One Day Self-Drive Trip from Chennai to Yelagiri Hills

Located in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu, Yelagiri Hills is a small hill-station with lots of greenery and is one of the best-kept secrets of Vellore. Offering lots of sightseeing and adventurous activities to the tourists, Yelagiri Hills is undoubtedly a perfect refuge from the humdrum of city life. It is a little over 225 KM from Chennai and is a fantastic weekend getaway that you can explore in just one day. The hairpin bends of the hilly route call for an exciting road-trip as well. The scenery, local food, trekking, forest walks, boating in lake, yearly festival and adventurous paragliding – the little hamlets hidden in the Yelagiri Hills are just like a wonderland offering stunning things and experiences!!

So, what are you waiting for?

Plan a one day trip from chennai to yelagiri Hills  and find all the relevant information and tips right here. We recommend planning your outing as a self-drive trip from Chennai to Yelagiri hills so that you can make the best of the scenic route; take stops as and when you want and even spend a little longer, in case you are lured by the beauty of the place.

We have planned an exciting and all-inclusive guide for a road trip from Chennai to Yelagiri hills that you can read and follow for making your Yelagiri Hills escapade a perfect hit.

So, let us start with the basics:

Starting Point: Chennai

Ending Point: Yelagiri Hills

Distance from Chennai to Yelagiri hills: 225.6 KM

Journey time: 4 to 5 hours

Best visit times: Yelagiri enjoys pleasantly cool weather all round the year. Even the summers are cool and devoid of scorching heat. However, the place transforms into a wonderful canvas of beauty from November to February with the misty hills enshrouded in clouds and fog at sometimes. If you wish to enjoy the local Summer Festival, you can plan your visit from May to June.

The Trip from Chennai to Yelagiri Hills: Distance & Route Information

Chennai is well-connected to all the major places in its surroundings and has well-built roads as well. However, we recommend planning your trip in some heavy-duty vehicle to enjoy the best road trip experience. You can book your rentals online from a reliable company such as IndusGo. IndusGo offers a wide range of options to choose from – all types of cars; flexible rentals; easy pick-up and drop-off and lots of other such lucrative services. Deals and offers are also regularly released from time to time on their website. So, give it a check!

How to Reach Yelagiri from Chennai? here are two major routes that you can take for your trip from Chennai to Yelagiri hills. Here’s the route information.

Route 1:

Chennai – Vellore – Yelagiri Hills

Route 2: 

Chennai – Kanchipuram – Yelagiri Hills

Both the routes are scenic and have good road services. The latter one is around 3 or 4 KM longer than the first one.

Best Places to Visit in Yelagiri Hills

Yelagiri being a hill station has pleasant temperature and weather around the year. Though summer is an ideal season to go and visit the place, the best time to visit Yelagiri is the months of November to February, when you can witness the natural scenic beauty it has to offer.

Jalagamparai Falls:

Hidden inside the forests is one of the most prominent tourist places of Yelagiri Hills – Jalagamparai Falls that can be reached after a trek of 5 KM. The trekking route becomes a little bit tricky during the rainy season. So, plan your trip accordingly. The waterfall is located just 4KM from the city centre and is a must-visit place here.

Nature Park:

It is located near Punganoor Lake which is another one of the best places to visit here. Witness the beauty of the vast expanse of the flowers and rolling green carpets of grass in every shade of green. Let your eyes get the best dose of a wonderful natural canvas that covers a whopping area of 12 acres. 

Must-explore attractions here are a fish aquarium, bamboo house, a children's park, season garden, poly house, artificial waterfalls and musical fountain.

Nature Park is a perfect place to plan a trip from Chennai to Yelagiri hills with your family and kids. You can enjoy an excellent picnic here.

Punganur Lake:

Enjoy relaxing boating in the calm waters of Punganur Lake and listen to the lapping sounds of water. The lake is fairly large with a lovely fountain in its centre. Don’t forget to close your eyes for a few minutes and listen to the enchanting songs the wind plays into your ears.  

Swamimalai Hills:

Swamimalai Hills is also a must-visit place where you can enjoy a lovely day-out in the green and grassy valleys with hills of varying heights overlooking you. Relax under the shades of lovely trees; play with your kids or hustle with your friends; enjoy a lovely picnic with your loved one or go for a unique RV Camping experience here. Swamimalai Hills is the highest point in the Yelagiri Hills from where you can admire the region’s beauty the best. You can also do a 3 KM trek from Punganur Lake to reach here if you want. 

Telescope Observatory:

Located in Kavalur, Telescope Observatory is a must-visit if you are in Yelagiri. Otherwise known as Vainu Bappu Observatory is home to Asia's largest telescope. Managed and maintained by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore, this observatory is open to tourists only with prior permission. Ensure that you have one.

Jalagandeeswarar Temple

Jalagandeeswarar Temple, situated right at the heart of the Vellore Fort, is another famous tourist spot. The temple is a hub of intricately carved sculptures on rocks, each of which is a visual masterpiece. 

 Velavan (Murugan) Temple

Velavan (Murugan) Temple was built in devotion towards Lord Murugan.Located at  the top of the yelagiri hills,this temple has a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains and natural landscapes. It houses idols of lord Ganesh and a rare Gadothgajan,the son of bheema, at its entrance. 

Government Herbal Farm

Located near Puganoor lake, Government herbal farm is a must-visit place if you are a plant lover. Scattered over acres of land, this farm is home to some of the rarest herbs and plants which are used extensively in various Sidda and Ayurvedic medicines. This place is managed and maintained by the Forest Department of Tamil Nadu.

Yelagiri Forest Hill 

 With acres of paddy fields and other crops, Yelagiri forest hill is an ecological paradise for nature lovers. Tamil Nadu Government has recently started a Yelagiri adventure camp here with trekking and hiking options to allure the adventure enthusiasts. While you are out there in Yelagiri, do not forget to check out the Nilavoor Lake and Amirthi Zoological Waterfalls.

Things to Do in Yelagiri

Summer Festival:

It is organized in the summer season, between May and June. It is a famous festival among the locals and is celebrated with pomp and vigour. Many govt. officials also make appearances here. 

Adventure Camp:

Adventure Camp in Yelagiri Hills offers a bundle of tourist activities such as mountain climbing, paragliding, trekking and hiking etc. This is a must-visit place for all the adrenaline lovers that want to chase the extremes of nature. 

The trip from Chennai to Yelagiri hills – One Day Itinerary

• Start from Chennai at 5 am and reach Yelagiri Hills by 10 am.

• Enjoy breakfast at the city centre and enjoy trekking to Jalagamparai Falls. Take lunch after coming back from there.

• Visit Punganur Lake and hike to Swamimalai Hills. Relax a little bit in the lovely valleys and come back in the early evening hours. 

• Visit Nature Park and travel back to Chennai.

• Or, you can also plan a stay of one more day to enjoy yourselves at the Adventure Camp as well

Yelagiri Hills offers many other exciting places nearby as well. So, we recommend planning a 2-day trip at least. Or, you can also explore the place over a few weekends and enjoy the beauty of different attractions at different times. Find cheap self-drive car rental options at IndusGo and get the best value out of every rupee you invest!

So, the hills are calling you; are you listening??

Why IndusGo?

chennai to Yelagiri can be travelled via two routes, one through Vellore and another through Kanchipuram. Both these routes have amazing scenic beauty. If you travel by bus or a community vehicle, you can't stop anywhere and will definitely miss the passing scenes. You do not want to miss this mesmerizing natural beauty. After all, long drives are meant to have a nice time with your friends and family. Car rental is the best-suited option in such a case, so you can explore and experience each place and can roam around without depending on anybody else.With IndusGo, travel hassle-free and enjoy every bit of your journey with the best car rental services in Chennai and Yelagiri. It's a one day drive and you can choose your car rental for a round trip or one-way trip. You can also choose to travel with a driver by simply booking our car rental service with a driver in case you do not want to drive for 4-5 hours. We have various types of cars depending on the number of people travelling so that you can travel with your family and friends in a hassle-free manner.

Check out the detailed plans for IndusgGO Car Rentals in Chennai.Key features of IndusGo include easy and convenient online car booking, flexible start and endpoints, low-security deposit, and Instant refund. IndusGo is also renowned for its 24/7 customer support to help you at any point in time. We have a fleet of fully insured cars that make your travel worth every penny. Choose your perfect ride for a perfect road trip.