Seetharkundu Viewpoint - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Seetharkundu Viewpoint is situated at a distance of 8 km from Nelliyampathy town in Palakkad District of Kerala State in Southern India. It is said that Lord Rama, and his wife Goddess Sitha and brother Lord Lakshmana rested in this place during their period of exile, as stated in the epic Ramayana.

The viewpoint is synonyms with tantalising views that will leave the visitors completely spellbind. The view of the Seetharkundu Waterfall which graciously falls from a height of 30 meters, the paddy fields hundreds of meters below, the massive mountains cliffs going on for many kilometres - the view is mesmerising in every direction you look at.

Getting to Nelliyampathy- the small town before the viewpoint 

In order to explore the viewpoint, you have to get to Nelliyampathy, a small town in Palakkad. The nearest larger town is in Nenmara and from their the route to Nelliyampathy starts. The route is covered in greenery, with paddy fields and mountain ranges along. The ascend to Nelliyampathy starts after Pothundy Dam, a scenic reservoir.

There is a checkpoint at the start of the ascend, through which you can only go between 8 AM to 5 PM as wild animals wander around the area after nightfall. At night, the road will be covered in mist limiting the visibility of the vehicles moving in and out of Nelliyampathy. The road starting from checkpoint is through rich cover of forests in both the sides and has numerous hairpin bends offering multiple viewpoints of the dam below and of the mountain ranges.

 

Exploring Seetharkundu Viewpoint

Upon reaching Nelliyampathy, Seetharkundu Viewpoint is in another 4 km. The viewpoint is located inside Poab’s Estate which is spread across hundreds of  acres in Nelliyampathy. Vehicles can be reached until Poab’s Estate after which a hike of one kilometre will get you to the viewpoint. The hike is pretty adventurous as steep slopes without any fences is in one side of the trail. There are many coffee and spice plantations in the area, giving the air a delicious aroma.

The view after the ten minute hike is breathtaking and it takes some courage to get close to the edge after which it is a steep drop. There are no fences or any security measures in the area, the strong blow of the wind also is something to watch out for. The viewpoint is very dangerous and it is fascinating that there are no guards in the vicinity considering how popular and crowded the spot can get. You can walk along the ridge of the mountain for a while which stretches for many kilometres and even can access a small stream below.

 

The monkey thieves at the viewpoint

There are plenty of monkeys in the area waiting to steal edible items from the visitors. Watch out for them, out of curiosity they can sometimes take expensive items such as cameras or mobile phones.

Best time to visit and getting to Seetharkundu Viewpoint by public transportation

The viewpoint is open all year around, but be prepared for intense rains which makes the whole area muddy and slippery during June to September.

The nearest town is Nenmara 28 km away. District capital Palakkad is 30 km away. From both the places, there are buses to Nelliyampathy. Major railway station nearby is in Palakkad.