Top Station, Tourist village in Kerala, India
Top Station is a small hill settlement in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India, sitting at roughly 2,000 meters (about 6,600 ft) above sea level on a ridge that marks the border with Tamil Nadu. Tea plantations cover much of the surrounding slopes, and the settlement itself consists of a handful of viewpoints, small stalls, and a few modest buildings along a single road.
The settlement grew in the 19th century as the upper terminus of the Kundala Valley Railway, a narrow-gauge line built under British rule to carry tea down from the high plantations. When the railway closed, the place lost its role as a transport hub but kept its name and continued to draw visitors for its position on the ridge.
The name Top Station comes from its role as the highest stop on the old tea railway, a label that stuck long after the trains stopped running. Visitors today gather at the viewpoints overlooking the border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where the land drops sharply into deep green valleys.
The road up is narrow and winding, so drivers should take care, especially when meeting oncoming vehicles on the tighter bends. Even during warmer months, the ridge is noticeably cooler than the valleys, so bringing a light jacket is a good idea regardless of the season.
Top Station is one of the few spots in India where you can look out over two different states at the same time, with Kerala on one side of the ridge and Tamil Nadu on the other. The ridge also acts as a watershed, meaning rain falling on each side drains into entirely separate river systems.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
