Vagamon Hill Station - Wagamon Hill Station

General Information:
Country : India
State : Kerala
District : Idukki
Nearest AirPort: : Cochin
Nearest Railway Station : Kottayam
Category: : Hill Station
Type: : Honey Moon/Vacation/ Adventure/ Family Vacation/Site seeing
Height above sea level: : 1100 meters above sea level
Best Time to visit: : August to May is the best season to visit the Vagamon.

Weather:

Temperature: Between 10 and 25 degree Celsius.

Pleasant, humid weather.
Vagamon is a hill station noted for its misty meadows, splashing waterfalls, and exciting trekking paths. The Vagamon hill station offers you a unique and different environment in comparison to other hill stations of Kerala. Besides, being abundant in natural beauty, the place also offers space for spiritual activities. The peaceful surroundings with cool and soft breeze blowing across the valley makes it a perfect place for meditation.

One of the most beautiful places in Kottayam, Vagamon hill station is a beautiful place and a much sought after tourist destination. The hill station is located at a height of around 1100 meters above sea level. The steep slopes make it an ideal place for trekking and many trekkers are often seen here trekking on the hills. The lush green hills have a picturesque view of beautiful tea gardens, green meadows and valleys filled with mist. Known as one of the most literate place in Kerala, Wagamon hill station provides its visitors with the ultimate holiday experience and never ever fails to enthrall with its enchanting beauty.

Vagamon hill station is comprised of a beautiful series of hillocks, valleys and cascading waterfalls that make it the ideal getaway for tourists. Take a walk along the narrow, mist covered zigzag roads that wind up the hills and experience true bliss. For adventure seekers, there is an option of trekking, para gliding or rock climbing. The hill station has a chain of 3 beautiful hills called Thangal hill, Murugan hill and Kurismala that give an enchanting feel to this beautiful hill station. So visit Vagamon hill station to experience eternal bliss and peace of mind.

Places to visit

Thangal Para 
A unique rock formation, sacred to the Muslims located in the Thangal hill. Near the rock formation lies the the tomb (durgah) of Sheikh Fariduddin, a Sufi saint from Afghanistan who lived and died here about 800 years ago. It is believed that the huge rock formation was originally a small stone used by the saint to grind pan which grew enormously. During the annual 'Urus' Festival hundreds of devotees visit this place. There is also an ancient cave in this picturesque place, and it's an adventurous and thrilling trek through the cave. The place is accessible by jeep, but during monsoons the jeeps may not go up till the rock cluster. For trekkers, there are painted white arrows showing the way and at the top a narrow path leads to the tomb.

Mooppanpara
It is a v- shaped gorge, one of the popular view points also known as a suicide point. The view from the top of the exhausting climb is spectacular.

Murugan Hill
Murugan Hill is very close to Thangal Para, and there is a Murugan temple here dedicated to Lord Muruga with beautiful carvings.

Pine Valley 
The pine valley filled with enchanting tall pine trees makes it a nature-lover's favourite spot. A walk through the misty valley is a beautiful experience especially during monsoon when dewdrops cluster on the pine leaves.  

Kurisumala (Mountain of the Cross) 
One of the tourist attractions in Vagamon is the Kurisumala, a sky-scraping mountain with a small church- the St.Sebastian's Church (Phone: 04869-248293), on its peak. A Christian pilgrim center in Kerala, it is about 10km from Vagamon. Hundreds of devotees from far and near climb the hill during the holy week carrying wooden crosses, just like in Malayattoor, a major pilgrimage center in Ernakulam district. The place which is ideal for trekking, looks like a difficult terrain to climb from the ground, but there are enough paths around the steeper inclines. Kurishumala can also be visited by jeep from Vagamon.
Kurisumala Ashramam
There is also a monastery at the foot of the Kurisumala hill called Kurisumala Ashramam, yet another place worth visiting in Vagamon. Set up in 1958 by the Belgian Francis Acharya and British Fr. Bede Griffiths on acres of land gifted by a local landlord, the Ashram was previously open to visitors all the time, who could visit the dairy farm and the meditation center but now is closed to public because some tourists started disturbing the peace and the cows here. Known for its serene and calm atmosphere, the Ashram is run by a small community of monks who follow Christian monasticism combined with Indian spiritual traditions and Gandhian thoughts. It is why this place is called an Ashram. There is a large Om (a sacred symbol of Hinduism) in the centre of all the wooden crosses and the monks wear saffron-coloured robes and walk barefoot. They sing Christian bhajans (hymns), along with their prayers and have a satsang (spiritual meetings) every night. The Ashram monks run an organic vegetable garden, a dairy farm, milk processing center and a bio gas unit. They also supply milk to most of Vagamon under the brand 'Kurishumala Milk'. There are some strict rules and regulations at Kurishumala Ashram, such as cars are allowed only till the entry point at the base of the hill and photography and cell phones are strictly prohibited. The ashram is open till 5pm.

Contact Address :
Kurisumala Ashram
Kottayam District, Vagamon, P.O. 685503, Kerala
India
Tel: +91 4822-289177
Fax: +91 4822-215952 (Public)
Contact Now - E-mail

Theekoy Valley
Theekoy lies on the way to Vagamon. The valley offers stunning views of the surrounding zig zagging hills and there are large variety of flowers, waterfalls on either side of the road.

Major Attractions:
Kurishumala: Kurishumala is famous for the Ashram, where Christian monks from local and foreign places reside and meditate.It is a place sanctified by the breeze which blows softly across the valleys and by the overwhelming beauty of the creation, and the mediative thoughts which arise from the depth of silence.The main day of attraction is on Good Friday. This is where hundreds of devotees from far and near converge during the holy week and after to climb the hill carrying wooden crosses.

Water Falls:
The steep hill tract which provides access to the water fall area is along the ridge and there can be many pavilions along that to enjoy rain, wind, and the infinite view of the hillscapes.

Boating:
Vagamon is blessed with many serene lakes, making boating a much preferred activity. The boating facility is provided by the local resorts and hotels here.

Teekoy:
The village of Teekoy, near the origin of the Meenachil River at Vagamon, is a hill station on the Idukki-Kottayam border.A must see plce in Teekoy is Marmala waterfalls.The scenic Marmala stream and its breathtaking waterfalls are together referred as the enchantress of the jungle. Sliding down numerous hillocks from a height of 200 feet, the gushing water has etched out over the years a deep pond in the rocks.


How to Reach Vagamon

By Air
The nearest airport to the Vagamon hill station is the Cochin International Airport.

By Rail
Kottayam railway station is the nearest railway station to Vagamon hills.

By Road
Vagamon hills can be easily reached from anywhere in Kottayam, Kerala as the place is well connected by a wide network of roads.

Season Timings
Except for the monsoons which last from June till August, Wagamon can be visited at any point of the year, as the climate is cool and pleasant throughout.