Velliangiri - The South mount Kailash

Check list:

Trek Grade	Difficult (single day category)
Hydration	​2 bottles must. Hydration pack preferred.
Backpack	​20 to 25 L
Clothing	whichever is comfort. Carry a fleece as it will be windy on 6th & 7th hill at times.
Trek shoe	Most of the trekkers does with bare foot but i use shoes.
Trek Duration	Into fitness - 9 to 11 hours, beginners - 12 to 14 hours.
Time of trek	Night preferred to avoid Harsh sun and also water sources are less.
Season	Opens before Maha shivaratri and closes by end of April.

Caution - Before descending, please carefully copy the checklist. Over the past few years, there have been several casualties on this hill due to cardiac arrests. This is primarily because people underestimate this trek and come unprepared, particularly in terms of hydration. Make sure you are well-hydrated and ascend slowly through elevated areas.

How to reach:

Flight/Bus/Train - Arrive in Coimbatore, a city with excellent connectivity to major Indian cities via air, rail, and road. From Coimbatore, you can hire a taxi to Poondi, located approximately 35 kilometers away.

Public transport from Coimbatore - From the Gandhipuram bus stand in Coimbatore, there are direct buses to Poondi (Velliangiri Hills). Take bus number 14D.

Trek Day:

Three of us took a train from Chennai, boarding the Kovai Express at around 6:05 am from Chennai Central. We arrived in Coimbatore around 2 pm.

Directly across from the station is a vegetarian restaurant called 'Akshay,' where we had lunch. They offer both South and North Indian meals, along with a variety of other dishes. There isn't a suitable hotel near the base camp or starting point of the trek, so it's advisable to eat in Coimbatore or bring your own lunch boxes.

After lunch, we drove to Poondi. The GPS provides accurate directions if needed. Public transport information is mentioned above. On the way, we passed several grape farms and the route runs right next to Sadhguru’s Isha Center.

We arrived at the temple, the starting point of the trek, after a 40-minute drive, around 4 pm. There is a large parking area available with no parking fees.

Some members of our group brought Chapati, which was shared with everyone. It's essential to bring your own food since the shops along the trail only offer beverages, soups, and Sukka coffee. The small hotels near the parking area also don't provide good food. Keep in mind that food should be packed in paper, as plastic is prohibited.

Upon entering the temple compound, you'll find a shed to the right that sells bamboo walking sticks, each priced at Rs. 30. To save this money, you have two options: 1. Bring your own trekking pole, or 2. Continue to the start of the steps, where you'll find sticks left by returning trekkers on the right. You can pick one up there.

You can fill your water bottles at the temple compound. If you arrive during lunchtime, you might find the temple offering free Annadanam. They also serve breakfast in the mornings.

Since it was a full moon day, we had the opportunity to witness the Rath Yatra and the traditional dance performed by the Siddas. At 5 pm, our group proceeded to the bag check located at the entrance of the steps. The process took only about five minutes because we had already stored our excess luggage in the car and didn't carry any plastics.

I performed a final inspection of the bag, removed the head torch, and confirmed that the hydration pack was already filled. At 5:30 pm, we commenced the trek.

Here's an overview of this trek: You'll need to climb seven hills, covering a distance of 5.4 kilometers one way (as measured by my Garmin watch), totaling 10.8 kilometers for the entire trek. The first and last hills are the toughest to ascend. Completing the trek typically takes around 10 to 12 hours. These are crucial details to know before embarking on this trek.

Despite this, the Velliangiri Hills are regarded as some of the most challenging mountains to climb in South India.

With great enthusiasm and energy, it took approximately 55 minutes to conquer the first hill, which spans a distance of 0.8 km. The climb is steep and challenging. Be sure to take sufficient breaks based on your fitness level. Keep in mind that the first hill will test both your physical and mental endurance, tempting you to quit. At the top of the first hill, you'll find the Lord Vinayaka temple. Seek blessings and make sure to hydrate. There are also small shops available here.

We waited for about 15 minutes to gather there before beginning our journey to the Second Hill.

The second hill isn't very challenging. The trail consists of a combination of steps and walkable paths. After approximately 15 to 20 minutes of trekking, we arrived at the first water source.

You can refill your bottles here if needed. It took us 30 minutes to finish the second hill. At the end of this hill, there is a cave temple called Pambatti Siddhar Cave. We reached there at around 7:30 pm, taking several breaks and waiting for other team members to catch up.

The trail of the third hill is similar to that of the second hill. However, there are some difficult patches to walk through. After approximately 15 minutes of trekking on the third hill, there is a second stream. We decided to eat to regain some energy. We finished our meal (the chapati we brought), refilled our water bottles, and resumed our trek. We continued climbing the fourth hill without taking any breaks. Since it was a full moon night, we could clearly see the surrounding areas, including the Isha Foundation.

After a brief pause, we began our trek to the fifth hill around 9 p.m. It had been three and a half hours since we started the journey. The fifth hill, like the fourth and third, is also among the easier ones. On your right, you will find the Jeeva Samadhi of Ottan Siddhar, who is thought to have constructed the steps of the Velliangiri Hills.

The sixth hill begins with a flat area, and as we descend, we encounter sections where the path is severely damaged, requiring us to be careful. This is particularly important when there are people coming from the opposite direction, as it can cause traffic jams.

After descending for some time, we arrived at a sacred pond at the base of the sixth hill. It is believed that bathing here cleanses one of all sins. The water is ice-cold, so be mindful of its cleanliness. I bathed here last year but chose not to this time due to the crowd.

After spending a few minutes at the pond, we headed towards the Seventh Hill. We enjoyed some herbal soup and took a short break at a small stall. At 10:30 pm, we began our ascent up the steep section of the Seventh Hill. This hill tests both your physical and mental endurance before reaching the cave temple at the summit. The trail is rough and very dusty.

With several breaks, it took us an hour to reach the summit.

The crowd at the cave temple was smaller, allowing us to have an incredible darshan. This time, they permitted us to take pictures as well. At my request, the priest explained the names of the five lingas. In total, there are five lingas: three are located inside the rock cave, the fourth is the rock itself, which forms a cave, and the fifth is the seventh hill.

The five aspects of Lord Shiva—Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheshwara, and Sadasiva—are represented as Panchagiri and Panchalingas, corresponding to the panchabhutas, in Velliangiri.

Around 12:15 am, we finished the darshan and sat there for a while. We then descended to the Sixth Hill and rested for a bit.

With several breaks, we completed the trek at approximately 5:30 am, totaling 12 hours.

The time it takes can vary based on your fitness level. The first time I climbed, it took me 20 hours. Ensure you get enough rest the day before so your body can handle the trek.

Watch my vlog on https://www.youtube.com/c/batasaritraveltales for visuals.

Drop a comment if you need any details on this trek. Thanks for staying tuned!

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