Vagamon Heights

After enjoying the morning Jeep drive to Ullupooni, we decided to relax at the resort. For the evening, we planned to visit Vagamon Heights, following the suggestion of the resort staff.

We could drive our vehicle to Vagamon Heights, which is on the outskirts of the main Vagamon city. From there, it's a 15-minute Jeep drive to the activities area.

Vagamon Heights offers various activities for visitors, such as boat rides, kayaking, zip-lining, rock climbing, and more. We could choose activities based on our interests. The package included a Jeep drive and a couple of activities. We opted for the boat ride, kayaking, and zip line.

If you go for the complete package, it's around Rs. 1400/- for all the activities. However, since we chose specific activities, we got it for Rs. 500/-, which included the Jeep ride, boat ride, and kayaking. Later, we paid an additional Rs. 200/- for the zip line.

I was expecting it to be crowded, but fortunately, the place was peaceful, and we had a great time exploring the activities around.

It sounds like a good and peaceful place to spend some quality time with family and friends.

Uluppuni Wildlife Sanctuary

When we planned our trip to Vagamon, we had a list of places to visit. However, upon seeing the crowd in the city, we decided to spend our time at the resort. While chatting with a resort member, he suggested trying the Ulupunni Wildlife Sanctuary. He explained that there’s a quick 3-hour tour package, starting with a Jeep ride to the Sunrise point, followed by visits to various viewpoints.

They asked us to be ready by 5:30 AM, and the jeep was punctual, providing us with a thrilling off-road experience. We were the first vehicle to reach the viewpoint, allowing us to capture some great pictures. The drift at this point was particularly awesome.

From there, we could see the backwaters of Idukki Dam, making the view spectacular. Although it was a cloudy day and we couldn’t fully enjoy the sunrise, the morning drive was still delightful. 

Next, we headed towards Uluppuni waterfalls and caves.

The final highlight of the drive was a river crossing in the jeep, adding a fun element to our adventure.

The cost for this ride is Rs. 2,500, and one jeep can accommodate 6 to 8 members. It’s definitely worth visiting, and the place is incredibly beautiful.

Travel Tips

Distance from Bengaluru	–	550 Kms
Road Condition	–	Very Good
Nearest Town	–	Vagamon
Fuel Station	–	Vagamon
Near by places to visit	-	Vagamon, Meghamalai,

Vagamon

We planned a trip to Vagamon during the Christmas holidays, aiming for a place that wouldn’t be too crowded. Vagamon isn’t very popular, so we thought it would be less crowded.

Vagamon is about 550 kilometers away from Bengaluru, and it takes around 12 hours to reach there. To save time, we decided to drive overnight, leaving Bengaluru around 9:00 PM and arriving at our destination by 11:00 AM the next day, with a few breaks along the way.

However, as we drove, we noticed the roads were quite crowded. Seeing this, we decided to stay at the resort and relax instead of exploring further. It turns out our assumption about Vagamon being remote was wrong. The area was no longer secluded, with many tea estates transformed into homestays and resorts. Most of the surroundings were filled with homestays.

We booked a stay at Falcon Crest Resort, located on the outskirts of town, where it was comparatively less crowded. While exploring the area, we managed to take some nice pictures of birds.

The Eurasian golden oriole, also known as the common golden oriole, is the only bird in the Old World oriole family that breeds in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. During the summer, it migrates to Europe and the Palearctic. In the winter, it heads to central and southern Africa.

The Chestnut-headed bee-eater, also known as the bay-headed bee-eater, is a bird that belongs to the bee-eater family. It breeds in places like the Indian subcontinent and nearby areas, all the way from India to Southeast Asia. Like other bee-eaters, this bird is brightly colored and has a slender body.

The Long-tailed shrike, also known as the rufous-backed shrike, is a bird that belongs to the shrike family called Laniidae. These birds are found all over Asia, with different colors of feathers depending on where they are. They can be seen in many parts of Asia, both on the main continent and on the nearby islands.

The Garden sunbird, once called the olive-backed sunbird, is a type of small bird in the Nectariniidae family. These birds live in the Philippines but not on the Palawan island group.

The Verditer flycatcher is a type of bird called an Old World flycatcher. It lives in areas from the Himalayas through Southeast Asia to Sumatra. This bird is known for its unique blue color, similar to copper sulfate, and it has a dark patch between its eyes and above its bill.

We also visited Ulupunni and Vagamon Heights, where we had a great time.