Yelagiri or Elagiri is a small hill station located in Tirupattur district of Tamil Nadu. India having land area of 30 sq km and has an average altitude of 1410.6 meters above sea level in which the highest point is Swamimalai hills located at an altitude of 4338ft. Rather than artistry nature, this place is known among visitors for adventure sports like trekking, paragliding & rock climbing through thick forests and a small village called Mangalam at the base of this hill. Some other unpopular trekking spots are Javadi hills and Palamathi hills.
The most famous Yelagiri summer festival is celebrated in May end & organized by Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Board. The attraction of the festival is flowers show, boat house, dog show and various cultural programs that call people from all over the state and other parts of the country. Earlier, the Yelagiri hill station was not as popular as other hill stations in Tamil Nadu like Ooty or KodaiKanal but now this place is becoming a spot for trekkers.
When to visit?
Since, the town of Yelagiri is a hill station, so in general daily weather is pleasant. Therefore there is no particular time to go explore but majority of the visitors prefers months of October & November.
Tourist Attractions:
- Yelagiri Forest Hill
- Stellar Caves
- Nilavoor Lake
- Jalagamparai Waterfalls
- Swamimalai Hills
- Yelagiri- Nature’s Park
How to reach?
By Road:
The nearest metro cities to Yelagiri are Chennai & Bangalore and closest major towns are Vaniyampadi, Tirupattur and Jolarpettai. There are various state-run and private buses available that connects the hill town to Chennai, Coimbatore and Bangalore on regular basis.
By Railways:
Jolarpettai Junction is the nearest rail head to the town and is linked by National Highway 179A and Yelagiri road. The distance between the two is approximately 20kms and can be covered easily by bus, or taxi. The Jolarpettai Junction has frequent trains to Chennai, Coimbatore, Nagercoil, Bangalore and more. Majority of the visitors prefers train to Jolarpettai and then a ride uphill by bus.
By Airways:
The closest aerodrome is actually Bangalore international airport, distanced about 160 kms and the within the state is Chennai International airport located 215 kms away. From airport you can either take a city bus or pre-booked cabs to your destination.