Introduction

Coonoor is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiri Hills at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level. Coonoor essentially is a small tea garden town at a lower elevation than Ooty. The often misty and year round cool weather makes it perfect for tea plantations. Coonoor is a popular base for a lot of Nilgiri treks. Trails lead up to Lambs Rock, Lady Cannings’s Seat and Dolphin’s Seat among other lesser known ones. These are popular uphill viewpoints providing excellent view of the Coimbatore plains and the vast tea and coffee plantations. Law’s Fall (5 kilometers) is another famous trek trail leading further to Droog. Droog has ruins of a 16th century fort atop a 750 meters high hill and is surrounded by many springs said to have medicinal properties.

Coonoor is also famous amongst bird watchers for its large variety of bird species like cormorants, thrushes, parakeets, pipits, skylarks, Nilgiri verditer, etc. Like Ooty’s Botanical Garden, Coonoor has Sims Park. Spread over 12 hectares, it houses a thousand varieties of trees, plants and flowers and even has a small lake. The park is open to public from 9:30 a.m. till 4:30 p.m. and is a favourite with walkers. Coonoor, though located so close to Ooty, is a very different experience. It also plays home to many luminaries from the Indian Armed Forces. Post retirement Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw resided here till his death.

You can also take the short train ride between Ooty and Coonoor for a quick experience of the famous Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

Special Attributes

Trekking paradise for the adventurous

Nuisance

The site is very peaceful and free of irritants.

Dressing restrictions

Feel free to wear comfortable clothing. Carry some warm clothing as Ooty has a cold climate.

Connectivity

Train, Bus, Taxi

Enjoyed by

All

Exposure

Carry sunglasses to beat the high altitude sun exposure.

Also carry some warm clothing to beat the chill wind.

Avoidable Season

June, July

Facilities

Restaurants and trekking routes

Things Not Allowed

Weapons and Liquor

Tip

Check with your guide and adventure tourism organizations on the upcoming treks.

Type of site

Hill Station