was a great archer. He ruled over a kingdom containing 16 Tribal villages in a majestic mountain range on Eastern ghats. This mountain range is called Kolli hills which lie in Namakkal district, 62 kms from Salem. Kolli hills are one of those immaculate natural getaways, which are still unexplored by many tourists.

This secret scenic hill station is located around 4260 feet above sea level and has an all-year round tourist season as the weather is consistently between 13 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius. It has an exciting ascent with 70 hairpin bends and culminates in a breath-taking vantage point which leads us into the heart of Kolli Hills where one wonders what other treasures would these hills be hiding?

The first attraction of the hill station would be the Arapaleeswarar temple. It is an ancient Shiva temple constructed by ValvilOri himself and stands as a testimony to the Tamil culture and architecture. It is believed that it contains a secret passageway to the Shiva temple at Rasipuram which is 60 km away. There is also the Ettukkaai Amman temple nearby and the two temples are the chief deities of Kolli Hills.

The biggest attraction of Kolli hills is the Aagayagangai – the spectacular water fall that drops from a height of around 300 feet. The water here falls with so much force, that even the tourists who are 100 feet away can get drenched in it.

Other interesting attractions of Kolli Hills are the Botanical Gardens and the Tampcol medicinal farm, both of which are located near Semmedu, where one can know about the rare varieties of flowering, non-flowering and medicinal plants. The Tampcol medicinal farm is run by the Government of Tamil Nadu and is a major supplier of herbs and plants for the production of many Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani medicines.

The visit to a hill station is never complete without a boat-ride and Kolli Hills is no exception. About 5 km from Vasalurpatty in Kolli Hills, there is an enchanting artificial lake, which offers boating to the tourists.

Another interesting aspect of Kolli hills, is the fact that it was home to many Siddhas. ‘’Siddhar’’ in Tamil meant, ‘’ a holy monk with divine powers’’. These monks practised their penance and austerities in caves and were well-known for their healing medicines. The caves where these Siddhas practised their medicine and penance are still out there, among the plethora of medicinal plants. Some of these famous caves are the Bogar caves, Kayanavandhu caves, Korakka Siddha and Kalaanginatha caves. These caves are the favourite spots of trekkers as one can get there only after an adventurous trek thru the waterfalls or deep inside the forest.

Other attractions in Kollimalai include Puliyancholai, (literally meaning ‘’Tamarind groves’’) which contains 20+ trails for trekking and is surrounded by nature in its purest and best form. Other attractions in Kollimalai include Namma and Masilla falls, Wood houses, View Points etc.

RVR delightfully sits in the region of Ariyurnadu which is at the heart of Kolli hills. We invite you to experience the Kolli Hills while giving us an opportunity to take care of you with our well-maintained resort and comfortable amenities like our multi-cuisine restaurant, SPA, Fire camp and much more. Explore the natural beauty of Kolli hills while getting pampered in our luxurious facilities.