Sirumalai hills in Tamil Nadu ready to start eco-tourism from Jan

The Sirumalai hills located in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district forest division is all set to offer visitors and tourists enjoyment and fun of eco-tourism from January 2023. For this the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Centre for Rural Education and Development and the forest department is going full steam.

The hills are situated in the Eastern Ghats and are at an altitude of 1,600 metres above sea level. People have to negotiate 18 hairpins to reach the place and some of the attractions there include Vellimalai Murugan temple, the famous Velankanni church and mosque, and several waterfalls in Palaiyur. Besides, the place is well-known for banana plantations.

Sharing details about the eco-tourism offer, A.S. Shakti Balan, NABARD District Development Manager said that Sirumalai has a huge potential for trekking and for this the forest department has identified several locations. Also, to make the trek enjoyable, local residents have been trained, including members of the tribal community. To facilitate advance booking, trekkers can log on to siru-ula.com.

The package costs Rs.610 per day and will include stay, trekking fees, lunch and other facilities. The visitors will be briefed at the reception centre about eco-tourism and they can decide on their itinerary too. They can choose to stay in a farmhouse or a tent which is warm even when the temperature is -10 degree Celsius. The premises housing the homestay will have varied plants like coffee and pepper.

The farmhouses will have artificial falls and tourists can pick and choose the vegetables they want to eat and cook them either themselves or take assistance from chefs. For children and adults, joyrides too have been set up.