Yelagiri – Serene, Unassuming Hills of the South


What’s your version of spending a short break from work? If it is resting in peace doing nothing but enjoying the abundance of natural scenic beauty blanketed by cool climate and silent surroundings, then visiting Yelagiri will perfectly suit your requirements! Situated in the Vellore district, this small hill station of Tamil Nadu provides a perfect weekend getaway away from the maddening crowd of the city. This article can act as a quick guide for you to discover this smaller and undisturbed version of hill stations like Ooty or Kodaikanal.

Best time to visit
Choosing to visit these hills in the months of November to February would be ideal to grasp its complete beauty, as the winter would have set in with temperature ranging from 12 to 24 degree Celsius. Nice cool weather coupled with verdant surroundings will certainly leave you with a feeling of exuberance!

Places not to be missed
Punganoor Lake:
This artificial lake, in the midst of rolling hills, will have a profound effect on your senses, when you choose to take a rowboat or a pedal boat to travel around the lake. The boats being relatively new make the tourists feel easy and comfortable to move about.
Nature Park:
Just 2km away from the city center, this park is an ideal visit for anyone who is an ardent nature lover. Dotted with play areas, bamboo house, flower gardens, and fish aquarium, this park is spread over an area of 12 acres. Musical fountain with multicolor lightings, scheduled daily at about 7 pm, is also a delight to watch.
Swamimalai hill:
Being the highest point here, this hilltop gives an excellent view of the surrounding regions. This hill, in the shape of a cake with a strong base at the bottom, is ideal for trekking.
Jalagamparai falls:
A small but captivating falls of about 15mts height is a good place to visit during the post-monsoon season. This beautiful falls of the attaru river is a popular local tourist attraction.
There are many activities for the kids in the Thrill valley “ The valley of adventure” which is located next to the boathouse. Adjoining this place is a petting zoo called Eagle rocks which is a sure shot attraction for the little ones.

How to get  toYelagiri:
By air:  Bangalore and the Chennai are the nearest airports. From Bangalore, it takes about 3.5 hours to reach Yelagiri.
By road: Midway between Bangalore and Chennai in NH 48 lies Yelagiri. Through two excellent highways, reaching Yelagiri is very comfortable from Bangalore. If you have planned a road trip from Bengaluru then indeed you have made an excellent choice.
By railway: Jolarpettai is the nearest station, from where a cab can be hired to Yelagiri.

Where to stay:
Yelagiri is dotted with many resorts and hotels and their advertisements can be seen at every hairpin bend. According to your budget, staying in the hill station is not a difficult deal.

Well! As already mentioned, Yelagiri is exactly not a place for attractions such as shopping and restaurants. But it definitely provides a splendid and serene atmosphere for a weekend getaway away from the city life. There is yet a lot more to be discovered in these unassuming hills of the South. Happy visit to Yelagiri!


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