Camp Mist'ea
Valley at Aravenu
Season:
Sept - May
Location:
Aravenu, Kotagiri, the
Nilgiris
Altitude:
1954 mts
Places
of interest: Kodanad View
Point,
Gene Pool, Coonoor, Ooty, RS Pillar
Activities:
Trekking, Camping, Photography,
Birding, Wildlife, Culture, Yoga, Tea, Ayurveda, Outbound training
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Called
the Queen of Hill Stations picturesque, green Udhagamandalam better
known, as Ooty is the most popular hill station in the South.
Nature has been generous with this region, which is by far the most
beautiful in the state. Apart from coffee and tea plantations, trees
like confiers, eucalptus, pine and wattle dot the hillside in
Udhagamandalam and its encirons. Summer temperature is rarely
higher than 25°c with a minimum of 10°c and winter is
are
distinctly cooler with a high of 21°c and a low 5°c.
Curiously
enough, this slice of paradise remained unknown to the great southern
dynasties and it took the British to discover it in the early 1800s.
They were, however, not the first inhabitants of this land as a tribe
called Todas had been living there long before the British came,
claiming that the Nilgiris had been their home since time immemorial.
But the credit for modernising Udhagamandalam and making it accessible
goes to the British who constructed the first railway line in the area
and made it the summer capital of the Madras Presidency.
Ooty with smaller hill stations of Coonoor - 19 kms and Kothagiri 31
kms from Ooty are the other hill stations of this district. Nilgiri is
India's first biosphere. It has been declared as one of the 14
'hotspots' of the world beavke of its unique bio-diversity. Nilgiri
presents a truly breath taking kaleidoscope of visual treats and soul
stirring experience.
Kodanadu
viewpoint
It is about 18 kms from Kotagiri on the eastern edges of the Nilgiris.
On either side of the road one can see the panoramic view of the tea
estates and the view of the river Moyar is breathtaking. A watchtower
is there to view the panoramic view of Rangaswamy peak and pillar. Bus
services are available from Kotagiri.
St. Catherine
Waterfall
From Dolphin's Nose of Coonoor one can have a magnificent view of St.
Catherine Waterfall, which is about 250 feet in height. But it can be
reached from Kotagiri 8 kms away. To reach the top of the hills
tourists should take a diversion at Aravenu on the
Kotagiri-Mettupalayam road.
Needle point
rock view :
It is 12 kms. on the way to Udhagamandalam - Gudalur from here one can
enjoy panoramic view of Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary and Gudalur town. |
