| The Nilgiris -- literally, the Blue Hills -- are home to the highest hill stations in southern India, the most famous of which is Ooty. India’s British masters, who discovered the charm of these hills, were quick to plant pine, cypress and wattle to make themselves at home in its charming “English” environs. The planting of eucalyptus (for the aromatic medicinal oil) and tea followed. With that, the rolling meadows and the sholas, the dense high-altitude forests unique to the region, suffered. There are parts of the Nilgiris that retain their wild beauty, and Kotagiri has the last truly wild stretch of natural shola, Longwood Shola.
Kotagiri is the home of the Kota
tribes and is full of picturesque trekking trails. It
lies below the busy town of Ooty and above its sibling
Coonoor. A wall of hills protects it from the fury of
the southwest monsoon, which makes its climate milder
and more hospitable.
Among the sights, the picturesque
St Catherine Falls clearly tops the list. Go to Kannerimukku
to rediscover the home of the first European resident
of the Nilgiris, John Sullivan, who was also the Collector
of Coimbatore. His bungalow was built in 1819, a few
years before he laid the foundation for Ooty. Walk in
to view ancient photographs, tribal art, and implements
used by the Kotas, Badagas, Todas and other tribes of
the Niligiris.
Kotagiri is a panchayat town in The
Nilgiris District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Kotagiri is situated at an elevation of around 1793m
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.
The Doddabetta Range is 22 km away. Catherine Falls,
Elk Falls and Rangaswami Pillar are the major attractions
near Kotagiri 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 the magnificent
Moyar River. One has to cross through meadows to reach
Kodanad
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