Vagamon, the popular hill station in Kerala Idukki district, is the perfect getaway to nature, replete with rolling hills, lush meadows, rustic hamlets, and sprawling pine valleys.
And here is some good news for the travellers.
The road from Erattupetta to Vagamon, which was under repair for a long time, has been restored and reopened for traffic. With this, all major tourist destinations on the eastern high ranges of Kottayam now remain well-connected. A journey along these routes offers stunning views of beautiful steep mountains and deep gorges.
Here are some of the roads you can choose:
Illikkal Kallu Road: All major roads that lead to Illikkal Kallu, one of the major tourist spots in the district have been renewed in the last one year.
Erattupetta-Theekoy-Adukkam-Illikkal Kallu: 20 kms from Erattupetta. The road is thoroughly navigable.
Erattupetta- Kalathookadav-Mangombu temple-Illikkal Kallu: 19 kms from Erattupetta. Travellers arriving from Pala-side may enter this route from Kalathookadavu via Panakkapalamand Plashanal- Total distance from Pala is 30 kms.
Erattupetta-Vagamon Road: This is the route through which a majority of travellers from different parts of the state reach Vagamon. The distance from Erattupetta to Vagamon is 24 kms. It also serves as the major access route to Theekoy and Thalanadu Panchayats. The road can also be used to reach Kurishumala near Vagamon- a major pilgrimage center.
It also opens access to the Marmala Aruvi (rivulet) by taking a deviation from Theekoy.
From Vagamon, travellers can also reach Kattappana and Kuttikkanam route via Elappara. Upon entering the National Highway at Kuttikkanam, travellers may also proceed to other major destinations including Thekkady. People can also reach Thodupuzha from Vagamon via Mollamattom.
Other routes:
Kanjiram Kavala -Melukavu – Nellappara – Illikkal Kallu: The route opens access to Illikkal Kallu from Kanjiram Kaval along the Erattupetta- Thodupuzha road. The distance from Kanjiram Kavala is 16 kms and the total distance from Thodupuzha is 31 kms.
Erattupetta – Thalanad -Kalakkood -Illakkal Kallu: The road provides access to the bottom of the Illikkal Kallu peak. By taking this route, one may not be able to reach the key viewpoint of the destination by road. This road, however, offers several stunning viewpoints. The distance from Erattupetta is 17 kms.
Ilaveezhapoonjira Road: One may enter the new road to Ilaveezhapooonjira from Melukavu by taking a deviation from Kanjiram Kavala along the Erattupetta-Thodupuzha road. The distance from Kanjiram Kavala is around 7.5 kms while that from Erattupetta is 24 kms.
Travellers may also reach the destination from Pala by proceeding along the Thodupuzha route and taking a deviation from Kollappally to reach Melukavu Mattom. The total distance from Pala is estimated to be around 30 kms. From Thodupuzha, one will have to travel some 21 kms to reach the destination.
