Yelagiri India
4/5
Best Session
October - June
Ideal Duration
2
Station:
Jolarpettai (20 Km)
Major Airports
Bangalore (160 Km)
Weather
15.52 ° C
Weather Type
Clouds
Price On Request
onwards
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Overview
Yelagiri is often dubbed as the "Poor man`s Ooty" but not anymore. Yelagiri is realizing its potential and in the coming days it looks all set to emerge as the hub of adventure sports in India. A recent fillip in this direction has been the three day annual International paragliding festival.
Cocooned conveniently between Bangalore and Chennai the Yelagiri hills provide a soothing place to the tired urbanities with lush vegetation, pure air and misty clouds.
Thanks to the excellent roads the place is easily accessible thus serving as a nice weekend getaway. A perfect weekend at Yelagiri Hills is all about a little adventure and lots of leisure at 3500 feet above sea level.
If you are looking for a large number of tourist attractions then Yelagiri is certainly not for you. Yelagiri is a place full of peace and quietude. The slow pace of the Hills provides the right kind of relaxation from the rigours of urban life. You need to just relax here at this Cosy Hill station.
District: Vellore | Panchayat: Jolarpet | Taluk: Thirupathur | State: Tamil Nadu
Location: Yellagiri Hills is located in north Tamil Nadu
Geography: Above Jolerpettai Station. It is the valley of Swamimalai Hills as part of the Eastern Ghats.
Nearest Railway Station: Jolarpettai( 25 Km) | Nearest Airport: Bangalore
Altitude: 1410.60 m or 3500 ft above sea level Climate: Pleasant weather year-round. Winters are cool
Temperatures: Summers 29° C; Winter 9° C Clothing: Light Woolens in the night.
Travel Tips
Please remember the following things while on a trip to Yelagiri.
Petrol: If driving on your own to Yelagiri, please make sure you have enough petrol in your car. Uphill you won’t find any. Though some shops uphill do sell loose petrol but chances are that they are spurious and priced exorbitantly high. Except for small puncture repairing shops, you won’t find anything.
Driving in the hills: The road from Ponamalee to the top is not very broad but overall pretty good. Be careful of the buses or trucks coming from the opposite direction. Also, while overtaking wait for the clear signal from other vehicles. Please do not look at the plains below while you drive. If you want to do that there are a few places where you can park your car or bike. Other points include adhering to some basic rules like not following a heavy vehicle too close while driving uphill. When driving down the hill you must give way to the oncoming vehicles. This should make the drive incident-free.
Driving on the Highway: As you approach cities be careful wrong side traffic you will find a lot. Drive carefully in early mornings as well as late evenings when visibility remains poor. You can expect anything from cycles, two-wheelers to even tractors and Trucks. To make matters worse they come on the inner lane. As you approach cities like Vellore/Katpadi, Ambur and Vaniyambadi you need to be very careful as you approach at the bridge stretch near Vellore, please be careful. A sudden onrush of slow-moving vehicles, two-wheelers can puzzle you by coming on the wrong way. Another cause of potential trouble is the cabs that you need to negotiate. They have utter disregard for lane rules and overtake other vehicles very dangerously.
Miscellaneous Tips
Wild animals: As you approach the Yelagiri hills through the winding ghat roads you may encounter monkeys. You can slowdown to take photographs but make sure your glasses are all rolled-up. Do not kids let go close. Do not throw food items at them and never keep any food especially banana on the dashboard. Remember a monkey bite can be a nasty affair.
Movement through thick bushes: You may love adventure, but do not get overzealous. Please do not get too close to thick shrubs or bushes, the hills are home to a sizeable variety of snakes and some pretty poisonous.
Shopping for plants: At Yelagiri hills you can be easily tempted to buy plants from the nurseries. Please remember some of these plants may not survive in the plains. Besides you can get them at your place also.
First Aid Kit: Please travel with first aid boxes along with your regular medicines. All you get in the hills is a government primary health centre and a private clinic. Tirupattur is the nearest health center.
Carry your own Drinks: There is no restriction to drinks here but it is difficult to get good branded drinks locally. Even hotels don`t store liquor as they aren`t licensed to do so. if you want to have beer and other drinks better to carry them with you. There is one at the junction of the main road before you drive uphill.
Beware of beehives: If you happen to pass by beehives be very careful. You will find quite a handful of them at Yelagiri. A strong perfume or disturbing their peace can prove dangerous as they can get upset and start attacking.
Getting around in the hills: If you want to get around in the hills you have to have your own arrangements. Though auto-rickshaws and taxis are there but not many of them are on the roads. So walk and explore Yelagiri.
Watch out for Petrol pilferage: As petrol is a rare commodity in the hills, if you have taken your own car and bike keep an eye for petrol pilferage.
Carrying Raincoats: If you want to go out and enjoy the rains at Yelagiri during the rainy months carrying raincoats would be a good idea.
Carrying Of foodstuff and water: As you venture outside the Yelagiri town, you will find that even small shops are scarce. It is advised to keep stocks of bottled water, snacks etc. However, in the town there is no such problem.
