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Kotagiri is a panchayat town in The Nilgiris District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Kotagiri Hillstation Tour - Kotagiri is situated at an elevation of around 1793 m above sea level and is one of the three popular hill stations located in the Nilgiris. This picturesque hill station is bounded by verdant green tea estates and offers a number of trekking options.
This old hill station has been developed around innumerable knolls and valleys. Dodda Betta Range is 22 km away. Catherine Falls, Elk Falls, Rangaswami Rock are the major attractions near this place and you can trek to these places. Kodanad View Point offers a spectacular view of the gentle sloping hills and blue hills. There is another jungle trekking
trail that leads you to a small stream of water.
The three popular trekking trails are Kotagiri - Kodanad; Kotagiri - St. Catherine Falls and Kotagiri - Longwood Shola. The Kotagiri - Kodanad trail leads you through splendid views of lush-green tea estates and magnificent Moyar River. You cross through meadows to reach Kodanad.
Places of Interest - Kotagiri Tours
Kodanad Viewing Point is accessible by road, 16 km (10 miles) from Kotagiri or about 30 minutes by vehicle. It provides a splendid view of the great Mysore Plateau to one side and the picturesque 50 acre farming cooperative called Thengu Mara Haada, which seems like a green mosaic amidst the shrubland, lazily meandering this little village is the Bhavani River.
John Sullivan's Bungalow, also known as the Pethakal Bungalow, that he built during his stay, has just been renovated and is open to the public. The Nilgiris Documentation Centre and the Nilgiris Museum is housed in the bungalow. Village walks, tastes of the local cuisine and folk life etc. are some of the activities that are organized here. It is located in Kannerimukku, about 10 minutes from the main town on the way to Naragiri village which abounds in tea plantations and beautiful views of the valleys and the mountains.
Located within Kotagiri town, Longwood forest, a pristine tropical evergreen forest is a secluded refuge for those seeking peace and quiet, it is home to the flying fox (a large arboreal squirrel) that is rarely seen, there is also a resident family of about 20 bison which can be seen grazing in the evenings just outside the forest on Milidhane road.
The Nehru park in the town is a complex which houses a temple of the Kotas, the Gandhi Maidanam which is the public playground, a Congregation centre and the Flood shelter which is used in normal times for indoor games. A private park about 3 km from the town on Coonoor road, specialises in roses and is a must see from march to June.
Other places of interest are the St.Catherine waterfalls near Aravenu, the Uyilatty falls, 15 km from kotagiri town and the 1,785 m (5,856 feet) high Rangaswamy Peak. It is a biconical peak and is the most sacred hill on the plateau, being the Holy deity of the Nilgiris people, this shrine is visited by thousands of pilgrims from the kongu region and other places yearly. According to Hindu Legend, Lord Rangaswamy used to live at Karamadai in Coimbatore district on the plains but quarrelled with his wife and came to live alone here. Two-foot prints on the rock not far from Arakadu village below the peak are stated to be the proof for this.
St. Catherine Falls (Geddhehaada Halla) is an 8 km trail. St. Catherine Falls is two step waterfalls that plummets down from a height of 250 ft. The Longwood Shola Forest is 3 km away from Kotagiri and the wild terrain offers an amazing trekking experience. Tourist require prior permission from the District Forest Officer (DFO) for taking the trekking route to explore Milidhane that leads you to the Shola Forest.
On the north west of Rangaswamy Peak after "The Denad village" is found the Rangaswamy Pillar, which is an extraordinary isolated rocky pillar rising in solitary grandeur to a height of some 400 feet narrow and has sheer sides, which are quite unclimbable. Kil-Kotagiri, Sholurmattam, Karagodumattam, Kadasholai are the places enroute to Rangaswamy peak.
Kotagiri abounds in big European style bungalows built by the British and most of them retain their englishness, are still very habitable and have been conveted into upmarket homestays. New constructions too are aplenty but at the cost of aesthetics.
There are numerous tea factories producing the famous Nilgiri tea. The famous Nilgiri thailam (Eucalyptus oil) is distilled in small shacks in a rudimentary manner.
Kotagiri also has some gold deposits, which were mined to levels possible during the days of the British rule. Presently research is going on to determine if it would be possible to extract more gold from the mines.
There is also some considerable bauxite in the area. The Nehru Park is located in Kotagiri town. Kodanad View Point is a must see location near Kotagiri for breathtaking views of the surrounding valleys and the plains.
How to Reach
By Air: The airport at Coimbatore is the nearest to Kotagiri at a distance of over hundred km.
Road & Rail: Kotagiri is well linked with the other important places in Tamil Nadu through road transport. There are regular buses to Ooty, Mettupalayam and Coonoor
Phone Number : 0091-422-2330932 / 2332063 / 2331605
Mobiles: 91 99425-87000 / 98422-55573 / 99763 19991 / 99428-99555 / 98422-33110 / 98424-30308
Contact us on our Email id : info@ooty-india.com
Our Fax No: +91 0422- 2331605
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