Discover Yelagiri 2.0

Yelagiri, once known as the poor man's Ooty, has undergone a makeover, and this newer version of the hill station in Tamil Nadu is worth a visit.

- Kayal Arivalan

A quick getaway option from both Chennai and Bengaluru, the quiet and little-explored hill station of Yelagiri is a collection of 14 hamlets scattered across 30 square kilometres at an elevation of 3,500 feet. Getting there is stress free, because there are few curves and dangerous hairpin bends. Once owned by the Yelagiri zamindar family, the town was taken over by the Indian government in the early 1950s and promoted as a tourist destination. The hill station is pleasant year-round, but the best time to visit is from November to February.

And, now, Yelagiri, earlier ranked low on the list of tourism destinations in Tamil Nadu, has undergone a makeover.