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At a distance of 230 km from Chennai, 178 km from Bangalore, 145 km from Yercaud and 94 km from Vellore, Yelagiri is a hill region in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu, located in between the towns of Vaniyambadi and Jolarpettai. This is one of the best hill stations near Bangalore & Chennai. It is also one of the famous weekend getaways from Bangalore & Chennai.
Yelagiri is a cluster of 14 hamlets lie between four mountains spread over an area of 30 sq km having an altitude of 3500 ft. The tribal people who live here are engaged in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, etc. Orchards, rose gardens and green valleys, surround these hills.
The main town of Yelagiri Hills is Athanavur, which comprises a winding road through the hills with isolated villages. The Whole of Yelagiri was once the private property of the Yelagiri Zamindar Family. It was taken over by the government of India during the Early 1950s. The house of the Yelagiri Zamindars still exists in Reddiyur.
Yelagiri is also one of the famous places for trekkers. The highest point in Yelagiri is the Swamimalai Hill, standing tall at 4,338 ft with spectacular views. The hill provides a good number of trekking trails through thick reserved forests. There are other trekking options that include smaller peaks like Javadi Hills and Palamathi Hills. The Punganur Lake is a manmade lake and one of the popular attractions of the region. Paragliding is another sport that's drawing visitors. The Velavan Temple, Jalagamparai Waterfalls and Nature Park are the other attractions in Yelagiri.
Yelagiri Summer festival celebrated in May end is organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development. Stalls from different departments, flower show, various cultural programs and Dog Show with a variety of dog breeds are conducted every year. People from all over the State and other parts of the country participate in this annual festival.
Best time to visit Yelagiri Hills is in winters that are between November and February.
