Upper Sholayar Dam is one of the big scenic drives from Valparai, about 20 km from town. The reservoir sits among forest and tea country, and the road there is often as enjoyable as the stop itself.
Access can vary around dam infrastructure, so treat this as a viewpoint and drive rather than a guaranteed walk across every part of the site. The landscape is the draw: water, dark forest, and the damp green folds of the Anamalais.