Coonoor

Standing as the second largest hill station in the Nilgiris, Coonoor is positioned on the eastern side of the southern extremity of the Doddabetta range, at an elevation of 1,858 m above the sea level. The entire region is surrounded by thick vegetation of tea and holds a small tea garden town. It is set on the head of the Hulikal ravine.

The hills were discovered by the British gentleman in 1819 and in the following year he built the first bungalow. The climate of Coonoor attracts everyone and makes them visit the place again and again. Coonoor happens to be the first of the three hill stations in the Nilgiris- Ooty, Kotagiri and Coonoor – oss when passing the southern plains. It falls on the toy-train line between Mettupalayam and Ooty.

Verdant meadows, tea bushes and plethora of sunflowers, marigolds and rhododendrons, are what Coonoor is all about. Coonoor is a perfect setting for activities like trekking and hiking. Coonoor boasts a wide ranging species like cormorants, pipits, thrushes, parakeets, skylarks, Nilgiri verditer, etc. making it one of the favorite time pass place among the tourists. Coonoor is a perfect setting for activities like trekking and hiking.

Coonoor is also idyllic surroundings for filmmakers, both from India and abroad. It also happened to be the backdrop for David Leans movie A Passage to India (1984) based on E. M. Fosters novel. There are quite a lot of viewpoints and picnic spots around it such as the Dolphins Nose Viewpoint at a distance of just 10 km from Coonoor, Catherine Falls, Lambs Rock, Lady Cannings Seat, Sims Park, Laws Falls, Ralliah Dam and Droog.