Karnataka Tourism: Weekend getaway From Bangalore

If you are in Bangalore and want to escape the city for the weekend there are plenty of easily accessible options. Here is a list of our favourite hill station breaks for getting away from it all.

Coorg

Nestled in south-west Karnataka lies Coorg, a small hillstation that’s often called ‘The Scotland of the East’. In Mercara or Madikeri, one finds the proud Madikeri Fort, which was built in 17th century. Here, the Raja’s Seat overlooks a deep valley and from here you can enjoy spectacular views of the sunrise and sunset. At the Abbey Falls water cascades to a depth of 70 feet into a rocky valley offering an unforgettable sight to visitors.

Tadiandamol_Pan_of_Coorg

Tadiyendamol is the loftiest peak in Coorg challenging people to climb it. Located on the banks of the river Cauvery is the Valnoor Fishing Camp where avid fishing enthusiasts can indulge in the luxury of angling for the huge game fish mahseer. Over 5000 monks reside at the Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe and it is one of the largest Tibetan settlements in the country.

Wayanad

This hill station is located in the northern part of Kerala. Its natural beauty has been left intact as it hasn’t been overrun by tourism. Wayanad is largely covered by spice plantations, paddy fields and forests. The region’s landscape is speckled with beautiful trekking trails. One important trail is the 10 hour climb to the top of the 2100m Chembra Peak, the highest point in Wayanad.

Wayanad-weekend-gateway-from-Bangalore

One of the main attractions is the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary where it is possible to see deer, bears, macaques, elephants and even tigers. Other attractions include the ancient Sree Thirunelli and Valliyurkava Bhagavathi temples and the 5000 year old prehistoric rock-art in the Edakkal Caves.

Ooty

Ooty is known as ‘the queen of the Blue Mountains’ and is a beautiful hill station located in the Nilgiris. It is known for beautiful gardens, wooded rolling hills, pine and eucalyptus forests, coffee and tea plantations, ancient tribes and monuments. Ooty’s Botanical Gardens has developed over the last 150 years, and offers over 2,000 species of flowering plants.

A popular spot amongst families is the Ooty lake. This is an artificial lake, which was constructed in the early 1800’s.

Ooty-Hill-Station

Doddabetta is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and it stands at a height of 8,640 ft above sea level. It is accessible by road and the drive offers panoramic views of the surrounding ranges and valleys. Ten minutes from the Ooty Market is a Toda Village. The Todas are one of the oldest tribes to inhabit this region and you will find beautiful Toda temples in the area. For those who want to shop, handicrafts can be purchased right from the village at great prices.

Coonoor

Coonoor is the second highest hillstation in Nilgiris and it is perched at a height of 1,856 meters above sea level. Sim’s Park in Coonoor is located at an altitude of 1798 meters and is nestled in a deep ravine. The park is famous for great views to many of Coonoor’s popular tourist spots such as Lamb’s Rock, Dolphin’s Nose and Lady Canning’s Seat.

Enjoy-Weekend-in-Coonoor

Nilgiri’s famous Toy Train is a great way to reach Coonoor. The charming train started operating over a century ago and maneuvers the rocky terrain with ease. Many songbirds like nightingales, babblers, larks and robins, whoare found in Coonoor. The Pomological Station is a feast for those interested in horticulture. Many varieties of fruits are grown here for research purposes. The Law Falls are located 7 kilometers from Coonoor and water here drops from a height of almost 200 feet.

Yercaud

Located near Salem in Tamil Nadu’s Servarayan range at an altitude of 1,500 meters is Yercaud. Yercaud’s highest point is the Servarayan temple, which is perched at a height of 5326 feet. The hills here are rich with fauna and flora, which includes bison, deer, rabbits, hares, and many other native species. The Yercaud Lake is surrounded by well-groomed gardens and thick trees. One of the best views that Yercaud can offer is at the Lady’s Seat. Panoramic view of the ghats and beyond can be seen from here. Stargazing is a lovely experience at the Lady’s Seat.

Spend-weekend-boating-in-Yercaud

The Kiliyur Falls in Yercaus fall from a majestic height of 90 feet andare popular amongst visitors.

Swaad with Sharmaji

Mountain Ranges in India

India has seven major mountain ranges having peaks of over 1000 meters. India has some of the highest mountain ranges in the world. It also has some of the world’s highest mountain roads. The Great Himalayan mountain range are the famous and highest mountain hills of India. The Himalayan mountain range bisects India from the rest of Asia, this mountains is the primary source of mighty rivers in India. These hills contain areas of exceptional natural beauty, sparking waterfalls and habitat for many species of medicinal plants, beautiful birds, unique reptiles and wild animals. Kanchanjenga is the highest peak in India and 3rd in the world, Nanda devi is the second highest mountain peak in India.

The Himalayan Range

The highest mountain range Himalayas means “abode of snow” is the one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world. By extension Himalaya Range also include the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, and other lesser ranges. Karakoram is one of the Greater Ranges of Asia. Himalaya mountain ranges are the highest in the planet and home for the worlds highest peaks that include Mount Everest and K2.The Great Himalaya mountain is a source of some of major rivers in India as well as in the world. The second longest glacier in the world Siachen Glacier is also the part of Great Himalaya range. Great Himalaya also host some of the most amazing valley’s which contains group of most beautiful lakes in India such as Pangong Tso -Ladakh,Tsongmo Lake -Sikkim and and the frozen one Sela Lake of Tawang. Kangchenjunga and K10 Saltoro Kangri I are respective highest mountain peaks of Himalaya Ranges and Karakoram ranges in Indian territories.

Himalaya - Adobe of Snow

The Purvanchal Range

The Purvanchal Range is the extension of the Great Himalaya range in north-east region of India. It is parallel to Karakoram and ladakh range. Three hill ranges that come under the Purvanchal ranges are, the Patkai, the Garo–Khasi–Jaintia and Lushai Hills. It is the most densely forested area and full of flora and fauna in India. These hill region also known for highest rainfall. Cherrapunji and Mawsynram are well famous for highest annual rainfall and wettest place on earth. Phawngpui is the highest peak of Purvanchal Range situated in Manipur with an elevation of 2,157 m (7,077 ft).

Purvanchal Range in NorthEast Region

The Vindhya Range

The Vindhya range is one of seven chief holy mountain ranges in India. The Vindhya geographically separates the Northern India from the Southern India as it runs across the central India. Vindhya range is a very old mountain range in central India. It extends in east-west direction from Varanasi through Madhya Pradesh to Gujrat. Vindhya range is parallel to Satpura ranges. The southern slopes of the range are drained by the Holy Narmada River also known as Narmada valley. Amarkantak is the tallest peak of  Vindhya Range with an elevation of 1,048 m (3,438 ft) in Madhya Pradesh.

Vindhyachal in Central India

The Satpura Range

The Satpura Range is a mountain range that stretches through the states in the central part of India. It extend across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Satpura range is triangular in shape with its apex at Ratnapuri other two sides being parallel to the Tapti  and Sacred Narmada River. The Narmada and the Tapti are the only major rivers that flow into the Arabian Sea. It runs parallel to the Vindhya range, The Satpura range was formerly heavily forested. These forest provide habitat for some of India’s remaining large mammals, including The Royal Bengal Tiger, gaur, bear and black buck. The highest peak of Satpura mountain range is Dhupgarh with an height of 1,350 m (4,429 ft) in Madhya Pradesh.

Satpura crossing thru states of India

The Aravali Range

The Aravali range is the oldest mountain range in India, running across Rajasthan to Haryana. The Aravalli range is the eroded stub of a range of ancient folded mountains. Aravalli Range is one of the most popular mountain ranges in India also known as mewat hills. Aravalli range is famous for mineral resources and surrounded by dense forests with rich in flora and fauna. The highest peak of Aravali Mountain Range is Guru Shikhar with height 1,722 m (5,650 ft) at Mount Abu.

The Aravali - Oldest Mountain Range in India

The Western Ghats

The range starts near the border of Gujarat and ending at Kanyakumari. About sixty percent of the  Sahyadri Range are located in the state of Karnataka. This area is one of the world’s ten “Hottest biodiversity hotpots. The Arabian sea area is known as Konkan area, one of the best tourist attraction in India. Green city Pune is the largest city within this mountain range in Maharashtra. The western ghats mountain ranges make up an impressive fortress all along Kerala. There are a number of beautiful hill stations and wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala. AnaiMudi in the Anaimalai Hills in Kerala is the highest peak in the Western Ghats. The Ghats also offer best valley’s scenery-view through out the journey.

Sahyadri - The Hottest biodiversity in the World

The Eastern Ghats

The Eastern Ghats is an irregular range of mountains, Which include four major rivers The Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna and Holy Kaveri. Its range start from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu. The Nilgiri hills “The Blue Mountains” in Tamil Nadu lies at the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats. This area has the largest population of Indian elephant . This discontinuous mountain ranges run parallel to the Bay of Bengal. The Shevaroy hills is the highest peak in the Easter Ghat.

Eastern Ghats connects Manjor Rivers in India

Things to do in Coonoor

Located at a height of 1,856 metres, Coonoor is a small tea garden town and an enchanting hill station. Here we bring you 10 Coonoor things to do that will enable you to make the most of this jewel nestled in the Nilgiri mountains

1. See Sim’s Park 

Sim’s Park sits in a deep ravine. By navigating its meandering paths you can reach the park’s higher peaks. Its most wondrous offering is its wealth of shola trees and the other innumerable varieties, sporadically planted all over. In full bloom, this randomness creates a vibrant and unreal effect. The park is also famous for affording great views to many of Coonoor’s popular tourist spots such as Lamb’s Rock, Dolphin’s Nose and Lady Canning’s Seat.

Sims-Park

2. Take the toy train

Nilgiri’s famous toy train is one of the most popular Coonoor things to do. The charming train started operating over a century ago and, considering the terrain of the region, it is rightfully considered an engineering marvel. The blue-cream train oozes old world charm with delightful wooden coaches and large windows that provide enchanting views. It’s called a toy train because it’s so slow that you can high-five the children outside as it moves. It stops every hour and so you can easily hop in and out for a short photo session. A ride on the usually crowded train should be considered a rare experience rather than treated as a functional mode of transport.

Toy-Train

3. Bird watching and listening

Coonoor’s calm and quiet is not just appreciated by peace-seeking tourists but also exotic birds. Here, you can find many songbirds such as nightingales, babblers, larks and robins, who serenade you with their mesmerizing harmonies.

Bird-Watching

4. Pick the fruits 

Coonoor’s Pomological Station is a feast for those interested in horticulture. Many varieties of fruits are grown here for research purposes. Here, one can also purchase fresh apples, plums, apricots and much more. Freshly made fruit jams are produced on a small scale and are delicious gifts for those back home.

Fruit Picking

5. Tour the silk station

A visit to the Silk Rearing Station is a great way to learn the intricacies of Sericulture. On special request you can get a complete tour of the process and see how the famous Indian silk is made. However, do note that the process involves boiling silkworms alive, so it may not be for everyone.

Silk

6. Enjoy the falls

The Law Falls are located 7 kilometers from Coonoor and make for a lovely picnic spot. The divine Falls drop from a height of almost 200 feet and what adds to the charm of the area is that it is enveloped by majestic Shola trees.

Waterfall

7. Get some fantastic views

A short drive from Coonoor is a destination called Lamb’s Rock. The tourist spot is a favourite of visitors because it offers divine views of Coimbatore. Just a little further away from Lamb’s Rock is Dolphin’s Nose. The viewpoint is quite simply named after a massive rock, which resembles the face of a Dolphin.

Sun-set

8. Share a point of view

Lady Canning’s Seat is just 9 kilometers from Coonoor. It is so named because the wife of Viceroy Canning loved to sit and marvel at the vista. Here you can find a small residence, which you can explore or just use to rest for a bit. From this destination you can soak-up the enchanting views of the endless tea estates that surround you as well as gaze at the plains

Valley-view

9. Drive to Droog

To reach the Droog, one has to drive 15 kilometers from Coonoor and then take on a 3 kilometer long trek. The Droog serves as a popular picnic spot but it also has great historical significance. The destination once served as an outpost for the great Tipu Sultan. It stands proud at an elevation of 6,000 feet and due to its location it offers incomparable views of the surrounding plains.

Droog Drive

10. Day trip to Masinagudi

Masinagudi is a great place to see elephants languidly strolling by, sharing the roads with cars, pedestrians and trucks. The destination is less than 20 kms from Coonoor and the drive is infested with hairpin turns. Trekking is the best way to explore Masinagudi’s beautiful vistas. There are innumerable charming makeshift snack stalls, which serve as great places to take a break and dig into the local delicacies.

Elephant-in-Masinagudi