Jawadhu Hills and Yelagiri Hills are practically just 4hr drive from Chennai. I’ve known it for ages, yet I was always hesitant to visit. Maybe I was unsure, or maybe I’d simply misjudged if they were worth my time. The primary reason? I let myself be bound by the words of others, the people who so casually labelled these places as “Nothing to see” and “Boring.”
Little did I know, this trip would ultimately lead to the moment I struck the number one dream off my bucket list.
First Solo Camping Trip: Embracing the Raw
With Independence Day falling on a Friday, I had a long weekend staring me in the face, practically begging for an adventure. Naturally, no one wanted to come. Even the friends who might have been tempted weren’t interested in the rawness of real travel. So, I decided it would be just me and my stressed-out mind, desperate for a break in the arms of nature.
Exoticamp: A Leap of Faith (and ₹7K)
I was going back and forth with my plans when an Exoticamp post—or was it an ad?—popped up on Instagram. I dove into their page and website, exploring all the packages. That’s when I came across the 3-Days, 2-Nights trip to Jawadhu and Yelagiri Hills. I was extremely hesitant; how authentic were they? However, the TTDC (Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation) partnership was the tiny anchor I needed.
I trusted them, but only after two nights of intense head-scratching. If the trip was on the 15th, I booked it on the morning of the 14th. ₹7,200 puff—just like that. Primarily, I knew executing everything myself at the last minute would be a hustle I was not up for.
The package was attractive, especially since I don’t have high expectations while traveling, except for safety (which I know is never truly guaranteed). It was a risky move.
Exoticamp Website: https://www.exoticamp.com/
The Stubborn Standoff
I chose to avail their travel support and paid extra. Then, lucky me, I got a text saying no one was coming from Chennai, so I’d have to cancel. A while later, they confirmed three people were coming. Since it was a small group, they had to book a cab instead of a van, and demanded extra pay. I denied it, bringing the plan to the brink of cancellation. Thanks to my stubbornness, they relented and agreed to the original payment. No extra. Arigato, kamisama.
Independent Independence Day
Since I was unsure if I was even going, I hadn’t packed. On the 14th night, I rushed home and packed in a hurry-scurry, with zero clarity on what a camping trip required. The next morning, I rushed to my pickup point at the Koyambedu metro entrance, bought a sandwich, and waited for an hour.
A group had been created the night before, and all I could sense was that everyone in the group was a man except me. My parents, who are confident enough to send me to Thailand alone, were slightly anxious about this trip. I might have looked calm, but I was scared as well. Still, I was confident in my ability to protect myself. With the pepper spray sneaked into my bag and a trusty pen, I figured I could take down anyone.
Back at the pickup point, I was observing and betting with myself, guessing who my fellow travelers would be. Funnily enough, I spotted a family—Mom, Dad, and a baby girl—and had a hunch they were joining. I have a PhD in guesswork. The two men sipping coffee near Madras Coffee House and the family inside the A2B were, indeed, my co-passengers.
Our host/driver, Siva, picked us up at exactly 8:30 AM. I sat in the single seat on the extreme back of the Renault Triber. We exchanged introductions, and the journey began. I worked for a bit, but that crappy sandwich I bought for breakfast knocked me right out. After 4-5 hours, we reached Moon Restaurant, close to our base camp in Jawadhu Hills.
The scenery was extremely rural. The smells, the colours—everything screamed the mood I was hoping for. To be honest, an immediate short break from the routine was the only justifiable expectation I had. Jawadhu Hills, to be honest is not everyone’s cup of hot chocolate.
Jawadhu Hills: Rawness and Reroutes
Did we experience everything listed in the package? Not quite. The itinerary promised a 2:00 AM visit to the Observatory, but it had been shut down for a while. Instead, we went pedal boating after lunch. This is how many activities in the itinerary quietly disappeared due to circumstance.
I went for the boating, and of course, the men in the group didn’t let me pedal for more than a single attempt. My first-timer brain struggled with the limitations, but I had fun and started becoming friends with Sriram. He’s a data analyst, two years younger than me, and also a solo traveler. So is Srinath, a businessman and solo traveler, maybe four or five years older. After boating, the three of us sat and chit-chatted about work, life, and ourselves as individuals.
More people started arriving for the camping package: lots of families, some friends, and one unique group with a Golden Retriever. Probably the most adventure-driven dog on the trip. I was just sitting, chilling, watching the dogs and people, absorbing every bit of the scenery and the sheer joy of life’s simple, fleeting moments. And I made sure, I used less moment capturing things and more moment experiencing the energy. I guess I have done justice considering the less number of photos I took. This is also the reason why I didn’t take my camera to this trip.
The Dome Tent and the Blackout
By 5:00 PM, we started toward the Jawadhu campsite. Our Renault Triber climbed the steep incline like it was eating a piece of cake, while all the sedans really went through a toss. The campsite owner introduced the area: Jawadhu is a pollution-free space, not just air but light as well, something the government-run observatory takes seriously.
Two native breed dogs greeted everyone. While the tent assignments were happening, I scoped out the beautiful viewpoint overlooking the thick, luscious green mini-forest beneath the site. Multiple dome tents were set up, and I was eyeing one particular tent gently kissed by the setting sun. It became mine. I was glad to be the only female solo traveler; otherwise, they would have forced me to sleep with a random person, like how Sriram and Srinath were paired.
Looking back, that evening felt like the longest. After some point, the entire space went blackout to avoid light pollution, so we moved around with torchlights. I was lucky to have brought one, and since I had two phones, using the mobile light was handy, too. With no charging point inside the tent, everyone was hustling to find a spot in the campsite office.
I rested in my dome, feeling a wash of relief: “Wa… finally made it. I made it safe. So far, I am safe.”
The Beautiful Nights Of Jawadhu Hills Beyond the Noisy Crowd
As it got darker, the campfire was set up in a beautiful spot with the perfect view: the dark jungle beneath and the far-off twinkling lights of homes. I put on my earphones and completely ignored the noise. The crowd was full of too many families and pampered kids, which was a bit annoying. My CMF earbuds protected me well enough. I turned away from the campfire and admired the beauty of the darkness, the breeze, and the wild energy of Mother Nature.
Dinner was delicious: chapati, veg gravy, chicken gravy, and a sweet. While eating, I started talking to a lovely young couple from Pondicherry who had come on their bike and run a small rural library. We spent a while sharing ideas and stories.
The night was noisy—kids and parents gossiping. Fortunately, I was diligent about locking my tent, so I didn’t struggle with insects. Later, there was heavy wind and rain, but not nearly as bad as what was coming in Yelagiri. I worked for a bit, put on my buds, and slept.
Day 2: Kayaking and Karishma
The morning plan was a small trek. I decided to skip going with the unruly gaggle. I woke up, chilled at the campfire viewpoint, sipped water, listened to music, and chatted with an uncle who had also skipped the trek. After a while, I roamed the forest area alone and came back. I worked a bit, showered, and waited for everyone to return.
Kayaking Fiasco
After breakfast, we were off to the next activity: Kayaking. I’d never done it before. It ended in the most hilarious way—and sadly, no one captured it. Sriram, Srinath, and I got into one kayak and literally went and got stuck in the mangrove forest. No one came to save us; we saved ourselves. We struggled so badly. We were terrible at it, trying to row left but spinning in the same spot. God, I wish someone had recorded that! It was so funny.
Afterward, I watched others, sitting and admiring how Joe (The Golden Retriever) was having a blast kayaking.
Towards Yelagiri
We headed to Moon Restaurant for lunch. I had meals, as always—the safe option when you’re unsure about the local food while traveling.
The view from Jawadhu to Yelagiri was extremely beautiful, slightly reminiscent of the ride from Sikkim to Darjeeling. I reminisced for a moment and then slept again. The Triber is probably the only car that has ever put me to sleep. Yelagiri—or Yercaud—I’d always wanted to visit. It was finally happening. I knew there was “nothing to see”; they are just small hills, but I have a thing for hills.
The trail was dotted with tall birchwood trees and huge honeycombs—I must have seen over 20. We crossed Yelagiri town and reached the campsite. Many people from our group had already left, having only signed up for Jawadhu. We met new people at the Yelagiri site.
The weather felt weird, but the scenery was off the charts. I got my dome finalized—a small, sturdy-looking one in the corner. Unlike Jawadhu, the bedding was already prepared. But the dome smelled weird; they used some yucky room freshener. It was a bit suffocating, but I went in and lay down. Then, bam—a heavy rain and wind hit. I honestly thought the tent and I were going to get thrown away.
The Bucket List Moment: Fireflies
When the rain stopped, I opened the tent to find the surrounding area a bit flooded. Most tents were drowned, except mine. Lucky me. The view was beautiful, with clouds slowly descending to touch us.
As the sun set, Sriram knocked on my tent and dragged me out to the campfire base, which was now buzzing with young people from all over. They were playing songs: June Ponal July Kaatreee… No one can stop you from vibing to that.
It was wet, but we were sitting, singing, and enjoying. A kid was celebrating his 2nd birthday. He was absolutely loved. I’ll remember his parents for a long time—older parents, full of love, who did a trek because their 2-year-old son asked for it. The mother struggled, but she did it anyway.
After the celebration, the karaoke session, campfire, BBQ, and dinner were all set. It was a beautiful night, and for me, it was the night I struck off the first wish on my bucket list.
After dinner, as they set up to fly the lantern, I saw it. It was the moment I had been dreaming of my entire life.
Fireflies!
It was magic in bug form. Such a tiny creation, with such magnificence.
I cried. I literally cried. No one knew. People might think it’s cringe, but for me, that meant everything. I said to myself, “Glad I didn’t die by 2017. Glad I didn’t die.” I would have missed witnessing this spectacular creation of nature. I saw 2-4 of them—a small number, but it was generous for me.
Later, I sat around the campfire with a bunch of young friends from Mumbai, playing random games. I tried to run away from the immense pressure to communicate, but I ended up sitting and admiring the night. Sriram and I talked for a while, and then I sat alone, absorbing the energy of nature that was slowly soothing me inside out. I finally slept around 12:30 AM.
Day 3: The Spider Jungle Trek
I woke up by 5:30 AM, opened my tent, and felt the reality of being in the center of a space surrounded by an absolutely pretty medowed vastness. I took a chair, sat at a perfect viewpoint, and enjoyed every bit of the moment in quietness.We crossed the Yelagiri town and ultimately reached to campsite. Lot of people in our group has already left as they have signed up only for Jawadhu hills, later we met new people at Yelagiri campsite.
We crossed the Yelagiri town and ultimately reached to campsite. Lot of people in our group has already left as they have signed up only for Jawadhu hills, later we met new people at Yelagiri campsite.
After some tea and a biscuit, we packed up and started for one of the most badass treks.
The Wrong Shoes and Comradeship
I was extremely hesitant. I was wearing the wrong shoes—casual sneakers—for a rocky forest trek. Who in their bloody right mind does that? Me.Eventually, thanks to peer pressure, I risked my life that day inside the spider jungle. There were huge, huge spiders nestled right above our heads. The forest gave off a supreme energy—it knew it was powerful and had its own incomprehensible aura.
Eventually, thanks to peer pressure, I risked my life that day inside the spider jungle. There were huge, huge spiders nestled right above our heads. The forest gave off a supreme energy—it knew it was powerful and had its own incomprehensible aura.
Our guides stopped by a stream and said, “There are two ways: easy and adventurous.” Of course, we ended up going through the adventurous path with my completely unsuitable shoes. I was praying to the Kamisama of the Jungle to protect me. I decided to risk it.
It was all rocks, water, slippery rocks, slides, and scratches—full-on adventure. The group split again, and I ended up with complete strangers. Eventually, I was adopted by two couples from Kerala who realized I was alone and in trouble. My shoes were a liability, so I removed them. It was still slippery, but eventually, I started to get the grip. Moving around with my heavy shoes was its own challenge.
Yet, we had fun. We laughed and laughed, doing all sorts of stunts—especially when I tried to throw my shoes to the sand space opposing the stream, and they landed exactly in the stream.
We reached the waterfall, our final destination, alive. I still vividly remember every bit of it.
A Lesson in Humanity
It was comradeship. I felt genuine kindness. You know, I’m very bad at humanning because I grew up spending more time with trees, plants, animals, and insects. My social skills are acquired, and I have very bad trust issues when it comes to humans. But when I see people who go out of their way to protect a stranger, I find it exhilarating. I wanted to be like them. I have an affinity toward good people. I find them the coolest. I love how there are still people out there who strive to be more good.
The Wrap-Up
We returned and went to an adventure park. It was a stupid, extremely boring park. At least I tried shooting and archery for the first time. I seem to have some innate skill for that—should I learn it properly?
We started our journey back. It was heavy traffic—Sunday, everyone returning home after the long weekend. It took a freaking 6-7 hours to reach home. But it was worth it.
I was safe. On the return, it was just me, Siva, Sriram, and Srinath. I listened to the interests of men: their conversations on music, life, family and food. Yes, men are emotional beings; I hope they often sit and talk like those three were blabbering random things.
It was an exhilarating adventure. Short, but worth every single ₹7,200 spent.
Check out my instagram page especially story highlights to have a glimpse of other unshared videos from the trip.
A Solivagant's Shoes 