Coonoor is the Darjeeling of South India. Coonoor is akin to Darjeeling from several standpoints: high-altitude location, panorama, sightseeing, toy train, tea & coffee plantation, geographical diversity and natural artifices. Nestled amidst the Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu, Coonoor is 1850 m high from sea level. This South Indian hill station has so sublime and peaceful ambience that it makes you find poetry in every corner and hear the song of some invisible “Solitary Reaper” from far. It is a small garden town with tea and coffee plantations sprawling over the wavy sides of mountains. It enjoys the buzz of bees, the chirps of birds and the music of waterfalls. A summer resort for the British in the 19th century, Coonoor invites those in quest of sublimity, solitude and soulfulness.

By now, you are surely eager to know about the popular tourist attractions in Coonoor. Indian Eagle shares a brief Coonoor travel guide with focus on what to see and what to do in Coonoor: 

Sim’s Park

Sim’s Park is the greenest among the tourist attractions of Coonoor. Spreading over a lush green landscape of 12 acres at an elevation of about 1768 meters in the valley, Sim’s Park is like a pearl in oyster. It is a garden of various flowering plants, with a boating lake. The flowery beauty of the park never fades as there are seasonal flower plants in the garden. Sim’s Park has 8 different sections, designed in different styles. The “Fruit and Vegetable Show” is a special summer attraction of the park in May.

Lamb’s Rock

Image Credit: Flickr.com

Lamb’s Rock is the ultimate destination for trekkers in Coonoor. There are trekking trails offering some taste of adventure. Lamb’s Rock is a rough, pointed cliff with steep sides hundreds of feet below. The top of the cliff commands 360 degree views of the panorama along tea and coffee plantations. The Coonoor stream flows by the foot of Lamb’s Rock. One can vividly see the Coimbatore plains from here.

Dolphin’s Nose

Image Credit: Flickr.com

Dolphin’s Nose is the best photography point in Coonoor. The mind-blowing views of the Nilgiri Hills and the Catherine Falls make it seem to be a gateway to the world of nature. It is a meeting point of several different geographical formations. There are massive ravines on both sides of Dolphin’s Nose. The confluence of the Coonoor stream and the Kotagiri stream in one of the ravines is an attraction of this viewpoint.

Catherine Falls

Catherine Falls is one of the beautiful manifestations of nature in Coonoor. Also known as St. Catherine’s Fall, it falls from a height of 250 feet. The beauty of the waterfall can be seen and photographed from the nearby point Dolphin’s Nose. The top of the fall can be climbed on to along a vertical passage. The view of the fall is immensely impressive from the top.

The things to do in Coonoor

Trekking is the most popular activity in Coonoor. The beauty of this hill station in the Nilgiri Hills hangs along the trails from the foot to Lamb’s Rock. Photography and adventure on the way add to the excitement of trekking to Lamb’s Rock and Dolphin’s Nose. There are tea and coffee plantations sprawling on both sides of the trails. A walk through the plantations is as refreshing as the atmosphere. The greenery soothes the eyes and the mind. A 12-km long trail runs from Lady Canning’s Seat to Dolphin’s Nose. A route for trekking runs through the Hidden Valley. The valley brims with green beauty, lush greenery and soothing views. Boating in Sim’s Park, bird watching and photography are other things to do in Coonoor.

Golfing is an emerging attraction or activity in Coonoor. Because of its exotic location amidst beautiful sights of the Nilgiri Hills, Coonoor Hill Station has lots of potential to be developed as a golf destination for sports tourists and travelers. The Wellington is one of the most contemporary golf courses in India. The picturesque beauty and inexplicable serenity of the Wellington have given rise to its attraction as a film shooting location, too.

The most wonderful part of a trip to Coonoor

Coonoor falls on the hilly way between Ooty and Mettupalayam, connected by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway. The most wonderful part of a visit to Coonoor from Ooty or Mettupalayam is journey by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, the only toy train in South India and one of the world heritage sites in India. Coonoor is close to Ooty near the top and far from Mettupalayam at the foot of the Nilgiri Hills.

Ooty is a short drive from Bangalore International Airport in Karnataka, and Mettupalayam can be reached via roadway from Chennai International Airport or Coimbatore Airport (domestic) in Tamil Nadu. Indian Eagle books the best possible flights to Bengaluru and Chennai International Airports.

The best time to visit Coonoor

Both summer and winter are the best seasons to visit Coonoor. Coonoor experiences mild temperature and pleasant weather throughout the year. It receives rainfall during monsoon from June to September. October to May is the ideal time for Coonoor sightseeing.

Fly to India this winter, visit Coonoor and travel by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway to Ooty. Get the best possible flight to Chennai and Bengaluru on IndianEagle.com.

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How to make the most of your trip to India during monsoon? No need to think hard! Book the cheapest flight to Bangalore or Chennai or Coimbatore, and set out for a journey by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway. The journey across the Nilgiri Mountains offers a rare mélange of adrenalin rush, adventuresome vibe and romantic feel. It is one of the most wonderful mountain rail journeys in India. Indian Eagle explains why you should travel by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, at least, once in lifetime.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway journey is accessible from two states of South India – Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. If you are flying to Bangalore International Airport, you can set out for a downward journey from Ooty, which is a short drive from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. Or, you can take an uphill journey from Mettupalayam in Coimbatore which is a 4-5 hour long drive from Madurai, one of the most famous temple cities of Tamil Nadu. Those on a traveling spree in South India can make a trip from Bangalore to Madurai or from Madurai to Bangalore via Coonoor on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

READ MORE  Weekend Getaways from Bengaluru

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is popularly known as the Nilgiri Toy Train which runs between Udhagamandalam (Ooty) and Mettupalayam in Tamil Nadu. Ooty, the Queen of South Indian hill stations, is at the height of 7,228 feet near the top of the Nilgiri Hills, while Mettupalayam stands at the height of 1,069 feet near the foot of the Nilgiri Hills. The uphill or downhill journey between these two stations spans over a distance of 41.8 km. The uphill journey is longer than the downhill journey in terms of timespan. The former takes nearly 5 hours, while the latter takes 3.5 hours.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway has 7 main stopovers – Kallar, Adderly, Hillgrove, Runneymede, Kateri Road, Coonoor and Lovedale – on its route between Mettupalayam and Ooty. The route features different geographic forms making it an unforgettable journey. Wavy paddy fields cover a 7-km long stretch from Mettupulayam to Kallar. The next part of the route spanning for a distance of 21 km from Kallar to Coonoor is dotted with rocky terrains. This rocky track has many twists and turns through 13 tunnels. Then, there is a steep rise from Coonoor to Fern Hill, the highest point on the route. The track runs downwards a little till Ooty.

Coonoor is the 2nd largest hill station in the Nilgiri Mountains. Located in the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu, this hill station is famous for its beautiful tea estates. The Nilgiri tea is the mainstay of Coonoor whose tourist attractions include Sim’s Park, Dolphin’s Nose, Law’s Falls, Lamb’s Rock and Droog Fort. The part of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway track running through Coonoor is landscaped by tea plantations on both sides, making is a most picturesque phase of the journey. Coimbatore International Airport is a 56-km drive, and Ooty is 18 km away from Coonoor town. You can stop by Coonoor for one-day stay during the journey.

READ MORE  Coonoor Sightseeing Guide

The uphill journey ends in Ooty, the largest hill station in the Nilgiri Mountains and the state of Tamil Nadu. Ooty is one of the most popular summer retreats and monsoon holiday destinations in South India. It is a famous film shooting location too. Ooty Lake, Rose Garden, Botanical Garden, Stone House, Tribal Museum, St. Stephen’s Church, and Wax World are the must-visit tourist attractions of Ooty. If you drive from Ooty to catch your flight at Bangalore International Airport, make sure to halt at Mysore, a historic city in Karnataka, on the way. A 3-hour long journey by buses and trains from Ooty, Mysore is famous for Mysore Palace, Chamundeshwari Temple, Kannada Literature, Mysore silk, Mysore painting, and the history of Wodeyar Dynasty.

Constructed in 1908, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The mountainous terrains had made the construction a massive challenge which was however converted into a marvel of engineering and technology. Painted in blue and cream, the train has wooden coaches with large windows which offer gripping views of the outer world. The train consists of first class and general class compartments. The first-class compartment offers a more comfortable journey than the general class. You can book a ticket or tickets within 2 months prior to the date of your journey, on IRCTC website.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway has been filmed in several travel documentaries and feature films. A few sequences in A Passage to India, a Hollywood film by David Lean, were shot at Coonoor Station. If you are a Bollywood buff, you should watch Shah Rukh Khan’s journey on the rooftop of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway passing meanderingly through the green landscapes of Coonoor, in the popular song Chaiyya Chaiyya from Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se. Moreover, Ooty has been filmed in several movies of different South Indian languages.

It is said that live in the present as there is no tomorrow. So, don’t give a second thought to the opportunity of flying to India at the lowest fare. Book your flight to Bengaluru today on IndianEagle.com.

The post Nilgiri Mountain Railway Travel from Ooty is Simply Unforgettable appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.