Ride to Vagamon & Idukki, Kerala

[Venkatesh Kumar A]

Chennai – Vagamon – Idukki – Chennai; 3 Days; 1350 Kms​

Having a road trip with your friends during the holidays is always a dream and a memorable experience for every one of us. Here is mine!!

Actually we are planning it for more than a month for this Vagamon trip, around 10 of us were decided to go but unfortunately 2 of them couldn’t join us.

The riders & their machine details are as follow
1. Venkatesh Kumar – TVS Apache RR310 (Myself)
2. Vigneshwar – Benelli TRK 502
3. Prem – Royal Enfield Meteor 350
4. Murali – TVS Apache RR310
5. Mani – Yamaha R15
6. Parthiban - KTM Duke 200 (from Madurantakam, joined from there)
7. Logu - Yahama R15 (from Palani, joined us from Theni)
8. Rajapriyan – Suzuki Gixxer SF150 (from Kovilpatti, joined us from Theni)
9. Sashi – Kawasaki Ninja 300 (he is Sick during the trip, so not able to join us)
10. Rajesh – Kawasaki Ninja 400 (he has to attend an office meeting, so not able to join us)

Summary of the Trip
Total Distance Covered: 1354 Kms
RR310 Fuel Consumed: 41.23 Ltrs (Rs 4332)
RR310 Mileage: 32.84 Kmpl
Cruising Speed Approx. for 900 Kms in highways: 90 – 110 Kmph
Cruising Speed other than highways around 450 Kms: < 70 Kmph
Food, Stay & Other expenses (other than fuel): Rs 4560
Total Expenses of the Trip: Rs 8892

We started planning this trip 10 days before itself. Accordingly we booked the room for 10 members who are interested to join this trip, 1 no. x 2 bhk Flat with Balcony(Rs 5000 per day) & 1 no. x 1 bhk room(Rs 2000 per day) in Hotel VAGAMON HILL CHIMES, Vagamon(just 2 -3 kms from main town). But on final day we came to know that 2 of us are not going to join our ride. The below is the initial plan

As per our plan, on 14th April early morning we all (5 members) assembled at Vandalur around 3.45 AM, and started our ride at 4.00 AM. Around 5 AM we stopped at Madurantakam Karupatti Coffee Shop, there we planned to meet Parthiban, he waited for us and there we had a cup of tea/coffee at that shop and started our ride at 5.30 AM from there. Around 8.15 AM we stopped for breakfast nearby Samayapuram in an AB restaurant located with BP outlet, there we had our breakfast and fuelled our bikes. After that started back around 9.30 AM, our target is to reach Theni for Lunch around 1 PM, so that other 2 members(Logu – from Palani & Rajapriyan – from Kovilpatti) can also join us from there. As planned we reached Theni, and other 2 member also joined us in THENI-KUMILY highways, there we searched for a hotel and had our lunch around 1.30 – 2.30 PM.

Picture 01 Tea Break @ Sengurichi Toll Gate

Picture 02 Tea Break @ Sengurichi Toll Gate

Picture 03 Breakfast @ BP outlet with AB Restaurant(Nearby Samayapuram)

Picture 04 Fuelling @ BP outlet with AB Restaurant(Nearby Samayapuram)
​

Actually we didn’t stopped in a right restaurant, for lunch we got only curd & tomato rice there, after that we had juice over there and then we started our ride. Before entering Kerala we decided to fuel here in Tamilnadu (because of high price in Kerala). As planned we crossed Tamilnadu-Kerala Border entered KUMILY and reached the gate of PERIYAR TIGER RESERVE FOREST CHECKPOST around 3.30 – 4.00 PM to go to Thekkady dam boating spot. There polices were restricted to cross the checkpost with bikes. Only Jungle Forest Office Vans are permitted to enter there. Officer there guided us to go by van, but we guys are not interested to go by van, also it is not easy for us to go there by carrying all our luggage’s, riding jackets & helmets. So we decided to skip the visit to Thekkady dam and planned to have a tea break and then move towards Vagamon.

Route between Thekkady and Vagamon is not so good, distance is just 50 kms but it takes much time to travel. Google direct us towards small and narrow route. The route is scenic, everywhere it is greenies. Around 5 PM we stopped at a place for half an hour to take some photos.

Picture 05 Nearby by Ayyappancoil, Kerala

Picture 06 Nearby by Ayyappancoil, Kerala

Picture 07 Nearby by Ayyappancoil, Kerala (Members from left to Right: Rajapriyan, Logu, Venkatesh, Prem, Vigneshwar, Mani, Murali & Parthiban)

Picture 08 Nearby by Ayyappancoil, Kerala

Picture 09 Nearby by Ayyappancoil, Kerala
​

After the short break, we started our ride towards the hotel, it’s just half an hour drive from there. Around 6.30 PM, we reached the hotel, we parked the bike & removed all the luggage’s from the bike and kept it inside the room, the room looks clean and spacious. We refreshed ourselves and ordered food there itself & had our dinner.

The next day morning we all wake up around 6.30 AM and get ready for the outing. In hotel itself we had our breakfast, they provide it as complimentary. At 9.00 AM we started our bike to go to ILLIKKAL KALLU spot. The location where we went is beautiful; just 45 minutes drive from the hotel. First few kms of the road is wide and good, after that it becomes very narrow & steep. Actually we didn’t use the main route, we just went there in short route because of google maps. In that ILLIKKAL KALLU tourism area, we have to park our vehicle 2.5 kms before the sightseeing spot. From there we have to go to the spot either by their jeep or by walk. For jeep up & Down and entry ticket per head is around Rs 60. We paid it & reached the spot and enjoyed there for another 2 hours(short trek around 300 meters towards top of the peak & took photos).

Picture 10 Morning Sunrise From Hotel Balcony

Picture 11 Breakfast at Hotel

Picture 12 Illikkal Kallu Spot Parking

Picture 13 Illikkal Kallu Spot Parking

Picture 14 Illikkal Kallu Spot

Picture 15 Illikkal Kallu Peak

Picture 16 Illikkal Kallu Peak

Picture 17 Illikkal Kallu Peak

Picture 18 Illikkal Kallu Peak

Illikkal Kallu Spot
​

Afterthat we started from there and went to ULLUPUNI TOP STATION, just 40 minutes ride from there. Last 5 kms to the top station is very very steep, and not easy to drive for new riders, in that last 2 kms is full of off-roading. As a biker, we really enjoyed the spot. Full of greenies, sceneries & grasslands, nothing was there in the top I mean shops or peoples. Other than bike & off-road jeep, no private vehicles can reach that spot, because the last 2 kms is very narrow, opposite vehicle can’t cross even between bike & Car. This is a different kind of location we all enjoyed and liked that spot. In another half an hour we left that place, this time we went in different route in opposite direction. After 2-3 kms we were connected to a narrow main road, that road is too worst. Fully potholes & patches for another 4 – 5 kms, this is shortest main route from that spot to Vagamon town.

Picture 19 On The Way To Ullupuni Topstation

Picture 20 At Ullupuni Topstation

Picture 21 At Ullupuni Topstation

Picture 22 At Ullupuni Topstation

Picture 23 At Ullupuni Topstation

Picture 24 At Ullupuni Topstation

Picture 25 At Ullupuni Topstation

Ullupuni Top Station Off-Roading

Ullupuni Top Station Off-Roading Video-2​

We all enjoy the ride to ILLIKKAL KALLU & ULLUPUNI TOPSTATION, and at 2.30 PM we returned back to Vagamon town to have lunch. We had tasty food there at reasonable cost. After lunch around 3.30 PM, we ride towards the Vagamon ADVENTURE PARK, there so many entertainment rides such as Zipline, Paragliding, etc. are there. We guys are interested to see paragliding, so we took the entry ticket & bike entry fees both of Rs 30 per head at the gate and ride towards paragliding spot. Its different feel, it’s rare to see this kind of adventures activities here in India, this paragliding is available only during the month April & May, so most of the people there are interested in that only. In our group, 3 of us interested to ride that, and enjoyed the Paragliding ride. Its 20 minutes ride cost Rs 3800 per head, if we need to take photos/videos means additional Rs 700 to pay that includes the new memory card cost.

Picture 26 Paragliding At Vagamon Adventure Park

Paragliding @ Vagamon Adventure Park
​

Next, we went to VAGAMON MEADOWS, now the time is around 5.30 PM, almost half of the Vagamon touristers are there in that park only. It’s a grasslands park, we spend another 1 hour there and then returned to hotel.

Picture 27 Vagamon Meadows
​

Around 7 PM, we reached the hotel, we refreshed ourselves and ordered the food, and had it.

Picture 28 Hotel Vagamon Hill Chimes​

Next day morning we all woke up early and had our breakfast there in the hotel, and packed all our luggages and started our ride towards Idukki dam. Its 70 km from our location, took almost 3 hours to reach the destination including short break in between. We reached the Idukki, actually there are 2 Dams, one is Idukki Dam & another is Cheruthoni Dam. Main tourist spot there was Cheruthoni Dam spot, which is main spot for Visitors & for boating also. There we took the entry ticket Rs 20 per head and walked over the Cheruthoni dam. Here the main thing is we should not carry mobile phones or cameras, mainly electronic items are not allowed. Next thing is this the only entry for both the dam, total distance is almost 2 kms, we are in the noon time, climate was hot, so we walked only in the Cheruthoni dam, and not covered the Idukki dam. If anyone wants to visit both the dam means Buggy(small trailer like vehicle) is available there, its cost around Rs 400 for a ride.

Picture 29 On The Way to Idukki Dam

Picture 30 Cheruthoni Dam

Picture 31 Idukki Dam Viewpoint​

Around 1 PM we started our ride back to Chennai. Around 3 PM we crossed Kerala-Tamilnadu border, and around 3.30 PM we stopped for lunch at Chinnamannur.

Picture 32 At the Foothill nearby Chinnamannur

Picture 33 At Theni​

After lunch we started our ride, and at 5 PM we were at Theni highways, there 2 of our members get separated and they travel to their places. Rest we all ride towards Chennai. Around 2 AM we reached our home.

The below is our expenses detail during the trip without fuel cost.

​

Thank you all for spending your precious time for reading my riding experience.

 

[BalajiN]

Nice travelogue and I enjoyed reading it.Kudos to you for a well planned trip.