Annamalai Hills

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The Anaimalai Hills, located in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of India, constitute the meeting point of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. The highest peak of the Anaimalai Hills is the Anai Peak (2695 m) located in the Idukki district of Kerala.

Anaimalai hills are a trekking destination in the Western Ghats. They are known for their abundant wildlife. This hill station borders the state of Kerala on the Southwest. On the south east, there is the Palghat Gap which is the only major discontinuity in the Western Ghats. The lower slopes of the hills now have many coffee and tea plantations as well as valuable teak forests. The name "Anaimalai" derives from the Tamil word 'Anai' meaning elephant and 'Malai' meaning hill, thus Elephant Hill.

The Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (also known as topslip), measuring 985 km², (also called Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary) is a well known sanctuary for elephants. It is located at an altitude of 1,400 metres in the western ghats near Pollachi. Numerous wildlife species can be seen including elephants, gaur, water buffaloes, tigers, panthers, sloth bears, pangolins, black headed orioles, macaques, crocodiles, green pigeons and civet cats.

A large number of dams are in the area including: Aliayar Dam, Kaddambarrai dam, Neerar dam, SholayarDam (one of the biggest of its kinds in Asia) Mannambhally Dam, and the mother of all Parambikulam Dam.

The best time to visit this place is during November to mid May. Monsoon rains are heavy - the area receives 175 to 200 inches rainfall annually. The nearest airport is in Coimbatore and the nearest railway station is in the Pollachi, the nearest city.